Thursday, 21 November 2013

Get our App and Follow us on Twitter!

Hi Everyone

Woodlands Teacher Development School now has an app available through the app store for FREE. Download the app to keep up to date with events, information and blog spots in regards to Australian Curriculum: English! Search for Woodlands Teacher Development School in the App Store!



Also follow us on Twitter @WoodlandsTDS

Monday, 14 October 2013

Language Devices


The link below is to a fantastic youtube clip regarding Literary (language) Devices

http://youtu.be/U_pxfifB6Co


Literary (Language) devices is embedded within the Australian Curriculum: English content descriptions. In particular it falls under the Literature Strand and the Sub Strand of Examining Literature. If you view the AC:E scope and sequence, the thread pertains to "language devices in literary texts including figurative language".

You might also consider using the clip as an example for students to create their own video to demonstrate knowledge of language devices. 


The AC Year Level Descriptions provide detail to teachers on the scope of texts to provide for students. We know that "create" in AC:E glossary is described as the ability to develop and/or produce spoken, written or multimodal texts in print or digital forms."

For example:  In Years 3 and 4 your students might create a written or spoken review of the youtube clip and it's effect on their understanding of language devices.
                  
                    In Years 5 and 6 your students might create a digital or multi-modal video explanation of language devices in the style of the clip they viewed.

                    In Year 7 your students might create a transformation of text through a written glossary of the language devices mentioned in the clip.


Fantastic clip and would love to hear how you might utilise it!

Wednesday, 11 September 2013

Australian Curriculum:English Punctuation Across Modes and Year Levels

Punctuation Across the Modes

The Foundation learning sequence contained in this post was developed by Pre Primary teacher Robyn Blekkenhorst from Woodlands PS in our work as a Teacher Development School.

The sequence is linked to The Australian Curriculum - English content descriptions. 
You can access The Australian Curriculum by clicking this link:

As a Teacher Development School, we are often asked how do teachers cater for composite/split classes when teaching The Australian Curriculum: English? 

There is an informative document in the "Organisation" tab of The Australian Curriculum: English online. The document is called "Implications for Teaching, Assessment and Reporting". You can locate this document by clicking this link http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/Implications-for-teaching-assessment-and-reporting .

It states in this document that, "Teachers use the Australian Curriculum content and achievement standards first to identify current levels of learning and achievement and then to select the most appropriate content (possibly from across several year levels) to teach individual students and/or groups of students. This takes into account that in each class there may be students with a range of prior achievement (below, at and above the year level expectations) and that teachers plan to build on current learning." 

It also states "While content descriptions do not repeat key skills, it should be noted that many aspects of the English curriculum are recursive, and teachers need to provide ample opportunity for revision, ongoing practice and consolidation of previously introduced knowledge and skills. Students learn at different rates and in different stages. Depending on each student’s rate of learning, not all of the content descriptions for a particular year level may be relevant to a student in that year level. Some students may have already learned a concept or skill, in which case it will not have to be explicitly taught to them in the year level stipulated. Other students may need to be taught concepts or skills stipulated for earlier year levels." 

It is important therefore, to remember that AC:E is a continuum of learning. It is NOT a syllabus for each year level. To that end, it is irrelevant if the class is composite year levels or a straight year level. We must first identify what the students know and can do, then we must identify the most appropriate content from perhaps across year levels. We also need to provide ongoing opportunity for students to revise and consolidate.

The Scope and Sequence document needs to become your new best curriculum friend.

In this post you will find a learning sequence related to a Foundation class but which has clearly identified content descriptions selected from Year 1. The teacher has identified that her Pre Primary students have mastered the punctuation content descriptions from Foundation and are ready to be taught the next step. 

The Year Level Descriptions for Foundation has remained in place to guide the text types students engage with, who the students will communicate with and what types of texts they will create. 

It is important to note that punctuation within AC:E is more than the "Writing" mode. At the Foundation level it needs to be catered for across "Writing" and "Reading". At Year 1 the content needs to be catered for across "Writing", "Reading" and "Speaking and Listening". 

Click HERE  for the Foundation Plan and then HERE to get the Year 1 Content links. This will allow you to download/view the teacher's lesson plan.When you click the link it will open in Google Docs. When that screen opens, click on FILE and then DOWNLOAD.






