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Raps and book raps Raps and book raps >> Book Week >> Early Childhood Books rap >>
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Book Week – Early Childhood Books rap
Stage 2 Program and planning

Using information and communications technologies (ICT) capabilities in teaching and learning.

 This rap assists Stage 2 students in the development of their ability to

 
  • use ICT to locate, access, evaluate, manipulate, create, store and retrieve information
  • express ideas and communicate with others, using ICT.
Term 3, Week 1: week beginning 22nd July 2002

Rap becomes live; participating groups and teachers subscribe to the book rap and teachers’ rap.

Program and planning for Introductions

Introductions: Term 3, Week 2: week beginning 29th July 2002
Class/group introductory messages are sent and read. Participating schools can be located on Rap maps.

Focus Outcome:
Learning about Reading – Context and Text
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.

Linked Outcome:
Learning to Read – Reading and Viewing Texts
RS2.5 Reads independently a wide range of texts on increasingly challenging topics and justifies own interpretation of ideas, information and events.

Rap requirements:

During the first week rappers send a short introductory message about their class or group and give some information about their school and its location.

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    • After reading other schools’ introductions, rappers locate schools on their Rap map
    • Read and enjoy the four texts which are the focus of this book rap:
BRIAN, Janeen (illus Stephen Michael King) Where does Thursday go? Scholastic Australia (Margaret Hamilton) SCIS 1062413, reviewed Scan 21(2)

DUMBLETON, Mike (illus Terry Denton) Passing on. Random House Australia, SCIS 1050996, reviewed Scan 21(1)

Passing on
Cover illustration by Terry Denton. Cover
reproduced with kind permission of
Random House Australia.
Do not reproduce

GRAHAM, Bob (illus Kim Gamble) "Let's get a pup!" Walker Books Australia, SCIS 1054717, reviewed Scan 21(1)

Cover illustration by Bob Graham. Cover
reproduced with kind permission of
Walker Books Ltd, London.
Do not reproduce
 

OLIVER, Narelle Baby Bilby, where do you sleep? Lothian, SCIS 1035985, reviewed Scan 21(1).

Baby Bilby, where do you sleep

Cover illustration by Narelle Oliver.
Cover reproduced with kind permission
of Lothian Books.
Do not reproduce

Optional activities

  • Visit the official Children’s Book Council of Australia web site and discuss book categories and the process of ‘shortlisting’ books. If desired read reviews of shortlisted books.

  • Investigate biographical background of authors and illustrators of the four Early Childhood books. Visit author and illustrator sites for background information.

  • Commence Rap journal writing.
Syllabus content Possible sequence of teaching activities
Learning about Reading–Context and Text
Discuss with students how the structure of a particular text type being read relates to its purpose and how readers can use their knowledge of text organisation to predict and extract meaning from texts.


Learning to Read – Reading and Viewing Texts
Students will be provided with opportunities to: select, read, interpret and use a wide variety of material with increasing autonomy.
  1. In order to construct a whole class, introductory email, discuss the purpose of this Introductory email and its audience. Discuss appropriate voice, modality, greeting and ‘signature’ etc. The email message would include the school’s name, location, size of group and any other interesting features of the school or class.

  2. Access and discuss email introductions from other rappers and locate these schools on the Rap maps.

  3. Read and enjoy the Early Childhood short-listed books as itemised above.

  4. If time available, complete optional activities.

  5. Make entries in Rap journal.


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Program and planning for Rap point 1


Term 3, Week 3: week beginning 5th August 2002

Rap point 1

Illustrations are essential to the success of these four great books. What visual techniques have been used to enrich the meanings of the texts for us?  

Using Rap sheet 1 as a guide, choose one (or more) of the shortlisted books and examine the illustrations carefully.

Send a message to the Rap telling us about these illustrations, giving examples of techniques used and how these impact on us as readers.

The focus of this Rap point is ‘Visual Literacy’: the use of images to extract and enhance meaning. Bill Spence, Principal Education Officer, Literacy, explains the importance of this aspect of literacy.

