Lesson four may occur over several sessions.
Learning intention
We are learning how to help our listeners understand our talk by including important details (who, where, when, what, how and why).
Success criteria
- I can talk to my family about a special memory of me.
- I can find an artefact that will help me retell my memory.
- I can talk to my class about the special memory and include the important details (who, where, when, what, how and why).
Lesson structure
- Read or view the text Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox and Julie Vivas for enjoyment and meaning.
- Reread the text and ask students to draw and label the artefacts that Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge collected to help Miss Nancy remember (e.g. shells, puppet, Grandfather’s medal, football and a fresh warm egg).
- Students pair up and share their drawings. As they are sharing, they recall how each artefact prompted Miss Nancy’s memory. The teacher observes and roves the group to check on student understandings.
- After the paired sharing, the teacher takes on the persona of Miss Nancy using the teacher-in-role strategy. Students ask ‘Miss Nancy’ questions about how the artefacts helped her to remember. Students refer to their drawings to help ask the questions. As the teacher answers the questions she models the use of the prompts (who, where, when, what, how, why).
- Students are set the task of interviewing a family member to ask about a special memory. The family member will also help the student look for an artefact that will help them recall the memory (e.g. photograph, object, old toys, statues, medals, artwork). The student will bring the artefact to school ready to help them retell their special memory.
For the teacher
- It is recommended a school note either hard copy or via school blog (newsletter) be sent home so that family members know about the task and what is required.
- A set date for the sharing helps families with time management and ensures all students can participate.
- Model the sharing by bringing in an artefact that prompts a special memory about them (e.g. a photo of you nursing your new born baby sister). As the memory about the artefact is modelled, students are exposed to the use of decontextualized language to orient the listener such as including:
who the memory is about?
when the memory happened?
where the memory took place?
what happened?
how they felt about the memory?
why the memory is special?
Prompt cards with these words or symbols are useful to scaffold the talk.
- Students bring their artefacts to school and participate in sharing their special memories. Using the prompt cards as a guide, students share their artefact and special memory, making sure to include details as modelled.
- Return to the success criteria at the end of the sharing of artefacts. Ask students to think about their special memory sharing. Signal with a thumb up, sideways or down whether they remembered to include the detail in their sharing so their listeners would understand.