Unit of Work: Childrens Picture Book One Lucky Duck

By Annaliese Collison and Lucy Yip

Learning Intentions:
English: To learn about repetitive language used within One Lucky Duck, whilst exploring
repetitive language in other types of texts in a manner that requires students to engage in
class discussions.
Mathematics: Students to build their understanding of counting, while making connections
with other ways of counting such as skip counting. Whilst also recognising different patterns
of skip counting.
The Arts (Drama): Students to explore animals, and animals that are native to Southeast
Asia in role plays. Students will identify different aspects of each animal such as the sounds
they make, their appearance whilst also learning various aspects of role playing.
Science: To understand that all animals live in different environments and habitats. From
this, the impact of weather conditions can play a role in how animals live in their
environment. Through this learning intention, students can represent their understandings in
a variety of ways and make connections to sustainability.
Health and Physical Education: To help students to further develop a better understanding
of their own feelings and emotions as well as others and using emotions and feelings in
ways that create inclusive environments for all.

Guiding questions for the unit

Why do we use counting in everyday life?
What animals would you like to learn about?
Do animals have feelings as well as humans?
What do we know about animals and their environments?
How can we create better environments for animals and humans?
How are animals different from each other? Eg. Body language, appearance and sounds
they make.

Activity One: Repetition of words

English
Lesson aims:
1. For students to identify and explore repetitive words, and sentences and contrast these in
simple texts (VCELA189).
2. Students to identify rhyming words, alliteration patterns, syllables and some sounds
(phonemes) in spoken words (VCELA168)
3. Students to engage in learning, active listening behaviours, contribute, ideas and
information and ask questions during discussions (VCELY211)
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Elaborations from Australian Curriculum connected to Victorian Curriculum:

To ensure students are understanding the concept of language patterns and repetition,
students will discuss different types of texts and identifying some characteristic features and
elements (VCELA189).
Reading the book can help students to recognise and produce rhyming words when
listening to rhyming stories or rhymes, for example funny and money. A similar example
can be used to prompt students to understand what rhyming words are. However, the book
can also help students to identify patterns of identifying patterns of alliteration in spoken
words, for example 'helpful Henry (VCELA168).
Ensuring that students are listening for details in spoken informative texts, participating in
informal and structured class, group and pair discussions about content area topics, ideas
and information, speaking clearly and with appropriate volume and formulating different
types of questions to ask a speaker, such as open and closed questions and when, why
and how questions (VCELY211).
Teaching and learning strategies:
As a class to read the book, One Lucky Duck by Alison Maloney.
The teacher will read the book twice and get the students to take notice of the repetitive
words such each page ending with the same sentence but the quack is nowhere to be
found and the constant use of the words duck and quack.
As a class, discuss why there is repetitive language used in the book and the significance of
the same sentence being repeated on multiple pages. These answers to be written on the
whiteboard with students.
The teacher will ask students why the number of animals on each page is not repeated. This
will help students contrast repetition and its use within the text.
Students will then choose a partner to explore the Nursery Rhymes App to learn repetition of
certain rhymes, including Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
Students are to write down words they think are repetitive throughout the rhymes.
As a class, the students and teacher will come together to discuss students understandings
of repetitive language.
Each student can share a repetitive sentence or word they have found with the class.
Teacher pose questions such as why the word twinkle, twinkle is used twice in the nursery
rhyme twinkle, twinkle, little star.
Students sharing repetitive words can answer or choose someone in the class to help them
answer the questions posed by the teacher.

Assessment:

Summative Assessment:
Students written findings on repetitive language from the Nursery Rhymes App will inform
whether or not students have developed the understanding of repetition language that may
be different to what is found in One Lucky Duck (VCELA189).
Formative Assessment:

While students are exploring with the Nursery Rhyme App, the teacher will circulate the room
and write down notes to determine whether the students are able to identify repetitive words,
and sentences (VCELA189).
Students involvement in contributing to why One Lucky Duck may have used repetitive
language (VCELA176).
Observations and notes written during the various discussions will inform whether or not
students are engaging with the class as whole and by asking them questions (VCELAY211).
Resources:
One Lucky Duck by Alison Maloney (picture book)
Whiteboard/whiteboard markers
iPads to use Nursery Rhyme App
Students writing/literacy books.

