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The Burnt Stick

By Anthony Hill

Illustrated by Mark Sofilas

2-3 week

Stage 3 unit of

work

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› Key Concept: › Exploring ethical and social dilemmas in texts - story telling

through texts

› Justifying opinions and evaluating ideas with evidence from the

text: Justice

› Texts: › FOCUS TEXT: › The Burnt Stick by Anthony Hill Mark Sofilas

› SUPPORTING TEXTS: › Through my eyes by Ruby Bridges

› A is for Aunty Elaine Russell

› Nyuntu Ninti Bob Randall

› Kanyini (film) Bob Randall

› Focus: Integrating English

Stage 3 content descriptors

› S & L - Speaking & Listening

› R & V - Reading & Viewing

› R & C - Responding and Composing

› W & R - Writing & Representing

› Spelling

› G, P & V - Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary

› T I & C -Thinking Imaginatively and Creatively

› E T - Expressing Themselves

› R on L - Reflecting on Learning

› Acceptable Evidence: › Plotting students on the Literacy Continuum -

› To develop students’ comprehension, grammar and vocabulary.

› Critical aspects: › Comprehension, Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading texts, Writing

› Learning across the

curriculum:

› Literacy, creative and critical thinking, difference and

diversity

› Learning outcomes › EN3-1A communicates effectively for variety of audiences

and purposes using increasingly challenging topics, ideas, issues

and language forms and features

› EN3-3A uses an integrated range of skills, strategies and

knowledge to read, view and comprehend a wide range of texts

in different media and technologies

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› EN3-5B Discusses how language is used to achieve a widening

range of purposes for a widening range of audiences and

contexts

› EN3-2A composes, edits and presents well-structured and

coherent texts

› EN3-6B uses knowledge of sentence structure, grammar,

punctuation and vocabulary to respond to and compose clear and

cohesive texts in different media and technologies

› EN3-4A draws on appropriate strategies to accurately spell

familiar and unfamiliar words when composing texts

› EN3-7C thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and

critically about information and identifies connections between

texts when responding to and composing texts

› EN3-8D identifies and considers how different viewpoints of

their world, including aspects of culture, are represented in

texts

› EN3-9E recognises, reflects on and assesses their strength as

a learner

›

› Assessment

opportunities

› Research task – students’ interpretation of an explanation of

‘Stolen Generation’

› Formative assessment - Sketching or labelling (how students

acting on description)

› Summative assessment – at the end of the unit. This

assessment task will carry more weight

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Notes on recording work for this unit.

Students’ workbooks may be set up as follows:

Vocabulary page - for all vocabulary listed. As each set of pages are read, the words can be

listed in the vocabulary page. Students can then find definitions for words as directed.

Character web page- characters can be added to the page in attachment. This web can then

be labelled with how each character is related to John.

Dreaming page - All thoughts and words associated with the student’s understanding of the

dream can be added here.

Activities/exercises

Prediction bingo can be played at anytime during the reading as a prediction strategy.

Synonym game can be played at any stage through the unit.

The teacher keeps the first card and remaining cards are handed out to the students. The

teacher starts and children listen for the synonym.

Language and vocabulary exercises are stated for each lesson. Variations on these such

as find 10 emotive verbs on page xx…, find 5 nouns on page xx are recommended.

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Lesson 1

Vocabulary Aboriginal,

Aborigines

Stolen Generations,

mission

Discussion

Discuss the term aboriginal. Who are Australian Aborigines? How long have

aborigines been in Australia?

What do we know of the Australian Aborigines?

How were they treated when the British settled Australia?

What does Stolen Generations mean? Where were children sent to when they were

taken from their families?

Activity – Missions

Activity with iPads group students into ten groups and give them a specific website

and ask them to summarise what the website defines or describes as a mission. Note

that the websites have different definitions and descriptions.

Regroup as a class discuss different meanings of the word mission.

Websites

http://www.yarrahealing.catholic.edu.au/teaching-learning/index.cfm?loadref=119

(First six points)

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nswcultureheritage/Missions.htm (first four

paragraphs)

http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/a-guide-to-australias-

stolen-

OR

View the Yarra Healing website and discuss as a class. Read the Stolen Generations

website and discuss as a class. Read the Envirnoment.nsw.gov website and discuss as

a class.

