Learning Area(s): English and science and Technology
Unit Aim: For students to be able to identify and describe the structure and function of a Koala and the ways in which a Koala interacts with other living things and its environment
Lesson Outcome: Science and Technology LT S2.3 Identifies and describes the structure and function of living things and ways in which living things interact with other living things and their environment · Identify and describe the habitat of a Koala · Identify and describe the appearance of a Koala · Identify and describe the diet of a Koala · Identify and describe the life cycle of a Koala English Outcomes RS2.6 Uses efficiently an integrated range of skills and strategies when reading and interpreting written texts · Relates information and meaning to text by accompanying graphics and sound RS2.7 Discusses how writers relate to their readers in different ways, how they create a variety of worlds through language and how they use language to achieve a wide range of purposes. · Identifies symbolic use of music, sound effects and voice styles · Makes general statements about how visual texts such as illustrations and graphics enhance or detract from meaning WS2.12 Uses joined letters when writing in NSW Foundation Style and demonstrates basic desktop publishing skills on the computer · Selects and inserts graphics or illustrations to enhance text meaning · Investigates other forms of media e.g. slideshows, multimedia
Resources: 1. PowerPoint presentation – (Scirone, C., & Lawrence, R., 2009) (main resource) 2. Whiteboard and one white board marker 3. Two cardboard headings 1. A multimodal text 2. A single mode text (Appendix C: 1) 4. Eight objects/ texts: some representing/ some not presenting multimodality (Appendix C: 2) 5. A large cardboard image of each of the following: 1. a Kangaroo sleeping, 2. A Kangaroo eating, 3. A Kangaroo jumping, 4. A Joey in his/her mother’s pouch (APPENDIX C: 3) 6. A CD player 7. A CD that contains the following sounds · Track one: the sound of bush leaves rustling · Track two: the sound of someone digging · Track three: a heavy metal rock band song · Track four: a ‘boing’ sound (symbolizing a kangaroo jumping). 6 computers
Lesson Outline
Introduction: The teacher begins the lesson with the students sitting on the floor in front of her/him. The teacher begins by explaining that today’s lesson will follow on from the previous lesson and on their ‘Koala: A Native Australian Animal unit’. The teacher explains that today’s lesson is specifically going to provide students with examples on how to create an effective PowerPoint presentation to present the content researched over the previous lessons on Koalas. The teacher explains that she is going to show them a PowerPoint presentation created by two year four students from another school who created a PowerPoint very similar to the one they are going to create. The teacher explains that when the PowerPoint is presented, students need to silently observe the presentation and try to remember as much information as they can from the slides. The teacher shows the students the first 8 slides of the Microsoft office PowerPoint presentation resource on a large screen in the classroom. HOWEVER, the teacher will modify this resource by deleting the images off each slide and turning off the audio, resulting in only the written text to be left on each slide. Once the PowerPoint presentation is over, the teacher will ask the students the following questions in reference to the presentation: - Where does a platypus live? - What does a platypus look like? - What does a platypus eat? The teacher explains to the students that it can be very difficult to remember all of this information from a PowerPoint presentation when only the written text is presented on each slide. The teacher also emphasizes that the audience would lose interest if only written text is presented. The teacher asks the students ‘What else could be added to this presentation to help us understand the meaning of the written text?’ Students answers could include: -images of a platypus -sound: including digging, swimming, eating sound effects -videos -voice over The teacher then shows the students the original version of the PowerPoint presentation resource (teacher undoes the image deletions and turns on the audio). This will mean that written text, images, sound effects and voice over will now be presented on each slide. When the presentation is finished, the teacher will ask the students ‘Was it easier to understand and remember the information when the sound and images were added to the slide show?’ Students will need to support their answers with reasons why they found it easier. The teacher explains to the students that when more than one type of mode is combined together (e.g. images, text, videos, & sound) it is called a multimodal text. The teacher emphasises that the second viewing of the PowerPoint presentation is an example of a multimodal text because it incorporated written text, images, sound and voice over in the same presentation.
