English - Procedural Writing For Games Year 5

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Assignment Cover Sheet – Internal An Assignment cover sheet needs to be included with each assignment. Please complete all details clearly. If you are submitting the assignment on paper, please staple this sheet to the front of each assignment. If you are submitting the assignment online, please ensure this cover sheet is included at the start of your document. (This is preferable to a separate attachment.) Please check your Course Information Booklet or contact your School Office for assignment submission locations. Name: Brooke Matilda Parsons Student ID

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Email: [email protected] Course code and title: EDUC 2004 English Curriculum 1 School: Education

Program code: MBED

Course Coordinator: Lynne Badger

Tutor: Lyn Tonkin

Day, Time, Location of Tutorial/Practical: Tuesday 3pm, G1Assignment number: 3

Due date: 6/6/08

Assignment topic as stated in Course Information Booklet: Explanation of approach to teaching writing using the curriculum cycle

Further Information: (e.g. state if extension was granted and attach evidence of approval, Revised Submission Date)

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Brooke Parsons Lyn Tonkin Tues 3pm

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English 1 Curriculum Cycle

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Genre: Procedural or Instructional Age: Year 5 Topic: Students write a set of instructions for a word game they have designed themselves Building the field Before building the field for the topic, the students should be introduced to new types of words that are used in procedural texts. The students will use these words later in the cycle when they jointly and independently construct their own procedure. These types of words are present tense action verbs (i.e. place, take), adverbs (i.e. quickly), linking words for time (i.e. first, then) and detailed and factual words used to describe objects (i.e. shape, size, colour). To introduce the students to these types of words the teacher could select books to share in the class. The …for dummies series are instructional texts and offer a variety of word types the students can be exposed to. Each type of word should be introduced separately and the …for dummies books could be used as a modelled example. After reading and highlighting types of words the teacher should conduct a guided lesson, then have the students identify the types of words themselves using the …for dummies books as well as other books the students are reading. A word chart should be created for each type of word so the students can add to it as they find additional words. During this stage of the curriculum cycle the students should be introduced to the topic they need to write independently later in the cycle. When introducing the students to writing instructions for a game, the teacher should start by allowing the students to play and experiment with a variety of board games. Examples of board games that could be used are Trouble, Snakes and Ladders and Operation. After playing these board games and becoming familiar with how to play them the students should be asked to record, in their own words, how to play the game. Once all students have written their instructions, similar ones should be displayed for the class to see. Viewing some of the instructions the students write will assist them to compare instructions and comment about what instructions would be best to use if they wanted to play the game. A list of the student’s suggestions should be recorded on the interactive whiteboard and saved for later reference, as it ultimately makes a list of rules for writing game instructions. This activity will provide the teacher with an understanding of what the students already know about instructions and rules for games. After completing this list the teacher should provide the students with examples of instructions for the board games they played. Students will need to look at the instructions and record the similar structural and language features in their workbooks. During this seatwork the teacher should move around the room and provide any necessary assistance. The features the students record needs to be shared verbally with the class, written on the interactive whiteboard and saved for later reference. The students should be linking the

Brooke Parsons Lyn Tonkin Tues 3pm

English 1 Curriculum Cycle

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words on the word charts created earlier in the unit with the language features of the instructions. Modelling At the beginning of this stage of the curriculum cycle the students should be told the focus of the modelling stage. Explicit teaching of the genre must occur during this stage, to do this the teacher should use models when describing the purpose of a procedural genre (which is a means of telling someone how to do something or make something) as well as describing and recording the structure of a procedural text (which is having a goal, a list of materials and a method). A copy of a card game instructions, for example, Aces Up Solitaire, should be displayed for children to see while the purpose and structure are described. The teacher should underline each section of the instructions that relate to the structure so this can be referred to later in the unit. During this stage, the teacher should be explicitly describing the function of each section of the structure. While explicitly teaching it would be worthwhile to teach the students how the different headings of the card game instructions relate to the structure of procedural texts. The teacher must ensure they describe and show the students some of the language the author has used, in particular, present tense action verbs, adverbs, linking words for time and detailed and factual words used to describe objects. The teacher should advise the students they will show them how to write procedures, in particular the instructions for the card game Go Fish. The teacher should play Go Fish and then write the structure and instructions on the interactive whiteboard. The teacher should verbally express their thought patterns by simply talking to themselves and asking themselves questions aloud. They must ensure the students can hear and see what they are doing and understand the process they are going through to write the instructions, in particular how to plan, draft, read through and consider changes, edit and proofread. The teacher should refer to the instructions for Aces Up Solitaire as well as use words from the word charts and include these in their writing. Once the teacher has finished writing the instructions for Go Fish they should ask the students to help them identify the structure and language features of the text. The next activity requires a second copy of Go Fish to be displayed on the interactive whiteboard, this copy should display inappropriate vocabulary and have some steps missing. The aim of this activity is to allow the students to identify the missing parts and how important it is not to miss anything when writing procedures. To determine students understanding the teacher can provide the students with copies of card game instructions, these could be from Memory, Uno and Snap, and ask the students to label the structure of the instructions and the language features on their own copy. The teacher should move around the room and provide assistance when it is required. At this Brooke Parsons Lyn Tonkin Tues 3pm

