Year three

Subjects: English, Maths, Art

Teacher: Miss Webb

Duration: three weeks

Preliminary stage:
General Capabilities
(GC)
Cross-curriculum
priorities (CCP)

Critical and creative

thinking

Literacy

Numeracy

ICT

Ethical behaviour
Aboriginal and Torres
Straight Islander histories
and cultures

Personal and Social

Intercultural understanding

Asia and Australias

engagement with Asia

Sustainability.

Strands and sub strands:

Subjects
Maths

English

Art

Content Descriptors

Proficiency strand

Make models of threeMeasure, order and compare

dimensional objects and
objects using familiar metric
describe key features
units of length, mass and
(ACMMG063)
capacity (ACMMG061)
Create imaginative texts based on characters, settings and events
from students own and other cultures using visual features, for
example perspective, distance and angle (ACELT1601); Plan, draft
and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts
demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language
features and selecting print, and multimodal elements appropriate
to the audience and purpose (ACELY1682); Identify the point of
view in a text and suggest alternative points of view (ACELY1675);
Listen to and contribute to conversations and discussions to share
information and ideas and negotiate in collaborative situations
(ACELY1676)

Understanding: using
appropriate language to
communicate

Problem solving: making models

of three-dimensional objects

Literature

Literacy

Investigation of the visual

Explore and experiment with

Extend their awareness of visual

Responses to their own and

elements, in conjunction with the

properties and qualities of
different materials (ACAVAM111)

Achievement Standard
from all subjects
included in unit.

others' artworks reflecting on the

use of artistic elements, using
visual arts terminology
(ACAVAR113)

conventions, and observe

closely visual detail as they use
materials, techniques and
technologies and processes in
visual arts forms
Students use metric units for length, mass and capacity. Students make models of three-dimensional objects. List possible
outcomes. They read texts that contain varied sentence structures, a range of punctuation conventions, and images that provide
additional information. They select information, ideas and events in texts that relate to their own lives and to other texts. Their
texts include writing and images to express and develop in some detail experiences, events, information, ideas and characters.
Students create a range of texts for familiar and unfamiliar audiences. They contribute actively to class and group discussions,
asking questions, providing useful feedback and making presentations. Students collaborate to plan and make artworks that are
inspired by artworks they experience. They use visual conventions, techniques and processes to communicate their ideas.

Understanding by design stage 1: Desired results

visual conventions such as line,

shape, colour and texture to
develop an individual approach
to a theme or subject matter

Knowledge and skills

Learning outcomes: Students will be able to explain and acknowledge Knowledge and understanding:
the differences in Christmas celebrations and use this to create a new
Students are expected to learn that people are different all around the
multi cultural christmas.
world. They are then using these differences to show them in a positive
light.
Students will be able to describe the defining features, compare (with
Students are using a combination of English, mathematics and art to
words and measurement), put together and create objects (decorations explore and celebrate the differences around the world at Christmas
and toys) of/ from 3D shapes.
time.
Students will be able to explain, share (through creative, imaginative
and informative text), and compare the different ways that the world
celebrates Christmas through a range of activities.
Students are able to use artistic skills learnt previously (colour, line,
shape) with the combination of using different materials to create
Christmas decorations that convey meaning and a desired effect and

Skills
Thinking skills: gaining fact, ideas and vocabulary. Making meaning,
communicating and interpreting. Application, synthesizing, evaluation,
metacognition. (IBO, 2009)
Social skills: respecting others, cooperating, and group roles and

use artistic terminology to share these intentions.

decision-making. (IBO, 2009)

Deep understandings: Students will be able communicate that our

world is a different and engaging place to be in and that people from
around the world are different, even on the holy day of Christmas.

Communication skills: Speaking and listening, effective body

language, reading, presenting and viewing. (IBO, 2009)

Essential questions: What do you think the world does on Christmas

eve? If you had a choice, how would you celebrate Christmas? Why do
we celebrate Christmas? Why do other countries celebrate differently?

