Grade 2/3

Identity- A Differentiated Unit of Study

Monash University Jessica Board 23390921

Contents
Introduction/rationale 2 Time Frame/ Unit Objectives .. 3 Unit Plan.. 4 Dimension One (Content) 5 Dimension Two (Contract and Differentiated Learning Activities Using Williams Teaching Strategies). 7 Dimension Three (Assessment and Evaluation). 13 Resources .. 15 Appendix Appendix 1 Assessment Rubric .. 16 Appendix 2 Peer-Assessment 18 Appendix 3 Unit and Teacher Evaluation 19 Appendix 4- Learning Contract 20 Appendix 5- Pre-test Brainstorming Sheet.. 21 Appendix 6- Bridge Building.. 22 Appendix 7- Lets Measure Our Bodies.. 23 Appendix 8- Crazy Map Investigation 24 Appendix 9- Example Lesson Plan for Bridge Building Activity. 26

Introduction/rationale:
This unit will explore the topic of Identity, entailing an exploration into the development of ones sense of national identity, but also its role in our wider sense of personal identity. Such a topic was chosen to be a vehicle for learning (EDF4512, 2012), intending to provoke student intrapersonal exploration, but also a crucial interpersonal investigation into other individuals and their alternate views and opinions that collectively compose the wider national community. This exploration into national identity further links to class investigations into the upcoming London 2012 Olympics. This unit features pedagogical differentiation with the purpose of its implementation to facilitate engagement and the development of unique abilities within specialised learning experiences for all students in the classroom (EDF4512, 2012). This differentiated unit also endeavours to uphold the critical VELS learning principles of learning for all, pursuit of excellence, engagement and effort, respect for evidence, and openness of mind (EDF4512, 2012). The learning focus of this differentiated study concentrates on Grade 2/3 students working towards the Victorian Essential Learning Standards Level 2-2.5, particularly in the domains of Interpersonal Development; Personal Learning; Civics and Citizenship; the Arts; English; Humanities; Communication; Design, Creativity and Technology; and Thinking Processes (VCAA, 2007). Furthermore, this unit will exemplify the Williams matrix model as a framework for differentiation. This model was selected due to its comprehensive design and holistic approach to addressing the individual learning needs of students (Gross et al, 1999, pp. 77). The Williams matrix model has been selected because it fosters higher order thinking skills, emphasising the importance of divergent and evaluative cognition among all students. Such a framework particularly stresses the importance of higher-order cognition development in gifted students, and recognises that products developed by gifted pupils should remain at a qualitatively different level (Gross et al, 1999, pp.77). The Williams model is essentially comprised of three dimensions to be explored further in this unit plan; Dimension One: consisting of subjects in the school curriculum, and content which acts as a vehicle for student learning, through thinking and feeling. o Dimension Two: eighteen pedagogical strategies to be incorporated within learning experiences to further develop and extend student cognition and creativity. o Dimension Three: eight processes (affective and cognitive behaviours) crucial in student higher-order thinking and creativity. (New South Wales Department of Education and Training, 2004, pp.3) o

For this particular unit, the nine strategies adopted from the Williams model has been utilised in the generation of open-ended and provocative questions for use in small group discussions, whole-class debates and differentiated active learning activities (see activities grid). Such a model has also been used to foster creative thinking processes in higher-ability students (see Unit Objectives, and Assessment and Evaluation sections)

Time frame:
This differentiated unit of work will be implemented and completed over three weeks in the Grade 2/3 classroom.

Unit Objectives:
Many of the following unit objectives are adopted from the Williams model Dimension Three creative processes of thinking, fostered through various strategies employed within differentiated pedagogy (Gross et al, 1999, pp. 78). Affective/behavioural objectives: Students will o o o o o o o o o o Demonstrate an ability to take risks through exposing themselves to failure, predication making, and guesswork within unstructured learning conditions. Develop a sense of curiosity, demonstrating an inquisitive nature and following hunches. Demonstrate complexity of thinking, exploring elaborate issues of identity, and seeking alternative solutions. Further develop their imagination, visualising, conceptualising and reaching beyond reality in their exploration of issues of identity. Develop creativity through the production own texts, models, ideas and solutions to identity-related prompts. Demonstrate ability to work and learn effectively independently, but also cooperatively in small groups. Contribute to whole-class discussions and debates in a sensible and considerate manner. Show sensitivity to a wide range of opinions and ideas present in text, but also in their interactions with others. Accept responsibility for own learning through developing and following an individual learning contract. Communicate effectively in an oral presentation to the whole class, speaking clearly and fluently, utilising eye contact, appropriate hand gestures and tone of voice to maintain audience interest.

