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English K–2 units

Sample units to support implementation of the English K–10 Syllabus.

Unit features

Sample units are optional resources forming part of the curriculum reform support package in English for primary teachers. These units are designed for teachers of K–2 students and represent ‘one way’ of designing teaching and learning experiences.

The English K–10 Syllabus affords a refreshed approach to English units. Sample units include value-added features that support this approach.

Timeframe for use

Each unit is 2 weeks in duration, aligned to department scope and sequences.

Sample units

  • are structured around 2 ‘components’ that support cumulative, explicit and systematic teaching
    • component A (foundational literacy skills)
    • component B (conceptual understandings of subject English)
  • exemplify the importance of learning about and enjoying literature through the study of quality texts
  • include suggested ‘mentor’ and ‘supporting’ texts that meet NESA’s text requirements for English K-2
  • link to a Grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPC) instructional sequence and Lesson advice guides that provide additional guidance on best practice teaching of foundational skills
  • support teachers to identify, plan for and teach ‘connected content’ in ways that reflect the latest research
  • include resources and suggestions for assessment and differentiation
  • address all syllabus outcomes and content for Early Stage 1 and Stage 1.
  • Comply with curriculum policy and registration requirements
  • are 2 weeks in duration and align with departmental scope and sequences
  • comply with curriculum policy and registration requirements
  • are inclusive of people with vision impairment and comply with legislative requirements for accessibility

Before engaging with sample units, it is imperative to develop a deep understanding of the English K–10 Syllabus and the underpinning evidence base.

Professional learning courses and resources that support the teaching of these units.

Professional learning

  • English K–2 – NR32968 (elective professional development) – department microlearning course
  • Introduction to English K–10 Syllabus (NESA) – all NSW teachers have access to the course by logging into NESA Online Learning.

Resources

How to use sample units

Sample units are optional resources to support classroom teachers in designing high-quality teaching and learning experiences for students.

Like any resource, sample units must be reviewed for suitability prior to use. They are designed to be adopted and adapted for your school context and student learning needs. Teachers should exercise professional judgement when making these decisions.

Note

Where staff cannot adapt or modify sample units, consider use of alternatives that:

  • have a strong evidence base
  • are better matched to local-level curriculum requirements
  • are more effective in meeting student needs.

All units are best viewed digitally as opposed to printed hard copies.

To move through sections of a unit, open the unit and view the navigation pane (Ctrl+F or selecting View > Navigation Pane). In the navigation pane, select the Headings tab.

To go to a heading in a sample unit, select that heading in the navigation pane. This allows teachers to view headings without scrolling.

Each sample unit has been designed using the following structure:

  • Title – indicates key learning area, stage of learning and unit number.
  • Contents – key reference page to support navigation.
  • Unit overview and instructions for use – outlines suggested duration, explicit teaching focus areas and the preparation required to teach each component of the unit.
  • Teacher notes – provides additional information to support the teaching of the unit, including definitions, descriptions, additional resources and ideas for integration with other key learning areas.
  • Outcomes and content – Component A – details syllabus focus areas, outcomes and content points to be addressed in the Component A teaching and learning sequence and links to National Literacy Learning Progression (Version 3) where relevant.
  • Outcomes and content – Component B – details syllabus focus areas, outcomes and content points that are addressed in the Component B teaching and learning sequence and links to National Literacy Learning Progression (Version 3) where relevant.
  • Week 1: Component A teaching and learning – provides a scaffold for planning and documenting Week 1 Component A teaching and learning. Links to teaching advice documents and sample teaching and learning sequences are included.
  • Week 1: Component B teaching and learning – includes an example learning intention and success criteria, the required resources and a suggested teaching and learning sequence for lessons 1-5. Differentiation ideas, assessment suggestions and additional notes are also included.
  • Week 2: Component A teaching and learning – provides a scaffold for planning and documenting Week 2 Component A teaching and learning. Links to teaching advice documents and sample teaching and learning sequences are included.
  • Week 2: Component B teaching and learning – includes an example learning intention and success criteria, the required resources and suggested teaching and learning sequence for lessons 6-10. Differentiation ideas, assessment suggestions and additional notes are also included.
  • Resources – printable resources to support teaching and learning, including teacher reference material and student activities.
  • References – provide links to third-party material, websites and further reading.

Sample units are provided as a starting point for teachers to contextualise learning for their students. Implementation of inclusive practices in planning, programming and assessing supports learning for the full range of students and ensure all students can access and engage with the units.

In NSW classrooms there is a diverse range of students including:

  • Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students
  • students learning English as an additional language or dialect, including Aboriginal English speakers
  • high potential and gifted students
  • students with disability.

