Activity Introduction
Quick summary: In this lesson, students will be engaging in silent conversations, responding to text excerpts, poems, news articles, images and prompts, allowing them to reflect on ideas about masculinity, violence, and the connection between the two.
The STOP the Coward Punch education package aims to spread awareness about the devastating effects of the coward punch on our community. This education package was developed by a team of experts, including a youth worker, education specialist and specialist teachers and references the latest research and laws on coward punches.
Learning intentions:
- Students will understand the correlation between the constructs of masculinity and violence
- Students will be introduced to data relating to coward punches
- Students will engage with a range of text types, including Shakespeare, poetry, news articles, images and reports.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 9 English:
- Interpret and compare how representations of people and culture in literary texts are drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1633)
- Explore and reflect on personal understanding of the world and significant human experience gained from interpreting various representations of life matters in texts (ACELT1635)
- Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse texts, comparing and evaluating representations of an event, issue, situation or character in different texts (ACELY1744)
Syllabus outcomes: EN5-2A, EN5-7D, EN5-8D
General capabilities: Literacy
Relevant parts of Year 9 achievement standards:
Students evaluate and integrate ideas and information from texts to form their own interpretations. Students contribute actively to class and group discussions, comparing and evaluating responses to ideas and issues.
Topic: Social Issues
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work STOP the Coward Punch: English – Years 7 to 10.
Time required: 60 mins.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – teachers will need to ensure students are silent throughout the silent conversation and then lead a debrief discussion at the conclusion of the lesson.
Resources required:
- Coloured pens or markers
- Device capable of presenting a screen to the class, if the optional online option is used
- Prompt Materials – one A3 copy per pair/small group
- Student Worksheets – one copy per student.
Related professional development: Strategies for Dealing with Aggressive and Violent Behaviours
Keywords: courageous conversation, silent conversation, coward punch, masculinity, avengers, heroes, Macduff, Shakespeare, man, Rudyard Kipling
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