Cognitive objectives: Students will o Develop cognitive fluency by producing a quantity of relevant Australian symbols, emblems and icons associated with national identity, but also other prompts and questions within the topic. Demonstrate flexibility through expressing a variety of ideas, viewpoints, and opinions across the unit, but also, an ability to shift in direction of thought with appropriate justification.

o o o

Develop an ability to elaborate and build upon pre-conceived ideas, opinions and viewpoints concerning their sense of self, and the wider Australian identity. Reveal originality of work, demonstrating unique answers and ideas, and moving away from the obvious solution. Actively interpret, analyse and evaluate the accuracy of various conceptualisations of Australian identity through their reading, but also concerning other viewpoints encountered across the unit. Attribute, organise and differentiate between different aspects of personal life and wider national life in Australia.

Unit Plan
The topic of Identity will be integrated in both literacy and numeracy areas across the units implementation over the three week period, however, time each afternoon will be also allocated for individual differentiated active learning activities which will incorporate various pedagogical tools such as Williams teaching strategies, Blooms taxonomy and Gardners Multiple Intelligences. A plan for the implementation of the unit is provided below. 1. Introduction of the topic Identity. Information regarding student level of knowledge and understanding will be provided through an informal pretesting activity. Students will be given a blank mind-map with the prompts Personal identity on one side, and National identity on the other. Students will be asked to brainstorm all the information they can think of onto these blank mind-maps. These will then be collected and referred to in negotiations for individual student contracts, but also in differentiated literacy groups. 2. Whole-class literacy activities in the first week involving reading Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox. During several lessons, the class will be split into two groups to discuss and debate the paradox Identity is something you only find when it is lost. In the second week, whole-class literacy activities will include reading Possum Magic by Mem Fox, and again the class is required to debate for/against the provocative statement, Possum Magic gives a perfect picture of Australias national identity, including all animals, foods and landmarks important to the country. What do you think? In the last week a final debate will be conducted with the question All Australians should wear flannelette shirts and thongs?Depth of these responses will be used in student assessment. 3. Other small groups literacy activities (grouped according to ability) will be implemented, working on student reading, writing and comprehension activities based on the topic, and featuring different levels of text difficulty. Lower ability groups will complete activities on Wombat Divine by Mem Fox, and Wombat Stew by Marcia K Vaughan. Higher ability groups will complete investigation activities on the books Bushrangers by Anna Sheppard, Aboriginal People Then and Now: Sharing Our Cultures by Alex Barlow and Marji Hill, and Who Did What Then? Multicultural Australia by John and Jennifer Barwick. 4. After consulting the pre-test brainstorming information, the teacher and student will have a short conference to develop a contract for learning, regarding the differentiated activities, and higher-order thinking presentation (presentation of an 4

activity chosen from the creating stream of activities). The activities featuring Williams teaching strategies, Blooms Taxonomy and Multiple Intelligences, will be chosen by the student and teacher in accordance to the individual childs learning needs and abilities. Students will be encouraged to take risks in order to extend their personal learning (one of the unit objectives specified by the Williams model), and this development will be scaffolded by the teacher, acting as a facilitator rather than instructor (EDF4512, 18/4/2012). These activities will continue across the three weeks, incorporating tasks relevant to class investigations of both personal identity, and national identity. 5. The topic of identity will be further integrated across the mathematics areas of the curriculum. Students will complete an activity on individual characteristics, measuring height, weight, foot/arm length, hand span, etc., and comparing physical traits to a friend (See Appendix 6). Other activities include investigation of the Australian national icon- the Sydney Harbour Bridge- specifically, regarding the structure of bridges, and with a partner, construction of their own bridge made out of newspapers and masking tape to hold the weight of a tennis ball (See Appendix 9 for an example lesson plan). Such an activity may be followed up with a literacyrelated writing task, regarding the results, and suggestions for improvements (see Appendix 7). In the final week, students will also be involved in map-reading, specifically compass directions, and measurement between cities/landmarks of Australia (see Appendix 8). Such knowledge is later required in one of the differentiated learning activities in the logical/mathematical stream. 6. In the last week, students will present their activity and relevant discussion in accordance to an activity selected from the Blooms Taxonomy creating stream of differentiated activities. Such a task will have been pre-negotiated with a teacher, and set out in the individual students contract. Formal assessment of the students presentation will take place, including peer assessment of the discussion/product. Students will also complete a teacher evaluation, providing feedback concerning the unit, and pedagogical strategies employed in its implementation.

