Year 4 unit plan

School Name: Sunshine Coast

School
Unit title: Learning Areas: History, English Year level: Year 4 Duration of unit: 6 Weeks

Rationale for Unit
This unit plan integrates curriculum outcomes from History and English and incorporates a heavy focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures.
Throughout the sequence of lessons it achieves outcomes from the Australian Curriculum within these key areas for Year 4 in addition to featuring elements
from various other General Capabilities. The unit integrates an intercultural understanding by engaging students in learning activities that require them to
consider alternate perspectives of historical events. These activities challenge students to discuss the value of different perspectives and engage in debates to
analyse points of view. As students engage with sources and interact with technology they are developing a capacity to effectively communicate with ICT to
access and exchange information.

The purpose of an integrated unit is to provide learning outcomes from multiple learning areas in a cohesive unit to present realistic connections that enables
students to see the learning as relevant and valuable. By creating an integrated unit students receive authentic learning experiences that provide them with skills
that are transferable to other areas and allows them to see the connections that exist within the curriculum (Reynolds, 2012). The learning outcomes selected
for this unit have been selected so that the students will engage with learning experiences that enhance their knowledge and understanding of various learning
areas at any one time. In a crowded curriculum it is imperative that learning experiences are providing substantial and transferable skills wherever possible
(Reynolds, 2012). The integration of History an English enable students to gain skills and build on existing knowledge and understanding.

Students in year 4 have previously engaged in Historical concepts and skills in earlier years. In Year 3 the History curriculum has a focus on community and
remembrance where students explore the importance of country and place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. The concepts of significant spiritual
and emotional connections to the land are further explored in this Year 4 unit and delve deeper into an empathetic understanding of indigenous perspectives.
Similarly prior knowledge in English is built upon as students continue to engage with and create texts. In the previous year students listen, read, view and
interpret various forms of texts intended to entertain, inform and persuade. Having had previous experience viewing and engaging with such texts, students in
Year 4 will build on their understanding of these English elements as they read, view and create persuasive and informative texts.

As outlined in the Australian Curriculum there are five elements that are key to effective unit planning. ACARA outlines these elements as the following:

Identify curriculum
Sequence teaching and learning
Develop assessment
Use feedback
Make judgements

By using these key elements to plan a unit the content throughout this unit is aligned with the learning outcomes presented in the curriculum. The History and
English learning outcomes have been selected so that they complement each other in the unit and work collaboratively to provide deep quality learning. The
focus of the unit is to consider historical events from various perspectives while engaging with texts and developing understanding and skills in English. These
strong connections in the unit allow for students to learn how to read and create texts that present clear historical understanding. Further learning outcomes
are achieved in this unit in the areas of General Capabilities and Cross Curricular Priorities. As students view, read, consider and present alternative perspectives
of historical events they are developing skills necessary to achieve an Intercultural Understanding that empathises with others and describes different
perspectives. In doing so students also achieve learning outcomes for developing a social awareness in Personal and Social Capabilities where they discuss the
value of diverse perspectives. As these outcomes are being achieved students will also be engaging with ICT's and enhancing their ability to use technology
effectively to access and communicate information. During the unit students are consistently engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and
cultures as they explore the connections the indigenous population have to the land and consider the differences in regards to land ownership and what this
meant for the relationship between the two societies throughout Australian history.

When planning this unit the curriculum outcomes where first identified so that the sequence of teaching and learning could be determined. By using a Backward
Mapping approach it means that the individual lessons have clear objectives that work toward a direct learning outcome in the curriculum (Killen, 2009). It is not
reasonable to expect individual lessons will be successful without thorough planning and careful integration into a unit. There needs to be clear and direct
connections between lessons and what the overall unit requires. With the learning outcomes in mind the sequence of the learning and teaching in this unit help
students achieve steps each lesson so that they can succeed in achieving the assessment and outcomes of the unit overall.

Assessment is an integral part of teaching as it helps teachers to make judgements about teaching and learning and the abilities of the students in their class. It is
as important for understanding students as it is for reflecting on teaching practice (Killen, 2009). The development of assessment for this unit aims to align with
the requirements of the Australian Curriculum by providing assessment that has links directly with learning outcomes for Year 4. The assessment tasks developed
judge students understanding and ability through formative and summative assessment pieces. For assessment to be considered valuable students need to see
the relevance to the long term outcomes so that it is meaningful for their learning, as the three assessment pieces here are directly linked to learning outcomes
this has been achieved.