English 1 Curriculum Cycle

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point of the unit it may be necessary to model the writing of the genre again on the interactive whiteboard. If this is necessary model another card game the students are familiar with. A further activity for the students to complete would be providing them with sets of cut up copies of card game instructions and asking them to put the pieces in order. The students should label the structure and the language features on their worksheet. Joint Construction At the beginning of this stage of the curriculum cycle the teacher should revise with the students the structure and language features of procedural texts. After revising procedural texts the class should be involved in a discussion about the types of procedures that are in their everyday lives, the students should be encouraged to find procedures at home and share them with the class, identifying the structure and language features and how some procedures are different to others. To prepare the class for further development in constructing procedural texts give them the opportunity to do their own research of instructions for different types of games. Once the students have completed their research have them print a copy of the instructions and highlight and label the structure and language features on it. The findings of some of these sets of instructions should be shared with the class to expand their understanding of game instructions. Any new words should be added to the word chart for use when the students write their own procedures. Introduce the students to an on-line game, for example, Build a rollercoaster, and tell the students that after playing the game they will write the game instructions together as a class. Ensure students have copies of all of the resources they have created over the course of the curriculum cycle. Guide the students through the structure of the game instructions, asking students to write the headings on the interactive whiteboard. Before writing the instructions it is recommended the students recall everything about play Building a rollercoaster and then invite them to use these to construct the procedure. The students should share the task of writing the instructions on the interactive whiteboard. It may be necessary to prompt students thinking by asking them what the teacher did when they wrote the game instructions for Go Fish and what language they used. It is imperative the teacher provides explicit feedback on the structure and language features the students use. After constructing the game instructions for the on-line game provide students with other game instructions on a worksheet and have the students do an exercise to identify materials they need, commands that are given, language features that are used, specifically verbs and words related to time.

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At this point it may be necessary to assist some students, those students who are struggling could have peer assistance by students who have grasped the genre well or if there are a number of students requiring assistance, a second joint construction activity may be necessary. If a second activity is necessary have the students play another on-line game and structure the joint construction lesson as was done previously. Extension activities for students who have grasped the genre can include reviewing instructions for games other groups have found, labeling the structure and language features and completing extension worksheets that provide the students with further practice to identify the structure and language features of procedural texts. Independent Construction Before moving onto independent construction it may be necessary for some students to receive guided instruction, guided instruction is when students work in pairs or small groups to compose a procedural text, the teacher provides guidance and gives explicit feedback to the students about the structure and language features. For independent construction the students will write the instructions for the word game they have designed. However, before entering this part of the curriculum cycle the teacher will need to discuss with the students the different word games they could make and the type of game, either a card game or a board game. Once the parameters of the game have been set, the teachers should review the structure of the game instructions and the language features with the students. As the students are designing and making their game the teacher should move around the room and ask the students questions to prompt their thinking of what they did first, next and last, this will assist them when writing the procedures for their word game. Before the students begin to write the procedures themselves, the teacher should hold writing conferences for editing and teaching the students how to peer assess each other’s work. The editing conferences will prepare the students for editing their drafts, the teacher should discuss with the students the genre’s layout and language use, along with punctuation, grammar and spelling. If the students have not been exposed to peer assessment, teaching them will require showing them how to provide positive and constructive feedback as well having the teacher model this in the classroom during sharing experiences. The teacher and students should work collaboratively to design a rubric for assessment before the students write their game instructions, in doing this the students will revise and show their understanding of the structure and language features of a procedural text.

Brooke Parsons Lyn Tonkin Tues 3pm

English 1 Curriculum Cycle

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As the students begin to write their procedures allow them to have access to all of the resources they have collected over the unit of work. The teacher should move around the classroom as the students are constructing their procedures and assist them when necessary. When all students have completed their first draft of their procedures have them share it with the class and request peer feedback, the teacher should guide the other students in giving constructive feedback to the writer. At this point is may be necessary to further assist struggling students with guided writing and activities to increase their understanding of procedure writing. When all students have shared their draft and received feedback they should alter and edit the draft incorporating the feedback they received. Once the students have completed this step they should review a checklist provided to them, this would be similar to the assessment rubric and will give them another opportunity to review and alter their draft. After the previous alteration the students should provide their game and instructions to a small group of students, this group of students will play the game using the instructions and determine if the procedure is explicit enough. After this final check, the writer can alter their draft and then provide a copy to the teacher. It may be necessary for the student to alter their procedure after the teacher has viewed it, but this will depend on the level of detail the other students provided during the peer assessment and the playing of the word game. Once all students have completed their word game instructions the class should have the opportunity to play these games often.

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Bibliography ABC 2008, Build a rollercoaster, viewed 27 May 2008, . Derewianka, B 1990, Exploring how texts work, Primary English Teaching Association, Newtown, NSW. Education Department of Western Australia 1994, ‘Exploring different forms of writing’ in Writing resource book, Longmans, Melbourne. Education Department of Western Australia 1997, First steps writing resource book, Rigby Heinemann Australia, Port Melbourne, Victoria. Fox, M & Wilkinson, L 1993, English essentials; The wouldn’t-be-without-it guide to writing well, MacMillan Education Australia, South Yarra, Victoria. Gahan, C, Pitchett, J & Spence, B 1997, Teacher’s resource book including blackline masters; Middle Primary C, Rigby Heinemann, Port Melbourne, Victoria. Hancock, J & Leaver, C 2006, Teaching strategies for literacy, Australian Literacy Educators’ Association, Norwood, South Australia. Hathorn, J & Hathorn, L 1991, Help! For young writers, Thomas Nelson Australia, South Melbourne, Victoria. King, JA 2005, Digital photography for dummies, 5th edn, John Wiley & Sons Incorporated, New Jersey. Paha, S n.d., An introduction to the writing process, Teaching that makes sense, viewed 28 January 2005, . Western Australian Department of Education and Training 2005, ‘Use of texts’ in First steps writing resource book, 2nd edn, Rigby Heinemann, Port Melbourne, Victoria. Winch, G & Blaxwell, G 1994, Write well 3; Practical activities in traditional and functional grammar, punctuation and usage, Horwitz Publications Pty Ltd, St Leonards, NSW.

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