Content: Dimension One

Dimension one of the Williams model identifies and lists the subject matter of the school curriculum, using the unit content to extend student cognition and creativity (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2004, pp.3) These unit activities will strive to relate back to the VELS Key Learning Foci (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2007), as specified below: Domain Interpersonal development Standard Teaching activity Working in teams v Bridge building with partner Building social relationships (Maths) v Measurement activity with partner (Maths)

Personal learner

The Individual learner Managing personal learning

Civics and citizenship

Civic knowledge and understanding Community engagement

The Arts

Creating and making Exploring and responding

English

Reading

Writing Speaking and Listening

Humanities 6

Humanities knowledge and

v Provocative question/paradox debates (Williams teaching strategy, Literacy) v Contract consultation with teacher. v Self-assessment critique v Reading Possum Magic and Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge: identifying Australian symbols, emblems, icons. v Differentiated activities associated with national identity, Indigenous culture, and relevant national issues. v Differentiated activities (particularly in kinaesthetic, visual, musical/rhythmic streams) v discussion and presentation of various differentiated tasks v Class reading of Possum Magic and Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge and associated wholeclass literacy activities v Differentiated activities (See Grid) v Brainstorming (pretest). v Presentation of creating differentiated task (See Grid). v Brainstorming

understanding Humanities skills

Design, Creativity and technology

Investigating and designing Producing Analysing and evaluating

Thinking processes

Reasoning, processing and inquiry Creativity Reflection, evaluation and metacognition

(National identity) v Differentiated activities relevant to national identity and Indigenous culture (See Grid) v Search for and use of images, history, biographies, evidence in differentiated activities and presentations (See Grid) v Bridge building mathematics activity v Differentiated activities (visual, kinaesthetic- See Grid) v Debating (literacy) v Bridge building (evaluation, justification, improvement) v Differentiated activities (see Grid)

Dimension Two: Contract and Differentiated Learning Activities using Williams Teaching Strategies
This unit will feature an active learning component incorporating various differentiated activities to be undertaken by the students. In selecting tasks from the differentiated activity grid, the student will consult with the teacher and sign a learning contract regarding their negotiations. A learning contract is a written agreement between instructor and learner detailing various selected tasks to be completed satisfactorily within a set amount of time or in accordance to the students own learning initiative (Gray, Litchfield & Mata, 2007, pp.35). Learning contracts remain an important tool in pedagogical differentiation, motivating students to achieve particular learning goals, providing specific structure to learning experiences, but also maintaining enough flexibility to cater for the individual abilities and differing needs of students (Gray, Litchfield & Mata, 2007, pp.35). For this particular unit, students consult with teachers to select appropriate differentiated tasks for completion by the end of the unit. Furthermore, the contract will act as a checklist of all selected tasks, providing both the student and teacher continual information regarding their progression in the unit (see Appendices 1). The differentiated activity grid is composed of 48 different tasks across the topics of national identity (symbols, emblems, flora, fauna, geography, Indigenous culture) and personal identity (hobbies, 7

family history, self-reflection), incorporating both varying levels of Blooms taxonomy, and Multiple Intelligences. Nine teaching strategies adopted from the Williams model have been used to structure activities in the higher levels of Blooms Taxonomy (analyzing, evaluating and creating), including: Attribute listing (skills of analysis in listing the properties and attributes of something) Skills of search (investigating into the ways in which something has been done before or its current status, analysing results, studying cause and effect relationships, and drawing conclusions) Study of creative process (studying biographies to analyse traits and personalities of important figures) Intuitive expression (sensitivity to ones internal senses) Creative writing/listening (generating and communicating ideas through listening and writing) Evaluate situations (assessing solutions to issues in terms of their consequences and implications- asking what if?) Visualisation (ability to perceive self in different contexts and circumstances) Examples of change (understanding the dynamic nature of the world and issues, including demonstrating an ability to make own modifications to products) Provocative question (challenging questions requiring in-depth consideration and analysis; higher order thinking)

(Sourced from New South Wales Department of Education and Training (2004, pp.4-5)). Tasks belonging to the lower levels of Blooms Taxonomy (knowing, understanding and applying) will be each worth 5 points, and the higher level tasks worth 10 points. Each student will be expected to accumulate 50 points worth of activities, and the teacher will determine how many activities from the higher order categories are required in accordance to the individual needs and abilities of the student. Higher ability students will be expected to complete at least three 10 point activities. Each child is also expected to choose a task from the creating category and conduct a presentation to the class (as specified on the activity grid).