Assessment is a key tool in gaining valuable feedback about teaching and learning. Feedback is essential for improving student learning activities as it validates
effective learning and draws attention to unsuccessful strategies (QSA, 2011). Throughout the unit feedback is given to students through assessment and this in
turn gives the teacher feedback about student learning. Feedback is also given throughout the lessons as students and teachers evaluate lessons and reflect on
what improvements can be made in the future.

In order for teachers to make sound judgements about student learning it is vital that planning and reflection of learning and assessment is guided by the
achievement standards (QSA, 2011). Both learning and assessment must be considered carefully for their quality of work in order for valid judgements to be
made. A teacher needs to make valid judgements about learning and teaching so that improvements can be made when planning for the future.
Identify Curriculum
Key Inquiry Question Historical Inquiry Questions
English
Language
Understand differences between the language of opinion and feeling and the language of
factual reporting or recording
Incorporate new vocabulary from a range of sources into students own texts including
vocabulary encountered in research
Literature
Make connections between the ways different authors may represent similar storylines,
ideas and relationships
Discuss literary experiences with others, sharing responses and expressing a point of
view
Literacy
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations incorporating learned content and taking into
account the particular purposes and audiences
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key
information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating
increasing control over text structures and language features







Why did the Europeans settle in Australia?
What was the nature and consequence of contact between Aboriginal and/or Torres
Strait Islander Peoples and early traders, explorers and settlers?
Historical knowledge and understanding
First Contacts
The nature of contact between Aboriginal people and/or Torres Strait Islanders
and others, for example, the Macassans and the Europeans, and the effects of
these interactions on, for example families and the environment.
comparing the European concept of land ownership with the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples' relationship with the land and sea, and
how this affected relations between them
exploring early contact history with the British (for example Pemulwuy or
the Black War) and the impact that British colonisation had on the lives of
Aboriginal people (dispossession, dislocation and the loss of lives through
conflict, disease, loss of food sources and medicines)
exploring whether the interactions between Europeans and Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples had positive or negative effects
examining paintings and accounts (by observers such as Watkin Tench and
David Collins) to determine the impact of early British colonisation on
Aboriginal peoples' country
Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities Historical Inquiry Skills
ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER HISTORIES AND CULTURES-
Country/Place
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities maintain a special
connection to and responsibility for Country/Place throughout all of
Australia.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have unique belief systems
and are spiritually connected to the land, sea, sky and waterways
INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING - Interacting and empathising with others
Consider and develop multiple perspectives - identify and describe shared
perspectives within and across various cultural groups
Empathise with others - imagine and describe the feelings of others in a range of
contexts
ICT CAPABILITIES - Communicating with ICT
Use appropriate ICT tools safely to share and exchange information with appropriate
known audiences.
PERSONAL AND SOCIAL CAPABILITIES - Social awareness
Discuss the value of diverse perspectives and describe a point of view that is
different from their own.




Chronology, terms and concepts -Sequence historical people and events
(ACHHS081)
Historical questions and research - Pose a range of questions about the
past (ACHHS083)
Perspectives and interpretations - Identify different points of view
(ACHHS085)
Explanations and communication - Develop texts, particularly narratives
(ACHHS086)
Use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and digital
technologies (ACHHS087)


Develop assessment Make judgements
Type of
assessment
What will be assessed When will
it be
assessed
Purpose of assessment Assessable elements
Formative Sequence events from start
to finish of the major
events in Australian
colonial history
Week 2 To form an understanding of
major historical events and the
sequence in which they occurred.
To give a brief overview of
Australia's history.
History - K&U - Exploring early contact history with the British and the
impact that British colonisation had on the lives of Aboriginal people
Historical Inquiry Skills -Sequence historical people and events
Summative Persuasive argument Week 4 To identify students
understanding of the features of
a persuasive argument and their
ability to consider multiple
perspectives.
English - Language- Understand differences between the language of
opinion and the language of factual reporting.
English - Literacy - Plan, draft and publish informative and persuasive
texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening
range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text
structures and language features.
Historical Inquiry Skills- Identify different points of view. Develop texts.
Summative -
Journal entry
Ability to empathise with
other perspectives
Week 6 To identify students ability to
empathise with others and their
understanding of language
features in a written text.
English - Language - Incorporate new vocabulary from a range of
sources into students' own texts.
English - Literacy - Plan, draft and publish informative and persuasive
texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening
range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text
structures and language features.
Historical K & U - exploring whether the interactions between
Europeans and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had
positive or negative effects
Historical Inquiry Skills- Identify different points of view. Develop texts.
Sequence of Learning
Week 1
English/ History links Activities Assessment Resources
English
Discuss literary experiences
with others, sharing responses
and expressing a point of view.
History
Pose a range of questions
about the past.
Why did the Europeans settle
in Australia?
Exploring early contact history.
Sequence historical people and
events.

