Overview

This 45-minute lesson for Year 3 students focuses on exploring characters, events and settings in literature by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide-ranging Australian and world authors. It also develops students' ability to recognise similar storylines, ideas and relationships in diverse literary contexts. The lesson aligns with the Western Australian Curriculum English content descriptors AC9E3LE01 and AC9E4LE01 at the Year 3 level, ensuring a culturally inclusive and thoughtful examination of literature.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Discuss characters, events and settings in stories from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors and other Australian and world authors. (AC9E3LE01)
• Identify and recognise similar storylines, ideas and relationships across different cultural literary texts. (AC9E4LE01)

Curriculum Links

• AC9E3LE01: Discuss characters, events and settings in different contexts in literature by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide-ranging Australian and world authors and illustrators
• AC9E4LE01: Recognise similar storylines, ideas and relationships in different contexts in literary texts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide-ranging Australian and world authors

Resources Needed

• Video: Aboriginal Author Anita Heiss sharing knowledge on characters, events, settings, and story similarities
• Selected picture books or excerpts from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors as well as other Australian/world authors (printed or digital copies)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Student worksheets for recording observations (structured with sections for characters, events, settings, and story similarities)
• Chart paper and coloured markers for group work

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Lesson Procedure

1. Introduction and Video Viewing (10 minutes)

• Begin with the class seated comfortably. Introduce Anita Heiss as a respected Aboriginal author. Explain that Anita will help us learn about stories from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and how those stories connect with others from Australia and the world.
• Play the Anita Heiss video segment focusing on characters, events, settings, and story similarities in literature by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other authors.
• Following the video, briefly discuss with the students what Anita shared, eliciting key points about how stories show characters and settings and how some ideas are similar even in different stories and cultures.

2. Whole-Class Discussion & Modelling (8 minutes)

• Use a well-known Aboriginal story and a story by a different Australian/world author displayed on the board.
• Guide the class in identifying the main characters, events, and settings of each story.
• Model with think-aloud questions such as:
  • Who is important in this story? What are they like?
  • What happens in the story?
  • Where and when does the story take place?
• Record student ideas on the whiteboard categorised under Characters, Events, and Settings.
• Highlight any similar storylines or ideas between the two stories presented.

3. Group Exploration Activity (15 minutes)

• Divide the class into 5 groups of around 5-6 students. Assign each group one story by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander author and one story from an Australian/world author (ensure age-appropriate selections).
• Provide each group with a worksheet where students note:
  • Characters and their traits
  • Key events in the story
  • Settings
  • Any similarities they notice between the two stories
• Encourage collaborative discussion. Teachers circulate to prompt deeper thinking, e.g., asking,
  • How are the characters in these stories similar or different?
  • Do these stories show similar relationships or ideas? How?

4. Sharing and Reflection (8 minutes)

• Each group presents their findings briefly to the class, focusing on the similarities in storylines, ideas or relationships they found between their two stories.
• Chart their shared ideas on a large paper for the class to see.
• Wrap up by reinforcing that stories from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors and from other cultures teach us about people, relationships and places, and many ideas connect us all.

5. Assessment and Closure (4 minutes)

• Quick individual reflection: On a small sticky note or sheet, students write or draw one thing they learned about characters, settings or story similarities today.
• Collect these for formative assessment of understanding aligned with the curriculum.
• Finish with a positive affirmation about the power of stories in connecting us across cultures.

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Differentiation Suggestions

• Provide sentence starters for students who need support (e.g., "The character is…", "The setting is…", "Both stories have…").
• Use visual story cues and story maps to support comprehension for diverse learners.
• Challenge advanced students to compare story events or character motivations more deeply.

Teacher Tips

• Choose culturally authentic and age-appropriate stories with rich illustrations to engage students.
• Foster respect while discussing First Nations stories, emphasising the importance of these stories in Australian culture.
• Use open-ended questions to encourage higher-order thinking and personal connection to texts.

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Alignment Summary

Curriculum Code	Learning Outcome	Covered in Lesson Activity
AC9E3LE01	Discuss characters, events and settings in stories by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Australian and world authors	Video introduction, whole-class discussion, group activity, presentations
AC9E4LE01	Recognise similar storylines, ideas and relationships across diverse literary texts	Guided comparison by teacher, group story comparisons and sharing

This lesson plan supports students to meet key Year 3 English curriculum standards while embedding culturally inclusive literature and insights from a respected Aboriginal Australian author, inspiring engagement and deeper understanding of literature diversity and universality.