Activity Two: Skip Counting

Maths
Lesson aims:
1. To make the connection of numbers and the related pictures (Connect number
names, numerals and quantities, including zero, initially up to 10 and then beyond
(VCMNA070).
2. To recognise patterns when counting and skip counting. (Investigate and describe
number patterns formed by skip counting and patterns with objects (VCMNA093).
3. To identify other ways of counting (Investigate number sequences, initially those
increasing and decreasing by twos, threes, five and ten from any starting point, then
moving to other sequences (VCMNA103).
Elaborations from Australian Curriculum connected to Victorian Curriculum:

It is important that students are able to understand that each object or animal in the picture
must be counted only once, that the arrangement of objects or animal does not affect how
many there are, and that the last number counted answers the how many question by the
end of the lesson (VCMNA070).
Before going into skip counting with the students, the teacher will allow students to first
investigate patterns in the number system, such as the occurrence of a particular digit in the
numbers to 100 (VCMNA093).
Students will be able to develop fluency and confidence with numbers and calculations by
saying number sequences aloud (VCMNA103).
Teaching and Learning Strategies:
As a class, the book One Lucky Duck will be read.
Discuss with students what they know about counting and why we use counting in everyday
life.
Read the book again and ensure that students are aware of the number sequences
mentioned in the book (e.g. 1 counting up to 10).

After the book is being read, pose the question to students are there any other ways to
count up to the number 10?.
Give students an example of another way of counting such as skip counting by 2s.
Give students the option if they want to skip count by 2, 3, 5 or 10 and this can be used with
the number 20 or 30. Students will then be able to choose to count up or down from 20 or
30.
Students construct their own picture book with pictures of their choice (to help students
count visually) and count to numbers 10, 20 or 30.
Whilst other students can use the app Story Creator on the iPad to create their own story
and incorporate pictures of their choice and can count up to the numbers 10, 20 or 30.
Some students who are not strong with counting, to work with the teacher to investigate skip
counting and their patterns.
Once students have created their picture books incoperating counting, the teacher will then
reflect with the class on their method and different ways to count up or down from 10, 20 or
30.
Assessment:
Summative Assessment:
Students picture books created will help the teacher determine students understanding of
skip counting has been understood correctly. This including connecting number names,
numerals and quantities, including zero, initially up to 10 and then beyond (VCMNA070).
Picture books created will also be used to assess whether students are able to identify other
ways of counting, including skip counting (VCMNA103).
Formative Assessment:
Prior knowledge of students and what they know about number sequences which will assist
the teacher in assessing what students understand about skip counting (VCMNA103)
Observing students and their engagement during whole class discussions will help us
ensure whether or not they understand the concepts of number sequences and are able to
investigate and describe number patterns formed by skip counting and patterns with objects
(VCMNA093).
Students responses during discussions will be used to help the teacher reflect on the
learning of skip counting and what is being understood. Therefore informing future teaching
of these curriculum standards (VCMNA103), (VCMNA070) and (VCMNA093).
While students are undertaking their task of making the picture book, the teacher will take
notes of students to assess whether students are developing connections between pictures
and numerals in their storybook created. For e.g. One (1) Pig (have a picture of a pig). Three
(3) Dogs (have pictures of dogs) etc (VCMNA070).
Resources:
Book One Lucky Duck by Alison Maloney.
Paper, colour pencils, staples
iPads to use the app Story Creator
Students maths workbook

Activity Three: Animals, habitats, and their life cycle.

Science
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Lesson aims:
1. Students to develop an understanding that living animals live in different places, where
their basic needs, including food and water and shelter are met (VCSSU042).
2. Students represent their understandings of animals and their habitats in range of methods
such as drawings and communicating (VCSIS055).
3. For students to make connections between animals and the environment when changes
occur in the sky and, landscape daily (VCSSU046).
Elaborations from Australian Curriculum connected to Victorian Curriculum:

Students sharing understandings and observations of animals living in different habitats and
the needs of living things such as warmth and water. Including researching where ducks,
cows and other various animals live (VCSSU042).
Students take part in informal and guided discussions describing what they have found out
about animals and their habitats and represent in various ways such as drawings. Whilst
presenting findings through in different ways (VCSIS055).
Students explore different animals live in different places such as in land and water while
exploring how habitats can change and the connection of certain animals not being able to
live in their environment anymore, due to factors such as weather patterns (VCSSU046).
Teaching and Learning Strategies:

Read One lucky duck as a class.

