MARC Library
Unit of Work: Term 2
2013
AUTHOR STUDY: Duncan Ball
CHARACTER STUDY: Selby and Emily Eyefinger
Learning Focus
Literacy Skills:
· Further develop an understanding of adjectives
· Further improve ability to express a point of view during a whole class discussion
· Further develop comprehension skills and their understanding of the author’s purpose
· Identify and isolate the main idea in a given story
· Be able to accurately create a comic strip with humour
· Be able to compare the physical characteristics and personality of characters using a VENN diagram
· Be able to write a narrative using the correct structure of this text type
Personal Learning:
· To further develop an understanding of the importance of goal setting in order to achieve ultimate success in life- relate to the goal setting of an author
· To be able to identify the special qualities that define a successful author: determined, passionate, hardworking, confident, organised, persistent, never gives up, follows his or her dream, follows his or her heart, etc
· To understand and respect that we are all individuals with our own unique identity
· Gain an understanding of the importance of having high self-esteem and confidence in order to become successful people
· Demonstrate the ability to work co-operatively in a group situation
Library Skills:
· To demonstrate the ability to access YouTube and refine their search for clips relating to a given topic
· To demonstrate the ability to access the Internet to research information on a given topic
· Understand the difference between fiction and non-fiction books and be able to locate Duncan Ball’s on a library shelf
Years 3-6
Lesson 1Selby’s Secret
By Duncan Ball / Learning Intention:
For students to gain an understanding of what makes a successful author.
Success Criteria:
Be able to give a comprehensive response to a series of questions about Duncan Ball’s life as an author and how he goes about creating his characters for his books. / Lesson Plan
Ascertain the students’ prior knowledge of Duncan Ball and the books he has written.
List their responses on the whiteboard.
Explain that Duncan Ball is an author of children’s books and has created two very popular characters: Selby and Emily Eyefinger.
Show students the range of 16 books that Duncan Ball has written in the Selby series. Place on display.
View a Youtube clip showing Duncan Ball working in his studio.
Individual Task
Students’ complete an individual response sheet to a series of questions about Duncan Ball as an author. Share responses with other students in a whole class discussion.
Whole Class Discussion
How many books has he written in the Selby series?
How many books has he written in the Emily Eyefinger series?
Why do you think he has written so many books in each series?
What did you notice about his studio? Why do you think he enjoyed writing here?
If you were an author, would you choose to write in a studio like his? Why? Why not? Explain.
Read ‘Selby’s Secret’ by Duncan Ball:
· Selby’s Secret / Requirements
Access to the Internet:
Youtube clip- Duncan Ball in his studio
Worksheet- response to Youtube clip about Duncan Ball
Selby’s Secret
By Duncan Ball
A selection of Selby books
Lesson 2
Selby’s Secret
By Duncan Ball / Learning Intention:
Be able to create an exhaustive list of adjectives to describe given characters.
Success Criteria:
Be able to make a list of adjectives to describe each of the main characters. Be able to find examples or events in the story to support describing words. / Lesson Plan
Revisit what happened in the first chapter of Selby’s Secret read in the previous lesson.
Whole Class Discussion
What personality traits does Selby have? Why do you think young readers love Selby?
What makes a story humorous? How do characters, structure and choice of language influence the reader’s reaction?
Read ‘Selby’s Secret’ by Duncan Ball:
· Aunt Jetty Drops In
· Wild West Willy Rides Again
Whole Class Activity
Divide students into groups of three. Give each group an A3 sheet of coloured cardboard with a character’s name on it:
· Selby
· Mrs Trifle
· Dr Trifle
· Aunt Jetty
· Willy
Each group is to make a list of words to describe each character. Focus on their physical appearance as well as their personality.
Share with other class members. Students must provide examples from the story to support the different adjectives they have listed.
Individual Task
Make own list of words that best describe Selby. Write these around a picture of Selby.
Read ‘Selby’s Secret’ by Duncan Ball:
· By the Skin of his Teeth / Requirements
Selby’s Secret
by Duncan Ball
A3 sheets of coloured cardboard with a character’s name listed on it
Worksheet: picture of Selby
Lesson 3
Selby’s Secret
By Duncan Ball / Learning Intention:
Be able to identify the features of a comic strip and apply this knowledge in making their own.
