Literacy development through linking a fictional story to Geographical learning context

Inquiry: 

In Term 2 students in Year 5 will be involved in a geography unit of work which will develop their literacy skills to investigate human influences on the Murray River. Literacy is integrated throughout the Australian Curriculum as one of the seven General Capabilities, (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), and has been recognised as an essential skill for students to develop to ensure success in all learning areas, (MCEETYA,2008). In this unit, students will use two literacy processes of reading various texts and composing texts through writing, (Glibert and Hoepper).

The fictional story Storm Boy, written by Colin Thiele will be read to students and inquiry questions will be posed to enable students to connect to the geographical content embedded in the story. Whilst reading the first two chapters of the book, students will be asked to focus on the setting of the story. They will use their senses to build an image of the location and will write down words that describe the Coorong and the Murray River. To unlock geographical thinking and information, they will then investigate maps of the Coorong and Murray River in South Australia, to note significant naturally formed characteristics and include man made influences such as locks and weirs. Using research skills of mapping to locate and compile geographic information is one inquiry process which encourages students to think geographically, (Gilbert and Hoepper, 2017).

Students will then engage in an activity using ‘think, pair, share,’ (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014) to answer the inquiry question, ‘how have people including Aboriginal People, engaged with the Murray River?’ They will look at the positive influences of portrayed by the characters, Fingerbone an Aboriginal person and Storm Boy and highlight negative influences that are described. This story analysis introduces students to the topic of how people have an influence on the environmental characteristics of the Murray River.

Students literacy skills of interpreting and questioning will be used to identify influences and impacts of people in changing the Murray River’s environment, through watching ‘River Kids Special’ (Behind The News (BTN), 2018). They will document using a mind map the different man-made influences of the river. As a parent you could engage in conversations with your child about the various influence and impacts people have had on the Murray River. You could also discuss whether these influences should change.

  

The final unit activity students will embark on is consolidating their thinking and further exploring the impacts of people on the Murray River. Students will use one of the examples explained in the video to answer the inquiry questions, as shown below. By using this geographical inquiry, students will be developing their literacy skills of identifying and analyzing, describing and explaining, reflecting and expressing an opinion, (Gilbert & Hoepper, 2017).

They will then demonstrate their understanding and learning by composing a written report that informs the reader of an influence people have had on the Murray River. This will be a summative assessment to demonstrate their learning.

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities, Literacy. Retrieved from: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/literacy/

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2017). Australian curriculum: HASS (Version8.2) Retrieved from: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/humanities-and-social-sciences/hass/

Behind The News (BTN). (2018). River Kids, A BTN Special. ABC. Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/btn/campaigns/river-kids-special/10559652

Fellowes, J. & Oakley, G. (2014). Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education (2^nd ed.). South Melbourne, Victoria. Oxford University Press.

Gilbert, R. & Hoepper,. B. (2017). Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences: History, Geography, Economics and Citizenship in the Australian Curriculum (6^th ed.). South Melbourne, Victoria. Cengage Learning.

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training & Youth Affairs (MCCEETYA). (2008). Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians. Retrieved from: http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf

Thiele, C. (2002). Storm Boy, 40^th Anniversary Edition. Australia. New Holland Publisher