Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

6 week Unit Plan

Unit Planning: Summary Sheet

Unit title
Summarisation of Non-Fiction Texts

Year Level
Year 6

Duration of unit
6 weeks

Identify the enduring understanding from the target text which underpins this unit and leads to higher-order and critical thinking about or in Science (see General Capabilities/critical and creative thinking in the Australian Curriculum 2010 English. Texts OKeefe, Maureen. (2008). Go facts: Our future in space. Clayton, South Victoria: Blake Publishing. Pofahl, J. (2004). Space exploration. Moorabbin, Victoria: Hawker Brownlow Education.

Two target non-fiction texts have been chosen for this unit in order to provide students with access and understanding of a range of non-fiction texts, one being in the form of a book and the other specifically chosen short articles. These texts are based on the science content of space exploration and are designed to both engage and expand the students knowledge of space. Students are required to use critical and creative thinking as described within the General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2012). The texts vary from being complex as to advance and extend students to being simple yet informative and provide access to all information needed within each article/heading in order to complete an effective summary.

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012 Identify and cluster Australian Curriculum 2010 English content descriptions and general capabilities Language Reading Literature Literacy Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713).

6 week Unit Plan

General capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities Use a full range of sentence types, including complex sentences that elaborate or explain ideas. Understand and use expanded groups/phrases, using specific learning area vocabulary to create detailed and accurate descriptions. Editing for coherence, sequence, effective choice of vocabulary, opening devices, dialogue and description, humour and pathos, as appropriate to the task and audience Apply strategies for reading and viewing learning area texts, including selecting, navigating, monitoring meaning, crosschecking and reviewing. Understand and use new vocabulary, including subject specific vocabulary from a range of learning areas and vocabulary that expresses shades of meaning.

Writing

Understand how to use banks of known words, word origins, base words, suffixes and prefixes, morphemes, spelling patterns and generalisations to learn and spell new words, for example technical words and words adopted from other languages (ACELA1526).

Reread and edit students own and others work using agreed criteria and explaining editing choices (ACELY1715).

Speaking and Listening

Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions. (ACELY1709)

Describe the learning goal and success criteria for this unit of work Learning goal

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

6 week Unit Plan

We are learning to use an active comprehension strategy, summarising, to help us to understand the authors main idea and key points when we read a non-fiction text. We are learning to present this in a written form using our own words. Success criteria

When I write my summary I can: Read the text and identify and look up any unknown words Identify key words within the text Use my own words Use synonyms to replace key words within the text Omit unnecessary information Write details in a logical order Not include opinions Use transition words to combine ideas When writing my summary I can include: Include title and author State the main idea of the text Include important details that support the main idea (Who? What? When? Where? Why? And How?) Include key message or authors purpose (Inform, persuade, entertain)

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012 Assessment Identify the relevant section of Curriculum achievement standard Receptive Modes (listening, reading/viewing) By the end of Year 6, students Understand how the use of text structures can achieve particular effects. Analyse information in different texts, explaining literal and implied meaning. Select and use evidence from a text to explain their response. They listen to discussions, clarifying content and challenging others ideas.

6 week Unit Plan

Productive Modes (speaking, writing and creating) Students understand how language features and language patterns can be used for emphasis. Students create detailed texts elaborating on key ideas for a range of purposes and audiences. Demonstrate understanding of grammar, make considered choices from an expanding vocabulary, use accurate spelling and punctuation for clarity. Describe the final culminating assessment task Shared reading: teacher and students read a non-fiction text together. After the reading the teacher will ask students to reiterate what needs to be included when writing their summary. Students will be given a graphic organiser based on the GIST strategy looked at in class and some sheets of writing paper to complete their final copy of their summary. Students go back to their seats and independently work on writing their summary of the text. Date due Monday 12th November 2012

Describe the marking rubric which will be used to mark assessment tasks. This rubric will be linked to success criteria. List the criteria and descriptors of quality. Attached separately. (Please note that assessment for and as learning strategies will be listed in following section)