Success Criteria:
Be able to read the text in a given comic and add the cartoon illustrations so that it is humorous and makes sense. / Lesson Plan
Read ‘Selby’s Secret’ by Duncan Ball:
· A Snake in the Grasp
· Too Many Cooks
Whole Class Discussion
Focus a whole class discussion on the humour that is portrayed in Duncan Ball’s Selby series. Discus the importance of Allan Stomann’s cartoon illustrations in adding to the humour in the Selby books.
What else do you read that provides humour through the text as well as cartoons?
Show students some comic strips (downloaded from the Internet, enlarged and laminated). Discuss the features and make a list on the whiteboard:
· Humorous/Funny
· Conversation/Dialogue
· Keep it simple
· Only a few characters
· Speech bubbles/Thinking bubbles
· Setting the scene boxes
· Cartoon illustrations
· 3 panels
Individual Task
Give the students a copy of a cartoon about two aliens coming to Earth. The aliens meet Selby in the park. The cartoon only has the text with speech bubbles, thinking bubbles and setting the scene boxes. The students need to add the cartoon illustrations. / Requirements
Whiteboard
Selby Secret
by Duncan Ball
Enlarged and laminated copies of comic strips downloaded from the Internet, e.g Orford
Student activity sheet: Selby and the Aliens
Lesson 4
Selby’s Secret
By Duncan Ball / Learning Intention:
Be able to identify the features of a comic strip and apply this knowledge in making their own.
Success Criteria:
Be able to create a comic strip about Selby using three panels. The comic strip must include at least 2 characters, cartoon drawings, speech bubbles or thinking bubbles, setting the scene boxes, as well as interesting dialogue between the characters to make the reader laugh. / Lesson Plan
Read ‘Selby’s Secret’ by Duncan Ball:
· Selby’s Secret Hangs in the Balance
· The Shampooed Pooch
Revisit the features of a comic strip. Make a list on the whiteboard.
Teacher Demonstration
Demonstrate how to create a comic strip. Draw 3 panels on the whiteboard. Explain that the characters in the comic strip are Selby and Aunt Jetty and that the story is set in the Trifle’s kitchen. Add the text to each of the panels and then draw the speech bubbles, thinking bubbles or setting boxes around the text. Add cartoon illustrations.
After teacher demonstration, students are to complete a rough copy of a comic strip. The comic strip must show an episode involving Selby and another character.
Make a list of possible ideas on the whiteboard:
Characters: Selby and………. another character from the novel, another talking animal, a pet, Garfield, yourself, AFL footballer, etc.
Setting: the zoo, on the farm, at the MCG, at school, in the classroom, at home, in a car, etc.
Individual Task
Give each student a strip of A3 sized paper with 3 panels on it. Choose characters, setting and main idea for dialogue. Create a rough copy of own comic strip, being mindful that it must be in some way humorous and encompass the features as discussed. / Requirements
Whiteboard
Selby’s Secret
By Duncan Ball
A3 strip of paper with 3 panels drawn on it
Lesson 5
Selby Speaks
By Duncan Ball / Learning Intention:
Be able to identify the features of a comic strip and apply this knowledge in making their own.
Success Criteria:
Be able to create a comic strip about Selby using three panels. The comic strip must include at least 2 characters, cartoon drawings, speech bubbles or thinking bubbles, setting the scene boxes, as well as interesting dialogue between the characters to make the reader laugh. / Lesson Plan
Read ‘Selby Speaks’ by Duncan Ball:
· Pink Panic
Explain that the Selby series does not have to be read in any particular order.
Individual Task
Continue working on comic strip. Complete a final copy on a strip of A3 white cover paper. Students can choose to leave comic strips in grey lead pencil, or use a black fine liner and coloured pencils to add to presentation. Mount on a strip of black cardboard.
Early Finishers
Draw a map of how you think Bogusville looks. Put in houses, council chambers, the newspaper offices and other place mentioned in the Selby books.
