Backward Design - UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE

Title: Procedures
Year Level: 3

Teacher: Tabitha Winnett

Focus Curriculum Area (s): English

Duration: 3 weeks

STAGE 1: Curriculum Links

General
Capabilities
(GC)

Numeracy

ICT

Ethical Behaviour

Personal and Social

Intercultural

Crosscurriculum
Priorities
(CCP)

Aboriginal and TSI

Asia and Australias

Sustainability

Year Level
Content
Descriptors

English:
Understand how different types of texts
vary in use of language choices, depending
on their purpose and context (for example,
tense and types of sentences)
(ACELA1478)
Understand that verbs represent different
processes, for example doing, thinking,
saying, and relating and that these
processes are anchored in time through
tense (ACELA1482)
Use interaction skills, including active
listening behaviours and communicate in a
clear, coherent manner using a variety of
everyday and learned vocabulary and
appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume
(ACELY1792)

(Australian
Curriculum,
Assessment
and Reporting
Authority
[ACARA],
2015a)

Literacy

Histories and
Culture

Engagement with Asia

Maths:
Measure, order and compare objects using

Critical and Creative Thinking

Understanding

Year Level
Achievement
Standards

By the end of Year 3, students

understand how content can be
organised using different text
structures depending on the purpose of
the text. They understand how
language features, images and
vocabulary choices are used for
different effects.
They read texts that contain varied
sentence structures, a range of
punctuation conventions, and images
that provide extra information. They
use phonics and word knowledge to
fluently read more complex words.
They identify literal and implied
meaning connecting ideas in different
parts of a text. They select information,
ideas and events in texts that relate to
their own lives and to other texts. They
listen to others views and respond
appropriately using interaction skills.
Students understand how language
features are used to link and sequence
ideas. They understand how language
can be used to express feelings and
opinions on topics. Their texts include
writing and images to express and
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familiar metric units of length, mass and

capacity (ACMMG061)
Science:
With guidance, identify questions in familiar
contexts that can be investigated
scientifically and make predictions based on
prior knowledge (ACSIS053)

develop, in some detail experiences,

events, information, ideas and
characters.
Students create a range of texts for
familiar and unfamiliar audiences. They
contribute actively to class and group
discussions, asking questions,
providing useful feedback and making
presentations. They demonstrate
understanding of grammar and choose
vocabulary and punctuation
appropriate to the purpose and context
of their writing. They use knowledge of
letter-sound relationships including
consonant and vowel clusters and highfrequency words to spell words
accurately. They re-read and edit their
writing, checking their work for
appropriate vocabulary, structure and
meaning. They write using joined
letters that are accurately formed and
consistent in size.

(ACARA, 2015b)

Knowledge

Skills

(What are students expected to learn?)

Purposes and uses of a variety of procedure types

Text features common to procedures, including clear and

concise instructions, steps follow a logical progression, each
step generally starts on a new line, steps often start with a

verb, ingredients or equipment needed is often listed before

the steps, present tense is usually used and writing is
commonly in the second person (Reading Eggs, n.d.)

(What are students expected to be able to do?)

Read and follow simple to moderate procedures using familiar

language
Write procedures for familiar and new activities
Verbally deliver procedure steps for peers to follow

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LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this unit students will be able to:

explain the text type of procedures, in relation to purpose and language features
produce written and verbal procedures making use of appropriate text features
follow simple procedures and instructions to reach a desired result
expand personal lexicon of verbs for a variety of purposes

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Task description:
Part A:
These summative assessment tasks will be completed in the last lessons of the unit of work. Students will work individually to select a
task or activity that they are good at and will write out the procedural steps needed to complete this task, intended for someone who
has no idea of the task at all. Students will be encouraged to select a task that will take 5-10 steps to complete but could be anything
from tying your shoelaces, to multiplying two digit numbers, to setting the table for dinner. A student in the class with dyslexia may
either dictate the steps of his chosen procedure for a class assistant to scribe, or may draw diagrams to represent each step. A higher
achieving student may be encouraged to select a more complex activity that would require 10-15 steps.
Part B:
During Part B of the summative assessment task, each student will be required to verbally interact with their peers at a designated
point, but may choose either of the following options, based on the nature of the activity they chose in Part A.
Option1 Students will verbally give instructions for a peer or the whole class to complete the activity they wrote about in Part A. They
should not read their written steps but rather know their task well enough that they could describe each step in sequence. Students may
use props if needed.
Option2 If the nature of the selected task does not allow for completion within a few minutes in the classroom, students will deliver the
instructions verbally to a parent or sibling at home and have them complete the task. Upon returning to class, the student will then give
a short recount of how the task went, if their family member was able to follow their instructions, what worked well, what could be
improved and so on.
Assessment Criteria:
Students written work in Part A will be assessed for appropriate use of text features associated with procedure writing, including clear
statements, written in the present sense, each step starting on a new line, steps are written with a logical progression and no assumed
knowledge is skipped. Higher achievement will be demonstrated by inclusion of features such as a list of materials needed, or an
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indication of the time the task should take.

