Welcome page
About this rap
Focus outcomes
Teaching and learning strategies
Rap live for registration (week beginning 15 May 2006 Term2 Wk3)
Introductory week (week beginning 22 May 2006 Term2 Wk4)
Rap point 1 (week beginning 29 May 2006 Term2 Wk 5)
Rap point 2 (week beginning 5 June 2006 Term2 Wk 6)
Rap point 3 (week beginning 12 June 2006 Term2 Wk 7)
Rap wrap up (week beginning 19 June 2006 Term2 Wk 8)
Resources
Credits
About this rap
The rap will use information and communications technologies (ICT) capabilities in teaching and learning.
It assists Stage 2 students to use ICT to:
- locate, access, evaluate, manipulate, create, store and retrieve information
- express ideas and communicate with others.
Focus outcomes for English and PDHPE Stage 2
English focus outcomes
Learning to Talk and Listen - Skills and Strategies
TS2.1 Communicates in informal and formal classroom activities in school and social situations for an increasing range of purposes on a variety of topics across the curriculum.
TS2.2 Interacts effectively in groups and pairs, adopting a range of roles, uses a variety of media and uses various listening strategies for different situations.
Learning About Talking and Listening – Language Structures and Features
TS2.3 Identifies the effect of purpose and audience on spoken texts and distinguishes between different varieties of English.
TS2.4 Identifies common organisational patterns and some characteristic language features of a few types of predictable spoken texts.
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 ideas.
Learning About Reading – Language Structure and Features
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.
RS2.8 Discusses the text structure of a range of text types and the features that are common to the text type
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.
WS2.12 Uses joined letters when writing in NSW Foundation Style and demonstrates basic desktop publishing skills on the computer.
Learning About Writing
WS2.13 Discusses how texts are adjusted to relate to different readers, how they develop the subject matter and how they serve a wide variety of purposes.
WS2.14 Discusses how own texts have been structured to achieve their purpose and the grammatical features characteristic of the various text types used.
PDHPE focus outcomes
IRS2.11 Describes how relationships with a range of people enhance wellbeing.
COS2.1 Uses a variety of ways to communicate with and within groups.
INS2.3 Makes positive contributions in group activities.
PSS2.5 Uses a range of problem-solving strategies.
What to do
- the rap becomes live for you to view on May 15 2006
- read through the rap and click on the hyperlinks; print off any rap sheets (work sheets or information sheets) which you may need
- register your class group to the rap by filling in the box
- go back and register yourself on the teacher rap with a different email address (no registration fee)
- you will receive a welcome message
- read this very carefully and note the email address to be used when you send emails to the rap
- work through the teaching and learning strategies, completing activities for both English and PDHPE
- prepare the response to the rap point for that week
- email the response to the week’s work to the rap (see rap points), using the email address in the welcome message and making sure you fill in the subject line.
Teaching and learning strategies for the introductory week
Term 2, Week 4: week beginning 22 May 2005
Introduction
During this week, rappers send a short introductory message about their class and provide information about their school and its location.
After reading other schools’ introductions, rappers locate schools on their Rap map.
Then rappers have time to enjoy viewing the first five episodes of the video, which are the focus of this rap. Suggested activities are in the Teaching and learning strategies below.
Rappers have time to enjoy viewing the first five episodes of the video, which are the focus of this rap. Suggested activities are in the Teaching and learning strategies below.
Below are Teaching and learning strategies to assist in addressing the teaching of the Focus outcomes.
Choose from the following suggested activities. Students post the group introductory message to the rap once the teacher has approved the final text.
Teaching and learning strategies for the introductory week |
View the video during this introductory week as well as completing some or all of the following activities.
Introduce the rap and outline expectations. Read selected sections such as Rap lingo. Students discuss the purpose of rap lingo and practise using it.
Students are shown the rap web site.
In discussing the purpose and conventions of a rap, teachers could also refer to Book rap FAQs,
and examples of email messages in the Archives of email discussion from previous raps.
Discuss the process of registering to a listserv.
Students will identify the ways purpose, audience and context affect their writing for their rap messages.
Create a class wall map using a Rap map template or other resource.
Explain the conventions of email. Discuss purpose and conventions for introductory rap messages.
Examples of introductory messages from previous raps in Archives of email discussion from previous raps could be referred to.
