Lesson Overview

This 60-minute lesson is designed for Year 3 students in Australia, focusing on reading comprehension aligned with the Australian Curriculum (v9) English content descriptor EN2-RECOM-01. Students will read Little J and Big Cuz: The Stormy Night by Adam Thompson and The Little Refugee by Anh Do. The lesson develops students' ability to identify similarities and differences within and between texts, making text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections.

Learning Objectives

• Read and comprehend texts for wide purposes using knowledge of text structures and language by monitoring comprehension (AC v9, EN2-RECOM-01).
• Identify similarities and compare differences within and between texts by making text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections.
• Develop critical thinking about characters, events, and themes in texts relevant to their own experiences and wider world knowledge.

Australian Curriculum Links

• EN2-RECOM-01: Reads and comprehends texts for wide purposes using knowledge of text structures and language, and by monitoring comprehension.
• Referenced from AC v9 English Year 3 content description and elaborations.
• Emphasis on comparing and contrasting ideas across texts from AC v9 elaborations.

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Class Size: 27

Duration: 60 minutes

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Lesson Plan Details

Materials Needed

• Little J and Big Cuz: The Stormy Night by Adam Thompson (print or digital copies)
• The Little Refugee by Anh Do (print or digital copies)
• Whiteboard and markers or digital interactive board
• Venn diagram worksheets
• Writing materials for students
• Chart paper for group work

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction – 10 minutes

Objective: Build background knowledge and prepare students for reading.

• Engage students: Ask students if they have experienced any big storms or know anyone who has had to move to a new place (text-to-self and text-to-world connections).
• Show the covers of the two books and introduce the authors and titles.
• Briefly discuss the themes: The Stormy Night focuses on community and weather events, while The Little Refugee deals with migration and resilience.
• Set the concept: Today we’ll discover how these stories are alike and different, and how they connect to our lives and the world.

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2. Reading and Comprehension – 20 minutes

Objective: Read both texts and monitor comprehension.

• Differentiated Reading Approach:

  • Emergent readers (approx. 9 students): Read aloud with the teacher or a teaching assistant, focusing on listening and following along.
  • Sound readers (approx. 12 students): Read excerpts independently or in pairs with support, pausing to discuss key vocabulary and ideas.
  • Advanced readers (approx. 6 students): Read independently, encouraged to note interesting phrases or questions about characters or events.

• Use think-aloud strategies to model comprehension and monitoring.

• Ask comprehension questions after each reading to check understanding. Example questions:

  • What happened in the story?
  • Who are the main characters?
  • What problems did the characters face?

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3. Comparing Texts – 15 minutes

Objective: Identify similarities and differences via text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections.

• Model how to use a Venn diagram to compare key elements such as:

  • Characters
  • Setting
  • Problem
  • Solutions
  • Emotions and resilience
  • Community impact

• Students then complete the Venn diagram in pairs or small groups; differentiated task:

  • Emergent: Focus on simple ideas like characters and setting with picture cues.
  • Sound: Include problem and solution comparison with sentence starters.
  • Advanced: Add emotional responses and world connections (e.g., why people migrate, dealing with storms globally).

• Groups share key points with the class, enhancing oral language skills.

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4. Reflective Writing – 10 minutes

Objective: Solidify understanding and make personal connections.

• Prompt students to write a short paragraph or sentence completing one of the following:
  • "Both books made me think about..."
  • "I felt like the character in ... when..."
  • "The stories help me understand something about our community or the world because..."
• Differentiation:
  • Emergent: Complete sentence starters or draw a picture related to the prompt.
  • Sound: Write simple paragraphs with support.
  • Advanced: Write detailed personal reflections including text examples.

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5. Conclusion and Assessment – 5 minutes

Objective: Assess comprehension and connections made.

• Brief whole-class discussion: What did we learn from comparing these two stories?
• Collect Venn diagrams and writing samples to assess students’ ability to compare texts and connect to self and world.

Formative Assessment:

• Observation of group discussions and participation.
• Review of written reflections and Venn diagrams, identifying comprehension and depth of connection.

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Differentiation Summary

Level	Reading Support	Comparing Activity	Writing Task
Emergent	Teacher/read-aloud, picture support	Simple categories (characters, setting) with visuals	Sentence starters or drawing
Sound	Paired reading, vocabulary support	Problem/solution added, sentence prompts	Simple paragraphs
Advanced	Independent reading	Emotional and world connections	Detailed reflections with text reference

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Teacher Notes and Tips

• Pre-teach vocabulary such as refugee, storm, community, and resilience.
• Use questioning techniques to scaffold for emergent and sound readers.
• Encourage empathy and respect during text-to-self and text-to-world discussions.
• Use multimedia resources if available, e.g., listening to author interviews about the books or watching related videos.
• Incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives sensitively if discussing community resilience.

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This lesson plan responds directly to the curriculum emphasis on reading comprehension and textual connection skills (EN2-RECOM-01) and provides engaging, age-appropriate activities that develop deep understanding of narrative texts within students’ cultural and social frameworks.