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES & BLOOMS TAXONOMY

OUTLINE FOR UNIT OF WORK- Identity (Grade 2/3)

Multiple Intelligences

Blooms Taxonomy: Six Thinking Levels

Knowing Understanding
After watching a Youtube video, write a list of instructions to help your friend throw a boomerang. You can include some diagrams too if you want.

Applying
Invent a game based on Australian animals, Australian foods, or Australian places.

Analysing
Skills of search and study of creative processResearch and write a brief biography of a famous Indigenous Australian. Why are they famous, and how have they contributed to the Australian national identity? Skills of searchChoose to focus on a either Australian foods, landmarks or animals, and conduct a survey in the class to find out which one is seen to be the best symbol of Australian identity. Was the information what you expected, or was it

Evaluating
Intuitive expressionImagine that you are told that everyone in Australia has to wear cork hats and thongs. Write a letter to the government supporting or not supporting this new national dress.

Creating
Creative writing- Write a short story or poem describing what it means and doesnt mean to be an Australian. Present this to the class.

Verbal/Written

Do an A-Z of all things Australian. Keep adding to it throughout the unit!

Logical/ Mathematical

Make a timeline for the different events in either Possum Magic or Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge.

Choose an Australian food and draw the different stages of production. You can use a flow chart to set out the information.

Attribute listingBrainstorm as many things as you can that make up the Australian national identity. Group them together using a graphic organiser such as a Venn diagram, briefly explaining your choices for grouping.

Evaluate situations- Did Possum Magic do a good job at describing animals, food and landmarks which make up the Australian identity? Use a PMI chart to list the good and bad aspects, and then write a brief book review giving reasons for you choices as well mentioning other things you might have

Visualisation- design a map of Australia using landmarks and cities mentioned in Possum Magic. What would be the shortest route taken by Hush and Grandma Poss? What would be the longest route? Add in your own landmarks, places of importance to your own identity, but also any other

surprising? Construct a graph in Excel to illustrate the information you have collected, and write a summary about what you have discovered.

added.

places you think might be missing in the story. Present the map and your reasons to the class.

Visual/Spatial

Make a mind map of all the things you know about Aboriginal places, people, foods, instruments, tools, names, etc.

Make a cartoon strip showing the Australian foods and places Grandma Poss had to find to make Hush invisible again. Dont forget to include their names.

Examples of change- How has the Australian identity changed over timeassemble a collection of photos, newspaper/magazine articles to make a timeline of the changes.

Attribute listing- List the most important things and events in your life that make up your own identity. Create a flow chart to show these things in order of importance. Why have you put them in that order?

Intuitive expression- Take a look at the Ned Kelly paintings by Australian artist Sidney Nolan. Are they a good or bad representation of Australian life, and why? Briefly write a review on the painting and include what you would add or take away? Provocative questionShould Australia Day be on th the 26 of January, celebrating British people stealing Aboriginal lands? What other days could be more appropriate? Write and perform a play, puppet show or TV program about your opinion.

Visualisation- Imagine, plan, create and present a new national flag which includes all different groups in Australia. What is special about Australia? Would you keep any of the original elements? Give reasons for your choices of colours, symbols and emblems.

Bodily/Kinaesthetic

Draw some Australian icons, such as foods and clothing, and act out how they are eaten, used or worn.

Cut out photos from newspapers to illustrate Australias sporting national identity. How important is sport to the nation? How important is sport in your own sense of self?

Referring to an animal in Possum Magic, act out how that animal moves, eats and protects itself from danger. Is this different from other Australian native animals?

Attribute listing- make a model of an Australian animal and compare it to a similar species in another country. How is it different or how is it similar? Eg. Echidna and hedgehog, or emu and ostrich, etc.

Skills of search and examples of change- Like Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge make a Story in a Shoebox , and collect a number of objects which would help you remember your own identity. Find 5 things which show people who you are, and present them to the class. Why have you chosen these over others, and how have they changed over time?

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Musical/ Rhythmical

Listen to some Aboriginal music. Brainstorm with a partner as many different instruments you can hear as possible. In a separate column, add any other Aboriginal instruments you know about. Add to this list during the unit!

Using the famous Australian foods in Possum Magic, write a song to help Grandma Poss and Hush what they were and where they were found.

