Imaginative Planning

Year Level

Year 7 (Western Australia)

Duration

50 minutes

Class Size

25 students

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Learning Area

English

Unit

Identity Through Narrative (Lesson 11 of 12)

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Lesson Overview

Students begin planning their imaginative narrative creation for assessment, focusing on representing identity through character development. They will brainstorm ideas and create story outlines that integrate their understanding of identity themes explored in previous lessons.

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Western Australian Curriculum Links

Content Descriptions

• ACELY1725 — Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing text structures, language features, images, and sound appropriate to purpose and audience.
• ACELT1620 — Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources (supporting brainstorming and gathering ideas).
• ACELY1720 — Understand how to use narrative devices, such as characterisation, setting and plot to develop imaginative texts.
• ACELY1713 — Develop characters, setting, and events in narratives that explore identity and personal experiences.

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Brainstorm imaginative story ideas portraying aspects of identity through character.
2. Organise ideas coherently in a story outline, including characters, setting, and plot.
3. Reflect on how identity can be represented through narrative elements.
4. Collaborate and share planning ideas with peers to extend thinking.

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Resources Required

• Writing journals or planning templates
• Whiteboard and markers
• Character and story outline graphic organisers
• Digital or paper brainstorming tools (mind maps)
• Visual prompts/images reflecting diverse identities
• Word banks focusing on descriptive language linked to identity

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Begin with a brief recap of the previous lessons on identity and narrative.
• Pose the question: “How can stories help us understand a person’s identity?”
• Show examples of short imaginative texts or excerpts focusing on character and identity.
• Explain the criteria and expectations for the upcoming imaginative creation assessment: representing identity through character.

Differentiation:

• Provide EAL/D students with sentence starters and vocabulary banks related to describing characters and identity.
• Use visuals and modelling to clarify abstract concepts for all students.

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2. Brainstorming Session (15 minutes)

• Guide students through a brainstorming activity:
  • In pairs or small groups, list ideas for characters that show different aspects of identity (e.g., cultural background, experiences, beliefs).
  • Encourage students to think about internal and external features of characters.
  • Use graphic organisers or mind maps to capture ideas with prompts such as:
    • Who is the character?
    • What makes them unique?
    • What challenges or experiences shape their identity?
    • Setting and context ideas.

Differentiation:

• Provide bilingual dictionaries or translation apps for EAL/D students to support vocabulary.
• Assign stronger writers as peer mentors for scaffolding planning discussions.

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3. Story Outline Development (15 minutes)

• Individually, students select one idea from their brainstorm to develop into a story outline.

• Using a structured template, students will outline:

  • Character description and identity portrayal.
  • Setting.
  • Beginning, middle, and end (plot structure).
  • Main conflict or event that reveals identity aspects.

• Circulate and offer individual support, asking guiding questions to deepen characterisation and ensure identity focus.

Differentiation:

• Allow some students to create a visual story map or storyboard instead of a written outline.
• Provide sentence starters and an outline checklist for EAL/D learners.

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4. Sharing and Peer Feedback (7 minutes)

• In pairs, students share their story outlines.
• Encourage positive, constructive feedback focusing on how well the character’s identity is conveyed.
• Students note one idea from their peer’s outline that they could incorporate or adapt.

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5. Conclusion and Next Steps (3 minutes)

• Summarise the importance of clear character and identity representation in imaginative texts.
• Explain that in the next lesson, they will begin the first draft of their imaginative narrative based on today's planning.
• Remind students to continue thinking about their character’s identity and story details at home or in reflection journals.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation of brainstorming participation and engagement.
• Review of story outlines to check understanding of identity representation through character.
• Peer feedback notes provide insight into reflective thinking and application of criteria.

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Differentiation Strategies for Diverse Learners

• EAL/D Students (Malay language background):

  • Provide bilingual glossaries for key descriptive terms.
  • Use visual prompts and storyboards to support language production.
  • Scaffold planning with sentence starters (e.g., “My character is…”, “They feel… because…”).
  • Pair EAL/D students with peers who can assist with language or conceptual support.

• Students with Different Learning Needs:

  • Allow choice of output form (written, oral, visual).
  • Use technology (voice-to-text, digital mind mapping).
  • Provide extra time and adult or peer support.

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Extension Ideas

• Encourage students to create a character diary entry or social media post from their character’s perspective.
• Use drama or role-play to explore relationships and identity aspects.
• Integrate First Nations perspectives on identity if appropriate, reflecting on connection to Country and cultural storytelling.

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This lesson plan aligns tightly with the Western Australian Curriculum English standards for Year 7 and supports your diverse classroom context on Christmas Island by embedding language scaffolds and culturally responsive teaching approaches. It fosters both imaginative creativity and critical thinking about identity representation through narrative.

If needed, I can also provide ready-to-use templates for the storyboard, graphic organisers, and sentence starters tailored for EAL/D learners to maximise engagement and success.