Visual texts such as those found on television, in film, video, CD-ROMS, PowerPoint presentations and web pages from the Internet are the predominant component of some of the major sources of information and entertainment in our society today. These texts are constructed for a variety of purposes including entertaining, persuading or informing. They often contain specific messages that the composer wants to relay to the readers or viewers. Students need to be taught the skills and understandings that will enable them to “read’ the messages contained in visual texts.

Picture books are an excellent vehicle to introduce the “reading” of visual images. In successful picture books, the written text and visual images work together to convey the composer’s messages. Visual images have their own structure and features and can be analysed in much the same way as written texts but using different terms. Teachers and students need to acquire a common language to discuss how meanings are constructed in visual texts.

For further information see relevant Background readings and Visual literacy sites.

Focus Outcome for Rap point 1
RS2.7 Learning about reading – Context and Text
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.

Linked Outcome:
RS2.5 Learning to Read – Reading and Viewing Texts
Reads independently a wide range of texts on increasingly challenging topics and justifies own interpretation of ideas, information and events.

Linked Outcome:
RS2.8 Learning about Reading – Language Structures and Features
Discusses the text structure of a range of text types and the grammatical features that are characteristic of those text types.

Syllabus content Possible sequence of teaching activities
RS2.7 Learning about Reading – Context and Text
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. 

* makes general statements about how visual texts…and illustrations enhance or detract from meaning (p 33)











RS2.5 Learning to Read – Reading and Viewing Texts
Reads independently a wide range of texts on increasingly challenging topics and justifies own interpretation of ideas, information and events.
  • discusses interpretation of texts read or viewed (p 29)

  • justifies inferences made about a text read or viewed (p 58)







 

RS2. 8 Learning about Reading – Language Structures and Features
Discusses the text structure of a range of text types and the grammatical features that are characteristic of those text types.

 * understands visual information in this form and interprets it (p 59 Content Overview)
  1. Through teacher-led discussions, students talk about visual techniques and their impact on readers, using familiar picture book(s), a suitable big book or one of the shortlisted books. Use the worksheet (Rap sheet 1?) as a guide to the aspects which may be examined, discussed and explained.

    (Teachers may seek advice from the expert(s) on the Teacher discussion list running concurrently with this Rap and/or consult the web sites listed in Additional resources.

  2. Through class discussions and using examples from books, students understand how visual texts contribute to meaning, and how different techniques have various impacts on readers.

  3. Students re-read a shortlisted book and complete Rap Sheet 1 (either individually, in groups with different titles, or as a class with one master sheet).


  4. Students find examples of visual techniques introduced previously and/or new visual strategies which illustrators have used to contribute to meaning.

  5. Giving examples from the texts, and using their notes on Rap Sheet 1, students articulate the visual techniques they have identified and outline the impact of these on them as readers, justifying their selection and reactions.

  6. Students jointly collate their information above and organise it into sentences and paragraphs, as their group response to Rap point 1.

  7. Using correct email and Book rap etiquette, the group response is sent to the Rap. Other rappers’ responses are read, discussed, and visual techniques mentioned checked with the shortlisted titles as responses are received.

  8. Make class or individual entry in Rap journals.


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Program and planning for Rap point 2

Term 3, Week 4: week beginning 12th August 2002  

Rap point 2

We are introduced to many interesting characters (both human and animal) in these books. Choose one character and collate all the information we are given by the authors and illustrators (use Rap sheet 2).

Write a short description of the character you chose using the information you found in the text and pictures, information that you can infer, and adding plausible information from your imagination (use Rap sheet 3).

OR

Write an information report of the factual creature you chose using the information you found in the text and pictures, information that you can infer, and adding facts from reference material. (use Rap sheet 4).

Send your description or your information report to the rap. 

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Focus Outcome:
Learning to Write – Producing Texts
WS2.9 Drafts, revises, proofreads and publishes well-structured texts that are more demanding in terms of topic, audience and written language features.
Linked Outcome:
Learning to Read – Reading and Viewing Texts
RS2.5 Reads independently a wide range of texts on increasingly challenging topics and justifies own interpretation of ideas, information and events.

