Suggested sequence of teaching strategies

Provide an overview of the unit and clarify the purpose and content of the rap.

Explain to students how they will discuss and respond to a text with their classmates and students in other schools.

Read the text with students, providing opportunities for students to respond to potential meanings in the story. Focus on the written text and the illustrations.

Possible activities

Discuss the cover; predict story line, possible complications and potential solutions using front and back illustrations, title, knowledge of the author’s style and so on, before reading.
After the initial reading ask the students: Who is sitting in each chair? and Who do you think belongs in the empty one?

Discuss the function of an old people’s home: why old people need to live there; what people do there; what these homes are like.

Draw on the students’ personal experiences and talk about their relationships with older people: what they like about them; what they share and do together.

Relate their comments to Wilfrid’s relationship with the other characters. Discussion questions could include: Do the old people like him? How do we know this? Why? How do we know that Wilfrid likes them? How are old people that you know similar and different? What can old people show us, teach us or help us with? What can we show, teach and help them with? TS1.1

1. Inform students that they will communicate their ideas to other students by uploading to the ‘Comments’ section of a blog (also know as ‘web log’). Explain rap lingo or terminology to students.
   
   
2. In order for the class to construct an introductory comment, clarify the purpose of the introductory comment, identifying the audience and discussing the detail required to achieve the purpose. List appropriate voice, modality, greeting and email signature, for example. The blog post would include the school’s name, location, size of group and any other interesting features of the school or class. Using correct blog and Book rap etiquette (see Book rap FAQs for further details), post the class introduction to the rap.
   
   
3. For further information about this rap contact Cath.Keane@det.nsw.edu.au or by phone (02) 9886 7501.
   
   
4. Access, read and discuss email introductions from other rappers, and locate these schools on the Rap maps. Students might wish to respond to other rappers’ introductions on the Wilfrid blog.
   
   
5. If time is available, complete the optional activity:

Optional activity

Investigate biographical backgrounds of the author and illustrator. Visit the author and illustrator Internet sites for background information.

For further ideas refer to Grandma and Grandpa English K-6 teaching kit, later Stage 1. NSW Board of Studies, 1994. Details provided in Additional resources.

Posting response to Introductory Rap point

1. prepare the response to Introductory rap point with the class
   
   
2. student/s (rap representative) word process the response, edit and save.
   
   
3. teacher facilitates the student/s use of the word processor and blogging procedures to post the response to Introductory rap point once the teacher has approved the final text.