Summary+of+Unit+of+Work

**Summary of Unit of Work ** The first lesson of the unit will introduce rainforests through the reading of the picture book //Where the Forest Meets the Sea// by //Jeannie Baker.// This will provide students with the knowledge required to understand what a rainforest is. The lesson will progress with a discussion about rainforests and what they entail with reference to the picture book. Through discussion students will be given the opportunity to broaden their understanding of the subject matter, share personal experiences related to the topic and most importantly it will give the teacher an insight into the students’ prior knowledge. Within groups of four, students will be given the map of Australia and will be asked to locate the Australian rainforests and record their findings.
 * Lesson 1 – Introduction: Exploring Rainforests **

Introduce information reports to the students outlining their aim, structure and grammatical features. Then in groups of 4-5, students will be using factual texts to gather information on rainforests. The aim of the lesson is for students to locate information within information reports and gather key concepts needed to understand how rainforests work (living & non-living things). They must record their findings. From this, students will be given the opportunity to share their information with the rest of the class and write key points on the board for the whole class to view. The teacher will then lead a discussion about how these living or non-living things may interact with each other; for example animals need water to survive (the river/stream).
 * Lesson 2 – Exploring Information Reports **

Now that the students have knowledge on information reports, the aim of this lesson is to for students to write an information report. The teacher will begin the first couple of sentences on a pro forma on the Interactive Whiteboard (modelled writing). The next few sentences will be completed by the class with assistance from the teacher (shared writing). Then students will independently finish the information report (independent writing). At the end of the lesson, students will be given the opportunity to share their information reports.
 * Lesson 3 – Information Report **

Students will explore the elements of visual literacy through various text types. As different text types serve a specific purpose, explicit scaffolding and appropriate pedagogy will support students in interpreting the visual language as part of their regular literacy program. The lesson involves the deconstruction of visual structures using the semiotic model as a guide in gaining meaning from a particular text in order to understand its purpose and function. The lesson aims to develop students’ knowledge of using visual language to create an effective advertisement in influencing an audience and which promotes the protection and conservation of rainforests as part of their multimodal experience.
 * Lesson 4 – Visual Grammar/Annotation **

Students will be introduced to the term deforestation, which they have touched upon in previous lessons through discussion. They will explore the effects of deforestation on both living and non-living things. From this students will be given the opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the effects of deforestation through role play. Each student will choose an element from the rainforest to role play; for example a tree, insect, and deforester. They will express their concerns in the form of their character to each other (individually) and share their concerns with the rest of the class.
 * Lesson 5 – Deforestation: Role Play **

Students will be introduced to the text type of expositions – what an exposition is (To state a position with respect to an issue and argue a case for or against), the structure of an exposition (statement of position, series of arguments, reinforcement of position)and the language used in an exposition (text connectives, sensing verb, evaluative vocabulary). With the help of the students, the teacher will create posters of the language used in expositions as a reference for the students (text connectives, sequential words, high modality words, low modality words). Teacher asks the question ‘//why should rainforests be protected//’? Students must brainstorm and write their ideas up on the board. Then students will begin writing their exposition as to why rainforests should be protected.
 * Lesson 6 – Exposition part 1 **

This lesson is a continuation of the previous lesson as students will complete their exposition. Once students have completed their exposition, they will assess their own work referring to the structure and language of an exposition and language. Then they will be given the opportunity to share their expositions with the class.
 * Lesson 7 – Exposition part 2 **

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Using the ideas developed from the exposition in the previous lesson, students will create two minute advertisement promoting the protection of our rainforest using the program jay-cut. Students must use text, image, sound and video (optional). The teacher models the usage of the program including how images, sound, videos or text can be incorporated in the video. Then in groups of 3-4, students will be given 10 minutes to explore the program and how to use it. Following this, students will begin the planning process of their advertisement. This includes the structuring of the advertisement and role-allocation. Students will then begin developing their video on the protection of rainforests.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Lesson 8 – Multimodal Text part 1 **

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The eighth lesson continues from the previous lesson. Students are given the chance to finish their advertisement and are given time to edit their two minute video.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Lesson 9 – Multimodal Text part 2 **

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The final lesson will allow students time to finish final touch ups ready to present. Each group presents their advertisement and shares with the class, the resources used, the reasons behind choosing those resources and the effects they had on the modality of the advertisement.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Lesson 10 – Presenting/Evaluating **