Some students may identify with more than one of these groups, or possibly all of them.

Advice for teachers on curriculum planning for every student in every classroom.

Teachers are also encouraged to enrol in ‘Curriculum planning for every student in every classroom’, available in MyPL, to explore curriculum planning strategies and resources to optimise learning for every student.

Use comments to annotate a unit, including to show evidence of strategies to optimise learning for specific groups of students, or individual students. This could include strategies to enhance teaching and learning, such as differentiation or personalised adjustments.

To learn how to share comments read Share and collaborate with Word for the web. Staff can reply to a comment, adding further detail about the level, type and effectiveness of support provided to a student or group of students.

Suggested mentor and supporting texts

A mentor text is a text that is studied as an example to show how specific textual features are crafted. The text provides students with a model to emulate when crafting their own text (NESA, 2021). Supporting texts provide further opportunities to extend and deepen learning.

Mentor and supporting text lists have been developed to help teachers prepare for teaching and learning activities in sample units. These documents detail the mentor and supporting texts studied in units for Early Stage 1, Stage 1 and K-2 multi-age. Links to digital texts are included in the units but are not included in these lists. They will be released gradually alongside the units.

Text selection

Where staff cannot source a suggested text, select alternatives that:

  • address the identified outcomes and content
  • align to the same mentor or supporting textual concept.

Resources to help teachers choose alternatives that support teaching and learning:

Mentor and supporting texts

The following documents detail the mentor and supporting texts studied for Early Stage 1, the first and second year of Stage 1, and K-2 multi-age A and B years.

Early Stage 1 units

Twenty sample units for Early Stage 1 will be available for download, released in a phased manner across 2022 and 2023. These units are cumulative and are designed to be taught in numerical order.

A suggested term-by-term approach, aligned with the department’s scope and sequence is outlined below, including the mentor textual concept(s) and unit description.

Unit 1 – Context

Students engage with texts related to starting school and learn from their own and others’ experiences.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 1 – Context (DOCX 4.2 MB)

Unit 2 – Narrative

Students learn about narrative story structure by exploring character journeys.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 2 – Narrative (DOCX 461 KB)

Unit 3 – Character

Students engage with a range of texts to compare characters, their features and actions. Students share their feelings towards characters and identify characteristics that they also see in themselves.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 3 – Character (DOCX 1.5 MB)

Unit 4 – Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students read and create texts using word play devices such as rhyme, onomatopoeia and alliteration. They explore the importance of illustrations in texts for a range of purposes and audiences.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 4 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 2.8 MB)

Unit 5 – Perspective and argument

Students revisit concepts explored throughout the term, including the beginning, middle and end of narratives, and identifying the main character in texts. Students will play with words and consider simple descriptions to express their preferences for texts and characters.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 5 – Perspective and argument (DOCX 742 KB)

Unit 6 – Context

Students explore text diversity and are provided with opportunities to read texts designed for different audiences and purposes.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 6 – Context (DOCX 319 KB)

Unit 7 – Narrative

Students learn how narratives, including characters and their experiences, can be real and imagined. They build on previous learning about narrative structure and retell familiar stories to develop their understanding.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 7 – Narrative (DOCX 456 KB)

Unit 8 – Character

Students explore how characters can be represented by how they look, what they say and do, and their thoughts. They will engage with texts that have a central character and identify language that describes them, then compose literary descriptions of characters from familiar texts.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 8 – Character (DOCX 722 KB)

Unit 9 – Imagery, symbol and connotation

Through a study of wordless picture books, students learn how visual features enhance meaning and enjoyment in texts. They will consider how authors convey meaning through illustrations, exploring use of colour and layout.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 9 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 1 MB)

Unit 10 – Perspective

Students will deepen their understanding of perspective by expressing preferences of familiar texts. They will view familiar texts through a critical lens, focusing on specific features such as illustrations, structure and language.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 10 – Perspective (DOCX 725 KB)

Unit 11 – Context

Students will engage with imaginative and informative texts and consider purpose and audiences. They will explore the language and structural features of texts that inform and entertain.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 11 – Context (DOCX 480 KB)

Unit 12 – Narrative

Students will build on their understanding of narrative structures and features. They will consider how narratives can be presented through different modes and media and explore intertextuality through a study of quality literature and fairy tales. Students will innovate from mentor and supporting texts to compose narratives with key language and structural features.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 12 – Narrative (DOCX 431 KB)

Unit 13 – Character

Students will deepen their understanding of character, using background knowledge to consider why a character may act a certain way. They will explore how visual cues and illustrations contribute to meaning and enhance audience understanding of character.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 13 – Character (DOCX 362 KB)