Teaching strategy/LearningActivity:
Students will …… Students form into a large circle Students silently observe and listen to the teacher. Students will work together with the teacher to classify the 10 objects/ text, recognising that a objects/ texts presenting only one mode goes under the ‘a single mode text’ heading and a object/text containing more than one mode is placed under the ‘multimodal text’ heading. Students listen to the teacher’s explanation. Students quietly observe the teacher as he/she writes on the whiteboard. Students answer the teachers question by replying ‘no’ due to this hypothetical PowerPoint slide only presenting one mode of text (i.e. written text). Students listen to the teacher. Students observe the teacher The students will answer the teachers questions during the trial and error activity. The students will work together to select an appropriate image that relates to the text and helps to convey its meaning. Students close their eyes and visualise a Kangaroo jumping which each song track is played. The students answer the teachers question by selecting an appropriate sound to accompany the written text and image. Students will explain their reason of choice. The students silently listen to the teacher. Students form into groups of 4-5 and move to an allocated computer. Each group selects one of the sentences and creates a multimodal slide on PowerPoint by using the sentence and one or more other modes of text to enhance the meaning of the sentence.
Teacher will… The teacher asks the students to form into a large circle on the floor. The teacher places two headings in the centre of the circle (heading one= a multimodal text and heading two= a single mode text). The teacher places 8 objects/ texts in the centre of the circle. The teacher and students will work together to classify these 8 objects/ texts as either being ‘a multimodal text’ or ‘a single mode text’ and place them under the correct heading (See Appendix C: 2). The teacher emphasises that all the texts placed under the ‘multimodal text’ heading are texts that all have more than one type of mode incorporated into them. The teacher specifically draws focus to the structured analytical image of a Koala and emphasizes its multimodality. This is important as structured analytical images were a focus within the previous lesson. The teacher emphasizes that greater meaning is provided in a multimodal text as it draws upon a range of meaning making strategies (i.e. reading, viewing, hearing) The teacher draws up on the white board a large rectangle. The teacher explains to the students that this rectangle is going to symbolise a single slide in a PowerPoint presentation. The teacher writes in the centre of the rectangle the following: A kangaroo moves by using its back legs to jump and its tail and front paws to steer The teacher asks the students ‘If this was a slide in a PowerPoint presentation would it be classified as a multimodal text?’ students answers should be ‘no’ due to a multimodal text requiring more than one type of mode. The teacher emphasises that in order for the class to transform this slide into a multimodal text, an image/s could be incorporated to enhance the meaning of the text. The teacher then places up on the right hand side of the whiteboard 4 different images. Each of these images will depict either: 1. A kangaroo sleeping 2. A Kangaroo eating 3. A kangaroo jumping 4. A Joey in its mothers pouch. (Appendix C:3) The teacher trials one / two of these images (any of the images except for the one that matches the sentence: kangaroo jumping) by placing the image beneath the sentence in the rectangle. The teacher will then ask the students ‘Does this image help us to understand the meaning of the sentence?’. Students answers should be ‘no’, due to the image emphasising a different characteristic/activity than what the sentence states. It is through these trails that students will begin to recognise the importance in choosing an image that matches the written text. The teacher will then ask the students ‘Which image do you think would be best suited to add to the meaning of the sentence?’ (SENTENCE: A kangaroo moves by using its back legs to jump and its tail and front paws to steer) It is here that students should be able to accurately select the image of a kangaroo jumping. The teacher then explains that sound effects could also be added to this slide to further convey the meaning of a kangaroo jumping. The teacher explains that she wants the students to close their eyes and visualise a Kangaroo jumping while each of the song tracks are played. The teacher will play 4 separate sounds for the students. These sounds will include: Track one: the sound of bush leaves rustling Track two: the sound of someone digging Track three: a heavy metal rock band song Track four: a ‘boing’ sound (symbolizing a kangaroo jumping). When all four tracks have been played, the teacher instructs the students to open their eyes. The teacher will ask the students ‘which of the 4 song track could be chosen to further bring meaning to our PowerPoint slide?’ The teacher thereby emphasizes the vital need for students to select audio and visuals that compliment the written text so that deep meaning can be developed (It is here that the notion of modal coherence is emphasized to students). The teacher then places up on the white board the following sentences Sentence one: When approaching a tree to climb, koalas spring from the ground and catch their front claws in the bark of a tree. Sentence two: Male koalas use a deep grunting sound to communicate with one another over relatively large distances. These sentences will greatly relate to the content studied in previous lessons of the unit. The teacher then places students into groups of 3-4 and allocates each group to a computer. The teacher tells the students to create a one slide PowerPoint presentation by selecting one of the two sentences on the whiteboard and incorporate it on the slide with one or more other modes of text (sound, images, voice over) to enhance the meaning of the sentence. It is through this activity that students will create a basic multimodal text. (NOTE: students will have the technical skills to be able to incorporate an image, sound effect or record their voice in a PowerPoint)
Concluding strategy: Each group presents their PowerPoint slide to the rest of the class. Each group is to explain their choice of image and sound effect after presenting their slide. Students are to applaud at the end of each presentation. The teacher ends the lesson by reinforcing to the students that a multimodal text as seen today is a text that incorporates more than one mode of text to enhance meaning. The teacher reminds the students that at the end of the 10 lesson unit, students will be expected to create a 5-6 slide PowerPoint presentation on Koalas using all the information they have gained today on how to create an effective multimodal text. The teacher ends the lesson by showing the students slides 11-14 from the PowerPoint presentation resource (the segment on Koalas) to show them an example of how they might light to consider creating an effective multimodal text with all their information on koalas.