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

Subtask #1 Modelled Lesson reading or writing Demonstration (shared reading/shared writing), think aloud Learning focus: Activate: Students read a non-fiction text that holds a main idea. Students will understand questions, and answer Acquire: them appropriately. Students then group into think, pair share partners. Students understand how In those partners using a question/answer response the knowledge within the between the partners, both sides must identify who, text helps the reader to what, where, when and how. identify the authors idea. Guided Lesson Whole Class Learning focus Allow students to form own ideas in regards to the text. Acquire: As a class students identify the key words of the set text. Students then join all key words together to form a summary. Students explain the purpose of a summary, why it is used and who uses them. Observation Checklist Assessment for learning

6 week Unit Plan

Resources Set non-fiction text: Mars this text is derived from the book Space Exploration

Whole class

Set non-fiction text Mars, this text is derived from the book space exploration.

Independent practice Small Group Learning focus Students individually identify key words obtained within the text. Apply: Students apply the knowledge that they have gained individually to the class, to improve class knowledge.

Whole class

Reflect/respond/closure

Students as a class identify a class summary of the text.

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

Subtask #2 Modelled Lesson reading or writing Demonstration (shared reading/shared writing), think aloud Learning focus Activate: Students will understand After students have identified what a summary is they questions, and answer are then to form an anchor chart as a reference for them appropriately. further summarising activities. Students understand how This lesson should help students activate their effective the knowledge within the summarising skills. text helps form an anchor chart. Acquire: Students collectively take turns to voice what they think would be an appropriate point on the anchor chart. They are to use their newly gained summarising skills to form an effective chart. Guided Lesson Learning focus Assessment for learning Visual retain information that may be important.

6 week Unit Plan

Resources Large A3 paper Black marker White board Magnets (to hold chart in place) Text Comets, Asteroids and meteorites. This text is derived from the book Space Exploration

Small group Small Group

Whole class

Independent practice Learning focus Students use individual knowledge and own words to portray ideas for the chart.

Whole class

Reflect/respond/closure

Once the activity is complete, students re-read over the chart and gain a consensus on the finished product.

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

Subtask #3 Modelled Lesson reading or writing Demonstration (shared reading/shared writing), think aloud Learning focus Students will understand Activate: the strategy once it has Students use their knowledge on gaining information from a set been modelled to them. text, and mould it into a more effective strategy named the GIST They are to retain the strategy. importance and This lesson will be conducted under a shared reading format. effectiveness of the GIST Acquire: strategy. Students will use there prior knowledge of looking for the 5Ws and 1H and use it effectively as a part if the GYST strategy. They are to gain 20 keywords from the set text. They are then to use the 20 key words to form a summary of the text. Guided Lesson Small group Learning focus Assessment for learning

6 week Unit Plan

Resources Set text: Big Crunch Theory derived from the text Space Exploration Whiteboard Marker Whiteboard eraser

Whole class Small Group

Independent practice Learning focus Students will be given a copy of the GYST worksheet, and at any stage they can fill it out using their own text. Optional selfevaluation of the student GYST worksheet

Whole class

Reflect/respond/closure

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

Subtask #4 Modelled Lesson reading or writing Demonstration (shared reading/shared writing), think aloud Learning focus Activate: Students will use prior Students use their knowledge on gaining information from a set knowledge of the GIST text, and GIST strategy and work together as a class to strategy to comprise a summarise a set text effectively. summary on a non-fiction This lesson will be conducted under the format of shared writing. text as a class. Acquire: Students will use there prior knowledge of the GIST strategy to help them work through the task with the teacher. The teacher will use the think aloud method to better the students confidence in regards to thought and ideas. Assessment for learning Visual observation checklist

6 week Unit Plan

Resources Non-fiction text: landing on Mars derived from the book our future in space. Whiteboard Whiteboard marker Whiteboard eraser

Whole class Whole Class

Guided Lesson Learning focus The lesson will be completed as a whole class. This allows students confidence to build for future tasks that they may have to approach and a small group or individual.

Small Group

Independent practice Learning focus

Whole class

Reflect/respond/closure

As a class the students will reflect back on the anchor chart that was previously made to help them achieve an acceptable standard.