Self- management skills: fine motor skills, spatial awareness,

organization, and time management. (IBO, 2009)
Research skills: creating questions, observing and planning (IBO,
2009).

Understanding by design stage 2: Assessment Evidence

Year level achievement standard: Students make models of three-dimensional objects. List possible outcomes. They read texts that contain varied
sentence structures, a range of punctuation conventions, and images that provide additional information. They select information, ideas and events in texts that
relate to their own lives and to other texts. Their texts include writing and images to express and develop in some detail experiences, events, information, ideas
and characters. Students create a range of texts for familiar and unfamiliar audiences. They contribute actively to class and group discussions, asking questions,
providing useful feedback and making presentations. Students collaborate to plan and make artworks that are inspired by artworks they experience. They use
visual conventions, techniques and processes to communicate their ideas.

Performance task(s): Final action piece to the inquiry. Students must present in front of an audience their new addition to their Christmas
tradition with mention to the Catholic Church. They are assessed on their presentation skills, their 3D object that supports their new idea and how
they addressed the inquiry question Why do people celebrate Christmas differently around the world?
This is judge by a rubric that will be created and edited with the students.
Other evidence of learning: Checklists for English, Art and Mathematics. Formative feedback. Self-reflection and assessment.
Feedback: Feedback in the form of writing and in conversation through out their work in the inquiry.
Self-assessment: Students are given a template. See week three Wednesday

Stage 3: Learning plan

Learning environment: Where can this learning best occur? How can the physical environment be arranged to enhance learning?
Students are seated in groups for collaboration
Enough room to move around the classroom to receive materials.
Work will be displayed as it is finished. World map will be visible and as students visit the country with their passports, they mark it with
an interesting fact and picture. Students can also mark these if they find information in their own time.
Christmas prayers (catholic school)
Music player for Christmas music.
Shape charts, word walls, etc.
Engaging students at the beginning of the unit.
Discussing students ideas of Christmas and what they already know.
What is it that they do at Christmas time?
Creating a count down to Christmas.
Creating around the world Christmas passports.
WEEK ONE
Time
8:25- 8:40

Monday

8:40-9:40

Library

9:40- 10:40

Science

Tuesday

Wednesday
Thursday
Morning routine (homework and reading)
Handwriting
Star of the week
Music
Italian
Health
Tuning in:
Hook: Students are
Phys-ed
Hook: Students look at
presented with a
pictures from Christmas selection of shapes.
from around the world
Some 2D some 3D.
looking at the different
They are asked to pick
patterns, shape and
one each and then try
symmetry.
and find someone with

Friday
Assembly
Italian
Continuation from
previous day.

10:40-11:05
11:05- 12:05
12:05-12:45

Tuning in:
Hook: Students are
given a variety of
objects to view. They
discuss what they have
in common (Christmas)

1. Give students one

picture between
pairs.
2. Ask students to
identify shapes that
they can see and list
and draw the
shapes on another
piece of paper.
3. Share what they
have found in
groups.
Tuning in:
Hook: Read the book
The Grinch who stole
Christmas.

a commonality. This
becomes their partner.
1. Students are given a
range of 2D shapes
made from
construction paper.
2. They are to make
2D shapes into 3D
shapes. Teacher
gives example.
Students are
allowed
to make up
Recess
Finding out:
Hook: Students will
share on the mat the
different customs they
do at Christmas.

Finding out:
Hook: Students will
view pictures of the UK
at Christmas time.
Discussing what they
can see.

