Polar Boy by Sandy Fussell(lesson notes by Jessica Francis)

Content Strand: Literacy Class: Stage 2 Length of Unit: Can be used as whole class lesson sequence or a contract in which students select which activity they will complete.

Main Idea/s: Descriptive Writing (Fiction and Non-Fiction)Similes and metaphors, Diaries, Procedures, Descriptions

OutcomesValues and Attitudes:

V1 enjoys creating a range of spoken and written texts; V2 enjoys experiencing and responding to a range of spoken and written

texts; V3 experiments with different aspects of spoken and written language; V4 shows confidence in using language in a variety of contexts; V5 shows independence in using and learning language;

TS2.2: Interacts effectively in groups or pairsRS2.7: Discuss how writers create a variety of worlds through language and

how they use language to achieve a wide range of purposes.RS2.8: Discuss the text structure of a range of text types and the grammatical

features that are characteristics of those text types.WS2.9: Drafts, revises, proofreads and publishes well structured textsWS2.12: Demonstrates basic desktop publishing skills on the computer.

Assessment: WS2.14 Discusses how own texts have been structured to achieve their

purpose and the grammatical features characteristic of the various text types used.

Resources:Class or group set of Polar Boy by Sandy FussellDVD such as Arctic Kingdom or Arctic Talehttp://www.dailywritingtips.comhttp://home.people.net.au/~niche/turnwritehere/polarboy/Polar%20Boy%20Teacher%20Resources%20Kit.pdf

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Lesson Sequence

Pre Reading Students in groups of 3: give students an A4 paper per group to

brainstorm ideas. Each group should have a different topic. Explain they should write be any ideas that come to mind about the topic, it can include words and pictures.

NB: the topics allow for differentiation, some topics may need to be used by 2 or more groups.

polar bears father fears bullies friends

cold

family supernatural Vikings Inuits (Aboriginal or Native

peoples)

Students share their ideas with the rest of the class and discuss how these may be incorporated in other books they have read or make predictions for Polar Boy.

Watch Arctic Kingdom to familiarise students with the environment, flora and fauna of the Arctic Circle.Use Alpha Boxes to make notes while watching the DVD

Narrative Language: Similes and metaphors, tense and perspective. After reading one or two chapters, Read Sandy Fussell's discussion of

"The Language" she used in writing Polar Boy. http://home.people.net.au/~niche/turnwritehere/polarboy/Polar Boy Teacher Resources Kit.pdf page 4

Use the Similes and Metaphors worksheet to prompt students to create their own similes and metaphors. Use the text to search through and find examples the author has used, or where her language inspires you to create one (eg Papa's falling laughter - what is it like?)

Students write their favourite similes on strips of paper to be used in a display.

Extension: Students write a sentence to explain the difference between these two literary devices and when one might be more appropriate than the other.

Read an excerpt from another of Sandy's books (ie the Samurai Kids Series). What tense has she used? Do all writers use this tense? Read excerpts from other books such as Harry Potter. Who is telling the story? Who else could tell the story? Why do writers choose to write in different styles (read excerpts from the blog "Daily Writing Tips" which discuss style and language choices).

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/tips-for-selecting-your-story%e2%80%99s-narrative-style/

Students re-write a scene from Polar Boy in third person and in past tense.

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Drama/Poetry Hot seat or in pairs: Students imagine they are interviewing a Too-lee

boy/girl about their life in the Arctic. Encourage students to ask what they might see, hear or feel at different times of the day and different times of the year. Encourage students to use similes and metaphors in their answers.

Discuss what the purpose of the poem is - to make the reader feel like they are taken away to a different place.

Discuss the journey that the poem takes you on and how each line is a step along the way.

Use the similes and metaphors collected and created in the previous lesson/s to create a poem to describe life in the Arctic.

Students share their poems and ask the class for suggestions if they are not satisfied with their finished product

Information reports about animals While reading the book in class students make a list of all the animals

mentioned in the story. They will then use this list to help choose a an arctic animal to research and to write a report about.

Using books and/or internet students write an information report about their chosen animal. They will include information about appearance, behaviour and diet along with information about how they are important to humans.

The report must have a bibliography. Discuss what a bibliography is and why it is needed (to credit the work of others, and to show where the reader can find more information if they wish)

Procedure of building an igloo (Chapter 2) Write a procedure of building an igloo - must write descriptively to

explain how to pack the snow, and the size and shape of the blocks. Would the Too-lee understand our measurement system? Discuss how similes and metaphors can be used to build accurate pictures in someone's mind.

Make a model of an igloo to go with your procedure.