Facilitate a brainstorm, a deconstruction, and joint construction of a group or class introductory message for the rap.
Discuss how you will manage email messages (see Book rap FAQs).
Students receive and read emails for the rap points and discuss and compare information in them.
The Constructing a joint response guide could assist email composition.
Print off the rap sheet on Film techniques for Worst best friends and discuss them with the class as you watch the videos together.
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Teaching and learning strategies for Rap point 1
Term 2, Week 5: week beginning 29 May 2006
RAP POINT 1:
Discuss some of the conflicts that the class has observed between characters in episodes 1 and 2 of Worst best friends. Why do you think these conflicts occurred?
Post your responses to the rap.
Focus outcomes
Teachers may choose which activities they do for each rap point.
Each KLA should be addressed.
| English teaching and learning strategies |
PDHPE teaching and learning strategies |
Episode 1 – The excursion
Episode 2 – Kiss of Millicent
Thesaurus, Millicent and Dusting get lost in a factory full of aliens
Lesson description: Me, myself and I
Students explore identity. What makes each person unique? Which events and factors helped to shape us?
Students should share ideas about what they like, what is important to them and what they would like to achieve.
Episode 1 – The excursion (main ideas and main purpose)
Connect information and ideas to make some inferences about the ideas implicit in the text/episode.
Explain to students that they will be watching an episode of Worst best friends where they will need to identify the main idea and key events.
Discuss what is meant by key events and how these relate to the main idea.
Activity 1: Main ideas in episode 1
Prior to viewing episode 1, view the title sequence, brainstorm onto a large sheet of paper the students’ predictions about the story, characters, audience appeal, etc.
Discuss how we as an audience respond to sequences and trailers
N.B. a trailer is available for Worst best friends on a clips DVD, which can be ordered from the ACTF and is free to participating schools. Contact Lee Burton or ring her on 03 9419 8800.
Do we judge a film by the trailer in the way that we judge a book by its cover?
- view the episode
- discuss the key events and list
- have students suggest main ideas (providing reasons)
- in groups, students list main ideas under key events.
Allow students to share key events and main ideas providing reasons.
Episode 2 – Kiss of Millicent
Dusting would prefer a bout of dreaded ‘jungle rot’ rather than kiss Millicent in the school play and he will go to any lengths to avoid having to do it
Activity 2: Passport or data chart for characters in Worst best friends.
A model for a passport is available from the ACTF on line Learning centre
Follow these steps:
- click on the Learning centre
- scroll down to Search, click
- in Productions find Worst best friends
- scroll down to Lesson 4: Me, myself and I
- double click on My passport
- print the 4 pages
- edit to suit
Students will identify the key characters and their features. After watching the episode, students work in groups to make a data chart or passport listing the features of the characters.
Data chart or passport for characters in Worst best friends could include the following and be done from the character’s point of view:
- name
- age
- appearance and dress
- mannerisms
- personality traits
- role in the story
- major/minor role
- relationship to others
- likes/dislikes
- some of the things they said e.g. Dusting is referred to as ‘that Buffalo’ by Millicent
Add other characters which will be introduced in later episodes.
Characters should include: Thesaurus, Millicent, Dusting, Avril, Gilbert, Molly, Thesaurus’ Mum and Dad, Aunt Ivy, Miss Hodgson, Eddie. |
Episode 1 – The excursion
Episode 2 – Kiss of Millicent
Activity 1: What is a friend?
With your class discuss the idea of friendship:
- What is a friend?
- Are friends always the same age? gender? from the same cultural group?
- Can you think of single words to describe friends?
Using butcher’s paper set up a graffiti wall where children can write up the words they have brainstormed.
What words has the class come up with that would describe the friendship between Thesaurus and Dusting, and the friendship between Thesaurus and Millicent?
Activity 2: Friends’ network
Each child in the class makes their own Friends’ network sheet. Using a piece of paper, start with a self-portrait in the centre of the page, group friends around the centre portrait using names, illustrations, photos or a combination of these.
Discuss with the class:
- How does it feel to have a good friend?
- What do you like about your best friends?
- What do your friends like about you?
Discuss with the class:
- Do you think that Dusting is a good friend to Thesaurus?
- Why do you think this?
Activity 3: What is bullying?
