📚 WALT (We Are Learning To)

Today we are learning to:

• Read a shared text aloud, taking turns to enhance fluency and expression
• Interpret implied meaning by making simple inferences about a character's attitude using multiple clues in the text
• Develop comprehension skills by matching key words from questions to locate relevant text sections

Success Criteria: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify at least two clues from the text that reveal a character's attitude and use key words from questions to find the appropriate parts of the text.

📖 Reading Text: "The New Student"

Maya stared out the classroom window, watching the raindrops race down the glass. She had been looking forward to today all week because her best friend Emma was supposed to return from her family holiday. But instead, Mrs Chen was introducing someone completely different.

"Class, I'd like you to meet Alex," Mrs Chen announced cheerfully. "Alex has just moved here from Brisbane and will be joining our class."

Maya's shoulders slumped as she glanced at the empty desk beside her—Emma's desk. Alex stood nervously at the front, clutching a bright yellow backpack and shifting from foot to foot. Maya noticed how Alex's eyes darted around the room, searching for a friendly face.

"Alex, why don't you take the seat next to Maya?" Mrs Chen suggested, pointing towards Emma's desk.

Maya's stomach twisted. That was Emma's seat. She watched as Alex walked over, offering a hesitant smile. "Hi, I'm Alex. Nice to meet you."

"Maya," she mumbled, barely looking up from her desk. She could see Alex's smile falter slightly.

During morning tea, Maya sat alone under the big oak tree where she and Emma always shared their snacks. She pulled out her phone and sent Emma another message: "When are you coming back? There's a new kid in your seat and everything feels wrong."

From across the playground, Maya could see Alex sitting alone on a bench, slowly eating an apple and watching the other students play. Alex kept glancing towards different groups, as if trying to work up the courage to join in, but never quite managing it.

Something tugged at Maya's chest as she watched. She remembered her first day at this school two years ago—how scared and lonely she had felt until Emma had invited her to share her lunch.

Maya looked down at her phone. Still no reply from Emma. She sighed, stood up, and brushed the grass from her uniform. Taking a deep breath, she walked across the playground towards the lonely figure on the bench.

"Hey Alex," Maya said, settling down beside the new student. "Want to see the best climbing tree in the school? Emma—that's my friend—she showed it to me when I first started here."

Alex's face brightened immediately, the worried expression melting away. "Really? That would be brilliant! I love climbing trees. Back in Brisbane, my brother and I had this massive fig tree in our backyard..."

As they walked towards the old oak tree together, Maya felt the tight knot in her stomach begin to loosen. Maybe having someone new around wouldn't be so bad after all. And she had a feeling that when Emma returned, she'd want to meet Alex too.

By the time the bell rang for class, Maya found herself genuinely laughing at one of Alex's stories about getting stuck in that Brisbane fig tree. As they headed back inside, Maya realised that sometimes the best friendships begin when you least expect them.

💡 Reading Notes

Instructions: As you read this text with your group, pay attention to:

• Words and phrases that show how characters are feeling
• Actions that give clues about characters' attitudes
• How characters change throughout the story

Differentiation Support:

Key emotion words to look for: slumped, twisted, falter, tugged, brightened, loosen

Character actions that show feelings: staring, shifting, mumbling, glancing, sighing