Syllabus content Possible sequence of teaching activities
Learning to Read – Reading and Viewing Texts RS2.5 Reads independently a wide range of texts on increasingly challenging topics and justifies own interpretation of ideas, information and events.
  • finds information for specific purposes in factual texts (p 29)
  • retells and discusses interpretations of texts read or viewed, with attention to main ideas and supporting details (p 29)
  • justifies inferences made about a text
  • makes some inferences about ideas implicit in a text (p 29)


Learning to Write – Producing Texts
WS2.9 Drafts, revises, proofreads and publishes well-structured texts that are more demanding in terms of topic, audience and written language features.

  • writes a range of literary texts (p 37)
  • writes fuller descriptions of people, animals and objects (p 37)
  • writes information reports that include information about different parts of things and their components (p 37)
  • uses basic structure and grammar of information report or description (p 57)
  1. Students look closely at the illustrations and story of one or more of the shortlisted books. (Students can be grouped according to their book choice, or the whole class can study the same book, decided by consensus).

  2. Students list the characters they encounter in the title, and discuss which character they wish to investigate and why, justifying their suggestion in terms of character impact, role in the story, personal appeal or other factors.

  3. A group consensus is reached as to the character to be studied.

  4. Using Rap sheet 2 students locate and record information given directly from the text, revisit the text and justify inclusion of information inferred from the text.

  5. Students then brainstorm plausible imaginary information to record about their fictitious character OR consult reference books and record specific information about a factual creature, on Rap Sheet 3.

  6. Share students’ answers as a whole class, and jointly compile a more complete profile of the fictitious character or the animal creature perhaps on an enlarged copy of  the rap sheet.

  7. Discuss the structure and features of the chosen text (either a literary description for a fictitious character or an information report for an animal creature). Read and discuss examples of the text in other contexts.

  8. Using the information gathered in Rap sheet 2 above, jointly construct either a literary description or an information report using either Rap sheet 3 or Rap sheet 4 . When considering interesting ways to present information teachers could discuss with their students different ways of presenting and organising information, and perhaps model some approaches discussed.

  9. Draft, revise and proofread this response and send it to the Rap with the subject line: Response to Rap point 2.

  10. Read responses from other rappers, identify information which is factual and imaginary. Justify the inclusion of each in the responses from other rappers.

  11. If there are lots of responses, teachers could read or print other rappers’ messages leaving out names and titles. (Group A could identify and block out proper nouns for Group B to work on.) As an enjoyable quiz, students could try to identify the character being referred to in the other rappers’ description or report.

  12. Make class or individual entries in Rap journals.


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Book Week

Term 3, Week 5: week beginning

19th August 2002
No new Rap points will be sent during this week.

Students may work on Rap points not completed or respond to Rapid points.

Rapid points are short, additional discussion points that the rap coordinator may intersperse between the main rap points. Rapid points often explore minor or subsidiary themes in the text, and in this way contribute to students’ greater understanding and enjoyment. As the focus of these quick discussion points is flexibility, spontaneity and creativity, the rapid points are not detailed in the Program and planning outline. Responding to rapid points should not be seen as mandatory or crucial for effective participation in the book rap.

Working with Rapid points

The following table offers some suggestions for using rapid points during this book rap. 

Possible student group Possible classroom strategies

1. Extension work for a small group of students.

  • Teacher-librarian or other teaching colleagues with this group to respond, draft, edit and send their response to the rapid point to the rap.
2. Supplementary work for a small group of students requiring additional support.
  • Teacher-librarian, STLD, ESL teachers or other support staff work with this group to respond, draft, edit and send their response to the rap.
3. Student works independently.
  • Teacher proof reads the response after student has worked on the task independently (either within class or at home) supervising the final product, rather than the process.
4. Students working with older students on the rapid point.
  • The class introduces the rap text to a buddy class, and together they work on a particular rapid point. Teacher(s) check final response before sending to the rap.
5. Whole class discussion.
  • The rapid point is the focus for a class discussion, then an individual or a small group of students drafts a response on behalf of the class. Teacher proof reads the response before it is sent.