Students in Part B will be assessed for their abilities to use interaction skills and conventions, such as tone of voice, pace and volume
appropriate to the situation, listening skills if their peers ask questions, and clear and coherent instructions using relevant vocabulary.
Assessment recording template:
A marking rubric will be used to assess both Parts A and B. Students will be given a copy of the rubric prior to commencing the
assessment task.
Feedback:
Students will receive the completed rubric, as well as verbal, individual feedback about what they did well and where they could
improve.
Self-assessment:
During the one-on-one discussion of the completed rubric, students will be encouraged to describe what they think they did well and
what they learnt, as well as what they could take from this task to help them in the future.

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 3: PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION

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Learning Experiences
1

Display a variety of procedures, including simple recipes,

instructions for a board game, instructions to assemble a flat-pack
and so on. Facilitate a whole-class discussion/ brainstorm about
types of procedures students have come across, what purposes
they meet, what text features they notice. Record all answers on
the board.
Draw attention to the idea that steps of procedures often start
with verbs. Deliver a mini lesson on how verbs are used to
describe doing, saying, thinking and feeling actions, and that
verbs can give information about who and when. Students work in
small groups to write a list of verbs they can find in a variety of
procedure texts. Lists are then combined to make a whole-class
reference list. Select students to draw a verb at random out of a
box and think of an instruction beginning with that verb, and what
type of procedure that instruction might be a part of.
Circuits are set up around the room of simple science experiments
and activities. Students should read the instructions and predict
what will happen, before following the instructions, and
accurately measuring all necessary ingredients, in order to
produce the desired outcome. Students will work in mixed ability
groups to ensure students who may need assistance can receive
this from their peers. The teacher and classroom assistant will
also work closely with groups as needed. Conclude with a
discussion about whether the instructions were easy to follow, if
anything went wrong, what worked well, if the students enjoyed
the tasks.

Students are divided into small, mixed-ability groups and each

allocated a section of the classs daily or weekly routine. Groups
must then write a procedure explaining the steps that students
follow in order to complete that part of the routine. For example,
steps for the morning routine could involve hanging up your bag,
getting out your water bottle, placing your chair behind your

Assessment For/As Learning

(Formative Assessment)
Listen to students answers
to gauge prior
understanding Diagnostic
assessment
Anecdotal notes of
students contributions to
the class discussion
Observations of students
abilities to pick verbs out
of procedural texts
Listen to students
example instructions and
procedures, to show an
understanding of purposes
of procedures

Observations of students
abilities to read and follow
a given procedure
Observations of students
abilities to measure
ingredients accurately
Observations of group
work and interaction skills

Checklist of text features

appropriate to procedures
including comprehensive
steps
Observations of
appropriate group work

Resources

A variety of
procedure texts
for demonstration
Whiteboard or
IWB
A variety of
procedure texts
A range of
familiar and lessfamiliar verbs
written on
individual cards,
in a hat or box

Resources needed for

this activity can be
found at
http://www.csiro.a
u/en/Education/DI
Yscience/Chemistry
/Amazingdetergent
http://www.csiro.a
u/en/Education/DI
Yscience/Chemistry
/Cornflour-slime
Large pieces of
paper 1 per
group

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table, checking yourself in on the who is where board and

sitting on the carpet with legs crossed and hands still. Groups will
share their procedures with the class.
Students will select a location in the school, such as the front
office, the canteen, the hall, the play ground etc. and write out
the steps that someone would need to take to get from the door
of the classroom to the desired location. Students should use
rulers, trundle wheels, tape measures etc to make their
instructions as accurate and clear as possible. Students then each
swap their procedures with a peer and attempt to follow the steps
of the procedure they have received, to see if they reach the
intended destination.
Read aloud Wombat Stew by Marcia K. Vaughan. Hold a class
discussion about whether this text is a procedure, what
similarities there are, how the information in the book could be
turned into a procedure. Students then write the procedure/recipe
for making wombat stew, based on the information in the book. A
similar task could be completed with students writing the
procedure for baking bread based on the information in The Little
Red Hen.
Demonstrate how to effectively deliver steps of a procedure
verbally, by walking students through creating an origami paper
crane, for example. Use metalanguage to explain what you are
doing such as giving one instruction at a time and waiting for
everyone to be ready before giving the next instruction, speaking
slowly and clearly, repeating instructions if needed, changing the
way you word an instruction if someone doesnt understand.
Students practice giving each other verbal instructions to
complete basic classroom tasks.
Set up a circuit of simple obstacle courses and activities outside
or in the school gym, using PE equipment such as cones, hoops,
balls and beanbags. Students pair up, and Student A of each pair
places a blindfold on. Student B must use verbal instructions to
carefully guide their partner through the obstacles and activities.
Roles then swap.

and interaction skills

Checklist of text features

of written procedures
Observations of students
measuring skills
Observations of students
abilities to follow
instructions

Rulers, tape
measures, trundle
wheels etc.

Observations of students
contributions to class
discussion
Checklist of text features
appropriate to procedures
Rating scale for creativity
of written procedure

Wombat Stew by
Marcia K. Vaughan

Observation of students
use of learned techniques
for delivering instructions
verbally

Origami paper, 12 pieces per

student

Observation of students
use of learned techniques
for delivering instructions
verbally

Plastic cones,
hoops, various
size balls, ropes,
small beanbags
etc.

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