Setting Exploration

Lesson 12: Setting Exploration: Wormbat Stew

Year Level

Prep (Foundation Year) — Australia

Duration

30 minutes

Class Size

6 students

---

WALT (We Are Learning To)

Understand the setting of the story Wormbat Stew.

---

Success Criteria

• Students can describe the environment in the story Wormbat Stew.
• Students use their senses to explore and share ideas about what the setting might feel, look, sound, smell, or taste like.
• Students engage with a sensory bin to deepen understanding of the story’s environment.

---

Australian Curriculum Alignment: Languages (Foundation Year)

Content Description

Explore connections between language and culture through play-based experiences, drawing attention to important elements such as setting in stories and narratives【1:AC9LMGF03】. Students respond to imaginative texts by discussing characters and settings【16:AC9LF4C03】.

• AC9LMGF03 (Foundation Year) – Explore connections between language and culture using play-based activities including drawing, games, and sensory experiences.
• AC9LF4C03_E9 – Respond to imaginative texts by expressing ideas about characters, events, and settings.
• AC9LF4C03_E7 – Collect and use sensory and descriptive language from texts.

This supports early learners’ comprehension and communication skills through sensory engagement and narrative understanding.

---

Teaching Context and Differentiation

The class includes neurodivergent Prep students. Activities are designed with sensory and multimodal engagement to accommodate diverse learning needs. Differentiations include hands-on involvement, visual supports, and flexible response modes (verbal, drawing, or physical expression).

---

Lesson Outline

Time	Activity	Description	Differentiation Strategies
0-5 min	Introduction to Setting	Teacher reads Wormbat Stew aloud with picture support, highlighting the setting (environment) keywords and illustrations.	Use clear, slow speech with expressive tone; show illustrations and use gestures. Provide a quiet space for sensitive students. Visual cue cards for key vocabulary.
5-10 min	Guided Sensory Discussion	Ask children questions about the setting: “What can you see/hear/smell in the story?” Use simple, direct questions and model responses.	Support participation by allowing pointing, drawing, or verbal responses. Use sentence starters ("I see…", "I hear…") if needed.
10-25 min	Sensory Bin Exploration	Prepare a sensory bin representing the story’s environment (e.g., leaf litter, twigs, textured items like sand or fake bugs representing the story’s setting). Students explore the bin and describe their sensory experiences linked to the story setting.	Allow alternative sensory tools (e.g., pictures or digital tablet images) for students sensitive to textures. Pair students for peer interaction and sharing.
25-30 min	Sharing and Drawing	Students share what they felt or noticed in the sensory bin and draw or verbally describe the setting. Teacher reinforces descriptive words and sets a simple display of drawings in the classroom.	Provide options for drawing or oral sharing, depending on student preference. Use assistive communication devices if needed.

---

Resources Needed

• Storybook Wormbat Stew (with clear, colourful illustrations)
• Sensory bin components: natural materials such as leaves, sticks, dirt/sand-like textures, safe toy insects or animals relevant to the story
• Visual aids (word cards with key setting vocabulary, picture cards)
• Drawing materials: paper, crayons, or markers

---

Assessment

• Informal observation of students' participation and descriptive ability during the sensory bin activity and discussion.
• Collect student drawings or verbal descriptions to evaluate understanding of the story’s setting.
• Check for use of sensory vocabulary and ability to connect sensory experiences to the narrative environment.

---

Reflection and Extensions

• Reflect on student engagement with the sensory bin — Did it help deepen understanding of the setting?
• Encourage families to read Wormbat Stew at home and explore natural settings outdoors.
• Extension: Create a class mural of the story’s setting as a collaborative art piece incorporating sensory materials.

---

This lesson plan aligns with the Australian Curriculum (v9) Languages for Foundation Year by blending language learning with cultural and sensory exploration. Its use of sensory tools and multimodal responses supports neurodivergent learners’ engagement and comprehension.

If further curriculum links or adaptations are needed, I can tailor them to specific languages or learner profiles.

---

References:

• AC9LMGF03 - Foundation Year Languages: Explore connections between language and culture through play-based experiences【1:AC9LMGF03】
• AC9LF4C03_E9 - Responding to imaginative texts in Foundation French curriculum (analogous for narrative understanding)【16:AC9LF4C03】