Divide class into groups and ask groups to think of ways to describe bullying. For example bullying is:
- being teased about the way you look
- when someone swears at you
- when someone hurts you intentionally
- when someone tells others not to play with you
- when someone calls you names.
Ask groups to report back to the whole class with their findings and then as a class create a definition of bullying.
Discuss with the class different types of bullying, both physical and non-physical. Particularly emphasise that bullying is not always physical.
Discuss with the class what kinds of bullying they saw in episodes 1 and 2 of Worst best friends.
Compare and contrast the way that Millicent and Dusting relate to other characters in the program. (Dusting - physical; Millicent - verbal).
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Posting response to Rap point 1
- prepare the response to Rap point 1 with the class
- student/s (rap representative) type the response, edit and save.
- teacher facilitates the students/s use of the word processor and email programs.
- rap rep/s send the response to Rap point 1 once the teacher has approved the final text.
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Teaching and learning strategies for Rap point 2
Term 2, Week 6: week beginning 5 June 2006
RAP POINT 2
Discuss the reasons why Millicent chose to help Dusting? Were her reasons for doing so good reasons?
Does being rich mean that you have to have lots of money or possessions? Explain your answer.
Post your responses to the rap.
Focus outcomes
Teachers may choose which activities they do for each rap point.
Each KLA should be addressed.
| English teaching and learning strategies |
PDHPE teaching and learning strategies |
Episode 3 – My twin rabbit
Lesson description: Lending a hand
Community week is a time to help those less fortunate than you. Millicent chooses Dusting for the wrong reasons and with poor results; by contrast Molly offers real support to Miss Landers.
After viewing episode 3:
- as a class, list ways various characters helped or planned to help others. Was their help always required or appreciated? How do you know if your help is appreciated?
- ask students to think about the ways they help or lend a hand at home, school or in the community
- as a class identify people in the community who volunteer to assist others
- Millicent thinks that Dusting is poor. What makes her think this? Why does Millicent decide to help Dusting? What are her motives? Does Dusting think he is poor? Encourage students to think about what is important to them and their family
- add new characters to the data chart and use the information collected to assist in the development of a display board and sociogram as described below.
Activity 3: Character portraits on a display board
Print the photographs of the characters from Worst best friends from the ACTF online Media kit
(Open the pdf, click on select, click on photograph. copy and paste picture to a Word file, print).
Pin pictures (and names) of characters on a display board (don’t fasten as the location of the photographs will change); use information from the data chart or passport to describe the characters and pin them around the portraits.
Students should support their ideas with examples.
This display will develop as the story unfolds and students can refer to it during discussions.
Activity 4: Character sociogram (web)
Build on Activity 1 to construct a sociogram/ web for Worst best friends. Use string to connect each character (make a web). Attach statements summarising the relationships between the characters.
The sociogram (web) can be developed by asking a series of questions and using the answers to fill out the diagram.
As the logic of the arrangement of the characters becomes apparent students will suggest suitable placements for each character.
Some example questions:
- who are the main characters in the story?
- who is the central character?
- what is the relationship between the characters?
- what does Millicent tell Thesaurus to do when he goes to stay at Dusting’s?
- in the drink factory Thesaurus rings for help after Millicent and Dusting are locked in. What concerns does Thesaurus share about his friends and family in the phone call?
Add to the sociogram as further episodes are viewed. |
Episode 3 – My twin rabbit
Activity 4: Discussion/graph
- discuss with the class different ways that they or their parents help at home, at school and in the community
- have individual children write or draw what they do to help others. Findings could then be presented in the form of three graphs under the headings home, school and community
ask the following questions:
- Where do we help the most, the least?
- What do you think is the reason for your results?
After watching episode 3 make a list of the ways the characters planned to help others during Help a needy person week. Were the ways the characters planned to help, appropriate or always appreciated?
Activity 5: Local community map
As a class construct a large map of the local area. Mark on the map all of the places in the local community where people can go to help others. Develop a legend so that the map can be labelled clearly. For example, the map may have marked on it the local ovals where people help out with sport, the beach where volunteer lifesavers patrol the beach, any community centres where people help with art and craft activities, the local hospital where volunteers do various things to help, or schools where parents help out with activities such as listening to children read.
There may be parents of children in the class that help out in the community who may come to school to talk about what they do.
Discuss the reasons why you think Mrs Esme Landers refused help from the children at the beginning of episode 3.