Listen to 15 famous Australian songs and group them according to their genre, or style of music, e.g. pop, rock, folk, anthem, etc. Explain you choices.

Intuitive expression: Listen to either I Still Call Australia Home or I Am Australian. How do these songs make you feel? Do you think this would be different to how other people feel when they listen to them? Add an extra to verse to either of these songs. What would you include? What emotions would you try to convey? Creative writing and examples of changeCreate 10 questions about national identity and interview another teacher, parent, or grandparent. How have they seen national identity change in their lifetime? Skills of search- Family is an important part of our identities. Make a family tree showing relationships between family members, and discover how and when your family came to

Provocative questionListen to the national anthem. Is it the best description of life as an Australian? What is missing? Do a PMI chart on your evaluation of the anthem.

Creative writing/listeningWrite and perform your own national anthem based on your evaluation of the current version. How would you include all groups of people in Australia?

Interpersonal

With a partner, write down as many words as possible that can be made from BUSHRANGER.

How would you explain Vegemite to your friend visiting from overseas? Write a note explaining what it is, and how it is used.

With a partner, invent a flash card game to teach people about Australian landmarks.

Evaluate situations- How is being an Australian and living in Australia different to living in a poor, third world country? List your points down and write a letter to a friend with a picture comparing the two situations.

Visualisation- Imagine you are a tour guide in Australia. Design and present an informative pamphlet, poster, webpage or wiki discussing what it means to be an Australian.

Intrapersonal

Start a learning log about an Australian landmark. Add new facts, pictures and diagrams to it throughout the unit.

Aboriginal identity involves special sacred sites, and Wilfred Gordon enjoyed visiting the old peoples home next door. Do you have a special place that you like to go to which is part of your identity? Draw a map to

National identity often includes an emblem, crest or symbol associated with the country. Create your own emblem, crest, or coat of arm for your family.

Evaluate situations- How would you feel if you had lost your memories like Miss Nancy, or invisible like Hush? Would it be good or bad for your sense of self? Write a journal article with your responses.

Intuitive expressionPretend that you are on holiday in Australia. What will you do, where will you go, and what will you eat? Write an itinerary or schedule for your trip and present it to the class. Give reasons for your choices,

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get to it, or invent your own special place if you dont have one yet. What Australian animals could you find in Possum Magic? Mark in where they can be found on a map of Australia. Draw the life cycle of an Australian animal or plant. Include diagrams and dont forget to describe their habitat. Large areas of Australia are covered by deserts. Do you know of any other places in the world where deserts can be found? Find four other deserts in the world and list one similarity and one difference between them and Australian deserts.

Australia.

and tell the class how you would feel in each example.

Naturalist

Attribute listing- What are Australian flora and fauna? How are they different from animals in England? Use diagrams and photos to make an encyclopaedia article.

Provocative questionAlthough in Possum Magic Hush has to eat Australian food to become visible, are wildlife supposed to eat human food? What are the dangers to Australia s native wildlife from human activities? Create a sign to warn tourists about the dangers of human activity on wildlife and their habitats.

Examples of changeInvestigate one of the animals on Australias Commonwealth Coat of Arms (either the kangaroo or the emu). How has the environment changed for these animals? Write and perform a short play about the difficulties facing these animals in their natural habitat, and what can be done to fix the situation.

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Dimension Three: Assessment and Evaluation

According to the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (2007), the purpose of assessment lies in collecting reliable information for teachers to make informed judgments about the progress of students against specific task criteria and achievement against common standards. Assessment (particularly, for high ability students) will include consideration of a students level of addressing the eight creative thinking processes in the Williams model of differentiation, featuring earlier in the Unit Objectives (adapted from New South Wales Department of Education and Training (2004, pp.6)): Creative thinking process: Fluency Flexibility Demonstrated by: A substantial number of relevant responses. Variance and adjustment of responses and thinking processes in response to direct questions and tasks. Unusual ideas and novel responses to prompts. Extra detail, insight and specificity in responses. Willingness to try something new, investigate the unknown, make estimations, and expose oneself to failure and mistakes. Elaboration, depth and sophistication of response. Interest in exploring new ideas, problems and situations. Ability to imagine, perceive and relate to unknown situations and circumstances.