Present Comic Strips to the Whole Class- use iPad to video presentations and add the link to MARC website. / Requirements
Selby Speaks
By Duncan Ball
A3 strip of paper with 3 panels drawn on it
Black cardboard
Paper slicer
Glue sticks
Black fine liners
Coloured pencils
Lesson 6/7
Garfield: The Movie
(DVD) / Learning Intention:
For students to identify the unique characteristics of two characters and make a comparison.
Success Criteria:
Students make a list of words to describe Selby and Garfield and then create a VENN diagram comparing the two. / Lesson Plan
View Garfield: The Movie (DVD)
While watching, students write down a list of adjectives that best describe Garfield. Write these around a picture of Garfield.
Whole Class Activity
Refer back to their individual list of adjectives describing Selby, as well as list of words describing Garfield.
Create a whole class VENN diagram on the whiteboard.
Task
Create individual VENN diagram for MARC workbooks. / Requirements
Garfield: The Movie (DVD)
Whiteboard
Coloured whiteboard markers
Worksheet- VENN diagram
Lesson 8
Emily Eyefinger
By Duncan Ball / Learning Intention:
For students to understand that individuals all have their own identity and be able to identify the qualities that makes others unique and special.
Success Criteria:
Students are to accurately make a list of words to describe the inner and outer qualities of Emily Eyefinger, as well as list the inner and outer qualities that make them special. / Lesson Plan
View a Youtube clip: a trailer about the Emily Eyefinger book.
Show the students the range of books that have been written by Duncan Ball in the Emily Eyefinger Series. Place these on display.
Read Emily Eyefinger by Duncan Ball.
Whole Class Discussion
What makes Emily Eyefinger unique? Is it just the fact that she has an eyefinger that makes her you unique, or other there other qualities that make her special?
Encourage students to describe not only outer qualities such as her appearance, but also inner qualities such as her personality, disposition, skills likes, dislikes, etc. Focus the discussion on the importance of understanding that we are all different and need to be respected for our uniqueness.
Individual Task
1. Label an illustration of Emily with inner qualities and outer qualities.
2. Think about what makes you a unique individual. Draw a picture of yourself and label with your own inner and outer qualities.
3. Share with other class members.
Early Finishers
Have students write titles for further Eyefinger Books and create a front cover for one of these titles. / Requirements
Emily Eyefinger
by Duncan Ball
Internet Access
Youtube Clip: Emily Eyefinger Trailer
A selection of Emily Eyefinger books written by Duncan Ball
Student Activity Sheet-illustration of Emily Eyefinger
Lesson 9/10
Emily Eyefinger
By Duncan Ball / Learning Intention:
For students to be able to write a story that conveys an important message to the reader.
Success Criteria:
Be able to write a narrative about Emily Eyefinger that conveys an important life message to the reader.
Be able to construct a narrative using the correct structure of this text type. / Lesson Plan
Complete Emily Eyefinger by Duncan Ball.
Whole Class Discussion
What were the messages that Duncan Ball was trying to get across to the reader in Emily Eyefinger?
Make a list of student ideas on the whiteboard:
Friendship
Self-esteem
Respecting history artefacts
Everyone is different
Bullying
Being unique
Appearance
Whole Class Activity
Make a list of possible ideas for a story about Emily Eyefinger. Teacher revisits the correct structure of a narrative, demonstrating the planning process.
Individual Task
Students write their own narrative about Emily Eyefinger that conveys an important message to the reader.
Students share their completed narratives with other class members. Students identify the message in each narrative.
Compile all class narratives and make a whole class book of short stories about Emily Eyefinger.
Early Finishers
Have students write titles for further Eyefinger Books and create a front cover for one of these titles. / Requirements
Emily Eyefinger
by Duncan Ball
Whiteboard
A selection of Emily Eyefinger books
Book binder
As a conclusion to our unit of work, Year 3-6 students are to attend the Emily Eyefinger Stage Show which is to be performed at the Warrnambool Lighthouse Theatre on Tuesday August 27th (Term 3).