Assessment: Observation: - Teacher observes which students were engaged within the lesson - Teacher observes which students were able to classify texts as either multimodal or not multimodal - Teacher observes which students were able to select appropriate images and sounds to accompany written text to enhance the overall meaning of the text Questioning: - Teacher asks a number of questions and notes which students were successfully able to answer questions accurately Task: Create a one slide PowerPoint presentation - Which groups were able to successfully create a one slide PowerPoint presentation incorporating more than one mode of text as a reflection of their understanding of multimodality? Did students appropriately select an image and sound effect that related well to their chosen sentence?
Self-reflection - Did the students enjoy and engage with the activities in the lesson? - Were the time frames accurate? - Were there any areas of the lesson the students struggled with? - What area/s could be modified to improve the lesson? - Did the lesson meet the learning abilities of the students?
Stage 2 Year 4
7/10
Multimodal texts
English and science and Technology
For students to be able to identify and describe the structure and function of a Koala and the ways in which a Koala interacts with other living things and its environment
Science and Technology
LT S2.3 Identifies and describes the structure and function of living things and ways in which living things interact with other living things and their environment
· Identify and describe the habitat of a Koala
· Identify and describe the appearance of a Koala
· Identify and describe the diet of a Koala
· Identify and describe the life cycle of a Koala
English Outcomes
RS2.6 Uses efficiently an integrated range of skills and strategies when reading and interpreting written texts
· Relates information and meaning to text by accompanying graphics and sound
RS2.7 Discusses how writers relate to their readers in different ways, how they create a variety of worlds through language and how they use language to achieve a wide range of purposes.
· Identifies symbolic use of music, sound effects and voice styles
· Makes general statements about how visual texts such as illustrations and graphics enhance or detract from meaning
WS2.12 Uses joined letters when writing in NSW Foundation Style and demonstrates basic desktop publishing skills on the computer
· Selects and inserts graphics or illustrations to enhance text meaning
· Investigates other forms of media e.g. slideshows, multimedia
1. PowerPoint presentation – (Scirone, C., & Lawrence, R., 2009) (main resource)
2. Whiteboard and one white board marker
3. Two cardboard headings 1. A multimodal text 2. A single mode text (Appendix C: 1)
4. Eight objects/ texts: some representing/ some not presenting multimodality (Appendix C: 2)
5. A large cardboard image of each of the following: 1. a Kangaroo sleeping, 2. A Kangaroo eating, 3. A Kangaroo jumping, 4. A Joey in his/her mother’s pouch (APPENDIX C: 3)
6. A CD player
7. A CD that contains the following sounds
· Track one: the sound of bush leaves rustling
· Track two: the sound of someone digging
· Track three: a heavy metal rock band song
· Track four: a ‘boing’ sound (symbolizing a kangaroo jumping).