Students in groups and brainstorm where the animals in One Lucky Duck might live.
Students can either write or draw their answers on butcher paper.
Teacher walks around the room and ask students questions to prompt their prior
understandings. This will help students and the teacher to clarify their understandings
without explicitly interfering with what the student's already know.
Questions posed such as what type of food and water might these animals need?, what do
you think might happen if it rains or if there is no rain in the animal's habitat? (Build on
students knowledge whilst challenging their thinking about animals and their habitats).
Students can draw or write their responses on the butcher paper provided and present
these to the rest of the class about what they have learnt (Presentations video recorded).
Teacher clarifies information as students present and students ask questions to presenters.
Teacher poses different questions to students such as what might happen if their animals
lived in environments with little to no water? can encourage them to discuss with their peers
on their thoughts about that particular question as well as the topic that is being taught.
Teacher will then poses questions linking to sustainability such as how we can prevent
droughts?, How this benefit the environment of animals?
Short video can then be played about Sustainability.
Class then brainstorms ways to be more sustainable.
Assessment:

Summative Assessment:
Observations and written notes as students write/draw their responses on the butcher paper
about animals and their environments (VCSSU042).
Students presentations used as assessment to determine students ability to present verbally
and communicate ideas on posters (VCSIS055).
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Formative Assessment:
Video recordings of students presenting their information on animals and their habitats
(VCSIS055).
Written notes of students discussing animals and their connection to weather patterns and
the effect on the environment. These notes used as reflections for the teacher, to inform
further investigations on this topic (VCSSU046).
Drawn and or written responses on butcher paper of what may occur to animals which
changing landscapes and weather (VCSSU046).
Resources:
One Lucky Duck By Alison Maloney
Butcher paper
Texas and pencils
Electronic Whiteboard
Whiteboard markers
Video recorder

Activity Four: Creating, recreating and performing!

The Arts Drama
Lesson aims:
1. For students to explore roles, characters and dramatic action in dramatic play,
improvisation and process drama (VCADRE021).
2. Students to perform their role-play to the class. Present drama that communicates
ideas, including stories from their community, to an audience (VCADRP023).
3. For students to explore different ways of using voice, facial expression, movement
and space to imagine and establish role and situation (VCADRD022).
Elaborations from Australian Curriculum connected to Victorian Curriculum:

To help students assess each other on their dramatic play, taking photos or videoing drama
they devise to view and extend their drama ideas (VCADRE021).
Students rehearsing and performing sequences of ideas to communicate stories through
drama will enable them to perform their role-play to their peers about the picture book
(VCADRP023).
In regards to the role play, students will be able to manipulate objects, puppets, 2D images
and available technologies to create their interpretation of the picture book or a story of their
choice. This can be linked to the cross-curriculum priority area, Engagement with Asia where
the students can explore native animals in South East Asian countries (VCADRD022).
Teaching and Learning Strategies:
Read the book One Lucky Duck by Alison Maloney.
As a class, whilst reading the book, discuss with students what they know about animals.
To extend students understanding on animals; by asking questions such as what animals
are native to South East Asia? (Students write their answers on board).

Teacher bring up on interactive whiteboard animals native to South East Asia. Class will
discuss the animal's appearance, what sounds they make etc.
Students will be split into three groups of their choice, to perform role plays using animals
found in South East Asia.
Students use Ipads to research information further.
Students can choose between three options:
1) Students create their own cast to recreate their own play of the book and involving
animals that are Students are to come up with ideas and write these ideas down and use
them as a part of their play and establish who has what role.
2) Students create their own puppet theatre and recreate the One Lucky Duck and to
perform to the class. Students are to write down and discuss their own ideas of what can be
used as a part of their puppet show and establish who has what role.
3) Students take photos of the lead up to the performance to help their documentation of
needs to be improve whilst working in a group. Filming the students will also help them to
improve on areas that they have performed.
While the students are rehearsing, the teacher will roam around the classroom to all groups
to assist them in the students rehearsals of their play and puppet show.
Group one and two of students to perform their play and puppet show separately whilst
Group three to film and take photos.
Once the play and puppet show has been filmed, students can then connect the iPads to the
Interactive Whiteboard to watch their performances
By playing the video to the students of their peers performances will allow them to gain
insight and provide feedback to each other.
Assessment:
Summative Assessment:
Whilst students are rehearsing their play and puppet show, they will be able to explore
different ways of using voice, facial expression, movement and space to imagine and
establish role and situation (VCADRD022).
Watching the videos of the students performances where they present drama that
communicates ideas, including stories from their community, to an audience (VCADRP023).
Students created plays will be used to assess whether students have explored different
ways of using voice, facial expressions, movement, and space as their character in the play
(VCADRD022).
Formative Assessment:
Observing students by walking around the classroom and their engagement during the
preparation of their play and puppet show within their team where students will explore
roles, characters and dramatic action in dramatic play, improvisation and process drama as
a group and ensuring that all student discussions and ideas are accounted for
(VCADRE021).
Recording students as they are exploring different ways of using voice, facial expression,
movement and space to imagine and establish role and situation in their play (VCADRD022).
Resources:
Book One Lucky Duck by Alison Maloney.
Students workbooks to write down ideas
Props and costumes to be used in their play
Tables and chairs for props
Whiteboard

