Activity Introduction
Quick summary: In this lesson, students will develop their ability to engage the reader through the use of imagery. Students will explore ways to engage the senses to draw the reader into the story so that they feel a part of it.
This lesson is designed to provide valuable practise for NAPLAN, the national literacy and numeracy test held in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9*. It links directly to the marking criteria audience and vocabulary.
This lesson has been developed in partnership with The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria. For over 160 years, The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) has been running the Royal Melbourne Show which, like other agricultural shows around the country, works to build the community’s knowledge and understanding of the vital role agriculture plays in our everyday lives.
This year’s Royal Melbourne Show will be held between Saturday 21st to Tuesday 1st September.
Learning intentions:
- Students will write narratives which use imagery to engage the senses of the reader.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 5 English:
- Understand, interpret and experiment with sound devices and imagery, including simile, metaphor and personification, in narratives, shape poetry, songs, anthems and odes (ACELT1611)
- Create literary texts using realistic and fantasy settings and characters that draw on the worlds represented in texts students have experienced (ACELT1612)
- 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)
Year 6 English:
- Identify and explain how choices in language, for example modality, emphasis, repetition and metaphor, influence personal response to different texts (ACELT1615)
- Identify the relationship between words, sounds, imagery and language patterns in narratives and poetry such as ballads, limericks and free verse (ACELT1617)
- Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using imagery, sentence variation, metaphor and word choice (ACELT1800)
- Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714)
Syllabus outcomes: EN3-3A, EN3-2A, EN3-6B, EN3-7C.
General capabilities: Literacy
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability
Relevant parts of Year 5 achievement standards:
They understand how language features, images and vocabulary influence interpretations of characters, settings and events. Students create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts for different purposes and audiences.
Relevant parts of Year 6 achievement standards:
Students create detailed texts elaborating on key ideas for a range of purposes and audiences. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, using a variety of strategies for effect. They demonstrate an understanding of grammar, and make considered vocabulary choices to enhance cohesion and structure in their writing.
Topic: Consumption
Unit of work: The Show – NAPLAN preparation
Time required: 120 mins.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – some students may require support to develop writing ideas.
Resources required: A class set of the Imagery Checklist, Imagery Tasks Cards Worksheet, Independent Writing Reflection Template, Writing Stimulus Sheet. A device capable of presenting The Royal Melbourne Show Narrative Presentation to the class. Loose writing sheets for student drafts (optional).
Keywords: Agriculture, show, farming, produce, breeds, food, fibre, NAPLAN.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