6 computers
The teacher begins the lesson with the students sitting on the floor in front of her/him. The teacher begins by explaining that today’s lesson will follow on from the previous lesson and on their ‘Koala: A Native Australian Animal unit’. The teacher explains that today’s lesson is specifically going to provide students with examples on how to create an effective PowerPoint presentation to present the content researched over the previous lessons on Koalas.
The teacher explains that she is going to show them a PowerPoint presentation created by two year four students from another school who created a PowerPoint very similar to the one they are going to create. The teacher explains that when the PowerPoint is presented, students need to silently observe the presentation and try to remember as much information as they can from the slides. The teacher shows the students the first 8 slides of the Microsoft office PowerPoint presentation resource on a large screen in the classroom. HOWEVER, the teacher will modify this resource by deleting the images off each slide and turning off the audio, resulting in only the written text to be left on each slide.
Once the PowerPoint presentation is over, the teacher will ask the students the following questions in reference to the presentation:
- Where does a platypus live?
- What does a platypus look like?
- What does a platypus eat?
The teacher explains to the students that it can be very difficult to remember all of this information from a PowerPoint presentation when only the written text is presented on each slide. The teacher also emphasizes that the audience would lose interest if only written text is presented. The teacher asks the students ‘What else could be added to this presentation to help us understand the meaning of the written text?’ Students answers could include:
-images of a platypus
-sound: including digging, swimming, eating sound effects
-videos
-voice over
The teacher then shows the students the original version of the PowerPoint presentation resource (teacher undoes the image deletions and turns on the audio). This will mean that written text, images, sound effects and voice over will now be presented on each slide. When the presentation is finished, the teacher will ask the students ‘Was it easier to understand and remember the information when the sound and images were added to the slide show?’ Students will need to support their answers with reasons why they found it easier.
The teacher explains to the students that when more than one type of mode is combined together (e.g. images, text, videos, & sound) it is called a multimodal text. The teacher emphasises that the second viewing of the PowerPoint presentation is an example of a multimodal text because it incorporated written text, images, sound and voice over in the same presentation.
Students form into a large circle
Students silently observe and listen to the teacher.
Students will work together with the teacher to classify the 10 objects/ text, recognising that a objects/ texts presenting only one mode goes under the ‘a single mode text’ heading and a object/text containing more than one mode is placed under the ‘multimodal text’ heading.
Students listen to the teacher’s explanation.
Students quietly observe the teacher as he/she writes on the whiteboard.
Students answer the teachers question by replying ‘no’ due to this hypothetical PowerPoint slide only presenting one mode of text (i.e. written text).
Students listen to the teacher.
Students observe the teacher
The students will answer the teachers questions during the trial and error activity.
The students will work together to select an appropriate image that relates to the text and helps to convey its meaning.
Students close their eyes and visualise a Kangaroo jumping which each song track is played.
The students answer the teachers question by selecting an appropriate sound to accompany the written text and image. Students will explain their reason of choice.
The students silently listen to the teacher.
Students form into groups of 4-5 and move to an allocated computer.
Each group selects one of the sentences and creates a multimodal slide on PowerPoint by using the sentence and one or more other modes of text to enhance the meaning of the sentence.
The teacher asks the students to form into a large circle on the floor.
The teacher places two headings in the centre of the circle (heading one= a multimodal text and heading two= a single mode text).
The teacher places 8 objects/ texts in the centre of the circle. The teacher and students will work together to classify these 8 objects/ texts as either being ‘a multimodal text’ or ‘a single mode text’ and place them under the correct heading (See Appendix C: 2).
The teacher emphasises that all the texts placed under the ‘multimodal text’ heading are texts that all have more than one type of mode incorporated into them. The teacher specifically draws focus to the structured analytical image of a Koala and emphasizes its multimodality. This is important as structured analytical images were a focus within the previous lesson. The teacher emphasizes that greater meaning is provided in a multimodal text as it draws upon a range of meaning making strategies
(i.e. reading, viewing, hearing)
The teacher draws up on the white board a large rectangle. The teacher explains to the students that this rectangle is going to symbolise a single slide in a PowerPoint presentation. The teacher writes in the centre of the rectangle the following:
A kangaroo moves by using its back legs to jump and its tail and front paws to steer
The teacher asks the students ‘If this was a slide in a PowerPoint presentation would it be classified as a multimodal text?’ students answers should be ‘no’ due to a multimodal text requiring more than one type of mode.