Finding out
Hook: Show students
snow globes.
1. Watch video on how
snow globes first
originated.
2. Students are told
the following
imagine you are far

12:45-1:25
1:25-1:50

1. Students are asked

to create a list of
what they want for
Christmas.
2. Students create lists
3. Students share list
with partner.
4. Students are then
asked to create a
text on their ideal
Christmas.
5. Students share in
their groups what
they have written
Conclusion: One

During: Why was the

Grinch so upset about
Christmas?
End: Why did the
Grinch like Christmas in
the end?
1. Students then write
a short imaginative
text from the
perspectives of the
Grinch.
2. Students do music
mingle to share
stories
3. Students edit work.

Silent reading

Technology

1. Exploring Christmas
in Australia, reading
six white boomers
lyrics.
2. Discussing Why do
you think it is
boomers?
3. Discuss what the
class does for
Christmas. What is
our Catholic
tradition?
4. Create a song about
your experiences of
Christmas in
Lunch
Religion

1. Travelling on
passportReading facts on
the UK
Christmas
traditions (UK
the tradition of
leaving fruit
mine pies and
boxing day).
2. Use graphic
organizer to
compare UK
traditions to
Australian
Hook: watch a video on

away, where the air

is cold and you can
smell the pine, and
show me what you
see.
3. Imagine if this were
inside a snow globe.
What would you
see, feel, hear?
4. Students create
draft snow globe
asking, if I was
stuck in a snow
globe Students
will be given a round
Spelling
Silent reading

where boxing day

started.
1. Discuss what we
would need to
create boxes similar
to this.
2. Show students a
variety of nets. Ask
students to identify
what net we would
use to make the
box.
3. Students get their
own net and
decorate to the facts
they learnt about the
UK tradition.
4. Students cut and
create box.
Conclusion: class
discussion on the
features of the box.
How many faces?
How many edges? Is
it a cube or a
rectangular prism?
Why?
This runs into the next
day of maths. The
content above is to be
divided into the two

Religion

1:50-2:00

Pack, stack and clean

Religion- Birth of Jesus

2:00-3:05

Pack, stack and clean

Religion
Pack, stack and clean

Time
8:25- 8:40

Monday

Tuesday

8:40-9:40

Library

9:40- 10:40

Science

Sport

days.
Pack, stack and clean
Hymn singing

Finishing off
Pack, stack and clean

WEEK TWO
Wednesday
Thursday
Morning routine (homework and reading)
Handwriting
Star of the week
Music
Italian
Health
Finding out
Continuation from
Phys-ed
Hook: Mystery bag with
previous day.
a cube inside. Go round
Discuss the similarities
and ask students to feel
and differences
what is in the bag.
between our advent
Class discussion on
calendars and the
what they felt. Then ask
German ones.
if any students want to
Take a picture and put
guess what the object
into passport.
is.
1. Discuss the features
of a cube.
2. Look at pictures of
where cubes have
been used.
Including an advent
calendar.
3. Create cubes for the
advent calendar
messages. Design
is their choice.

Friday
Assembly
Italian
Continuation from
previous lesson

10:40-11:05
11:05- 12:05
12:05-12:45

Conclusion: share
what it is they know
about cubes. What 2D
shapes can they see?
How many edges?
Continue onto next
Finding out
Hook: Students listen to
a story from Grandma
Webb (video) on what
Christmas in Germany
was like as a child.
1. Further explore
Germany at
Christmas time by
reading about
advent calendar
traditions
2. Create hand written
messages for
advent calendar.
Conclusion: Discuss
the differences and
similarities in a German
Christmas to our own.
Fill in reflection in

Continuing German
tradition with the
creation of the
Christmas tree
Finding out
Hook: Look at various
different Christmas
trees from around the
world.
1. Class discussion on
where they think the
Christmas tree
originated from
2. Give students an
information pack
each on the
origination of
Christmas trees.
3. Class discussion on
findings.