Please find below a photo of a student engaging in a task as a result of the learning sequence:


Our next Woodlands Australian Curriculum Implementation (WACI) Club is on October 31 from 4pm to 5pm at Woodlands PS.  We are focusing on sharing learning sequences related to
Communicate: The Who, the What and the How!
  To register please go to the Institute for Professional Learning Online Calendar which can be accessed through the Portal via Professional Learning.

Or please email Carlene.Thorpe@education.wa.edu.au

 




WACI Club also operates via

 The Collie-Preston and Capes Networks! 
And from Craigie Heights PS!
(all WACI Clubs form part of the Teacher Development School initiative)



You can register NOW on the IPL Calendar for :

 






Collie-Preston WACI Club on  17 September from 4:15 - 5:15pm at 
Bunbury Primary School on Hartog Road.   This WACI Club will focus on Expanding the Use of Literary Texts. It is a FREE event.

 

AND 

Capes WACI Club on 19 September from 4pm to 5pm at  Geographe Primary School in Busselton. This WACI Club will focus on Expanding the Use of Literary Texts. It is a FREE event.











Craigie Heights WACI Club TODAY from 3:45m to 4:45pm at 

Craigie Heights Primary School. This WACI Club will focus on the Planning with Literary Texts. It is a FREE event.

 

Copyright notice for use of Australian Curriculum material
In regards to the planning tool in this post:

© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2013.
This is an extract from the Australian Curriculum.
ACARA neither endorses nor verifies the accuracy of the information provided and accepts no responsibility for incomplete or inaccurate information. In particular, ACARA does not endorse or verify that:

  • The content descriptions are solely for a particular year and subject;
  • All the content descriptions for that year and subject have been used; and
  • The author’s material aligns with the Australian Curriculum content descriptions for the relevant year and subject.
You can find the unaltered and most up to date version of this material at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ This material is reproduced with the permission of ACARA.

Monday, 2 September 2013

Australian Curriculum: English Foundation Learning Sequence

Foundation Learning Sequence

The Foundation learning sequence contained in this post was developed by Pre Primary teacher Wendy Murray from Woodlands PS in our work as a Teacher Development School. The sequence is linked to "The Little Red Hen" through a variety of texts types including digital.

The sequence is linked to The Australian Curriculum - English content descriptions. 
You can access The Australian Curriculum by clicking this link:
  
The learning sequence uses the Year Level Description from Foundation as direction for the types of texts students engage with and create.

Click HERE to download/view the teacher's lesson plan.When you click the link it will open in Google Docs. When that screen opens, click on FILE and then DOWNLOAD.



Please find below some student work samples as a result of the learning sequence.











Our next Woodlands Australian Curriculum Implementation (WACI) Club is on September 5 from 4pm to 5pm at Woodlands PS.  We are focusing on
Communicate: The Who, the What and the How!
  To register please go to the Institute for Professional Learning Online Calendar which can be accessed through the Portal via Professional Learning.

Or for more details please email Carlene.Thorpe@education.wa.edu.au
 
WACI Club also operates via
 The Collie-Preston and Capes Networks! 

You can register NOW on the IPL Calendar for :
 

Collie-Preston WACI Club on  17 September from 4:15 - 5:15pm at 
Bunbury Primary School on Hartog Road.   This WACI Club will focus on Expanding the Use of Literary Texts. It is a FREE event.
 
AND 
Capes WACI Club on 19 September from 4pm to 5pm at  Geographe Primary School in Busselton. This WACI Club will focus on Expanding the Use of Literary Texts. It is a FREE event.


We are excited to announce the formation of WACI Club at Craigie Heights Primary School!

You can register NOW on the IPL calendar for:
Craigie Heights WACI Club on 12 September from 3:45m to 4:45pm at 
Craigie Heights Primary School. This WACI Club will focus on the Planning with Literary Texts. It is a FREE event.
 

Copyright notice for use of Australian Curriculum material
In regards to the planning tool in this post:

© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2013.
This is an extract from the Australian Curriculum.
ACARA neither endorses nor verifies the accuracy of the information provided and accepts no responsibility for incomplete or inaccurate information. In particular, ACARA does not endorse or verify that:

  • The content descriptions are solely for a particular year and subject;
  • All the content descriptions for that year and subject have been used; and
  • The author’s material aligns with the Australian Curriculum content descriptions for the relevant year and subject.
You can find the unaltered and most up to date version of this material at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ This material is reproduced with the permission of ACARA.