How did Molly overcome the hostility shown by Esme Landers at first?
Discuss the types of friendships that can develop between children and adults, with specific reference to the relationship that develops between Mrs Landers and Molly.
In this episode Millicent chooses Dusting as her person to help. She has assumed that Dusting’s family is poor. Ask:
- What reasons have led her to this assumption?
- Do you think that Dusting is rich or poor?
- Can you give examples from the episodes that you have already watched of Worst best friends to explain why you think this way?
- How do you think Dusting feels?
- Does he think he is rich or poor?
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Posting response to Rap point 2
- prepare the response to Rap point 2 with the class.
- student/s (rap representative) type the response, edit and save.
- teacher facilitates the students/s use of the word processor and email programs.
- rap rep/s send the response to Rap point 2 once the teacher has approved the final text.
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Teaching and learning strategies for Rap point 3
Term 2, Week 7: week beginning 12 June 2006
RAP POINT 3
At the end of episode 4 Aunt Edna makes the comment that ‘interest is the string that ties families together’.
Discuss the meaning of this comment in light of what you have seen in episodes of Worst best friends and in your own family.
Post your responses to the rap.
Focus outcomes
Teachers may choose which activities they do for each rap point.
Each KLA should be addressed.
| English teaching and learning strategies |
PDHPE teaching and learning strategies |
Episode 4 – Fancy rugs from India
Lesson description: Food for thought.
When the ‘Aunty from hell’ comes to stay, Dusting and Thesaurus run far away…or so they think.
View Worst best friends episode 4. List the different countries visited by Aunt Edna and locate them on a large world map. Discuss why she visited these countries and what she learned in her travels. Use the same map to locate the different countries students have migrated from or visited. Encourage students to share their impressions or knowledge about these locations emphasising how they are different from or similar to Australia.
Activity 5: Food for thought
Ask students to remember some of the foods eaten by families and friends in Worst best friends e.g. Dusting’s family serve themselves from a frypan casserole slapped in the middle of a low table. Ask students to draw an aerial view of their dinner table and seating arrangements and an example of the type of food they eat. Seat students in a circle and spread out some aerial views of students’ dinner tables. Discuss similarities and differences between the seating arrangements, table settings and foods eaten and ask children to suggest reasons for these differences.
Refer to the foods Aunt Edna served to Dusting and identify the country from where they originated. Students could identify meals they have eaten from other cultures and research the lifestyles of people in the countries of origin of each of the foods:
- What would the climate be like?
- Would they live in the country or the city?
- Would the people have a lot of money or a little money?
- In what ways are the lifestyles similar to or different from Australia?
As a follow-up activity groups could search magazines and books for recipes and identify the country of origin and ingredients needed to cook them.
Activity 6: Celebrations
In episode 4 Dusting decorates his house. Discuss:
- what type of decorations is he using?
- why is he decorating the house?
- when are some of the times people might decorate their houses?
Record ideas and list some things people do when they are celebrating a special occasion (e.g. give gifts, sing, eat special foods)
Carry out a celebration survey, available from ACTF.
Follow these steps:
- click on the Learning centre
- scroll down to Search, click
- in Productions find Worst best friends
- scroll down to Lesson 1 Food for thought
- double click on Celebration survey worksheet
- print the page
- edit to suit
Use a calendar to record the dates of celebrations and a list of foods, customs, dress, etc.
Identify common features of celebrations |
Episode 4 – Fancy rugs from India
Activity 6: My family
Ask students to draw and label their family. Give opportunities for the children to talk about their family and what activities they do together.
Discuss with the class the definition of family. Are families all the same? There are many different family structures, two-parent families, single parent families, extended families and families where children have been adopted or fostered. Discuss how families are similar to and different from each other.
Discuss the families of Thesaurus and Dusting. What activities do Dusting and his family do together? How are these two families similar and different from each other?
Activity 7: Family roles
Discuss how family members have different roles and responsibilities within the family. Carry out a survey in class to find out the main jobs that each person in a family has the responsibility for. Discuss any patterns that emerge from the survey.
What are the roles and responsibilities of the main characters in Worst best friends? These responsibilities may be at home, school or within friendship groups. For example Millicent is given the role of helping Miss Hodgson, their teacher, when they go on the excursion in episode 1. Why is she given this responsibility?