Unit 14– Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students will engage with texts with creative language features including onomatopoeia, alliteration and rhyme. They will explore how visual features interact with and support creative language to enhance meaning. Students will innovate from mentor and supporting texts to compose a poem.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 14 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 228 KB)

Unit 15 – Perspective

Students will explore perspective as an understanding of how people see the world and engage with texts that present a shift in perspective. They reflect on their own perspective by considering personal likes and dislikes.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 15 – Perspective (DOCX 324 KB)

Unit 16 – Context

Students will consider how personal context can influence their experiences of the world. They will consider how context can inform a character’s motivations and feelings. Students will create a range of descriptive texts that represent their own context, culture, settings, motivations and feelings.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 16 – Context (DOCX 693 KB)

Unit 17 – Narrative

Students will build on their understanding of narratives. They will engage with print and audio narratives and consider how they can be real or imagined. Students will apply their understanding of narrative features and structures to compose their own texts.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 17 – Narrative (DOCX 934 KB)

Unit 18 – Character

Students will consider characters actions, thoughts and feelings and explore how these can be represented through intentional language choices. They will innovate from mentor and supporting texts to compose literary descriptions of real or imagined characters.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 18 – Character (DOCX 1.4 MB)

Unit 19 – Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students will explore how word order and word choice influence meaning and support creative play with language. They will consider how creative language features enhance enjoyment of texts.

Early Stage 1 – Unit 19 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 2.24 MB)

Unit 20 – Perspective

Students will compare opinions and ideas presented in mentor and supporting texts. They will consider their own strengths and the strengths of their peers. Students will compose texts that present their own perspective about themselves and their world

Early Stage 1 – Unit 20 – Perspective (DOCX 2 MB)

Stage 1 units

Forty sample units for Stage 1 will be available for download, released in a phased manner across 2022 and 2023. These units are cumulative and therefore designed to be taught in numerical order.

A suggested term-by-term approach, aligned with the department’s scope and sequence is outlined below, including the mentor textual concept(s) and unit description.

Stage 1 – First year

NSW students in Years 1 and 2 may be working towards Stage 1 outcomes from the English K-2 Syllabus. First-year sample units are designed for early concept development of Stage 1 outcomes, regardless of students’ year level. Teachers should exercise professional judgement in determining the suitability of teaching and learning experiences in meeting the needs of their students.

Unit 1 – Context

Students explore how personal experiences shape their understanding of texts. They also consider how an author’s context shapes texts. Students create a range of simple descriptive texts that represent their own culture, setting and experiences.

Stage 1 First year Unit 1 – Context (DOCX 1.1 MB)

Unit 2 – Narrative

Students learn about narrative elements including character, setting and story structure through a range of texts. Students explore a range of simple maps and their features to create ‘story’ maps to support oral narrative and comprehension development, and as a planning tool for writing.

Stage 1 First year Unit 2 – Narrative (DOCX 688 KB)

Unit 3 – Representation

Students investigate amazing animals to learn that objects, people and ideas can be represented in different ways. This could include reflecting the natural world as realistically as possible, imagined worlds, or a combination of both.

Stage 1 First year Unit 3 – Representation (DOCX 6.3 MB)

Unit 4 – Character; Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students explore the central role that characters occupy in texts, including how they can be objects, and whether they have a personality with emotions, wants and needs. Students also explore how characters can be described using wordplay and figurative language, including idioms.

Stage 1 First year Unit 4 – Character; Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 841 KB)

Unit 5 – Perspective and argument

Students identify persuasive techniques used in a range of humorous metafiction picture books. These techniques will then be used as students create their own texts to persuade a familiar audience.

Stage 1 First year Unit 5 – Perspective and argument (DOCX 545 KB)

Unit 6 – Representation

Students explore the way objects, events and ideas are represented in narrative texts. They retell and sequence stories to support reading comprehension and text creation.

Stage 1 First year Unit 6 – Representation (DOCX 845 KB)

Unit 7 – Context

Students explore how different aspects of the world are reflected and represented. They make text-to-self and text-to-world connections to support comprehension and build mental models to support vocabulary activation.

Stage 1 First year Unit 7 – Context (DOCX 170 KB)

Unit 8 – Narrative

Students explore narratives where images play a crucial role in telling the reader the ‘whole story’ and create their own multimodal text as a response.

Stage 1 First year Unit 8 – Narrative (DOCX 341 KB)

Unit 9 – Character

Students learn how authors describe both the internal and external characteristics of characters. They make text-to-self connections with characters and their own lived experiences.