Monday, 12 August 2013

Australian Curriculum: English Year 2 Learning Sequence

Utilising a Variety of Literary Text Types

The Year Two learning sequence contained in this post was developed by Year Two teacher Melissa Martyn from Woodlands PS in our work as a Teacher Development School.

The sequence is linked to The Australian Curriculum - English content descriptions. 
You can access The Australian Curriculum by clicking this link:
 
 
The learning sequence uses the Year Level Descriptions from Year 2 as direction for the types of texts students engage with and create.

Click HERE to download/view the teacher's lesson plan.When you click the link it will open in Google Docs. When that screen opens, click on FILE and then DOWNLOAD. There are 13 pages to the Learning Sequence. The sequence of lessons was addressed over a 7 week period.





Our next Woodlands Australian Curriculum Implementation (WACI) Club is on September 5 from 4pm to 5pm at Woodlands PS.  We are focusing on s
Communicate: The Who, the What and the How!
  To register please go to the Institute for Professional Learning Online Calendar which can be accessed through the Portal via Professional Learning.

Or for more details please email Carlene.Thorpe@education.wa.edu.au
 
WACI Club also operates via
 The Collie-Preston and Capes Networks! 

You can register NOW on the IPL Calendar for :
 

Collie-Preston WACI Club on  13 August from 4:15 - 5:15pm at 
Dalyellup Primary School on Hartog Road.   This WACI Club will focus on Assessment and the Australian Curriculum. It is a FREE event.
 
AND 
Capes WACI Club on 15 August from 4pm to 5pm at  Geographe Primary School in Busselton. This WACI Club will focus on Assessment and the Australian Curriculum. It is a FREE event.


We are excited to announce the formation of WACI Club at Craigie Heights Primary School!

You can register NOW on the IPL calendar for:
Craigie Heights WACI Club on 15 August from 3:45m to 4:45pm at 
Craigie Heights Primary School. This WACI Club will focus on the Literature strand. It is a FREE event.
 

Copyright notice for use of Australian Curriculum material
In regards to the planning tool in this post:

© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2013.
This is an extract from the Australian Curriculum.
ACARA neither endorses nor verifies the accuracy of the information provided and accepts no responsibility for incomplete or inaccurate information. In particular, ACARA does not endorse or verify that:

  • The content descriptions are solely for a particular year and subject;
  • All the content descriptions for that year and subject have been used; and
  • The author’s material aligns with the Australian Curriculum content descriptions for the relevant year and subject.
You can find the unaltered and most up to date version of this material at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ This material is reproduced with the permission of ACARA.

Saturday, 10 August 2013

Australian Curriculum: English Year 1/2 Learning Sequence

Poetry

The Year One/Two learning sequence contained in this post was developed by Year One/Two teacher Megan Wilkinson from Woodlands PS in our work as a Teacher Development School.

The sequence is linked to The Australian Curriculum - English content descriptions. 
You can access The Australian Curriculum by clicking this link:

The AC:E content is written as a continuum of understandings and skills. In terms of composite classes it is important to look for the build between year levels in content descriptions. 
 
 In the "Organisation" tab of The Australian Curriculum online, there is an informative document entitled, "Implications for Teaching, Assessment and Reporting." Part of this document states: "Teachers use the Australian Curriculum content and achievement standards first to identify current levels of learning and achievement and then to select the most appropriate content (possibly from across several year levels) to teach individual students and/or groups of students. This takes into account that in each class there may be students with a range of prior achievement (below, at and above the year level expectations) and that teachers plan to build on current learning"  Therefore it is important for teachers to ascertain WHAT skills and knowledge students already bring to the learning sequence, WHAT misunderstandings they have, and then adjust/devise the learning sequence in response. The ENTITLEMENT of the students is to be provided with opportunities to learn the AC:E content - at whatever stage in their learning that content sits.  
 