Diary writing Diary of Finn. Imagine that though Finn does not speak much he is a

fantastic diary writer (use of tense, first person perspective). Where in the story will you start Finn's diary?

Newspaper report: Chapters 5 and 6. Newspaper report about the children's encounters with the bear. Collect examples of well written newspaper articles as examples of the

language and structure of this text.

Food Review Make a list of the foods mentioned in the story. Write a review for a

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food magazine or blog trying to make one of these meals sound delicious! Read reviews in the weekend paper or a foodie's blog to understand the language and structure of this text type.

PDHPE: Bullying: Read pp 26-28. How is this an example of bullying?

Write this scene as a play script to perform for the class

PDHPE: Decision making DMS2.2 What type of decisions do we make as individual and what are made as a

group? How are these decisions made? How would this be similar or different to how and why decisions are made in the Too-lee village?

Use a Venn Diagram to represent how decisions are made in the two communities.

Use a flow chart to show how decisions are made.

PDHPE: Communities Read author Sandy Fussell's explanation of her initial inspiration for

writing Polar Boy. Make a concept map of the fears which are faced by our community and

those faced by the Too-lee. Discuss how building strong relationships within the community are key

to surviving these obstacles. What rituals do the Too-lee use to strengthen their relationships, what rituals and systems do we use?

Though these fears might be well founded they do not have to limit our quality of life. ASSESSMENT:WS2.14 Discusses how own texts have been structured to achieve their purpose and the grammatical features characteristic of the various text types used. Students publish their work by printing and collating into a class book, or by publishing to the school website.Students imagine they are a literary agent who has entered their client into a prestigious literary award. Must present a short argument to the class explaining why their client (ie themselves) should win "Best Writer" Award based on the following criteria:

Did the writing incorporate the grammatical features that are characteristic to the text type used? Give examples.

Was the writing well presented and easy to use? Explain how this is so? How does your client engage the reader and communicate effectively?

Unit Evaluation:

Criteria CommentsWere students able to use evidence from the text to support their activities?Were students able to

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record their daily/weekly achievements in the record sheet?Were students able to identify the main language and structural features of the text types and incorporate these into their own writing?

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Name: ___________________________ Class: __________ Date: __________________

Similes and Metaphors

Draw a line to join the two that are most similar

diamonds

inside the igloo

Papa

Ilauk

bear

stars

a warm hug

mouse

Write each of these as a sentence. Two must be similes and two must be metaphors.

Similes:1)

2)

Metaphors:

3)

4)

Choose one sentence and make a list of all the ways these two things are similar:

Polar Boy Activities Name: Class:

Choose one or more activities to work on in the Library this term:

Text Type Gathering Information Writing TaskNarrative Language:

Find examples of different narrative styles.Write the name of the book and the author. From whose perspective is the story written? In which tense is it written?

Re-write a scene from Polar Boy from someone else's perspective, using a different tense.Extension: Choose a scene from your favourite book to re-write.

Food review

Make a list of the foods mentioned in the story. Read reviews in the weekend paper or a foodie's blog to understand the language and structure of this text type

Write a review for a food magazine or blog trying to make one of these meals sound delicious!

Diary Writing

Read Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Penny Pollard's Diary or another story written as a diary. Make a list of the language features.

Imagine that though Finn does not speak much he is a fantastic diary writer (use of tense, first person perspective). Where in the story will you start Finn's diary?

Newspaper Articles

Collect examples of newspaper reports. What are the language features of a newspaper report?

Write a newspaper report about the children's encounters with the bear.

Poem Collect poems that represent a variety of feelings.Identify the ones that make you feel the way you want your readers to feel once they have read your poem.Are there any common language features in your poems?How are they laid out.

Use the Similes and Metaphors worksheet to create your own similes and metaphors. Use the text to search through and find examples the author has used, or where her language inspires you to create one (e.g. Papa's falling laughter - what is it like?)Remember the poem is like a journey and each line is a step along the way.Use the similes and metaphors collected and created to write a poem to describe life in the Arctic.

Procedure/ Instructions

Look at examples of procedures or instructions. How are these laid out? What are the language features of this text type?

Write a procedure of building an igloo - must write descriptively to explain how to pack the snow, and the size and shape of the blocks. Would the Too-lee understand our measurement system? Explain how similes and metaphors can be used to build accurate pictures in someone's mind.

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Make a model of an igloo to go with your procedure.

All tasks must be drafted, proofread, read aloud to a friend and published (on the computer or using very best handwriting.)

Work of highest quality will be accepted into our class book and the authors will be entered into our "Best Writer" Award.

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Weekly Progress Record: Name: Class:Week Achievements: Disappointments: Next Week I Will:

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Additional Comments

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