Stage 1 First year Unit 9 – Character (DOCX 381 KB)

Unit 10 – Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students learn how visual and written elements combine to bring deeper meaning to imaginative texts. This includes symbolic representations and figurative language. They then identify how language changes when factual information is presented, including in a range of digital texts.

Stage 1 First year Unit 10 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 2 MB)

Unit 11 – Perspective and argument

Students will learn how written language and images contribute to meaning and how authors can influence their audience. They collaboratively create texts using different modes and media.

Stage 1 First year Unit 11 – Perspective and argument (DOCX 1.6 MB)

Unit 12 – Representation

Students will explore how characters and their personalities are represented in narrative texts. They will create a reader’s theatre in 2 parts, adapting the mentor text for a different audience and purpose.

Stage 1 First year Unit 12 – Representation (DOCX 1.7 MB)

Unit 13 – Context

Students will learn how the lived experiences of groups, including those with disability, are represented in a range of texts. They will apply their understanding of how language and form change according to purpose to create a text that meets the needs of a specific audience.

Stage 1 First year Unit 13 – Context (DOCX 572 KB)

Unit 14 – Narrative

Students will make connections to a character and visualise their experiences throughout a text. They will write a letter describing their favourite treasure, ensuring correct paragraph structure is used throughout.

Stage 1 First year Unit 14 – Narrative (DOCX 860 KB)

Unit 15 – Character

Students will identify how authors use animals as characters in stories. This includes using factual information to base descriptions of appearances and personality characteristics. Students will compare informative and literary texts focusing on language and form.

Stage 1 First year Unit 15 – Character (DOCX 2.6 MB)

Unit 16 – Perspective and argument

Students will engage with a range of texts to identify arguments and the way that structure and images can be used to reinforce a point of view. They will explore print and digital texts and learn how information can be used to support opinions.

Stage 1 First year Unit 16 – Perspective and argument (DOCX 852 KB)

Unit 17 – Narrative

Students will have the opportunity to review narrative text elements through engaging with a range of texts created by the popular author and illustrator, Oliver Jeffers.

Stage 1 First year Unit 17 – Narrative (DOCX 355 KB)

Unit 18 – Context

Students will learn about the concept of ‘context’ through considering how language and form vary according to purpose, audience and mode. They will explore a range of texts including narratives, factual descriptions, procedures and explanations.

Stage 1 First year Unit 18 – Context (DOCX 1.1 MB)

Unit 19 – Representation

Students will learn how culture is represented in texts through colour, celebrations and ceremonies. They will compare and connect ideas between texts, as well as with their own experiences.

Stage 1 First year Unit 19 – Representation (DOCX 2.7 MB)

Unit 20 – Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students will unravel the layers that exist within a range of picture books to explore how elements such as colour, line and imagery evoke emotion and help enhance storylines to bring deeper meaning to texts.

Stage 1 First year Unit 20 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 2.14 MB)

Stage 1 – Second year

NSW students in Years 1 and 2 may be working towards Stage 1 outcomes from the English K-2 Syllabus. Second-year sample units are designed for later concept development of Stage 1 outcomes, regardless of students’ year level. Teachers should exercise professional judgement in determining the suitability of teaching and learning experiences in meeting the needs of your students.

Unit 21 – Context

Students explore the purpose and importance of an Acknowledgement of Country and the differences to a Welcome to Country. Students make connections to their own context and that of Aboriginal communities across NSW. Students write to convey their own personal story of belonging.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 21 – Context (DOCX 669 KB)

Unit 22 – Narrative

Students build on their understanding of narrative text structure by reading texts that contain a circular ending. Experiences with adding language and dialogue to textless picture books will be included before students create their own short circular narrative.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 22 – Narrative (DOCX 4 MB)

Unit 23 – Character

Students explore how characters can be real or imagined – or a combination of both. They will also be provided with opportunities to engage with multiple text forms including timetables, diary entries, information reports and diagrams.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 23 – Character (DOCX 1.4 MB)

Unit 24 – Perspective and argument

Students build on their understanding of perspective and argument through exploring animal characters with human characteristics. They will have opportunities to engage with informative texts and explore how information can be used to support opinions in persuasive texts.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 24 – Perspective and argument (DOCX 1.8 MB)

Unit 25 – Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students explore how figurative language can be used to build rich descriptions of places, people and experiences. They will innovate from mentor and supporting texts to compose poems.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 25 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 2.3 MB)

Unit 26 – Representation

Students learn how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories are represented in Dreaming stories, focusing on the features, behaviours and characteristics of animals.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 26 – Context (DOCX 403 KB)