Originality Elaboration Risk-taking

Complexity Curiosity Visualisation

This unit will further exemplify the following methods of assessment, including a combination of both formative and summative assessment practices (VCAA, 2007). v Pretesting: information will be obtained from the introductory activity in groups, where students will brainstorm all that they know about the topic identity. As assessment for learning (VCAA, 2007), this information will be further utilised in the negotiation of differentiated task selection for the students individual learning contract. v Learning contract- the checklists involved in the learning contract will enable continual information regarding individual student progression and completion of the differentiated tasks, providing insight into the students learning behaviours and abilities. v Summative assessment (judgement of student progress at a particular point in time (Ferguson, 2011, pp. 401)) will be provided through informal teacher questioning and observations, either in conferences with individual students across the unit, or within wider class discussions/debates. Such information is crucial in assessing the students learning in action; their ability to interact, develop and share ideas and work towards reaching the learning objective (Ferguson, 2011, pp.399). v Student workbook (unit portfolio)- formative assessment (provision of feedback for improvement of future learning (Ferguson, 2011, pp.402)). Student workbooks should 13

contain all work and applicable tasks completed over the unit, as well as a self-assessment sheet. v Student oral presentation- formative assessment regarding student presentation of a differentiated activity in the Blooms Taxonomy creating stream of tasks. Teacher assessment of the task will also be accompanied with peer assessment. v Teacher evaluation- students provided with the opportunity to provide feedback regarding the unit, pedagogy, and teaching strategies employed in the classroom.

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Resources
Barlow, A. and Marji, H. (2001). Aboriginal People, Then and Now: Sharing Our Cultures. Heinemann Library. Port Melbourne. VIC. Barwick, J., and Barwick, J. (2007). Who Did What When? Multicultural Australia. Heinemann Library. Port Melbourne. VIC.

Fox, M. (1983). Possum Magic. Scholastic Press. Gosford. NSW. Fox, M. (1984). Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge. Scholastic Press. Gosford. NSW. Fox, M. (1995). Wombat Divine. Scholastic Press. Norwood. SA. Gray, L., Litchfield, B. and Juan,M. (2007). Engaging General Biology Students With Learning Contracts. Journal of College Science Teaching. Vol. 37(2). pp.34. Gross, Scrap & Pretarius (1999). Gifted Students in Secondary Schools: Differentiating the Curriculum. NSW: Gerric. New South Wales Department of Education and Training (2004). Gifted and Talented Education. Differentiating the Curriculum for Stage 4 English Students: Williams Model. Curriculum of K-6 Directorate.
Vaughan, M. (1984) Wombat Stew. Scholastic Press. Lindfield. NSW. Sheppard, A. (2001). Colourful Characters of Australias Past: Bushrangers. Echidna Books. Port Melbourne. VIC.

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (2007). Victorian Essential Learning Standards. Accessed at: http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au (on 11/5/2012). Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (2007). Teaching, Learning and Assessment Advice. Accessed at: http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/support/tla/index.html (on 14/5/2012).

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Appendix 1
Unit topic- Identity : Assessment Rubric Portfolio Correct number of learning activities completed: Comments __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Oral Presentation Yes or No

Beginning (1) Presentational skills: interesting tone of voice, standing still, clarity of voice, appropriate gestures Fluency: quantity of relevant information and discussion Flexibility: ability to vary and adjust responses and thinking in accordance to task demands Originality: Unusual ideas and novel responses to prompts. Elaboration: Extra detail, insight and specificity in responses. Risk-taking: Willingness to try 16

Intermediate (2)

Accomplished (3)

Established (4)

something new, investigate the unknown. Complexity: detail in task response and depth of discussion Curiosity: Interest in exploring new ideas, problems, creations and situations. Visualisation: Ability to imagine, perceive and create new and unfamiliar products

Total score:
Comments ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

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Appendix 2

Peer Assessment
Name: Presentation/task activity:

Did you enjoy the presentation:

Yes

No

Maybe

What did you enjoy? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ What did you learn from the presentation? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Was the presentation delivered in an interesting way: Yes No Maybe What could be improved on for next time? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Draw the number of stars (out of five) that you would rate this presentation and the students effort.

