English
Unpacking Texts
In previous issues we have taken the opportunity to discuss the types of comprehension skills students develop at St Anthony's. As a part of this students are exposed to a great variety of texts every day. Texts can include songs, videos, articles, websites, essays, poems, persuasive pieces, letters and much more!
In saying this we still love to explore text in the most traditional sense with books and novels. For today's issue we will look at some of the texts that are currently being used across the classes in our school.
Not Me! by Elise Gravel
Each class in the school has read this cute book with an important message!
At different year levels students were asked to reflect on the repeated phrases such as 'not me' 'not true' and 'not fair'. They discussed how these might apply to our everyday lives, including when it may be time to take responsibility for our actions.
I love you, Michael Collins by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Students in Year 3/4 are currently reading this novel as a whole class text, linked to our Integrated Unit on Earth and Space Science. Set during the eve of the 1969 Mission to the Moon, Mamie's class are asked to write letters to one of the three astronauts heading off on the Apollo 11. Mamie feels sorry that every other student picks Buzz Aldrin or Neil Armstrong, but she soon finds out that Michael Collins has to stay on the spacecraft and doesn't get to walk the moon.
Students are finding as they read that even though the entire novel takes place in the letters Mamie writes to Michael, the content is very much more about her own life at school and at home. Students have been practicing making connections while reading, while also contemplating how life is very different in 2023 to what Mamie is experiencing 53 years ago!
Longer novels are an excellent way for students in the middle and senior school to unpack themes over a period of time. The best stories have many interesting points and cliff hangers meaning there are many moments where the children implore teachers to read one more chapter!
In Year Five and Six novels are unpacked through Literature Circles where students are given defined roles before meeting together in their group of peers who are reading the same text. These roles may involve unpacking the language of what has just been read, summarising events or even posing open ended questions to discuss the text amongst the group. A couple of the texts the Year Five and Six students are working through can be found below!
A Place Called Perfect by Helena Duggan
A book about a town that seems too good to be true. When Violet and her family move there, they uncover a hidden secret. With the help of a new friend named Boy, Violet goes on an amazing adventure to solve the town's mysteries and protect its people from a scary danger.
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
This book series began when some of our staff were still at school! There is a reason it is still beloved today though as it features a mix of the cool criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl and fantasy elements such as fairies and other mystical creatures. This was recently made into a movie as well, so offers the opportunity to reflect from text to text!
Finally a big thank you!
We love unpacking different types of text at St Anthony's and see the reward of our students further develop their reading and comprehension skills.
We have recently purchased new sets of Decodable Readers for our current Prep class, but this is also a resource that can be used for many years into the future.
These are bright, colourful books, that explain new letter sound combinations to our students who are beginning to read. Students adore reading these in class and taking them home to practice too.
Our school was able to purchase these new books because of the wonderful fundraising efforts of our PFA, as well as the generosity and engagement of all members of our community who participated in fundraising efforts. Both staff and students are very grateful, so again thank you to our PFA!
We look forward to continuing working through different types of text across the school, and as I mentioned earlier, hopefully not left to wait too long before finding out if our hero will be ok through a cliffhanger!
Take care everyone!
Tim O'Mahoney
English Leader
tomahoney@santglen.catholic.edu.au