Spotlight on Learning Waratah 1 & 2

Informative Newspaper Articles

In English, Waratah 1 and 2 students have been exploring the features of informative texts by planning, drafting and publishing newspaper articles about our most common natural disaster in Australia - Bushfires. With a focus on factual language, noun groups, and clear structure, students selected significant events such as the Black Saturday or Black Summer bushfires to report on. They carefully considered how to inform their audience using accurate information and a neutral tone, while also learning to use direct quotes, subheadings and formal vocabulary.

Perspective – Young Dark Emu

Students engaged critically with Bruce Pascoe’s Young Dark Emu by analysing and responding to the powerful quote featured on the book’s cover: "[Young Dark Emu] is the most important book on Australia and should be read by every Australian” – Marcia Langton. After discussing what this quote meant to them personally and whether they agreed or disagreed, students created their own multimodal texts in response. These included posters, songs, poems, digital slideshows, podcasts and even a short drama performance. The task encouraged students to integrate different modes of communication to express their perspective and deepen their understanding of the text’s themes.

Multimodal Identity Collage - Art

In Art, students began creating identity collage artworks using a black and white portrait photo of themselves as the focal point. They carefully selected and arranged cut-out words, letters, and images from magazines and newspapers that represent different aspects of their identity—interests, values, culture and personality. This art activity was designed to complement our English focus on multimodal texts, allowing students to express meaning through both visual and verbal elements. While the collages are still in progress, they are already demonstrating powerful connections between self-expression and layered composition across learning areas.