Lesson 1 -Activating Prior Knowledge
Learning Goal: Students will be able to understand and use the
comprehension skill of Prior Knowledge when reading historical texts.
Introduce the unit by Activating Prior Knowledge. Complete individual KWL
charts and then discuss as a whole class. Begin reading 'Nanberry: Black
Brother White' as a class and continue to read throughout the unit. Pose
questions about the text and Australian history in pairs and compile
questions at the conclusion of the lesson. Put history questions on a large
poster and display in the class to be addressed throughout the unit.
Lesson 2 - Setting the context - A glance at Australian history
Learning goal: Students will able to give a brief recount of major landings
and events in Australian history.
Introduce 'Fan Files' and inform students that it will be a formative
assessment piece. Students use laptops to access the Australian History
Timeline and find dates from start to finish of the first explorations to
Australia. Students explore important dates and events to include in their
Fan File.



Introduce concept of
Fan File and begin to
work on it in class in
lesson 2.
Make observations
and take anecdotal
notes to reflect on
each lesson.
Novel by Jackie French "Nanberry:
Black Brother White"






Materials for Fan files (strips of card,
split pins)
Australian History Timeline
http://www.aushistorytimeline.com/

Week 2
English/ History links Activities Assessment Resources
English
Incorporate new vocabulary
from a range of sources into
students' own texts.
History
What was the nature and
consequence of contact
between the indigenous
population and the early
traders, explorers and settlers?
Why did the Europeans settle
in Australia?
Exploring early contact history.
Sequence historical people and
events.
Lesson 3 - Self-monitoring to identify unfamiliar words and improve
vocabulary.
Learning goal: Students will be able to use self monitoring to identify
unknown words to improve their vocabulary.
Teacher demonstrates self monitoring skills when reading class novel and
explains how it helps to improve comprehension. Students read individual
copies of class novel to practice self monitoring when reading. Encourage
students to use a 'post it' note to identify unfamiliar words when reading.
Strategies that can be used when self monitoring; re-read, read on, use a
dictionary, ask for help.

Lesson 4 - Journeys of exploration and reasons for settlement
Learning goal: Students will be able to give reasons for certain settlements
in each state and include these in their Fan Files
Students continue to complete Fan File by conducting research using
laptops. Useful websites are provided. Students are to focus their research
on finding reasons for settlement in each state of Australia and to identify
the dates of settlement to add to their Fan Files.

Continue working on
Fan File. Finish Fan
Files by end of this
week.
Make observations
and take anecdotal
notes to reflect on
each lesson.
Class set of novels - "Nanberry:
Black Brother White"







Stories of Exploration
http://www.australianhistory.org/ex
ploration


Week 3
English/ History links Activities Assessment Resources
English
Understand the difference
between the language of
opinion and feeling and the
language of factual reporting.
Make connections between the
ways different authors may
represent similar storylines,
ideas and relationships.
History
What was the nature and
consequence of contact?
Comparing the European
concepts of land ownership
with the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples'
relationship with the land and
sea.

Lesson 5 - Comparing factual reporting with emotive texts.
Learning goal: Students will be able to identify the differences between the
language of opinion and the language of factual reporting.
Using the "Making Connections" chart the teacher models how to make
connections between texts. Students engage with text samples from the
Australian History Timeline website (teacher provided) first, then compare
with journal entries of Dan and Waruwi from the My Place website (text
samples provided by teacher). Students complete a chart giving information
about what is similar, what is different and what is interesting about the text
samples.
Lesson 6 - Students will pose questions about the effects of settlement and
engage in discussions to express a point of view
Learning goal: Students will consider the impacts of settlement from
different perspectives.
Students view clips from My Place website "Meet Waruwi". Teacher stops
the clip part way through to prompt students with questions. What do you
think might happen? How do you think Waruwi feels about the strange
animal? How do you think Nana feels about the 'walking grub people'?
Continue viewing clips. Students complete individual "I wonder..." web
charts to pose questions. Conclude lesson with a class discussion to predict
what could happen/ what the effects of settlement were for Waruwi and her
Nana.