Recess
Finding out
Hook: Students are to
read a story on
Christmas in Paris.
1. Students go to a
blank page in their
passport and are
Travelling on
passport to Paris.
2. Reading facts and a
story on Christmas
in Paris (shoes
under the chimney)
3. Creating a letter to
Pere Noel on what
they would like for
Christmas.
Conclusion: Class
discussion on letters.
Fill in reflection in

Finding out
Hook: watching a video
story on Babbo Natele.
1. Discuss the video.
Where does Babbo
Natele originate?
What did the story
say? When does
Babbo Natele
come?
2. Create a Venn
diagram comparing
our Christmas to the
Italian Christmas.
3. Create an
imaginative text on
the adventures of
Novena. Including
information that was
learnt from the video

Continue snow globe

activity. Sharing with
peers the ideas and
meaning behind their art
piece. What were they
trying to convey? Create
the final piece using
clear plastic baubles.
Insert picture inside,
with coconut for snow.
Spelling

passport
Assessment: English
checklist

12:45-1:25
1:25-1:50

Silent reading

4. Create an
informative text on
the origination of
Christmas trees.
Conclusion: What have
we learnt today?
Add to passport.
Assessment: English
Technology

passport
Assessment: Work
sample/ English
checklist

Lunch
Religion

and the Venn

diagram.
Conclusion: What were
some of the
differences? Is
Christmas still about the
birth of Jesus Christ?
When did they get
Hook: Class discussion:
If we had to give a
Christmas tree a shape,
what would it be? Is it
2D? Or 3D?
1. Discuss the features
of a cone. Why
could we make a
cone into a tree?
What similarities do
they have? Faces,
point, base etc.
2. Choose the most
appropriate net to

Silent reading
Religion

make a cone.
Create a cone from
3D net.
4. Decorate cone into
a traditional German
tree.
Conclusion: What id
we learn about shapes
3.

1:50-2:00
2:00-3:05

Pack, stack and clean

Religion
Pack, stack and clean

Religion
Pack, stack and clean

Sport

Pack, stack and clean

Hymn singing

Finishing off
Pack, stack and clean

WEEK THREE
Time
8:25- 8:40

Monday

8:40-9:40

Library

9:40- 10:40

Science

Tuesday

Wednesday
Thursday
Morning routine (homework and reading)
Handwriting
Star of the week
Music
Italian
Health
Sorting out
Going further
Phys-ed
Hook: Exploring
Hook: Shapes celebrity
different decorations
heads. What shape am
from Christmas. What
I?
shapes can you see?
1. Using your
1. Match the nets to
knowledge of shape

Friday
Assembly
Italian
Creating a class
Christmas tree with 3D
shape nets.
Assessment: Work
sample/ Maths checklist

their shapes.
2. Discuss what
characteristics lead
you to these
choices.
3. Sort 3D shapes into
groups based on
their features.
4. Discuss sorting
process.
Conclusion: Class
discussion on where we
10:40-11:05
11:05- 12:05
12:05-12:45

Sorting out
Hook: Students watch
video on how people
celebrate Christmas
around the world.

Going further
Hook: Students are
read the story of the first
Christmas. Discuss how
this influences our
tradition today?

nets to create a
draft/plan of a toy/
decoration that
encompasses what
they have learnt
about Christmas
around the world.
2. Share ideas with
peers using a
combination of
music mingle and
PMI.
Recess
Reflection
Hook: Students will
then reflect on their
experience of Christmas
around the world by
doing a beach ball
reflection (Lutzke,

Action
Hook: Students do a
few drama exercises to
warm up before
presenting their idea.

Hook: View museums

online and look at their
displays. Discuss what
you can see.
1. Students examine
their work and
brainstorm what

12:45-1:25

1. Discussion on why
we celebrate
Christmas.
2. Compare two
countries from
around the world
and research on
computers and
organize information
into a fish bone
organizer in groups
of three. Template
available for
fishbone organizer.
Key word search
Christmas in

1. Choose aspects
from other countries
that they really
enjoyed and create
a plan to promote
this into their
Christmas traditions
using a brainstorm.
2. Students make
connections to their
new idea to the
church and how it
celebrates the
Catholic Church.
Adding to
brainstorm.