Unit 27 – Context

Students deepen their understanding of context by exploring how the language and form of texts varies according to purpose. They will draw on their knowledge of text purpose, language and form to compose texts for a range of purposes.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 27 – Context (DOCX 3.5 MB)

Unit 28 – Narrative

Students deepen their understanding of narrative through the study of well-known fables. Students have opportunities to both innovate from studied texts and generate their own ideas to write narratives that convey a message.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 28 – Narrative (DOCX 320 KB)

Unit 29 – Character

Students explore how a character's feelings and traits can be described through the way they experience and interact with the world. They will use figurative language to compose literary descriptions of real and/or imagined characters, including their traits and lived experiences.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 29 – Character (DOCX 539 KB)

Unit 30 – Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students learn how figurative language such as metaphors, onomatopoeia and similes can be used to create rich descriptions of events and experiences. They will innovate from mentor and supporting texts and apply their understanding of figurative language to compose descriptive narratives.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 30 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 579 KB)

Unit 31 – Perspective and argument

Students will deepen their understanding of perspective and argument through a study of fractured fairy tales. They will explore how arguments can be presented from different perspectives and use extended text features to enhance their writing. Students will innovate from familiar narratives to compose persuasive texts that present a different perspective.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 31 – Perspective and argument (DOCX 1.3 MB)

Unit 32 – Representation

Students will build on their understanding of how cultures and traditions can be represented in texts. They will engage with texts that depict real and imagined representations of significant people from various cultures and backgrounds. Students will explore how cultural representations can be shared through creative visual features.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 32 – Representation (DOCX 885 KB)

Unit 33 – Context

Students will build on their understanding of context by engaging with narratives based on the experiences of asylum seekers and refugees. They will explore how situations can be represented in texts and consider how visual features support and deepen meaning.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 33 – Context (DOCX 3.9 MB)

Unit 34 – Narrative

Students will build on their understanding of narrative, exploring how narrative patterns establish audience expectations and inform predictions. They will explore how figurative language can be used to create rich descriptions, evoke feelings and support understanding of stories.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 34 – Narrative (DOCX 3.6 MB)

Unit 35 – Character

Students will build on their understanding of how characters can be represented by their appearance, actions and traits. They will consider how authors draw on common lived experiences to construct characters through text and illustrations.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 35 – Character (DOCX 384 KB)

Unit 36 – Perspective and argument

Students will build on their understanding of perspective and argument. They will explore how authors can attribute human characteristics to non-human characters to evoke emotional response from the audience and promote connections to personal experiences. Students will consider how text structure and use of images can reinforce ideas.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 36 – Perspective and argument (DOCX 1.6 MB)

Unit 37 – Representation

Students will deepen their understanding of representation by identifying and exploring cultural representations in print and audio texts. They will explore oral storytelling traditions and consider how personal histories and traditions can be represented through storytelling.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 37 – Representation (DOCX 195 KB)

Unit 38 – Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students will build on their understanding of imagery, symbol and connotation by exploring intertextuality. They will consider how the relationships between and within texts help shape meaning and consider how images and symbols bring deeper meaning.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 38 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 2 MB)

Unit 39 – Character

Students will explore how reader response to a character can be created through language, dialogue, actions, images and music. They will engage with well-known literature and innovate from mentor and supporting texts to compose literary descriptions of characters. This unit directly supports learning in Unit 40.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 39 – Character (DOCX 544 KB)

Unit 40 – Narrative

This unit builds directly on learning from Unit 39. Students will deepen their understanding of narrative and make connections with their understanding of character. They will consider how visual elements can enhance meaning and discuss how narrative patterns and structures support predictions and evoke feelings. Students will innovate from mentor and supporting texts to compose rich texts.

Stage 1 Second year Unit 40 – Narrative (449 KB)

K-2 multi-age units

Forty sample K-2 multi-age units will be available for download, released in a phased manner across 2022 and 2023. These units are cumulative and are designed to be taught in numerical order. A suggested term-by-term approach, aligned with the department’s scope and sequence is outlined below, including the mentor textual concept(s) and unit description. This approach covers all Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 syllabus outcomes and content in both the A and B year cycle.

K-2 multi-age – Year A

Teachers of multi-age classes have the flexibility to select Year A or Year B sample units to reflect their cycle of programming.

Unit 1 – Context

Students make connections between their personal experiences and texts. They explore how context shapes texts. Students create a range of simple descriptive texts that represent their own culture, setting and situations (or experiences).