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

Subtask #5 Modelled Lesson reading or writing Demonstration (shared reading/shared writing), think aloud Learning focus Activate: Students use their knowledge on gaining information from a set text, and GIST strategy and work together in a pair. Students work together on a question/answer basis to gain key information to form a summary on the text they provided. This will be completed as a partner writing activity. Acquire: Students will use there prior knowledge of the GIST strategy to help them work through the task with their partner. The students can use the think aloud method to better their confidence in regards to thoughts and ideas that are culminating within the pair. Guided Lesson Learning focus Students will be completing the task in pairs; this is a way of slowly releasing the responsibility of summarising text. Independent practice Small Group Learning focus In pairs effectively summarise a non-fiction text. Small group By completing this task as a pair, it is a gradual step where it is more complex than a class, though not complex enough for it to be individual work. Students will use prior knowledge of the GIST strategy to comprise a summary on a non-fiction text in pairs. Visual Observation checklist Assessment for learning At this stage the teacher can roam around the groups, and give feedback in regards to the progress the pairs are making. This allows the students to fix any incredentials that may have occurred.

6 week Unit Plan

Resources Student workbooks Set text: What people need to survive, derived from the text Our Future is Space Pens GIST worksheet (optional)

Whole class Whole class

Reflect/respond/closure

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

Subtask #6 Modelled Lesson reading or writing Demonstration (shared reading/shared writing), think aloud Learning focus Activate: Students will focus on Students use their knowledge on gaining information from a set using the interactive text, and GIST strategy and work together as a class to obtain whiteboard (ICT), as the correct information from the text. secondary mode of Students work together on a question/answer basis to gain key summarising. information to form a summary on the text they provided. Acquire: Students will work through the set text as a class positioned in front of the interactive whiteboard. Students after reading the text, and self-evaluating the key features, will then be asked to stand and drag the key pieces of information away from the paragraph, to form a summary of information. Guided Lesson Learning focus Assessment for learning Visual Checklist

6 week Unit Plan

Resources Interactive Whiteboard Website: Stars derived from the online resource www.science.nasa.gov

Small group Individual work

Whole class

Independent practice Learning focus Debrief the information given. Students will be asked to stand and proceed back to their desks, from there they are to draw the information that they have summarised on to a piece of paper. This is away for students to physically portray the information that they have collected. Teachers can take collect the papers and evaluate students comprehension strategy of not only the text, but the summarised piece of information. Collectively all pieces of paper collected from the class should be able to retell the summarised information. Collection of visual art.

Whole class

Reflect/respond/closure

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

Subtask #7 Modelled Lesson reading or writing Demonstration (shared reading/shared writing), think aloud Learning focus Activate: Students will gain focus Students activate their literary ability to organise set forms of on how to effectively text into an order that flows fluently and order them so they are organise a summary, for at their most logical form. it to make the most sense This lesson will start as a shared reading activity. to the reader/receiver of Whilst the teacher is reading the individual sentences (out of information. order), they can use the think aloud process. Acquire: Students will work in small groups to effectively organise the sentences into their most logical form. Assessment for learning Visual and audible notes will be taken to gage student progress.

6 week Unit Plan

Resources Set non-fiction text: 8 sentences cut up into strips from text. 5 articles are as follows: Group 1: Space Station Group 2: Living on a space station Group 3: Probes Group 4: Luna and Solar Eclipses Group 5: Planet X

Whole class

Guided Lesson Small group Learning focus Students will be placed in small groups based on their literacy circle groups. Each group will be given a set of summarising strips to organise into their most logical form. Each group will be given a different non-fiction text to organise into its most logical form.

Independent Practice (Literary Group Based Work) Small Group Learning focus Students should be able to order the set nonfiction strips of information effectively. The purpose of this is to ensure students can order the information given in an effective manner. This will help students to understand how best to pass over information to others summarised. Information should be given in order, or in the sequence written within the text. This in to ensure information is summarised effectively. Students at the end of task can reflect on how they felt there group went, using accountable talk strategies.

