LESSON PLAN: Carys Arnold 10096097 Page 1

PART A: PREPARATION AND STRATEGIES

Year: 8 Syllabus section: English syllabus stage 4

Lesson Number:
X/10

Unit Name: Weaving the Past and the Future

Lesson Topic: Methods of storytelling Duration: 60 minutes

Lesson Theme: The bark fishing net

Prior knowledge/skills required: Resources: Attachments are included at the end of this document.
Introduction to narrative
techniques

Quality Teaching Elements (lesson focus) - Highlight relevant items

1. Intellectual Quality 2. Quality Learning Environment 3. Significance
1.1 Deep knowledge 2.1 Explicit quality criteria 3.1 Background knowledge
1.2 Deep understanding 2.2 Engagement 3.2 Cultural knowledge
1.3 Problematic knowledge 2.3 High Expectations 3.3 Knowledge integration
1.4 Higher-order thinking 2.4 Social Support 3.4 Inclusivity
1.5 Metalanguage 2.5 Students’ self-regulation 3.5 Connectedness
1.6 Substantive communication 2.6 Student direction 3.6 Narrative
How are Quality Teaching (QT) elements achieved in the lesson?

QT element/s in the lesson Indicators of presence in lesson

Students are to delve into great detail to deconstruct and reconstruct the nuances
1.2 Deep Understanding of the Dreaming story they hear. They will demonstrate that learning through their
performative reimagination of the story as part of their assessment.
Students are encouraged to discuss their understanding of the text as a group and
will reimagine it according to their understanding of the nuances of the text to
1.4 Higher Order Thinking create new meaning. This helps students to make their way up the scale of Bloom’s
Taxonomy to apply, analyse, evaluate and create new work. The discussion portion
of the lesson will allow students to evaluate their own interpretations of the text.
2.2 Engagement By promoting student ownership of their performances, students are encouraged to
draw on their own interests and understanding of the text and to reimagine it in
their own way, giving them the ability to work to their strengths.

PART B: SEQUENCE OF ACTIVIES IN LESSON

Syllabus outcomes: (number/s and descriptor)
ENA4-1A responds to and composes texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and
pleasure.
ENA4-2A effectively uses a widening range of processes, skills, strategies and knowledge for responding to and composing
texts in different media and technologies.
ENA4-7D demonstrates understanding of how texts can express aspects of their broadening world and their relationships
within it.
Students learn to:
Respond to and compose imaginative, informative and persuasive texts for different audiences, purposes and contexts for
understanding, interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure.
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Use a widening range of processes of composing and publishing sustained texts, including planning, drafting, rehearsing and
editing.
Draw on experience to consider the ways the 'real world' is represented in the imaginary worlds of texts, including imaginative
literature, film, media and multimedia texts.

Timing Lesson content and teaching strategies being Student activity 8 ways link/symbol/s
employed
Students to take notes of the This activity is designed to
5 Mins Teacher should show students a fishing net (made different ways of story telling as get students thinking
from bark) and say “This fishing net is representative the PowerPoint is presented. about a variety of cultures
of today’s lesson. We are going to be listening to a and how ancient traditions
story today and reinterpreting it. Just like this net, Student discussion – share their have been shaped into
we are going to create something out of something own experiences of story telling modern techniques across
else. We will be weaving our stories together to (could include bedtime stories, cultures (weaving the past
make something different. Sounds a bit weird? Well make their own art, rap, tell and the future).
this whole lesson is going to be different from what stories to their friends.
you’re used to.”

Begin PowerPoint presentation showing an

introduction to different forms of storytelling. This
part of the lesson will explain different methods of
telling stories, supplemented by a PowerPoint
presentation of traditional methods of storytelling.

Students will now listen to a story from The Students will sit in a learning Students will hear a
15 mins Dreaming as told by a member of a local Aboriginal circle and may ask questions traditional story from an
community. about the story. Aboriginal community
member.
After the telling of the story, the class will have a If possible, the rest of the lesson
short discussion about the story morals and its will take place outside. If not,
meaning in real life. the class will form a circle inside
the room.

15 mins The class will work together in four small groups Students gather into their groups This task is designed to get
(split evenly) to reimagine the story. Each group will and talk together to come up students to connect their
have a different task as follows; with an idea of how they will present with the stories of
retell the Dreaming story to the the past, thus weaving the
Group 1: Reimagine the story’s moral in today’s class. past and the future. It is
setting (eg, this high school, or a sports club etc) This also designed to get them
group must use the same moral (or plot), but in a The teacher and the Aboriginal to think past the Euro-
modern setting. community member will interact centric scholarly stories to
with each group and offer delve into different
Group 2: Retell the story with a modern moral (eg suggestions and feedback on storytelling techniques for
bullying or drug use) This group must use the same their ideas. greater understanding of
characters and must be set in ancient Australia. meaning through a
weaving of cultural norms.
Group 3: Tell the same story without using words.
This can be as creative as they like and may be Students will participate in
played like charades or mime, or drawn in a series of or view a variety of tasks
pictures on the whiteboard or on paper. including;

Group 4: This group will be given a collection of

natural objects (such as leaves, bark, stones etc). The
group will come up with a new story explaining the
origin of these objects (As personified characters).
(Maybe have these objects already, or if the
Aboriginal community member has any objects they
could bring, perhaps those could be used).
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Groups may take notes or drawings as visual cues as
they wish for the presentation to follow.
15 Mins Each group will now present their new interpretation Each group will present to the Students will share their
of the story to the class within learning circle. class. All students are expected reinterpretations of the
to have contributed to the story. By embedding their
Maximum 5 minutes per group. presentation in some way. cultural perspective into
the narrative they are
weaving their new with
the old.