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 1 – Context (DOCX 1.5 MB)

Unit 2 – Narrative

Students learn about narrative elements including character, setting and story structure. They use ‘story’ maps to support oral narrative and comprehension development, and as a planning tool for writing.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 2 – Narrative (DOCX 2 MB)

Unit 3 – Context; Perspective; Representation

Students explore texts that represent the natural world realistically, imaginatively or a combination of both.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 3 – Context; Perspective; Representation (DOCX 6.9 MB)

Unit 4 – Imagery, symbol and connotation; Character

Students explore the role of characters in texts and how they can be objects with human characteristics. They learn to describe characters using wordplay and figurative language, including idioms.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 4 – Imagery, symbol and connotation; Character (DOCX 1.2 MB)

Unit 5 – Perspective and argument; Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students identify persuasive techniques used in a range of humorous fiction picture books. They experiment with these techniques in their own texts to persuade a familiar audience.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 5 – Perspective and argument; Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 957 KB)

Unit 6 – Context; Representation

Students explore the way objects, events and ideas are represented in narrative texts. They retell and sequence stories to support reading comprehension and text creation.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 6 – Context, representation (DOCX 766 KB)

Unit 7 – Context

Students explore how different aspects of our world are reflected and represented. They make text-to-self and text-to-world connections to support comprehension, as well as build mental models to support vocabulary activation. Students create a text reflecting their own context.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 7 – Context (DOCX 199 KB)

Unit 8 – Narrative

Students make predictions and inferences related to actions and attitudes and explore how the visual features in multimodal texts can add to meaning. With a focus on the sequencing ideas and the use of illustrations, students will create their own ‘secret’ narrative.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 8 – Narrative (DOCX 365 KB)

Unit 9 – Character, Narrative

Students learn how authors describe both the internal and external characteristics of characters. They make text-to-self connections with characters and their own lived experiences.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 9 – Character, Narrative (DOCX 665 KB)

Unit 10 – Imagery, symbol and connotation; Representation

Students learn how visual and written elements combine to bring deeper meaning to imaginative texts. This includes through symbolic representations and figurative language. They identify how language changes when factual information is presented, including in a range of digital texts.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 10 – Imagery, symbol and connotation; Representation (DOCX 2.7 MB)

Unit 11 – Perspective; Perspective and argument

Students will learn how both written language and images contribute to meaning and how authors can influence their audience. To expand their understanding of multimodal texts, students will collaboratively create texts using different modes and media.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 11 – Perspective; Perspective and argument (DOCX 1.6 MB)

Unit 12 – Narrative; Representation

Students will identify and appreciate how key messages in narratives evoke feelings. They will explore ways that characters and their personalities are represented in narrative texts. Students will express personal responses to the real and imagined worlds that are represented in texts.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 12 – Narrative; Representation (DOCX 1.9 MB)

Unit 13 – Context

Students will explore how the lived experiences of groups, including those with disability, are represented in a range of texts. They will then use their broadening understanding of how language and form change according to purpose, to create a text in a range of modes to meet the needs of a specialised audience.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 13 – Context (DOCX 867 KB)

Unit 14 – Narrative

Students will make connections to a character and visualise their experiences throughout a text. Early Stage 1 students will write a letter describing their work within Unit 14. Stage 1 students will write a letter describing their favourite treasure, ensuring correct paragraph structure is used throughout.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 14 – Narrative (DOCX 2.3 MB)

Unit 15 – Character

Students will identify how authors use animals as characters in stories. This includes using factual information to base descriptions of appearances and personality characteristics. As part of this unit, students will compare informative and literary texts with attention to language and form.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 15 – Character (DOCX 4.1 MB)

Unit 16 – Perspective; Perspective and argument

Students will engage with a range of texts to identify arguments and the way that structure and images can be used to reinforce a point of view. Throughout, students will explore a range of print and digital texts that describe and explain factual information. They will create a campaign to promote environmentally friendly habits amongst their peers

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 16 – Perspective; Perspective and argument (DOCX 1.8 MB)

Unit 17 – Narrative

Students will have the opportunity to review narrative text elements through engaging with a range of texts created by the popular author and illustrator, Oliver Jeffers.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 17 – Narrative (DOCX 365 KB)

Unit 18 – Context

Students will begin this unit with a narrative text to inspire ‘imagineering’. The unit also explores a range of texts which include factual descriptions and explanations and provides opportunities for students to follow multimodal procedures to create simple machines. Students will learn about the textual concept of ‘context’ through considering how language and form vary according to purpose, audience and mode.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 18 – Context (DOCX 1.7 KB)

Unit 19 – Representation

Students will learn how culture is represented in texts through colour, celebrations and ceremonies. They will compare and connect ideas between texts, as well as with their own experiences. Students will create a range of literary descriptions of objects and experiences that represent important cultural experiences or artefacts.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 19 – Representation (DOCX 2.7 MB)

Unit 20 – Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students will unravel the layers that exist within a range of picture books to explore how elements such as colour, line and imagery evoke emotion and help enhance storylines to bring deeper meaning to texts.