The learning sequence uses the Year Level Descriptions from both Year 1 and Year 2. At both the Year One and Year Two level the sequence addresses Imaginative texts through creating spoken and written poetry and performances. You can see this is highlighted on the planning sheet below.

Click HERE to download/view the teacher's lesson plan.When you click the link it will open in Google Docs. When that screen opens, click on FILE and then DOWNLOAD. There are two pages to the Learning Sequence to address the build between Years 1 and 2.



Our next Woodlands Australian Curriculum Implementation (WACI) Club is on September 5 from 4pm to 5pm at Woodlands PS.  We are focusing on s
Communicate: The Who, the What and the How!
  To register please go to the Institute for Professional Learning Online Calendar which can be accessed through the Portal via Professional Learning.

Or for more details please email Carlene.Thorpe@education.wa.edu.au
 
WACI Club also operates via
 The Collie-Preston and Capes Networks! 

You can register NOW on the IPL Calendar for :
 

Collie-Preston WACI Club on  13 August from 4:15 - 5:15pm at 
Dalyellup Primary School on Hartog Road.   This WACI Club will focus on Assessment and the Australian Curriculum. It is a FREE event.
 
AND 
Capes WACI Club on 15 August from 4pm to 5pm at  Geographe Primary School in Busselton. This WACI Club will focus on Assessment and the Australian Curriculum. It is a FREE event.


We are excited to announce the formation of WACI Club at Craigie Heights Primary School!

You can register NOW on the IPL calendar for:
Craigie Heights WACI Club on 15 August from 3:45m to 4:45pm at 
Craigie Heights Primary School. This WACI Club will focus on the Literature strand. It is a FREE event.
 

Copyright notice for use of Australian Curriculum material
In regards to the planning tool in this post:

© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2013.
This is an extract from the Australian Curriculum.
ACARA neither endorses nor verifies the accuracy of the information provided and accepts no responsibility for incomplete or inaccurate information. In particular, ACARA does not endorse or verify that:

  • The content descriptions are solely for a particular year and subject;
  • All the content descriptions for that year and subject have been used; and
  • The author’s material aligns with the Australian Curriculum content descriptions for the relevant year and subject.
You can find the unaltered and most up to date version of this material at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ This material is reproduced with the permission of ACARA.

Sunday, 28 July 2013

Australian Curriculum: English Year One Poetry Learning Sequence

Haiku Poems

Woodlands Primary School would like to welcome Guest Bloggers , Cleo Tyler, Carly Pinnock and Karen Denning, Year 1 teachers at Bassendean Primary School.

Cleo, Carly and Karen attend the Woodlands Australian Curriculum Implementation (WACI) Club and developed the learning sequence attached below in response to professional learning undertaken at WACI Club.
WACI Club is a professional learning community organised by Woodlands Primary School in its work as a Teacher Development School.
Thanks Karen, Carly, Cleo and your students  for allowing Woodlands to share your learning sequence and student work samples as contained in this blog post.
As part of The Woodlands Australian Curriculum Implementation (WACI) Club participants have been engaging in developing learning sequences with a focus on Create.   In the AC:E glossary, Create is described as the ability to develop and/or produce spoken, written or multimodal texts in print or digital forms."


Participants of WACI Club this term have developed learning sequences which span more than just the written aspect of "Create".  

The Year One learning sequence contained in this post is linked to The Australian Curriculum - English content descriptions. 
You can access The Australian Curriculum by clicking this link:
The learning sequence uses the Year Level Descriptions from Year One. At the Year One level the sequence addresses Imaginative texts through creating spoken and written poetry. You can see this is highlighted on the planning sheet below.

Click HERE to download/view the teacher's lesson plan.When you click the link it will open in Google Docs. When that screen opens, click on FILE and then DOWNLOAD. There are two pages to the Learning Sequence.





Some examples of student work as a result of the learning sequence are pictured below.










A copy of the rubric used for assessment purposes is also below. Please click to view a larger version.

Thanks again to Cleo, Carly and Karen for being willing to share with an audience beyond WACI Club. It is wonderful to know that the professional learning provided by Woodlands PS in its work as a Teacher Development School is having continuous and substantial impacts on teacher planning.