The teacher emphasises that in order for the class to transform this slide into a multimodal text, an image/s could be incorporated to enhance the meaning of the text.
The teacher then places up on the right hand side of the whiteboard 4 different images. Each of these images will depict either:
1. A kangaroo sleeping
2. A Kangaroo eating
3. A kangaroo jumping
4. A Joey in its mothers pouch.
(Appendix C:3)
The teacher trials one / two of these images (any of the images except for the one that matches the sentence: kangaroo jumping) by placing the image beneath the sentence in the rectangle. The teacher will then ask the students ‘Does this image help us to understand the meaning of the sentence?’.
Students answers should be ‘no’, due to the image emphasising a different characteristic/activity than what the sentence states. It is through these trails that students will begin to recognise the importance in choosing an image that matches the written text.
The teacher will then ask the students ‘Which image do you think would be best suited to add to the meaning of the sentence?’ (SENTENCE:
A kangaroo moves by using its back legs to jump and its tail and front paws to steer)
It is here that students should be able to accurately select the image of a kangaroo jumping.
The teacher then explains that sound effects could also be added to this slide to further convey the meaning of a kangaroo jumping.
The teacher explains that she wants the students to close their eyes and visualise a Kangaroo jumping while each of the song tracks are played.
The teacher will play 4 separate sounds for the students. These sounds will include:
Track one: the sound of bush leaves rustling
Track two: the sound of someone digging
Track three: a heavy metal rock band song
Track four: a ‘boing’ sound (symbolizing a kangaroo jumping).
When all four tracks have been played, the teacher instructs the students to open their eyes. The teacher will ask the students ‘which of the 4 song track could be chosen to further bring meaning to our PowerPoint slide?’
The teacher thereby emphasizes the vital need for students to select audio and visuals that compliment the written text so that deep meaning can be developed (It is here that the notion of modal coherence is emphasized to students).
The teacher then places up on the white board the following sentences
Sentence one:
When approaching a tree to climb, koalas spring from the ground and catch their front claws in the bark of a tree.
Sentence two:
Male koalas use a deep grunting sound to communicate with one another over relatively large distances.
These sentences will greatly relate to the content studied in previous lessons of the unit.
The teacher then places students into groups of 3-4 and allocates each group to a computer. The teacher tells the students to create a one slide PowerPoint presentation by selecting one of the two sentences on the whiteboard and incorporate it on the slide with one or more other modes of text (sound, images, voice over) to enhance the meaning of the sentence. It is through this activity that students will create a basic multimodal text.
(NOTE: students will have the technical skills to be able to incorporate an image, sound effect or record their voice in a PowerPoint)
Each group presents their PowerPoint slide to the rest of the class. Each group is to explain their choice of image and sound effect after presenting their slide. Students are to applaud at the end of each presentation.
The teacher ends the lesson by reinforcing to the students that a multimodal text as seen today is a text that incorporates more than one mode of text to enhance meaning.
The teacher reminds the students that at the end of the 10 lesson unit, students will be expected to create a 5-6 slide PowerPoint presentation on Koalas using all the information they have gained today on how to create an effective multimodal text.
The teacher ends the lesson by showing the students slides 11-14 from the PowerPoint presentation resource (the segment on Koalas) to show them an example of how they might light to consider creating an effective multimodal text with all their information on koalas.
Observation:
- Teacher observes which students were engaged within the lesson
- Teacher observes which students were able to classify texts as either multimodal or not multimodal
- Teacher observes which students were able to select appropriate images and sounds to accompany written text to enhance the overall meaning of the text
Questioning:
- Teacher asks a number of questions and notes which students were successfully able to answer questions accurately
Task: Create a one slide PowerPoint presentation
- Which groups were able to successfully create a one slide PowerPoint presentation incorporating more than one mode of text as a reflection of their understanding of multimodality?
Did students appropriately select an image and sound effect that related well to their chosen sentence?
- Did the students enjoy and engage with the activities in the lesson?
- Were the time frames accurate?
- Were there any areas of the lesson the students struggled with?
- What area/s could be modified to improve the lesson?
- Did the lesson meet the learning abilities of the students?