Narrative Texts Exploration

Year Prep to Year 2: Narrative Texts Exploration (5 x 20 minutes)

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Year Prep to Year 2: Narrative Texts Exploration (5 x 20 minutes)

This mini-sequence uses the story Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles to explore narrative texts with Prep to Year 2 students. Each 20-minute lesson builds understanding from concepts of print through to genre comparison, supporting literacy development aligned with the Australian Curriculum (v9). Lessons include explicit learning focuses by year level, hands-on activities, differentiation, and formative assessment strategies.

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Learning Objectives

Aligned with the Australian Curriculum (v9) for English, this sequence targets:

• Prep: Concepts of print, connecting text and images, retelling stories orally.
• Year 1: Identifying story sequence, characters, setting, and basic language features.
• Year 2: Understanding story complication and resolution, personal pronouns, and genre differences.

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Year Prep

• Identify concepts of print: title, author, illustrator, text direction.
• Connect images to text meaning.
• Use spoken language to retell parts of the story.

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Year 1

• Sequence story events: beginning, middle, end.
• Identify main characters and setting.
• Recognise adjectives, nouns, and verbs in context.
• Understand basic punctuation: full stop, question mark, exclamation mark.

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Year 2

• Describe story structure including complication and resolution.
• Identify and use personal pronouns (I, he, she) in retelling.
• Explain how text structure aids comprehension.
• Differentiate narrative and informative texts.

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Materials Needed

• Big book or printed copies of Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles.
• Whiteboard or interactive board.
• Picture cards depicting characters, animals, and settings from the story.
• Sentence strips with simple sentences from the book.
• Drawing materials: paper, crayons, markers.
• Role-play props such as animal masks or costumes (optional).

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Lesson Breakdown (20 minutes)

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Lesson 1 (20 min): Concepts of print + first reading (Text-to-image connection)

• Learning Focus:

  • Prep: Identify title, author, illustrator; connect images to text.
  • Year 1: Recognise title, author, illustrator; begin to link images and text.
  • Year 2: Confirm concepts of print and deepen text-image connections.

• Materials: Edward the Emu book, cover image, picture cards.

• Step-by-step:

  1. Gather students and show the book cover.
  2. Ask students to identify title, author, illustrator.
  3. Read aloud expressively, pausing to discuss images.
  4. Ask how pictures help understand the story.
  5. Check understanding by asking students to point out title and author.

• Student Activity: Listen and respond to questions about print concepts and images.

• Differentiation: Use picture cards for students needing visual support.

• Extension: Encourage advanced learners to predict story events from images.

• Formative Assessment: Listen for correct identification of print concepts and image-text connections.

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Lesson 2 (20 min): Sequence events + identify characters and setting

• Learning Focus:

  • Prep: Recognise beginning, middle, end; identify main characters and setting.
  • Year 1: Sequence key events; name characters and setting.
  • Year 2: Describe story structure and character roles.

• Materials: Story event cards, character and setting picture cards.

• Step-by-step:

  1. Review story briefly.
  2. Discuss beginning, middle, and end.
  3. Use cards to sequence events with student help.
  4. Identify main characters and setting using pictures.
  5. Check understanding by asking students to retell events in order.

• Student Activity: Arrange event cards; name characters and setting.

• Differentiation: Provide fewer cards or paired support for sequencing.

• Extension: Have advanced students write or dictate sentences about characters and setting.

• Formative Assessment: Observe correct sequencing and character/setting identification.

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Lesson 3 (20 min): Language features in context + punctuation recap

• Learning Focus:

  • Prep: Recognise simple nouns and verbs.
  • Year 1: Identify adjectives, nouns, verbs; understand punctuation marks.
  • Year 2: Use language features and punctuation to support comprehension.

• Materials: Sentence strips, word cards, punctuation marks.

• Step-by-step:

  1. Introduce adjectives, nouns, verbs with examples from the story.
  2. Highlight punctuation marks used in sentences.
  3. Play "word hunt" to find examples in text or pictures.
  4. Review punctuation roles.
  5. Check understanding by asking students to identify word types and punctuation.

• Student Activity: Identify words and punctuation in sentences.

• Differentiation: Use visual aids and simplified sentences.

• Extension: Challenge advanced learners to create sentences using learned features.

• Formative Assessment: Listen for correct identification and use of language features and punctuation.

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Lesson 4 (20 min): Complication & resolution + personal pronouns (I/he/she) in retell

• Learning Focus:

  • Prep: Use personal pronouns in simple retell.
  • Year 1: Identify story complication and resolution; use pronouns.
  • Year 2: Describe complication/resolution; use pronouns accurately in retell.

• Materials: Role-play props, story summary cards.

• Step-by-step:

  1. Discuss story complication and how Edward solves it.
  2. Model retelling using personal pronouns.
  3. Guide students to role play parts using "I," "he," "she."
  4. Check understanding by listening to retells.

• Student Activity: Role play story parts using personal pronouns.

• Differentiation: Provide sentence starters or partner support.

• Extension: Encourage advanced learners to add details using pronouns.

• Formative Assessment: Observe correct use of pronouns and story elements in retell.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For diverse learners:

• Use picture cues and sentence strips for students needing visual support.

• Provide oral retelling for emergent English speakers or early literacy learners.

• Pair students for peer support during sequencing and role play.

• For advanced learners:

• Encourage them to write a sentence describing Edward’s feelings at different points in the story.

• Ask advanced students to suggest alternative endings or other animals Edward could pretend to be.

• Introduce the difference between narrative and informative texts and invite reflections.

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Assessment

• Ongoing formative assessment:
• Observe students' ability to identify story elements (title, characters, events).
• Note vocabulary use during word hunts and retelling.
• Assess participation and understanding through role play retell.

This aligns with curriculum expectations for oral language, reading comprehension, and understanding text features for Prep to Year 2 students.

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Teacher Reflection and Next Steps

• Reflect on engagement levels during role play.
• Note which language features need revisiting.
• Plan next lesson focusing deeper on punctuation and personal pronouns for Year 1 and 2 groups.
• Incorporate digital storytelling tools for multimodal text creation in later lessons to integrate technology and multimodal literacies.

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This lesson encourages a joyful, interactive journey into narrative texts, scaffolding literacy skills progression in alignment with the Australian Curriculum, supported by meaningful and playful learning experiences.