Whiteboard markers
Boxes, glue, scissors, material, popsicle sticks, colour pencils and textas
Tables and chairs for props
Student workbooks to write down ideas
Classroom iPads to take photos and film with the camera app.
Interactive Whiteboard
IPADS

Activity Five: Feelings and emotions.

Health and Physical Education
Lesson aims:
1. For students to describe ways to include others in ways that others feel a sense of
belonging (VCHPEP075).
2. Students to practise personal and social skills to interact with others (VCHPEP060).
3. Teacher and students to explore actions to help make the classroom a healthy, safe
and active place (VCHPEP078).

Elaborations from the Australian Curriculum connected to Victorian Curriculum:

Students formulate ways to express their appreciation and offer encouragement

using a variety of communication techniques (VCHPEP078).
To help students with the activity in the lesson, practising personal skills such as
expressing needs, wants and feelings, active listening and showing self-discipline to
be an effective group member will ensure they are meeting these skills when
interacting with their peers or teacher in the school (VCHPEP060).
Students identify knowledge and skills to help them be safe and healthy including
learning kind words and why they are beneficial. While also learning actions during
role playing of ways to ensure they can feel safe and have a sense of belonging in
the classroom and at school (VCHPEP078).

Teaching and Learning Strategies:

Ask students how are you feeling today?
Students to write, draw, act or verbally respond to the question.
Once students answer the question, read the book One Lucky Duck by Alison Maloney.
Pose high and low order questions to students such as were the animals helping the duck
find his quack back?, how were the animals helping the duck find his quack? (High order
question). Students can respond in a manner they feel appropriate. E.g. act, verbally talk.
Teacher then ask how we can make sure everyone feels they belong in the classroom.
Students to individually create a poster with ideas of how they can make sure their peers
feel included, safe and happy in their classroom environment and at school.
Students then share this idea with a peer or teacher if they feel comfortable to do so.

Students together construct a tree out of paper to be stuck on the wall. This tree will be
called the kind tree.
Students who have come up with a kind word can add their words to the tree (The kind
words placed on the tree is a guide for the students and will be written by the teacher. This
will build on students interpretation while also ensuring the kind words are appropriate).
After the kind words are placed on the tree, students can take a word they feel that one of
their peers will appreciate.
As a class, students will gather to the floor and the teacher will pose questions such as how
can we make sure that everyone in our classroom is happy?, what ways can we make our
classroom safe for other children? From this a few students can role play what they feel is
appropriate when answering these questions to the rest of the class. This will help students
to understand what to look for when they are out in the playground or classroom
environment with their friends.
Assessment:
Summative Assessment:
Observing students while they are doing their individual work (creating their poster) that their
answers to the questions that are posed (VCHPEP075).
Students written kind words placed on tree will help examine whether students are able to
identify words that relate to their peers feelings (VCHPEP076).
The teacher will voice record students answers to High and low order questions asked. This
will inform the teacher of students prior knowledge of emotional responses and the idea of
belonging (VCHPEP075) and (VCHPEP076).
Students role playing will also be used as the teacher's self-reflection on the teaching of this
topic which will inform future teaching in Health and Physical Education.
Formative Assessment:
Students written kind words placed on tree will help examine whether students are able to
identify words that relate to their peers feelings (VCHPEP076).
Students actions during their role play will inform whether students understand what makes
their classroom safe, happy, and an inclusive environment (VCHPEP078).
Resources:
Book One Lucky Duck by Alison Maloney.
Laminated Kind words.
Boxes, glue, scissors, material, popsicle sticks, colour pencils and textas
Coloured paper

