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The idea of this activity is to encourage the broader use of ICT in the classroom to prepare students for future assessments. Multimodal can be anything from a PowerPoint to a video, students can be as creative as they like provided they understand they must meet the requirements outlined in the activity (see objectives).

Media Examples:

PowerPoint:
If students wish to use a voiced narrative over a PowerPoint below is a great example of a finished product, followed by the process of recording on PowerPoint.

YouTube video: "The rainbow fish" by Pink Penguiny

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFORvXhub28 (5:01 min)

Note: deconstruct the video by looking at the media techniques used to create the video, voice over, page turn, music. Highlight how these are features that could be used in their PowerPoints or videos.

Instructions:
Below is a video demonstrating  how students can record (voice-over) their own PowerPoint.

YouTube Video: "How to make a video in PowerPoint - ppt to video" by Kevin Stratvent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8JV3w4TOVw (6:44 min)

Short Film:
I students wish to create a short film for their narrative they have the option to present as a group, below is an example of what you would expect students to present.
NOTE: If students choose this option a written script must be included and all students must show how they contributed to the task if done as a group.

YouTube Video: "Elementary student made movie -- filmmaking kids" by mrflickinger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH000G5cMVM (8:36 min)

This video demonstrates a flashback using a voiced - over narration technique to divide the current time from the past.

Below is an example for students who would like a challenge, using stop motion, followed by an instructional video explaining how to use this technique.

YouTube video: "Lego lucky coin" by MICHAELHICKOXFilms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLGbLV_pYmE (3:28 min)

Instructions:
Below is a step-by-step video demonstrating how to use stop motion.
YouTube video: "How to film Lego stop motion! - Beginner tutorial" by Nation of Bricks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0Lj3ha3XF8 (4:40 min)

This activity can and is recommended be conducted over several lessons where students will continue to create their products and as previously mentioned could be used as a summative assessment.

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An interest in expanding the range of materials listen to, viewed and read, and in experimenting with ways of expressing increasingly subtle and complex ideas to create effective and innovative texts.

Overview:
This activity provides students with tools and examples they can use to create a multimodal text. The teacher will provide a planning sheet that outlines each aspect required and provide examples of different medias they can use. Students will use this activity as a scaffold to create their multimodal text.

Content Descriptor: Experiment with text structures and language features and their effect in creating literary texts, for example, using rhythm, sound effects, monologue, layout, navigation and colour

Elaboration:

1.   Experimenting with different narrative structures such as the epistolary form, flashback, multiple perspectives

2.   Transforming familiar print narratives into short video or film narratives, drawing on knowledge of the type of text and possible adaptations necessary to a new mode

Objectives:

Students will select the narrative they wish to create (epistolary (letters), epilogue, flashback or recount) using events from the text.

Students will choose a mode of media (PowerPoint, Video).

Students will create a multimodal presentation.

Teacher Notes: This activity could be used as a summative assessment if suitable. If chosen to do as a summative assessment it is important that students have knowledge of the task and expected criteria prior to engaging in this activity.

Part 1:
Teacher will handout the planning sheet (or upload if students work with computes).
As a class, you will navigate through the planning sheet, highlighting the need for creativity and descriptive language . As you progress through allow students make notes, ask questions and share ideas.
Possible prompting questions:

What events could be told from a different perspective? (recount)

Are there any times during the story you could write a flashback/memory of a character? (flashback or epistolary)

What do you think happens after the story? (epilogue)

Note: sharing ideas encourage creative thinking, while allowing you as the teacher to offer feedback before commencing work.

ABC Education video: "Using language to flavour your story"

https://education.abc.net.au/home#!/media/2006171/

This video is a great source to explain how language can shape and add value to your story.

Note: You will need to explain what an Epilogue, Flashback and Recount are, so students have a clear understanding of each option (see prompt questions above).

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The skill and disposition needed to analyse and understand the philosophical, moral, political and aesthetic bases on which many texts are built.

Overview:
During this activity students will compare the Novel of "Bridge to Terabithia" to the Film. Students will engage in a class discussion and partake in  an online poll, where students can vote which text is preferred. Students will identify elements that are the same and different and justify their preferred preference in a debated styled forum.

Content Description: Reflect on ideas and opinions about characters, settings and events in literary texts, identifying areas of agreement and difference with others and justify a point of view

Elaboration:

1.  Establishing forums for discussing the relative merits of fiction and film text

2.  Comparing personal viewpoints on texts and justifying responses in actual and virtual discussions.

Objectives:

Students will compare the texts and vote on their preferred preference

Students will discuss the differences in groups, justifying their conclusive decision on preference

Students will engage in a debate style forum with other groups

Teacher Note: It is VITAL students have finished reading the novel and watched the film prior to engaging in this activity.