Which website uses the word stolen. Which website uses the word remove?

Which website used the word move?

Why do these different websites describe how Aboriginal people went to the missions

in different ways?

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Lesson 2

Vocabulary

Discussion

Read the book A is for Aunty. Discuss the pictures colour and content and describe

how the book makes you feel. Do you think Elaine Russell has pleasant feelings about

the mission?

Activity

Discuss how Elaine Russell drew and coloured her stories. Have students draw their

own stories (playing, their homes) and colour them using the style of Elaine Russell.

Lesson 3

Vocabulary

Latin Mass,

corrugated,

machinery, orchard,

recite, catechism,

thresh, harvest, kiln,

plane wood

Pre- reading activity

Pre reading is a prediction activity.

Looking at the cover and the blurb- What do you think the story is about?

Students write their predictions in their workbooks and then discuss their predictions

as a class.

Activity

Teacher reads first page.

Students read next two pages

Teacher reads the first page. Students read the next page.

Discussion

Discuss vocabulary

What words are religious words?

What words set the scene?

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Lesson 4

Vocabulary

Ancestor

Dreaming

campfires

permitted

welfare

overseers

Students read pages 4-5.

Discussion

Discuss the phrase, “it was not like home “ and how is has been repeated a number of

times. Why has the author done this? Discuss this technique used by the author.

Discuss what did the fathers do and what did they not do? Could we create different

headings for our T chart looking at the lists?

Discuss the word welfare- what’s its definition in the dictionary. Does this make sense

in the story?

Activity

1. Draw up or T chart in workbooks or create a worksheet. (see appendix 1)

Headings are The fathers did not do did not do

Students list the things under the correct headings.

2. Explain compound words. Students are to find as many compound words on pages

4 and 5 as they can.

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Lesson 5

Vocabulary

difference,

scrub,

embracing

desert

horizon

sunning

bough

mustering

presence

Students read Pages 9-13

Discussion

Where was John born?

What did John remember of his mother?

Why do you think he remembered his mother at night?

Language features

Activity

“It was then he could feel the cool night embracing him… was the cool night really

embracing him

Discuss personification. Could the cold night embrace him?

Brainstorm other examples of personification.

• Lightning danced across the sky. • The wind howled in the night. • My alarm clock yells at me every morning. • Traffic slowed to a crawl. • The door protested as it opened slowly. • My house is a friend who protects me.

Students write a poem about an object in the classroom using personification.

List ten verbs that people do. Use them in a sentence.

Pang tiptoed to the door.

Shirley whispered to her friends.

Choose an object inside or outside the room and use those verbs to describe the

objects actions.

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Lesson 6

Vocabulary

Watch Australians Together Sharing/ Discover Stories / Separation Ruth story.

Discussion

Discuss the difference between Ruth’s story and Elaine Russell’s book A is for Aunty

(Lesson 2). Ruth’s story is painful and sad, Elaine’s book is colourful and depicts good

times. What is the difference between the two stories? (family)

Activity

Brainstorm words that arise from the discussion of Ruth’s Story.

Students write a story on being separated from their family.

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Lesson 7

Vocabulary

traveller

membership

ties

initiated

complain

sensible

Start with synonym game to review vocabulary - Attachment 1.

Read pages 14-16

Discussion

Why did Aborigines live on farming stations?- teacher lead discussion

Activity

Barramundi ancestor spirit

The following extract of an explanation of The Dreaming by Mussolini Harvey was written to help non-Aboriginal Australians have some understanding of the Aboriginal Dreaming "...The Dreamings made our Law. This Law is the way we live, our rules. This Law is our ceremonies, our songs, our stories; all of these things came from the Dreaming ... our Law cannot change, we did not make it. ... The Dreamings named all of the country and the sea they travelled; they named everything that they saw. The Dreamings gave us our songs. These songs are sacred ... are like maps, they tell us about the country, they are maps we carry in our heads. ...

In our ceremonies we wear marks on our bodies; they come from the Dreaming too. We carry the design that the Dreamings gave to us. When we wear that Dreaming mark we are carrying the country, we are keeping the Dreaming held up, we are keeping the country and the Dreaming alive. That is the most important thing; we have to keep up the country, the Dreamings, our Law, our people. It can't change. Our Law has been handed on from generation to generation and it is our job to keep it going, to keep it safe." (http://www.bri.net.au/livingbysandra.html)

Read the story of the Barramundi Ancestor

http://www.japingka.com.au/articles/daiwul-barramundi-dreaming/

What does this Dreaming story tell us about the land and the fish, the barramundi?