10 Mins At the end of the presentations, the Aboriginal Pick out thoughtful / quiet Students will deconstruct
community member should give some feedback on students for this question time. and reconstruct the stories
what they liked about the presentations. Students they have just seen as a
will discuss each of the presentations. (push up not group.
down)

Discussion starters:
 Which presentation did you like best? Why?
 What are the strengths of the presentation that
didn’t use words?
 Did any of the presentations seem strange? Why?
How?
 Can anyone give an example of a story that is told
without using words?

Home- Homework task for Assessment: Students to take a homework With the Aboriginal
work Students are to research online and find a new sheet and stick it in their book. community member the
traditional story (eg Aboriginal Dreaming, Irish folk lesson is concluded,
tales,) to present to the class for their assessment. articulating what has been
The story they choose must be presented in a learnt prior to exiting the
historically traditional method – i.e. not words on classroom.
paper – to highlight the different ways of thinking
and preparing stories. Methods of presentation
include song, dance, rhythm, art, use of objects or
representation of characters.
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PART C: ANALYSIS AND SELF-REFLECTION

How have outcomes been achieved?
Learning outcome Method of measuring and recording
ENA4-1A Students will deconstruct the Aboriginal Dreaming text and imaginatively reconstruct it for an audience
of their peers. Students will be assessed on the quality of the reconstruction / reinterpretation in
comparison to the original story.

ENA4-2A Students are expected to draw inspiration from the information given at the beginning of the lesson and
work collaboratively to compose, edit and rehearse their new text. They will also be assessed on this at
the end of the unit as shown in their homework sheet.

ENA4-7D Students will be assessed on their demonstration of understanding of the oral text. Each student should
participate in the discussion about the performances during the class to assess their understanding of
texts and context
Links to next lesson
In the next lesson, students will begin unpacking some of the meanings within pictorial storytelling. An example of this is in the
PowerPoint as an extension task. Students will also listen to other oral stories from YouTube, and examine similarities between
ancient cave paintings and modern simplistic storytelling such as Snapchat. These activities will assist them in their homework
assessment for the unit when they are to present their own story in a non-written technique. Time will also be allocated for them
to begin the task in class so they can talk to the teacher and the Aboriginal community member (if available as part of the
Indigenous Week) about their ideas.

AISTL graduate standards and evidence that this lesson achieves this standard.
AITSL Standard Evidence within this lesson
1.3 and 1.4 This lesson is designed to allow students of differing backgrounds to draw on what they know of
storytelling from their on culture to collaborate with other students to create a new interpretation of a
traditional text. Students who come from an oral storytelling culture will be able to make full use of their
cultural knowledge to thrive and assist other students in the tasks. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
students should be particularly engaged in this lesson since it is inspired by Aboriginal learning circles
and the spirit of collaboration.
WHS considerations

 If the class goes outside, the effects of weather (heat/cold).

 Using natural objects for the in-class assessment of learning may present dangers (e.g. rocks, sharp sticks).
 Students may need to move desks to accommodate the learning circle (although as part of the Indigenous week, all
lessons are encouraged to take place within learning circles this week).

References

Jagnjic, T. (2016). yo bro is it safe down there in the woods? yeah man it's cool [illustration]. Retrieved from
https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/003/127/455/large/tomislav-jagnjic-001.jpg?1491958630

Jordaan, C. (n.d.). YirraKurl – Aboriginal Procurement and Aboriginal Storytelling. Retrieved from
https://ichibancommercialsolutions.com.au/yirrakurl-aboriginal-storytelling/

Launikari, M. (2015). Storytelling in the Ancient and More Modern Times. Retrieved from
http://www.launikari.eu/blog/storytelling-in-the-ancient-and-more-modern-times/

Sentinel News Service. (2015, July 30). ‘Art of the Spirit – Myth to Reality’ At Museum of African American Art. Retrieved from
https://lasentinel.net/art-of-the-spirit-myth-to-reality-at-museum-of-african-american-art.html
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Classroom ready:

PowerPoint Slideshow
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Homework sheet

Research online (or in books!) and find a traditional story similar to the one we heard today. Try to find a story from a non-white
culture (eg Aboriginal Dreaming, middle eastern folk tales, ancient Egyptian tales, even something like old wives’ tales – ask your
parents/guardians for help if you get stuck). Once you have chosen a story you like, you need to come up with an idea to present
to the class on Friday. The story must be presented in a historically traditional method – i.e. not words on paper. Your
presentation may take the form of a yarn, song, dance, rhythm, art, use of objects or even a slideshow.

For next lesson you will need to have chosen your story as we will spend some time preparing your presentations in class.