K-2 multi-age Year A Unit 20 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 1.8 MB)

K-2 multi-age – Year B

Teachers of multi-age classes have the flexibility to select Year A or Year B sample units to reflect their cycle of programming.

Unit 1 – Context

Students make connections to their personal experiences and how these shape their understanding of texts. They create texts to represent their own setting, situations (or experiences) and culture. Stage 1 students also consider the experiences and context authors bring to texts.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 1 – Context (DOCX 3.4 MB)

Unit 2 – Narrative

Students explore narrative texts with cumulative and repetitive structures.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 2 – Narrative (DOCX 2.4 MB)

Unit 3 – Perspective; Representation

Students explore texts that represent the natural world realistically, imaginatively or as a combination of both.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 3 – Perspective; Representation (DOCX 1.4 MB)

Unit 4 – Perspective; Perspective and argument; Context

Students engage with texts that present opinions and persuasive arguments through narratives. They study how language, structure and images can present opinions and persuade an audience. Students compose a persuasive text that gives their opinion about taking care of the environment.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 4 – Perspective; Perspective and argument; Context (DOCX 1 MB)

Unit 5 – Imagery, symbol and connotation; Narrative

Students engage with stories and poems that include figurative language and creative wordplay, such as simile, rhyming words and alliteration. They will innovate from studied texts using wordplay and figurative language.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 5 – Imagery, symbol and connotation; Narrative (DOCX 459 KB)

Unit 6 – Context; representation

Students explore context and representation by engaging in texts that present similar subject matter in differing contexts. They will make connections, identifying and comparing aspects of their own experiences to those represented in texts.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 6 – Context; representation (DOCX 398 KB)

Unit 7 – Character

Students explore the concept of character through a study of Australian author Aaron Blabey. They will learn how people, animals and inanimate objects can be characters who are represented and described by their appearance, actions and thoughts.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 7 – Character (DOCX 350 KB)

Unit 8 – Narrative

Students explore predictable structures of narratives. They will learn how narrative features, such as setting and characters, can be real or imagined.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 8 – Narrative (DOCX 476 KB)

Unit 9 – Imagery, symbol and connotation

Through a study of wordless picture books, students will explore how visual features enhance enjoyment of and bring deeper meaning to texts. They will consider how authors convey meaning through illustrations, exploring their use of colours, foregrounding and lines to convey expression or emotion.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 9 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 404 KB)

Unit 10 – Context; Representation

Students explore how information can be represented in texts and learn about the features of informative and imaginative texts. Students will adapt aspects of the mentor text for a different purpose and audience.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 10 –Context; Representation (DOCX 1 MB)

Unit 11 – Context; Representation

Students will engage with familiar texts and consider the features of texts that entertain and inform. Innovating from the mentor text, students will adapt the supporting text for a different audience and purpose through the creation of a play/readers theatre.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 11 – Context; Representation (DOCX 883 KB)

Unit 12 – Context; Representation

Students will build on their understanding of representation and context. They will explore how imaginative play is represented in different contexts and consider the real and imagined worlds we visit through play. Students will consider how settings and situations are represented in texts and identify aspects of their own world reflected in texts.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 12 – Context; Representation (DOCX 8.5 MB)

Unit 13 – Perspective; Perspective and Argument

Students will explore how opinions and persuasive arguments can be presented in narrative texts. They will consider how an opinion or argument can be supported by reasons and use this understanding to compose their own texts to persuade a familiar audience.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 13 – Perspective; Perspective and Argument (DOCX 450 KB)

Unit 14 – Narrative

Students will build on their understanding of narrative features and structures. They will how explore narratives are told through a range of modes and media. They will consider how visual elements can enhance meaning and how narrative patterns and structures support predictions and evoke feelings.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 14 – Narrative (DOCX 587 KB)

Unit 15 – Character

Students will explore how characters can be constructed through words and illustrations. They will consider how characters may be motivated by past experiences and they may affect characters actions, dialogue and appearance.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 15 – Character (DOCX 791 KB)

Unit 16 – Context

Students will engage with informative texts and explore how language; structural and visual features vary according to purpose and audience. They will consider how visual features contribute to and deepen meaning by providing additional information.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 16 –Context (DOCX 1.4 MB)

