Resource+1

= Resource 1  =

 Animals Myths&Legends - Planet Ozkids - Animal stories, Animal facts and endangered animals, (World interactive, n.d.). Accessed September 29th 2010 from﻿ []

Brief Explanation: This resource provides information about koalas and provides possible opportunities to investigate the role of layout, image and word choice, text headings, and hyperlinks. This is seen in the use of a high modality image, and the use of the use of composition of vertical and horizontal placement of information, the salience of laying out the title in the centre of the page above the image and the use of the key words and phrases which are also presented on the page as hyperlinks and allowing for an analytical type image which is viewed on a frontal plane (Kress, G., & Van Leeuwen, T. (2006). While the resource is limited in that there are no auditory or spoken modes on this webpage the webpage is a well structured model for a multimodal text.  Relevance to the Focus Outcome: The resource is relevant to the focus outcome as it provides for an ideal model of a written information text (Droga & Humphrey, 2003) which informs the reader about the stucture and function of living things including the interaction of living things and their environments. Specifically the resource allows for the fundamental understandings and comprehension of how living things can interact with each other and the structure and function of living things, by demonstrating the categorization and organization of information. However, clarity and guidance would need to be given to help children to distinguish where the text is similar and different to an explanation test.This is useful as it can be used across the K-6 context to be explored through an integrated curriculum(NSW Board of Studies, 1996), and as well as for a rich-project curriculum(Wilde & Marek, 2002) as it presents information and evidence with areas for critical thinking and problematic knowledge in understanding the cross-disciplinary issues such as habitat destruction.

Aspect of Literacy Explored: The aspect of literacy that can be explored here is versatile and broad so that it can be revisited for many of the following lessons in the sequence. One particular feature of this text is its use of paragraphs and headings which provide specific demarkations for particular subtopics. The paragraphs are of a good length for facilitating either a parallel or a serial progression through a reciprocal reading task, and leads to the introduction or revision of vocabulary knowledge. In this way text that lends itself well to teaching an introductory lesson is its use of technical and challenging words for stage 2 children. This is particularly useful for students to self assess their vocabulary knowledge which would provide the teacher with multiple layers of knowledge such as the depth of understanding the child has (Stewart-Dore, N. 2007).

= References =

Droga, L., & Humphrey, S. (2003). //Grammar and meaning: an introduction for primary teachers//. Berry: Target texts. Kress, G., & Van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading images: the grammar of visual design. UK: Routledge. NSW Board of Studies (1996). //Curriculum Integration: Guiding Statement.// {Online} [] Accessed: July 17 2008 Stewart-Dore, N. (2007) //Learning with graphic organizers.//PEN159 Wilde, L. & Marek, A. (2002) //Beyond learning areas: Literacy and the rich project curriculum.// In Practical literacy programming//.// Sydney: PETA pp.35-53.