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How can a traditional folktale be adapted to a play?

In this lesson, students will read and compare Russian folktales. Students will be introduced to the elements of a plot, then become playwrights to write a play about a traditional Russian folktale

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Sci-Fi and Fantasy Worldbuilding

In this lesson, students will explore the intersection of science fiction and fantasy from the works of Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time Trilogy. Students will create an original character, thing, ability, and/or place using worldbuilding elements. Students will choose between dramatizing, making a book trailer, or ...

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Art in Advertising

In this teaching activity, students will explore how visual artwork supports key messages in advertising and the concept of a “call to action”. They will apply elements and principles of design to create original advertisements for an audience.

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Grey Whales Newscast

In this 3-5 lesson, students will research information about grey whales and work in groups to write, produce, and perform a newscast about grey whales using the essential qualities of a news anchor.

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Character Sketches

What techniques do storytellers use to create characters? In this lesson, students will analyse how a character's personality traits, actions and motives influence the plot of a story. They will use their senses to create character sketches, then dramatize the character for an audience.

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Mythological Characters

How do Greek mythological figures inspire modern day characters? In this lesson, students will explore the connection between Greek mythology and modern culture. They will analyse Greek culture, mythological characters, and apply elements of mythology. They will design and paint original mythological characters with watercolours.

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Mountain Creation

In this lesson, students will dramatize the ways a mountain can be formed. They will analyse poems about mountain creation from the perspective of the Tohono O’odham indigenous people of Arizona and Mexico. Students will compare the poems to science-based descriptions of mountain formation.

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Fairy Tale

How does culture influence fairy tales from storyteller to storyteller? Students will compare and contrast culturally distinct variations of the fairy tale, Cinderella. Students will also research the cultures represented in the fairy tales and create a visual art piece.

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Recycle: How do visual and theatre arts convey issues about the environment?

In this lesson students will explore the concepts behind the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” slogan. They will examine the process of recycling and perform a commercial with a backdrop made of recycled materials.

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AERO Ochre English Year 4 Unit 2 - Mulga Bill’s Bicycle: Ballad

This sequence of five lessons unpacks the features of a ballad using Banjo Patterson’s ‘Mulga Bill’s Bicycle.’ Students are guided through the process of analysing a poem before using it as a model to create a version of their own.

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AERO Ochre English Year 6 Unit 2 - Inspirational figures: biographical writing

This sequence of eleven lessons explores the structure, grammar and vocabulary used in biographical texts. They compose a biography of Faith Bandler and build their word knowledge.

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Debating guide for classroom teachers

This teacher guide provides advice about the key elements of debating as well as a judging guide, planning templates for each speaker and links to a range of resources.

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Work sample Year 6 English: Responding to the news - Letter to the Editor

This work sample demonstrates evidence of student learning in relation to aspects of the achievement standards for Year 6 English. The primary purpose for the work sample is to demonstrate the standard, so the focus is on what is evident in the sample not how it was created. The sample is an authentic representation of ...

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Sally Rippin on authors and illustrators

Watch this clip to find out about the relationship between authors and illustrators. What role does the publisher play in this relationship? What does Sally Rippin say about the role of illustrations in books for young children?

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Know your audience

Before you watch this video, guess the intended readership of Shamini Flint's Diary series about a boy playing sports. How did you come to this conclusion? Were you correct? Why do you think it's important for writers to think about who their intended readers are?

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Research in creative writing

Research is not always necessary in creative writing if you write solely from your own experiences, but many writers find research helpful in creating settings and characters they may not have been exposed to in their own lives. How has Shamini Flint used both her own life experiences and research in her books?

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Say hello in Dharug

Watch this video to learn how to greet someone in the Dharug language, spoken by the Indigenous people of the Sydney Basin area. How do you say 'hello, how are you?' in Dharug? And what are the words for good and bad? Practise these phrases with Jacinta Tobin and then teach them to a friend or family member.

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Hillside erosion: how to stop it

Find out what is causing erosion of the hills in a local area, and how this damage can be prevented. View this clip called 'Willunga Hills are falling down', created by young reporters from Willunga Primary School, South Australia. The clip was developed as part of the ABC Splash Live 'Making the news!' project, which featured ...

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A school's history of sustainability

Discover the history of sustainability at a local primary school as two generations of past students reflect on their time at the school. View this clip called 'The past of our present', created by young reporters from North Fitzroy Primary School, Victoria. The clip was developed as part of the ABC Splash Live 'Making ...

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Writing drafts with Sally Rippin

Listen as Sally Rippin describes how her reading feeds into her writing. Why does she sometimes stop reading when she's in the early stages of writing a new story? Do you write a few drafts of your stories before you get to your final version? What does Sally say about the first draft of a story?