Inform students of
assessment piece #2
- persuasive
argument due end of
week 4.
Make observations
and take anecdotal
notes to reflect on
each lesson.
Australian History Timeline
My Place website
Dan and Waruwi journals







My Place - Meet Waruwi video


Week 4
English/ History links Activities Assessment Resources
English
Plan informative and
persuasive texts containing
key information and
supporting details for a
widening range of
audiences.
Understand differences
between the language of
opinion and feeling and the
language of factual
reporting.
Incorporate new vocabulary
from a range of sources into
students' own texts
including vocabulary
encountered in research.
History
Comparing the European
concept of land ownership
and the connection that
indigenous populations have
with the land and sea.

Lesson 7 - Conduct a class survey prompting students to consider how they
feel about climbing Uluru.
Learning goal: Students will compare the concepts of land ownership and
begin to develop an argument for a persuasive text.
Students write down their opinions on the topic and take a stance either for
or against climbing Uluru. Students then gather evidence to support their
argument with access to the internet and resources used in previous lessons
(class text, My Place website etc). Students sort their evidence into at least
three main points of argument to be used in their persuasive text which will
be written in the next lesson.
Lesson 8 - The structure of a persuasive text
Learning goal: Students will develop a persuasive text arguing for or
against climbing Uluru.
Teacher gives explicit demonstration of a persuasive text and provides a
template of the structure that is used when writing a formal piece of text. As
students have previous experience writing persuasive texts, the structure is
being reinforced and is not new content to students. Students are given time
to individually sort their ideas into a plan and then write a persuasive
argument for or against climbing Uluru.

Write persuasive
argument - final
draft due end of this
week.
Make observations
and take anecdotal
notes to reflect on
each lesson.
Ayers Rock clip - link provided in
attachment below.


Week 5
English/ History links Activities Assessment Resources
English
Plan, rehearse and deliver
presentations incorporating
learned content and taking into
account the particular
purposes and audiences.
History
Comparing the European
concept of land ownership and
the connection that indigenous
populations have with the land
and sea.
Why did the Europeans settle
in Australia?
Exploring early contact history.

Lesson 9 - In groups students plan and present a short dramatic role play as
historical characters discussed in class.
Learning goal: Students present a short role play expressing the attitudes
of historical figures.
In groups of 4 or 5 students choose a historical identity and produce a short
role play expressing the characters attitudes towards one of these issues:
the voyage to Australia, arriving in Botany Bay, indigenous life before
colonisation, the first contacts, effects of colonisation or other issues
addressed in class. This will provide a brief summary of the topics discussed
in class so far and will enable students to begin empathising with the
feelings of characters.
Lesson 10 - Selecting historical figures and considering the 5 W's to begin
planning for the final assessment piece.
Learning goal: Students will choose a character and begin planning a
journal entry.
Students will choose a historical figure or a character from the texts used in
class to portray through a journal entry. In this lesson students will answer
questions about their character to describe the characters feelings and
perspectives on historical events. Students will work individually to answer
the 5 W's in regards to planning their journal entries (Where does this take
place? When is this being written? Who is writing? How are they writing it?
What are they writing about? Why are they writing?)
Make observations
and take anecdotal
notes to reflect on
each lesson.
Introduce task #3 -
Journal entries due
end of week 6.
Access to internet and texts used in
previous lessons for research
throughout this week.
English books.


Week 6
English/ History links Activities Assessment Resources
English
Plan, draft and publish informative
and persuasive texts containing
key information and supporting
details for a widening range of
audiences.
Understand differences between
the language of opinion and
feeling and the language of factual
reporting.
Incorporate new vocabulary from
a range of sources into students'
own texts including vocabulary
encountered in research.
History
Why did Europeans settle in
Australia?
What was the nature and
consequence of contact
Lesson 11 - The structure of a journal entry
Learning goal: Students will plan and draft a journal entry from the
perspective of a chosen historical character.
Students are shown written accounts from the First Fleet as provided by
the teacher. As a whole class discuss the elements of the written
accounts, taking into consideration the style of writing and language
used. Students then plan and begin writing a draft journal entry.

Lesson 12 - Editing and publishing journal entries
Learning goal: Students will produce a final journal entry for
assessment.
Use peer feedback and self-editing to revise the first draft of the
journals. Take into consideration the language and vocabulary used is
relevant and accurate. Teacher feedback and assistance is given to
support students. Final copies of journal articles are to be typed and
shared on a online blog set up by the teacher.

Journal entries due
by end of week
Edublog set up by teacher