Part 1:

Class discussion about the difference between the novel "Bridge to Terabithia" and the film, prompting questions about;

What are noticeable differences?

Do these difference effect the perception of the characters or events?

Does the storyline change?

Teacher will scribe the answers on the board.

Online Poll: Kahoot - Teacher will need to create a Kahoot and provide students with a link

https://kahoot.com

Part 2:
Students will break off into groups based on how they voted in the poll; film form one group, novel form another group.
NOTE: If however, there is minimal numbers for one side the teacher will divide the class evenly to create two groups.

Groupwork:
Students will use the difference listed on the board to create an persuasive argument that justifies their point of view. Points that need to be covered include;

setting: is the setting the same?

characters: are there any character changes?

events: are the events the same, are there any changes?

language: how is the language different?

perception: how does this make the viewer feel?

All students need to contribute to the justification and should have a copy of it in their books or on their computers.

Part 3:
Students will present their argument to the class, the teacher will mediate the debate forum by maintaining a timer of 1 minute per point.

Online Poll: Kahoot - teacher will share the same poll as above.

https://kahoot.com

To evaluate the debate, the teacher will create another Kahoot, where students will partake in a second poll and vote on either the novel or the film.
After the poll students will write a justification in their books or word document for their choice and whether their choice is different or the same from the first poll and why.

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Teacher asks students questions that could change the story;

What would happen if Jess had won the race?

What if it was raining?

What if the bell rang before the last race?

YouTube video: "Shrek but in 7 different genres" - by Editing is Everything

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkZxJli3VrQ&t=213s (7:34 min)

This video demonstrates how genre shapes the plot, characters and tone of the story, highlighting how small alterations can completely change the original text.
In groups create Y charts for each genre shown in the video.

Feels like: How did it make you feel?

Look like: What did you see?

Sounds like: What did you hear?

Part 3:

Students will create their own alternate ending to the race in chapter 3 "The fastest kid in the fifth grade" (or another event if preferred).
Students will follow a story plan using either an innovated story map or scamper, teacher to explain both.

1. Story innovation:
Using a story map student will outline elements from the original text;

Characters: WHO was involved?

Event: WHAT happened?

Setting: WHERE did it happen?

Ending: HOW did it end?

Students will then create a second story map, where they will decide what they will change (max of 4; 1 per element) they wish to make. Students will then apply their changes to the original text.
(Griffith & Raun, 2007)
2. Scamper:
This strategy is designed to encourage creativity, unlike story innovation students will generate new  or alternative ideas and apply them to a story.

Scamper is an acronym;
S- Substitute a person, place, time or situation.
C - Combine: blend assorted ideas, situations, materials
A - Adapt or adjust to suit a purpose
M - Modify: make some features larger or smaller or change the number of times something happens
P - Put the original intention or some part of the story to other use
E - Eliminate any feature or part
R - Rearrange or reverse the sequence or order or positioning of the item under review

Students can map out these creative changes using a table/columns and do not have to use all 7 steps, they can start with 4-5 steps if they choose (whatever fits with the event).
(Frangenheim, 2007)

NOTE: If students have never created alternate endings/changed a story, the recommended activity is story innovation. If you wish to challenge students to be more creative in their thinking and application, Scamper is the recommended activity.

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This activity (Y chart) gets students thinking critically, looking at each element that contributes to the story and analysing how it achieves the authors purpose.

NOTE: to further expand this activity, you could ask students to make an assumption prior to or during an event, followed by a discussion after.
(Frangenheim, 2007)

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Fluency and innovation in listening to, reading, viewing and creating texts for different purposes and contexts.

Overview:
This activity is designed to introduce genre; exploring how language, setting and characters shape the story using a Y chart to analyse the genre of the text. Students will witness how small changes can alter the intended purpose created by the author. By the end of this activity students will demonstrate their ability to analyse an event and create an alternate option using scamper and story innovation strategies to inspire creative thinking.

Content Descriptor: Recognise and analyse the ways that characterisation, events and setting are combined in narratives and discuss the purpose and appeal of different approaches

Elaboration: Discussing a text’s intended audience, whether the text is typical of its type and whether it has filled its purpose

Objectives:

Students will understand genre and recognise the purpose characters, settings and events serve in intended purpose.

Students will create an alternate ending to an event from the text.

Teacher Notes:
It is important during this activity to encourage class and group discussions. To avoid confusion, the teacher should select the event, for example; the race from chapter three 'The fastest kid in the fifth grade'. The teacher should also demonstrate scamper and story innovation before sending student off to work on their own (example of this is below in part 3).