Part B:
Learning Strategies:
Whilst planning our unit of work, we looked at different ways of catering for students learning
needs while also meeting the different aspects of the Victorian Curriculum. Ainslow and
Miles (2008) as cited in (Jarvis, 2013) incorporate four related elements into definition of
inclusion; these include presence, participation, progress and or achievement, and a sense
of belonging. Throughout our learning activities we aim to meet this. By ensuring we have
included a range of activities, such as discussions, hands on tasks, individual work and

group work, interactive role playing, ICT and more. We believe this will ensure all students
can participate in a manner that meets their learning style and ability while also ensuring
students can progress and achieve success within this unit regardless of their skills,
knowledge and learning style. This includes meeting the need of kinaesthetic, auditory,
visual, and solitarily learners (Clarke & Pittaway, 2014). Furthermore, Jarvis (2013) highlights
that providing different avenues to acquiring content and making sure that the content makes
sense and the processing of ideas will help students learn effectively. Therefore we have
aimed to incorporate activities that are sequenced in ways that students can build on their
prior understandings and make links to new content. This is evident as students will be able
to explore ideas contained within One Lucky Duck using their understandings, before
extending beyond the picture book. This includes extending their understandings about
animals to make links to animals found in South East Asia. With this in mind, Killen (2013)
notes that quality learning occurs through social interaction. Therefore, through the five units
we have incorporated a wide range of socially interactive activities including sharing circles,
class discussions, role playing, and creating art pieces as a class. Our activities also allow
students to make their own choices and have ownership over their learning experience by
exploring with various concepts found in One Lucky Duck. We believe this is important for
students to want to engage and participate with their learning (Jarvis, 2013). We have strived
to meet this by giving students freedom to choose their own groups to work in and for
students to select activities that they would like to participate in. This is is evident throughout
our Art and Drama lessons.
Teaching Strategies:
Within our unit of work, the learning outcomes are made clear to show what students should
achieve within each curriculum area. Clear outcomes result in using appropriate teaching
strategies (Killen, 2013). Therefore, we have planned our activities around Benjamin Bloom's
Theory of grouping activities around three domains. This being the cognitive domain, the
psychomotor domain and the affective domain (Killen, 2013). We have structured high order
cognitive activities whilst also taking into account interactive activities that require
movement. This including requiring students to critically think about the connection between
poor environments and need for sustainability.
When we were creating our unit of work, we both took notice in the planning of our lessons
through self-reflection as well as being able to critically evaluate what will and will not work
students learning and development. This includes reflecting upon our lesson plans created
and taught during practicum. We both agreed that self-reflection is an important factor as this
can guide and improve future teaching around curriculum areas chosen (Killen, 2013) in
particular, using the summative and formative assessment as a tool to reflect upon our own
application of educational knowledge (Killen, 2013).Our self-reflection however highlights to
us that we are reflecting as technical reflectors (Killen, 2013) rather than critical reflectors
who look beyond issues found within the classroom teaching (Killen, 2013) which is highly
beneficial to finding the moral, social and ethical issues of teaching this unit of work.
We strongly agree with Robins et al. (2003) as they describe reflective practice as a tool that
allows teachers, student teachers and teaching assistants to understand themselves, their
personal philosophies and the dynamics of their classroom more deeply. To reiterate this, as
pre-service teachers we believe that by understanding our own teaching strategies will help

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inform us to work on improvements in the planning of lessons individually as well as with

other teachers. We believe that as a pre-service teachers, our pedagogical approach will
reflect on our own personal philosophy as well as observing other teachers in practice. Being
able to adapt to current curriculum and providing an open ended unit of work will ensure us
as a teachers to be mindful of how students learn and develop within the classroom.

By Annaliese Collison and Lucy Yip.

References
The Australian Curriculum. (2016). Foundation Year 10 v8.1. Retrieved from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/
Clarke, M., & Pittaway, S. (2014). Marshs becoming a Teacher. New South Wales:
Pearsons
Australia
Jarvis, J. (2013). Differentiating learning experiences for diverse students. In P. Hudson,
Learning to teach in the primary school (pp. 5270) Port Melbourne, Cambridge
University Press.
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority [VCAA]. (2016).Foundation 10. Retrieved
from http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/
Killen, R., (2013). Effective teaching strategies: lessons for research and practice (6th ed.).
South Melbourne Victoria: Cengage Learning Australia.
Retrieved from http://monash.eblib.com.au.ezproxy.lib.monash.edu

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