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Appendix 3

Unit and Teaching Evaluation 1. What did you like about the Identity unit of work (books, resources, contract tasks, etc.)? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 2. What didnt you like about the Identity unit of work (books, resources, contract tasks, etc.)? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 3. Was your teacher easy to understand? Yes No Maybe 4. Was your teacher helpful to your learning? Yes No Maybe 5. Did you feel supported and encouraged during the unit? Yes No Maybe 6. Did you enjoy the whole class debates? Yes No Maybe 7. Did you enjoy working on your own with contract activities? Yes No Maybe 8. Was the contract helpful for keeping you on track? Yes No Maybe 9. Did you find any tasks too difficult? If so which ones, and why? _______________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ 10. Were any tasks too easy? If so which ones, and why? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 11. Which activity would most like to do again in future, and why? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

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Appendix 4

Learning Contract
Topic: Identity Date:

I ___________________________ agree to complete the following work set out in this contract which has been negotiated between myself and my teacher. I have chosen to complete the following tasks from the Identity learning activity grid worth 50 points, including a task from the creating category to present to the class at the end of the unit: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. (Oral Presentation task- from the creating list) In this unit I agree to work cooperatively with others, respecting other views, and listening effectively. I agree to do my very best, ask for help when I need it, and obey the classroom rules in a safe and respectful way. I also understand that all work and preparation for my oral presentation must be finished by ____________, and failure to do so may result in consequences such as staying in at recess and lunch, but also appropriate grades and failure of the unit. Points___ Points___ Points___ Points___ Points___ Points___ Points___ Points___ Points___ Points___

_________________________ Student signature

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_______________________ Teacher signature

Appendix 5

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Appendix 6

Bridge Building
Bridges are an important icon for national identity in many countries around the world. These famous bridges all have different structures and features which not only set them apart from other iconic landmarks, but also provide different levels of strength and stability. With a partner your task is to investigate a particular bridge structure which you believe is the strongest. You and your partner will then design and build a bridge using this structure, which will hold the weight of one tennis ball. However, in this activity you can only use one whole newspaper and two metres of masking tape. The bridges will be tested to see which group has the best design. In your workbook you and your partner must draw a picture/plan of your design, write down the results of the tennis ball test (including which design was the best and why), but also list some ideas as to how your bridge could be improved for next time. GOOD LUCK!!!! Different bridge structures to investigate may include: v v v v v v v v v Arch and truss arch Beam Bowstring Box-girder Cable-stayed Cantilever Continuous span Suspension Trestle

And many more

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Appendix 7

Mathematics- Lets measure our bodies!

Name:

Our physical features can be an important part of our personal identity. Using tapes measure and scales, work with a partner to measure the following physical characteristics. Dont forget to use kilograms (kg) and centimetres (cm), and estimate before you measure! I am going to estimate and measure __________________s physical features. Physical feature Estimation Height (cm) Weight (kg) Hand length (cm) Around the head (cm) Around the waist (cm) Around the arm (cm) Around the leg (cm) Length of leg (cm) Length of arm (cm) Across the shoulder (cm) Length of foot (cm) Length of thumb (cm) Arm span (length of one arm to another when outstretched) (cm) Width of fingernail on your index finger (pointer) (cm) Actual Measurement

The longest part of _______________s body is _________________ The shortest part of ________________s body is __________________ Were your estimations close? Explain which estimations were the closest, and which were the furthest away.

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Appendix 8

CRAZY Map Investigation

On the blank map of Australia plot the following iconic Australian landmarks, as well as including at least six of your own places importance (perhaps where you live, favourite holiday destination, places you would like to visit): v Worlds biggest monolithUluru v The lowest point in Australia- Lake Eyre v The highest mountain in Australia- Mount Kosciuszko v Longest river in Australia v The Big Pineapple v The largest desert in Australia v The Daintree rainforest v The Big Golden guitar v The national capital city v The Big Merino v The tallest tree in Australia v Kakadu v State Capital Cities v The Worlds Largest Coral Reef- The Great Barrier Reef v The Opal Capital of the World- Cooper Pedy v The Big Banana v The northernmost and southernmost points of Australia v The westernmost and easternmost points of Australia AND v At least five other locations which are important to you

On your map dont forget to label the compass with N (North), E (East), S (South) and W (West) and use these compass points to answer the following questions: Uluru is _______________ of Darwin, but ______________ of Adelaide. The Big Banana is _____________ of Sydney. Lake Eyre is _____________ of the Great Victoria Desert. The Big Golden Guitar is_____________ of Canberra. Melbourne is _______________of Adelaide. Kakadu is ____________of Darwin, but _______________ of the Daintree rainforest. The Great Barrier Reef is _____________ of the Daintree Rainforest, but ____________ of Melbourne. Hobart is _____________ of Melbourne.