2012). The questions to

engage students in their
reflection:
a) How well do I think I
did in my work?
b) What might I change
if I had to do it
again?
c) What did I do really
well?
d) What was the most
interesting thing I
found?
e) What did I find
difficult?
f) Why did
I pick this
Lunch

1. Students take turns

presenting their
tradition and the
object they made in
maths, and snow
globe to the class. 5
minutes each.
Continues to next
day
Conclusion: Peer
feedback
Assessment: Rubric.

they liked about it

using artistic terms.
2. Creating a
showcase of their
snow globes and
creating a blurb to
describe what it
means.
3. Examine others
work using artistic

Spelling

1:25-1:50
1:50-2:00
2:00-3:05

Silent reading

Religion
Technology

Religion
Pack, stack and clean

Religion
Pack, stack and clean

Pack, stack and clean

Sport

Continuing
presentations.
Pack, stack and clean
Hymn singing

Silent reading
Religion
Finishing off
Pack, stack and clean

This learning segment is based upon the classroom I have for my professional experience. I
wanted to make this UBD as realistic and usable as possible. The topic the class is doing
whilst I am there is Christmas. I wanted this to be as interesting as possible and connect to
the world. This is why I have designed a Christmas around the world approach. I have
created lessons that have been designed to build upon students prior knowledge, interest,
needs and backgrounds using the Kath Murdoch model of inquiry (Murdoch, 2010).
Students will receive feedback throughout the inquiry and for their summative assessment.
The focus is for students to see that Christmas is different all around the world, which our
differences make us interesting and fascinating. This was difficult in mathematics, as the
teacher had chosen to do 3D shapes. However, Christmas is full of different shapes,
students could learn about the 3D shapes, and then creates them into decorations based
upon their experiences of Christmas around the world.
The theory behind my UBD was to make it engaging and student centred as well as inquiry
based similar to the International Baccalaureate (IBO, 2009) approach. I wanted students to
go through the basis of the Kath Murdoch Model (Murdoch, 2010). The inquiry question is
why do people around the world celebrate Christmas in different ways? The lessons then
follow this model. This includes students being tuned into the idea of Christmas (asking what
do they want from Christmas, and creating a Christmas passport), followed by finding out
(learning about a series of different countries and their celebrations), then students sorting
out their information (looking for what aspects of other countries were similar to ours), going
further (students create a list of the things they would like to include in our Christmas that
they have learnt along the way), students reflect on their work (this process I have continual
through out the inquiry in their passports), and finally taking action, where student create a
presentation on what our Christmas could gain from different cultures.
Students learning and conceptual understanding is built upon throughout the tasks. I have
created these lessons in a sequential and scaffolded manner so that students would be able
to create big ideas from a variety of understandings. For example, the inquiry approach I
have used develops students learning in a manner that takes them through learning about
their own idea of Christmas, finding out about others, exploring the similarities and then
looking into ways to make a multicultural Christmas in a positive perspective. The learning is
scaffolded from their existing knowledge then built upon with other concepts.