Learning activity:

Part 1:
Teacher will ask students if anyone knows what genre is. If no one responds, ask students  to guess what they think genre might be using prompt questions such as;

If someone asks you, what genre is this book or movie?

Ask students to now think about what genre they think the text is, encourage them to think about:

setting

characters

the message

how it makes the reader feel

is it fiction or non-fiction

Video: ABC Education : "Exploring the genre and setting of your story"

https://education.abc.net.au/home#!/media/2006139/exploring-the-genre-and-setting-of-your-story (3:07 min)

As a class create a Y chart to decide the genre of 'Bridge to Terabithia'.

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Key Idea:  An expanding vocabulary and grasp of grammatical and textual patterns sufficient to understand and learn from texts encountered in and out of school.

Overview:
This activity is designed to get students thinking about the language and styles of speech of society. Exploring different cultural and social identities, through the way other people speak, noting how they sound and spell their words. Students will understand what an idiom is and how to use idioms in English, through the development of a database that will take place over the entire duration of this unit.

Content Descriptor: Understand how accents, styles of speech and idioms express and create personal and social identities.

Elaboration: Building a database of local idioms and their meanings, accents and styles of speech for different contexts, exploring the possibilities of these choices in drama and role play, and discussing their connection with personal and social identities.

Objectives

Students will understand and recognise idioms and styles of speech.

Students will create (and continue throughout duration of novel) a database of idioms from the text

Teacher Note:
Before beginning this activity it is important you have begun to read the text. Using idioms from the text as an example allows students to connect the learning to the text and apply understanding.
It is important that students copy each idiom into their OWN database so that to have a copy, which you may choose to use later in a Kahoot if you feel it will be suitable to the class. (link to Kahoot: https://kahoot.com).

Learning activity:

Part 1:
Students will begin adding the idioms from the text to their database in their books or in a word document. This will be continuously updated and therefore, students will need to bring it to every English lesson.
The first idiom is on the first page, " He didn't worry about a shirt because once he begun running he would be hot as popping grease...". Prompt a discussion after each idiom to encourage students to think critically and draw to a conclusion on the meaning of the idiom.

During the discussion, ask students to think about any idioms they may have heard in their own lives, write any that student come up with on the board.

Part 2:
YouTube video: "Idioms" - Grammarsongs by Melissa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUT_WSavAC8&t=10s

Teacher ask students if they recognise any of the examples used in the video or if they can remember any that their parents, grandparents, friends may use.
Ask students to explain how the idiom in the texts align with the definition provided in the video, prompt if required.

Part 3:
Lead into this section with questions:

What country is this story based in?

What accent to the people from this country sound like?

Are there any words in the text spelt differently to how you would spell them?

Can anyone explain why?

YouTube video: "English Accents: American and Australian pronunciation differences" - mmmEnglish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TafO43sy88E&t=380s (only watch from 2:29min - 6:20min)

Encourage a class discussion on the differences the video demonstrated.
Break students off into groups and ask each group to come up with a list of words that sound different and are spelt different in different countries, groups are to share after 5-10 minutes. Encourage students, (if applicable) to use computers to research their answers. (note students are to look only at ENGLISH words, not NATIVE spellings)

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This resource will explore two texts;

The novel, "Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson

The film "Bridge to Terabithia" directed by Gabor Csupo.

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The following activities are design using a step-by-step process of how to teach literacy to your students using these key ideas in an engaging and interactive manner. The layout follows the structure of a unit plan concluding with an activity that may be used as an assessment task.  Scaffolded in a manner to easily allow for alterations to suit your desired learning experience. Each activity is inclusive of an overall explanation, objectives, content descriptor, elaborations and scaffolded learning activities, which can easily be adjusted and modified to student capabilities.  You can choose to use the same texts these activities are supported by or substitute in your preferred choice of text, noting that some alterations may be required if you choose to do so. Following each activity is the opportunity to leave a comment, allowing you to give feedback, offer insight or any suggestions that will help future readers of this resource. This resource is primarily designed to help teachers, however, could easily be adapted to be used as a resource for students.

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Are you new to teaching? Or maybe you’re still studying? Perhaps you’re filling in for the English teacher? This resource was created to help you and your students understand the four key ideas from “Literacy is Language in Use” found in the Australian Curriculum: English for year seven.
Key Ideas:

1.  An expanding vocabulary and grasp of grammatical and textual patterns sufficient to understand and learn from texts encountered in and out of school.

2.  Fluency and innovation in listening to, reading, viewing and creating texts for different purposes and contexts.

3.  The skill and disposition needed to analyse and understand the philosophical, moral, political and aesthetic bases on which many texts are built.

4.  An interest in expanding the range of materials listen to, viewed and read, and in experimenting with ways of expressing increasingly subtle and complex ideas to create effective and innovative texts.