  • Or, the rapid point is discussed but no formal response is sent to the rap.


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Program and planning for Rap point 3

Term 3, Week 6: week beginning 26th August 2002

Rap Point 3
Investigate other books by one of these authors and/or illustrators. Choose one book to compare with this year’s shortlisted book. Identify similarities and differences in style, theme, presentation and other features that impress you.

Send a message to the rap explaining what you found.

Focus Outcome:
RS2.5 Reads independently a wide range of texts on increasingly challenging topics and justifies own interpretation of ideas, information and events.

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Linked Outcome:
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.

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Syllabus content Possible sequence of teaching activities
RS2.5 Reads independently a wide range of texts on increasingly challenging topics and justifies own interpretation of ideas, information and events.  
  • refers to the author and illustrator of a book, commenting on other texts produced by them (p 29)

  • retells and discusses interpretation of texts read or viewed (p 29)

* contributes to class summary after reading or viewing (p 29)

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.

*  recognises different styles of favourite authors(p 33)

* selects texts relevant to topic under discussion (p 33)

* offers an opinion about a story or aspects of it (p 33) 
  1. Identify and locate copies of other books by the shortlisted authors and/or illustrators through, for example, OASIS Library Enquiry, student prior learning, Internet searches, public libraries. (This could be a good opportunity to reinforce location and selection skills eg. simple Boolean searches on OASIS Library, selecting appropriate search engines and sites.) 

  2.  Students individually, in groups or as a class, read and enjoy some of these other texts.

  3. Students briefly retell stories read so the whole class has some idea of the scope of other books available.

  4. One author or illustrator is selected for investigation and Rap Sheet 5 is commenced.

  5. Other books by this chosen author are listed on Rap Sheet 5 and some are investigated in more depth. One title is chosen to compare and contrast with the shortlisted title.

  6. Similarities are noted on Rap Sheet 5; these may include thematic material, text layout, intended audience, language similarities, integration of illustrations and text, illustrative motifs, style.

  7. Differences are noted on Rap Sheet 5, and may include aspects listed above and other features which students identify.

  8. Using the information gathered, students jointly plan a response to Rap Point 3.

  9. Draft, revise and proofread this response and send it to the Rap with the subject line: Response to Rap point 3.

  10. Read responses from other rappers, and compile a list of books written by these shortlisted authors that have not been located or identified before.

  11. Make class or individual entries in Rap journals.

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Program and planning for Rap wrap upTerm 3, Week 7: week beginning 2nd September 2002 
Focus Outcome: Learning about Reading – Context and Text
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.


Linked Outcome: Learning to Read – Reading and Viewing Texts
RS2.5 Reads independently a wide range of texts on increasingly challenging topics and justifies own interpretation of ideas, information and events.
During this rap we have looked closely at the books shortlisted for this year’s Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year: Early Childhood award. We have looked at how illustrations and visual techniques enhance meaning, investigated the characters introduced to us and explored other books by these authors and illustrators.  

What has been the highlight of this book rap for you and your class? What skills or insights have you learned during this rap that you would like to tell others about?


Post your final group response to the rap as a short comment once the teacher has approved the final message. 

Syllabus content Possible sequence of teaching activities
Learning about Reading – Context and Text Encourage students to form opinions about texts they have viewed and read. 
  1. Students reflect on their understanding of the books before the book rap, and brainstorm all they have learnt by participating. Students consult their Rap journals.

  2. Students brainstorm skills and concepts they have been introduced to and/or developed in the context of this book rap. Students check their Rap journals.

  3. Together students share insights gained through their own investigations and those they have learnt by reading other rappers’ responses.

  4. Students reflect on the highlights for them of participating in this book rap.

  5. Construct a joint response to the Rap wrap up question and post it to the rap.

  6. Read others rappers’ reflections and respect their opinions.

Teachers may wish to reflect on how well particular learning outcomes in the Program and planning have been met, and post their thoughts on this, and other aspects of the rap to the teacher support rap. Thank you for your participation.

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Translated Documents arranged by Language
March 14, 2007 3:47 PM
© 2007 NSW Department of Education and Training
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