Students acquisition skills and reasoning skills are also developed in this sequence of
lessons. Students are actively communicating, sharing, reading and searching to acquire
information to create new and exciting ideas and concepts. They are reasoning the
information the have received, and the patterns and connections they have made in their
learning. These lessons are engaging students in higher order thinking in engaging activities.
Teaching strategies such as, fish bone organizers, PMIs and Y charts are used to acquire
and reason more ideas and concepts.
My lessons were based upon the class I have for my professional experience. I have catered
to the students interests, backgrounds and needs in a variety of ways. One need that is
essential is the partially deaf student will be and needs to be seated at the front of the
classroom. This is to ensure the best chance of hearing. The interests of the students have
been thought of and addressed when creating these lessons. For example, including their
perspectives on Christmas (writing a list, making their ideal Christmas, their own creative
decorations, etc.) Finally the backgrounds of the students are Catholic, although this is
school policy it is still a background that needs to be treated with respect.
The assessments in my plan include formative feedback, a self- reflection and a summative
assessment on their action piece. The formative assessments will be done by student
samples (as indicated on UBD). The collection of student work will be discussed between
teacher and student to gain feedback on learning and teaching. The self-reflection is
designed so that students will be able to evaluate their own learning experiences. They will
be asked what they did well, what needs work and what they believe was the most
interesting part of their learning experience was. The summative assessment is on a range
of skills developed throughout the inquiry. Each of these assessments is designed to meet
and reflect the learning objectives. For example, the learning objective for one lesson is to
demonstrate how people in Paris celebrate Christmas by creating a letter on what was
researched and discussed, the formative assessment would be for myself as the teacher to
view if the object was met and provide student with effect and constructive feedback as a
two way conversation
In my class I have one student with a hearing disability. During these lessons he would be
seated at the front of the classroom/ where the centre of conversation is t have the best
chance of hearing. The teacher will also wear an FM radio set to make listening easier.
Learning experiences will be slightly modified. For example, when doing group work, he
would be part of a smaller group in a quieter area.
Below is an example of a rubric I have created for my final action piece. This summative

assessment has attributes that I wanted from my learning experience and included the
schools policy on religion. I wanted to include attributes of the curriculum and relate it back
to my learning outcomes.
The feedback that I would be providing students would be constructive. I will ensure that
when I do give students feedback that I help them make plans to improve. This feedback will
always have something that they have done well with and if need be give the students
authentic and meaningful feedback. For example, good job on your letter, I really enjoy the
way you looked at the situation from a different perspective. However, we probably need
more work on our handwriting, next time you could try writing slower, or we could practice
more on your handwriting skills. What do you think? This feedback is specifically targeting
what the students have achieved well and suggested an improvement on what the student
struggled with. It also asks for the students opinion. From this the teacher and student can
make goals together.
My lesson design is created to reflect the class I have for my professional experience. It
incorporates the students needs, interests and the school policy. These lessons are
scaffolded on the students prior knowledge and are constructed to create a concept of how
people celebrate differently.

Inquiry: Why do people celebrate Christmas differently around the

Action piece: Create a presentation on what you would add to our existing
Content
=/
=]
Presentation of my work
My presentation of my information
My presentation of my info
was untidy.
was tidy and somewhat su
Presentation of self
my information.
I was not wearing appropriate
clothing.
I was wearing some appr
clothing.
The inquiry action piece and its
I did not show evidence of why we
I did show some evidence o
content and evidence
celebrate Christmas in the Catholic
celebrate Christmas in the
church (birth of Jesus Christ).
church (birth of Jesus C
Inclusion of our Catholic church.
The content I used for my final action The content I used for my fi
piece did not match the question.
piece matched the question
sufficient evidence
I did not include any mention of our
Catholic church.
I did include mention of our
church once.

Communicating with my audience

Flow of the presentation

When I spoke, I did not speak very

loudly/ too loudly and I was not
understandable.
My presentation did not flow well and

When I spoke, it was som

the right level of sound, an
somewhat understand
My presentation did flow w

Comments from Miss Webb.

Comments to Miss Webb

was hard to follow.

was somewhat easy to
Here is where the teacher would give students written

Here is where students will give feedb

I would like a meeting with Miss Webb about my results

yes or no

References
International Baccalaureate. (2009). The primary years programme a basis for practice. Retrieved from
http://www.ibo.org
Lutzke, N. (2012, July 30). Back to school. Retrieved from
http://uncommontothecore.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/monday-made-it-7.html
Murdoch, K. (2010). An overview of the Integrated Inquiry planning model. Retrieved from
http://www.kathmurdoch.com.au/fileadmin/_migrated/content_uploads/murdochmodelforinquiry2010.pdf