EXTENSION ACTIVITY Rule a grid on your map with letters across the top and numbers down the side. Create a set of instructions using grid positions and compass points (for example, Go North to A6) following a route to your favourite destinations in Australia. See how tricky you can make the journey and swap with a friend to see if they can follow the directions!
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Blank Map obtained from http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxaustralia.htm (accessed on

29/5/2012)

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Appendix 9

Identity Unit Lesson Plan- Bridge Building.

Grade Level: 2/3 VELS Standards: Interpersonal development; Maths; Design, Creativity and Technology. Refer to worksheet/handout (Appendix 6)

Prior knowledge/learning
At a VELS level two in Mathematics, students should be competent in: - Recognising lines, surfaces and planes, corners and boundaries of structures - Recognising two-dimensional shapes including rectangles, rhombuses and hexagons, and three-dimensional shapes and objects including pyramids, cones, and cylinders. They should be also able to arrange a collection of geometric shapes. - They recognise and describe symmetry, asymmetry, and congruence in these shapes and objects. They accurately draw simple two-dimensional shapes by hand and construct basic models.

Learning Intention/Outcomes (What do I want the child/children to learn?) Include one or two specific goals which are clearly linked to your prior
knowledge of the child/children. By the conclusion of this particular learning experience I want the child to: 1. Recognise various shapes and solids crucial in different bridge structures 2. Identify features and characteristics which strengthen constructions, but also which are the strongest. 3. Create a labelled sketch or design of proposed bridge Next lesson: 1. choose appropriate tools, equipment and techniques assemble their designed bridge 2. Analyse, evaluate and revise their designs, products or simple systems in light of feedback they have gained from others. 26

Lesson Plan

(How will I achieve the learning intention?) Identify how you will engage, explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate the experience.

Engage - Begin lesson with revision of Australian National Icons already learnt. Questions such as, Who can remember the Australian landmarks in Possum Magic? - Discuss the Sydney Harbour Bridge- what makes it different from other bridges, or similar. Distinctive features- has anyone been to Sydney and can describe it to the class. - Introductory Youtube video Constructing Australia: The Bridge. - Explain that the nature of the task, involving the investigation, design and testing of their own bridge- also the important link back to student prior knowledge and wider unit topic of identity (national identity). Explore - Brainstorm with partner other famous bridges, and their different designs- What makes the Sydney Harbour Bridge different from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Explore student prior knowledge and life experiences, What other types of bridges have you seen in the past? Explain - Students work together to investigate other bridge types including Arch and Truss Arch, Beam, Bowstring, Box-girder, Cable-stayed, Cantilever, Continuous span, Suspension, Trestle designs. Learning will take place in pairs as teams, featuring a collaborative approach to research and design. - Within student-driven inquiry, pupils will have to evaluate which structures are the strongest and most appropriate for the task (holding the weight of a tennis ball). - Resources available in books, online web-sites, Youtube videos. Students must navigate these different mediums to assist in gathering ideas for their design. - Teacher acts as a facilitator in learning, acting scaffold new knowledge where appropriate, but not dictating direction of ideas or concepts Elaborate How will I get the children to apply their learning? - Students will have to choose which structure type is best suited to the task (holding the weight of a tennis ball), given the resources provided (one whole newspaper and two metres of masking tape. - Students are then required to apply such learning through designing their proposed structure. Students are required to draw a diagram in their workbook featuring appropriate labels, and directions. Students must also clarify the various bridge structures (arch, cable, truss, etc.) featured within their design, suggesting other famous bridges which may have acted as inspiration for their ideas, as well as justification for their choices. Next lessons - Students will make their bridge from the design, and list any adjustments required to make it stronger- these suggestions should be recorded down 27

in their workbooks also. The bridges will all be tested, and the winners will be chosen among the strongest structures. Students will be expected to note the results of the test. They will be required to record these results down in their workbooks, noting which group won, and specifically how their bridge was different (and stronger). Based on their observations, students will brainstorm and list several suggestions for improving their structures. If there is time, students will be enabled the opportunity to alter their bridge with these improvements, and testing will be undertaken again to observe their strength.

Evaluate How will I assess the learning that has occurred? - Informal observations for the first lesson regarding student input in class discussions and brainstorming, but also progress made in investigations, and cooperation with partner. This will provide summative assessment information. I will also check each design before the end of the lesson to gauge the level of ideas and understanding for each group. Next lessons - Informal observations from design and testing (good indication of ideas through success/failure of structure). - Formative assessment through collection of workbooks and providing feedback on student development of ideas, concepts and designs, in addition to various improvements made. Comments will be provided to student, and also contribute to wider student evaluation.

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