Activity 8: Family changes
Discuss how families change and how roles of individuals change in families over time. What are the reasons for these changes? For example, there may be the birth of a new baby, moving home, a grandparent moving in, children growing older or a parent or older brother or sister leaving home.
What changes occur to Dusting’s family when his parents go to Tamworth and Aunt Edna moves in to look after the family? How does Dusting cope with the changes? |
Posting response to Rap point 3
- prepare the response to Rap point 3 with the class.
- student/s (rap representative) type the response, edit and save.
- teacher facilitates the students/s use of the word processor and email programs.
- rap rep/s send the response to Rap point 3 once the teacher has approved the final text.
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Teaching and learning strategies for Rap wrap up
Term 2, Week 8: week beginning 19 June 2006
Rap wrap up
Rap wrap up 1:
Identify other examples of the film techniques from Rap sheet 1,and discuss how media codes and conventions help us to understand the story (narrative) and characters in Worst best friends.
Rap wrap up 2:
At the end of episode 5 Thesaurus talks about friends. ‘Eddie was never going to make friends with anyone…I don’t know what makes people friends…sometimes you can be friends without liking each other’
Discuss how your class feels about Thesaurus’s ideas on friendship.
Post your responses to the rap.
Focus outcomes
Teachers may choose which activities they do for each rap point.
Each KLA should be addressed
| English teaching and learning strategies |
PDHPE teaching and learning strategies
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Episode 5 – Eddie’s undies
Lesson description: Push and shove
There’s a new kid on the block – Eddie! He’s big, he’s tough…and he eats bugs! There are several interesting film techniques used in this episode. Some are mentioned in the Film technique notes for Worst best friends.
Activity 7: Film techniques
At the beginning and end of each episode Thesaurus speaks to us (the viewer) in first person (via a stream of consciousness).
Why is this technique used by the script writer (draw attention to Thesaurus’ name – what is a thesaurus?)
What are some of topics Thesaurus talks about at these times?
Prepare the response to Rap wrap up 1 |
Episode 5 – Eddie’s undies
Activity 9: Resolving conflict
Encourage students to talk about some of the conflicts they have with brothers, sisters, members of their family and friends. Are they similar or different? How do they solve their conflicts?
Discuss ways of dealing with conflict situations with friends. Some ways may be: apologising and saying sorry; to compromise by both giving up something; sharing; putting it off and waiting until the anger passes; forgetting it if possible; or getting help from a third party to help decide what to do.
Activity 10: Strategies for conflict resolution
Revisit with the class their definition of bullying and the types of bullying. Discuss with them ways of dealing with bullying and conflict.
For example the value of using ‘I’ statements as an assertive way of communicating how you feel about something unpleasant like bullying. Students could use role-plays to help them practise this skill by using the following format.
1. identify the behaviour
- when someone calls you names
2. say how this makes you feel
3. say what you would like to happen
- please don’t call me names
4. say how this would help everyone
- everyone will be happier if name calling doesn’t happen.
The class could also discuss the use of the NSW DET Five Steps to Conflict Resolution
- say what the problem is
- brainstorm ways to solve the problem
- choose an option that is a win-win for everyone
- try out the option
- check how well the problem was solved.
Discuss the way Millicent dealt with Eddie’s bullying. Do you think that this was the best way to deal with the situation in light of what you have learned about conflict resolution. Did other characters deal with his bullying in a different way?
Prepare the response to Rap wrap up 2 as set out below. |
Posting response to Rap wrap up 1 and 2
- prepare both the responses to Rap wrap up with the class
- student/s (rap representative) type the response, edit and save.
- teacher facilitates the students/s use of the word processor and email programs.
- rap rep/s send the responsesto Rap wrap up once the teacher has approved the final text.
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Credits
Thank you to Charmayne Hodgman, Assistant Principal, teacher-librarian, and Head of English at Mona Vale PS, and to Di Twetyman, Assistant Principal and Head of PDHPE at Mona Vale PS, for developing the material. Thanks also to Annalies van Westenbrugge, Project Officer English, Curriculum K–12 Directorate and Darren Neagle, Senior Curriculum Advisor PDHPE, Curriculum K–12 Directorate.
Additional resources provided by the School Libraries and Information Literacy unit.
This rap is a joint project of the School Libraries and Information Literacy and English and PDHPE Units, Curriculum K–12 Directorate.
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