Curriculum and Pedagogy

Identify Curriculum Content Descriptors to be taught: Language Text structure and organisation Understand how texts vary in purpose, structure and topic as well as the degree of formality (ACELA1504) Literature Literature and context Identify aspects of literary texts that convey details or information about particular social, cultural and historical contexts (ACELT1608) Literacy Texts in context Show how ideas and points of view in texts are conveyed through the use of vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions, objective and subjective language, and that these can change according to context (ACELY1698) Interacting with others

Understand that the starting point of a sentence gives prominence to the message in the text and allows for prediction of how the text will unfold (ACELA1505)

Responding to literature

Present a point of view about particular literary texts using appropriate metalanguage, and reflecting on the viewpoints of others (ACELT1609) Use metalanguage to describe the effects of ideas, text structures and language features on particular audiences (ACELT1795)

Clarify understanding of content as it unfolds in formal and informal situations, connecting ideas to students own experiences and present and justify a point of view (ACELY1699) Use interaction skills, for example paraphrasing, questioning and interpreting non-verbal cues and choose vocabulary and vocal effects appropriate for different audiences and purposes (ACELY1796) Interpreting, analysing, evaluating Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701) Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example

predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702) Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (ACELY1703) Creating texts Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704) Reread and edit student's own and others work using agreed criteria for text structures and language features (ACELY1705) Develop a handwriting style that is becoming legible, fluent and automatic (ACELY1706)

The Productive Pedagogies (Department of Education, Training and Employment, 2004) that have embedded into this unit has allowed the Learning Manager to ensure that all lessons that have been designed are connected to the world real life, authentic, stimulating and challenging. Below is a table demonstrating the evidence within the unit. Productive Pedagogies Intellectual Quality Evidence in the unit Cooperative learning structures are embedded throughout the learning sequence to provide numerous opportunities for learners to engage in substantive conversation amongst students to create and negotiate understanding of subject matter. Deep understanding structure is embedded into the unit to insure students grasp concepts and ideas about protecting the natural environment when reasoning and explaining their research. Deep knowledge is identified in the unit to establish relatively complex connections to the central concepts of persuasive texts. The unit has a strong critical literacy focus and students are encouraged to evaluate viewpoints in a range of texts that present differing perspectives on the causes of pollution. Students are explicitly taught how to identify top-level structure associated with cause-effect organisation patterns to identify viewpoints embedded in texts to ensure they develop deep

knowledge and understanding of the topic. Supportive Classroom Environment Learning manager provides the opportunity in learning experiences for students to demonstrate active engagement by being attentive, showing enthusiasm, raising questions, contributing to groups activities and helping peers and incorporating the use of many digital tools. Learning experiences are structured to scaffolds opportunities for social support between students and learning manager and online explorations. Learning opportunities provided by Skype sessions with professionals and other classrooms across the globe. High connection lesson structure is embedded to provide opportunities for learners to make connections between their background knowledge and experience and topics, skills and competencies they are studying and acquiring. This will be used in the unit to identify what students currently know about the topic pollution and also what students currently know about persuasive texts and their purpose and also implement many new digital tools to enhance digital literacies. Connectedness to the world has been

Recognition of difference

Connectedness

used to structure learning experiences that have value and meaning beyond the instructional context making connection to the wider social context within which students live. Learning experiences are structured throughout the unit to use subject knowledge to integrate three sets of subject area knowledge; English, SOSE and ICTs.

Blooms Taxonomy When designing this Unit, I used Bloom's Taxonomy (Bloom, 1956, as cited in Clark, 2010) to ensure the learning process progresses in difficulty, but also to be sure that there is learning taking place in each category. Below is evidence of how this Unit follows Bloom's Cognitive Domain:

Knowledge - Students are discovering about Pollution and the impacts it has on the Earth. Comprehension - Class discussion about pollution. Application - Identifying problems that could arise if ideas and strategies were not implemented to help assist with the global issue of pollution. Then moving onto problem-solving - finding ways to get out opinions heard. The use of persuasive texts and movie making for impact. Analysis - Organising these ideas - how could each student assist in this situation? Synthesis - Designing a movie on how everyone can contribute to the reduction of pollution and sending an email to an Editor of a local newspaper to express concern. Creating the movie to present to the other classes in the school. Evaluation - Students consistently using their Weebly / blogs to reflect throughout the unit. Evaluating their work once they have completed their end products (email and movie). (Clark, 2010).