Unit 17 – Perspective; Perspective and argument

Students will deepen their understanding of perspective and argument by expressing opinions through a critical review of familiar texts. They will consider familiar texts through a critical lens, focusing on specific features such as illustrations, structure and language.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 17 – Perspective; Perspective and argument (DOCX 1 MB)

Unit 18 – Context

Students will explore how shared experiences can be found across contexts, including between different cultures and groups of people. They will explore different cultures and groups in texts and will make connections between texts and with their own experiences.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 18 – Context (DOCX 317 KB)

Unit 19 – Character

Students will explore how characters can be constructed through different modes and media and through a combination of modes, including print and digital texts. They will draw on background knowledge to interpret characters features and actions. Students will consider how audience response to a character is created by how they are represented.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 19 – Character (DOCX 686 KB)

Unit 20 – Imagery, symbol and connotation

Students will build on their understanding of imagery, symbol and connotation. They will explore how figurative language and creative wordplay, including simile, rhyming words and alliteration, paired with visual cues and images can enhance and deepen meaning. Students will innovate from mentor and supporting texts to compose texts using creative wordplay, figurative language and creative visual features.

K-2 multi-age Year B Unit 20 – Imagery, symbol and connotation (DOCX 532 KB)

Quality assurance

Sample units have undergone a rigorous quality assurance process as part of our commitment to improving school support. The process ensures that all sample units provided to schools are relevant, of high quality, and underpinned by evidence-based practice.

Alignment to School Excellence Framework

These resources support the School Excellence Framework and clearly align to the following domains and themes.

Learning domain
  • Curriculum: Curriculum provision, Teaching and learning programs
  • Assessment: Whole school monitoring of student learning
  • Student performance measures: NAPLAN
Teaching domain
  • Effective classroom practice: Lesson planning, Explicit teaching
  • Learning and development: Collaborative practice and feedback; Expertise and innovation
Leading domain

Educational leadership: Instructional leadership

Alignment to system priorities and, or needs

These resources reflect the following existing frameworks:

Consultation

Resources have been refined based on findings from consultation with key stakeholder groups and tested by NSW teachers as part of the Accelerated adopter and self-selector schools project in 2022. Subject matter experts from Curriculum Early Years and Primary Learners and Literacy and Numeracy reviewed documents to ensure the accuracy of the content.

Evidence base

The evidence base for these resources is:

  • English K-2 Syllabus
  • K-2 English research toolkit
  • Beck IL, McKeown MG and Kucan L (2002) Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction, The Guilford Press, New York.
  • Castles A, Rastle K and Nation K (2018) ‘Ending the reading wars: Reading acquisition from novice to expert’, Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 19:5–51, doi:10.1177/1529100618772271.
  • CESE (Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation) (2017) Cognitive load theory: Research that teachers really need to understand.
  • Daffern T (2016) ‘What happens when a teacher uses metalanguage to teach spelling?’, The Reading Teacher, 70(4):423–434,
  • Graham S (2020) ‘The sciences of reading and writing must become more fully integrated’, Reading Research Quarterly, 55(S1), S35–S44, doi:10.1002/rrq.332
  • Jones S, Myhill D and Bailey T (2012) ‘Grammar for writing?’, An investigation of the effects of contextualised grammar teaching on students’ writing, 26(8):1241–1263, doi:10.1007/s11145-012-9416-1.
  • Konza D (2010) Research into practice: Understanding the reading process, Government of South Australia,
  • Mackenzie NM (2011) ‘From drawing to writing: What happens when you shift teaching priorities in the first six months of school?’, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 34(3):322–340.
  • NSW Department of Education and Communities (2020) What works best: 2020 update
  • NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) (2021) Evidence-based practices for planning and programming
  • NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority) (2021) Additional teaching advice documents
  • Parkin J (2021) ‘The simple views of reading and writing: Frameworks for interpretation of the Woodcock–Johnson IV’, Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 39(7):1–16, doi:10.1177/07342829211023325.
  • Serafini F and Moses L (2014) ‘The roles of children’s literature in the primary grades’, The Reading Teacher, 67(6):465–468, doi:10.1002/trtr.1236.
  • Snow P (2020) SOLAR: ‘The science of language and reading’, Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 1–12, doi:10.1177/0265659020947817.

Contact

Email questions, comments and feedback about sample units to EnglishK6@det.nsw.edu.au using the subject line 'English K-2 units'.

Category:

  • Teaching and learning

Topics:

  • All primary schools
  • Classroom teachers
  • Educational Standards
  • English
  • Kindergarten
  • Resource
  • Teaching and learning
  • Year 1
  • Year 2

Business Unit:

  • Educational Standards
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