Whole class

Reflect/respond/closure

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

Subtask #8 Modelled Lesson reading or writing Demonstration (shared reading/shared writing), think aloud Learning focus Activate: Students demonstrate Students use their prior knowledge on writing non-fiction short ability to write a short texts and create a short text of their own. non-fiction text, and This can be demonstrated to students through a short shared summarise the reading session of a pre-prepared short non-fiction text provided information effectively. by the teacher. Acquire: Students will work on gaining information for their short text via the multiple resources held throughout the classroom. Students capabilities on writing an effective short text should vary, though working in a small group will help build knowledge for those who are struggling to level the comprehension. Guided Lesson Learning focus The release of responsibility for summarising is at a stage where students are working in there literacy groups. These groups are ability based groups. Independent practice Learning focus Use summarising techniques effectively. Students to produce a complex non-fiction short text, and summarise effectively. The texts that the students summarise will be that of another groups work. Once students have finished the short written forms of non-fiction text will be collected from each group. From there they will be shuffled, and re-distributed to another group. Assessment for learning Non-formal forms of assessing can be conducted.

6 week Unit Plan

Resources Various texts provided in the classroom: Non-fiction texts Magazines Newspapers Articles Journals

Small group

Whole class

Small Group

The students will sit in there small groups and will be given a time limit to complete the task. Using the information provided by others, the students are then to summarise the text that they were given effectively using the GIST strategy and other strategies modelled in class.

Gathering the students written non-text and summarising statement can identify any problem areas that students may be having within those small ability based groups.

Whole class

Reflect/respond/closure

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

Subtask #9 Modelled Lesson reading or writing Demonstration (shared reading/shared writing), think aloud Learning focus Activate: Students demonstrate Students use their prior knowledge on writing non-fiction short ability to write a short texts and create a short text of their own. non-fiction text, and This can be demonstrated to students through a short shared summarise the reading session of a pre-prepared short non-fiction text provided information effectively. by the teacher. Acquire: Students will work on gaining information for their short text via the multiple resources held throughout the classroom. Students capabilities on writing an effective short text should vary, though a basic standard is given with the teachers pre-prepared version. Guided Lesson Small group Learning focus The release of responsibility for summarising is at a stage where students are working individually. Independent practice Learning focus Use summarising techniques effectively. Students to produce a complex non-fiction short text, and summarise effectively. The texts that the students summarise will be that of another students work. This can both identify wether the student has written effectively and also if they can summarise effectively. For Fast Finishers they can summarise Mir Space Station Assessment for learning Non-formal forms of assessing can be conducted.

6 week Unit Plan

Resources Various texts provided in the classroom: Non-fiction texts Magazines Newspapers Articles Journals

Whole class

The students will sit individually and write a short non-fiction text, students will be given a time limit. The short texts written by students will then be collected, shuffled, and re-distributed to other students. Using the information provided by others, the students are then to summarise the text that they were given effectively using the GIST strategy and other strategies modelled in class.

Gathering the students written non-text and summarising statement can identify any problem areas that students may be having.

Small Group Whole class

Reflect/respond/closure

Summarising a non-fiction text Year 6 Term 4 2012

Subtask #10 Modelled Lesson reading or writing Demonstration (shared reading/shared writing), think aloud Learning focus Activate: Students will understand Students read a non-fiction text that holds a main idea, questions, and answer and can be answered in a question/answer format. them appropriately. Students understand how Acquire: the knowledge within the Students will use there acquired knowledge to complete text helps the reader to the assessment task given. identify the authors idea. They are to use the techniques modelled in class to help Students are then to them justify the summary. summarise the text Students must be receptive to the information and the effectively using the summary should show a clear understanding of the modelled techniques from information provided in the text. previous lessons. Guided Lesson Small group Learning focus Students will be shown the assessment rubrics for the assessment piece. This will allow students to be aware of a standard expected in the formal assessment. The rubrics will be effectively broken down and the teacher to use the think aloud technique to provide students with the most basic representation of the rubric, and also answer as they go any question the students may have. Students will be preparing for their assessment piece, so the same expectations and guidelines will be portrayed within the practice. Assessment for learning An un-formal form of assessment will be gathered (practice test). The students will write a short summary individually to the best of their knowledge. They are to use all modelled techniques in class to write effectively.

6 week Unit Plan

Resources Written Assessment Practice test (class set). They are to summarise the set nonfiction text, Hubble Space Telescope derived from the text Space Explorers Pens Paper

Whole class Small Group Whole class

Independent practice Learning focus Students at this stage will have full responsibility of summarising a text.

Reflect/respond/closure