Our next Woodlands Australian Curriculum Implementation (WACI) Club is on August 8 from 4pm to 5pm at Woodlands PS.  We are focusing on sharing punctuation across the modes learning sequences and assessing for learning.  To register please go to the Institute for Professional Learning Online Calendar which can be accessed through the Portal via Professional Learning.

Or for more details please email Carlene.Thorpe@education.wa.edu.au
WACI Club also operates via
 The Collie-Preston and Capes Networks! 

You can register NOW on the IPL Calendar for :
 


Collie-Preston WACI Club on  13 August from 4:15 - 5:15pm at 
Dalyellup Primary School on Hartog Road.   This WACI Club will focus on Assessment and the Australian Curriculum. It is a FREE event.
 
AND 
Capes WACI Club on 15 August from 4pm to 5pm at  Geographe Primary School in Busselton.
This WACI Club will focus on Assessment and the Australian Curriculum. It is a FREE event.


We are excited to announce the formation of WACI Club at Craigie Heights Primary School!

You can register NOW on the IPL calendar for:
Craigie Heights WACI Club on 15 August from 3:45m to 4:45pm at 
Craigie Heights Primary School. This WACI Club will focus on the Literature strand. It is a FREE event.
 



Copyright notice for use of Australian Curriculum material
In regards to the planning tool in this post:

© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2013.
This is an extract from the Australian Curriculum.
ACARA neither endorses nor verifies the accuracy of the information provided and accepts no responsibility for incomplete or inaccurate information. In particular, ACARA does not endorse or verify that:

  • The content descriptions are solely for a particular year and subject;
  • All the content descriptions for that year and subject have been used; and
  • The author’s material aligns with the Australian Curriculum content descriptions for the relevant year and subject.
You can find the unaltered and most up to date version of this material at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ This material is reproduced with the permission of ACARA.

Monday, 10 June 2013

Australian Curriculum: English - Year Three Learning Sequence "Imaginative Narratives"

The Year Three learning sequence contained in this post was developed by Year Three teacher Casey Finlen in our work as a Teacher Development School.

The sequence is linked to The Australian Curriculum - English content descriptions. 
You can access The Australian Curriculum by clicking this link:
This sequence was developed using the following texts:
Just Another Ordinary Day by Rod Clement

Please note this is a DIFFERENT sequence to the one posted in our blog in 2012.

Click HERE to download/view the teacher's lesson plan.When you click the link it will open in Google Docs. When that screen opens, click on FILE and then DOWNLOAD.





The Australian Curriculum is currently at Version 5.0 and has been updated to include AC:Geography! Please remember the most up to date version can always be located online. Woodlands PS documents are kept up to date with current versions and changes that are made.

Our next Woodlands Australian Curriculum Implementation (WACI) Club is on Thursday July 4 from 4pm to 5pm at Woodlands PS.  We are focusing on the Language Sub Strand of Text Structure and Organisation: Punctuation thread. This will also include information in regards to the impacts on whole school and classroom planning.  
 
 To register please go to the Institute for Professional Learning Online Calendar which can be accessed by clicking this link:


Or for more details please email Carlene.Thorpe@education.wa.edu.au

We are excited to announce the formation of WACI Club for
 The Collie-Preston and Capes Networks! 

You can register NOW on the IPL link above for :
 
Capes WACI Club on 26 June from 4pm to 5pm at 
Dunsborough Primary School
 
AND 

Collie-Preston WACI Club on  20 June from 4:15 - 5:15pm at 
Cooinda Primary School in Bunbury
 
We would like to share with you another blog that is so very helpful with Australian Curriculum.
Saywers Valley Primary School is a Teacher Development School for AC:History. They have a fantastic blog to assist teachers with planning with AC:H.  
Please visit their blog 
 
 
Copyright notice for use of Australian Curriculum material
In regards to the planning tool in this post:

© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2013.
This is an extract from the Australian Curriculum.
ACARA neither endorses nor verifies the accuracy of the information provided and accepts no responsibility for incomplete or inaccurate information. In particular, ACARA does not endorse or verify that:

  • The content descriptions are solely for a particular year and subject;
  • All the content descriptions for that year and subject have been used; and
  • The author’s material aligns with the Australian Curriculum content descriptions for the relevant year and subject.
You can find the unaltered and most up to date version of this material at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ This material is reproduced with the permission of ACARA.