AND/OR

Write down all the key words in a brainstorm activity on words associated with the

dreaming.

Activity- View the barramundi painting. Use the cross hatch techniques in the picture,

draw your own barramundi or fish picture.

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Lesson 8

Vocabulary

clapping sticks

horse-breaking

strangely

creator

handsome

creature

pleasure

Pages 17-19

Discussion

Name 3 dreaming ancestors mentioned on these pages.

Activity

Dreaming discovery

http://www.thedreamingstories.com.au/ (Series 5, Episode 5: Kannenner the Brave

(6mins))

View the film as per website above.

Discuss

What does this animation tell us about the Aboriginal Dreaming?

Activity

Find as many compound words on pages 17, 18 and 19 as you can.

Lesson 9

Vocabulary

stockman

light-skinned

understand

wordless

grief

Read pages 20-23

Discussion

Discussion of the Stolen Generation

See creative spirit website for explanation of Stolen Generation

http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/a-guide-to-australias-

stolen-generations#toc0

Prediction - Guess what Linyan’s idea is?

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Lesson 10 Vocabulary campfire

cinders

charcoal

powder

acacia

homestead

Pidgin

mocked

Pages 24-33 Discussion

Discuss the Term Big Man Welfare

There was Big Man Welfare, 2 policeman and Mrs

Grainger on the truck, how would John have felt with

these people looking for him?

Draw and label the truck given the description on page

29

How do you think John’s mother felt when Big Man

Welfare walked away without her son.

Activity

What do you think the next paragraph will be about?

Write the beginning sentence of the next paragraph.

Lesson 11

Vocabulary

cunning

success

waterhole

doubtful

government

warning

cautious

unnecessary

Have students quickly look at the picture on pages 34 and 35 then shut their books.

Students are to predict the words they think these pages will have.

Draw up a grid as below and students write the words they think will be read in the

spaces on the grid. Play prediction bingo as the teacher reads the pages. Students

mark off their words as and if they are read.

Read pages 34-36

Discussion

Who warned Liyan that the Big Man Welfare would be back?

Why they do you think they warned her.

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Lesson 12

Vocabulary

embers

stern

important

pale

suspicion

admired

Pages 38-41

Discussion

What is meant the term self parody?

Using like me and not like me students write down the similarities and differences

with John.

Why do you think Big Man Welfare was tricked a second time?

Activity

On page 40 it states that everyone laughed as the Government men were once again

fooled. Imagine what the people were saying to one another.

Write this as directed speech- modelled by the teacher then written by the students.

Students act out the scene using their direct speech remarks.

Lesson 13

Vocabulary

eagle

deceive

half-satisfied

scorched

Pages 42-43

Discussion

What comparison did Jabal make between the Crow and the ‘Big Man from Welfare’?

Prediction- do you think Big Man Welfare will be back a third time? Why?

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Lesson 14

Vocabulary

watching

soundly

engine

clasped

snatched

screamed

dismay

Pages 44- 51

Discussion

What do you think the ‘watching eye of the King Brown Snake’ actually is?

What time of day did the Big Man Welfare return? How do you know?

Why did he return at this time?

List the reasons that Liyan said John should stay.

List the reasons that Big Man Welfare said John should go.

What is your opinion? Should John Stay or go? Why?

Discuss the statement “They are not like us. They soon forget.” What does this

statement suggest about the Aborigines? Is this true?

Lesson 15

Vocabulary

remember

meanings

belonged

abandoned

drought

deserted

Pages 52-53

Discussion

Why did John Jagamarra go back?

What does rubbing the charcoal and ash into his and his son’s skin symbolise?

Activity

* Using the visual wheel, draw different parts of the story in each segment of the

wheel.

* Think of another name for the book. Draw a cover for the story to match the new

name.

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Character Web

John Jagamarra

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What the Fathers did do What the Fathers didn’t do

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DaiwulNgarranggarni – Barramundi Dreaming story (Gidja language) A barramundi is being chased by a group of ancestral women and swims into a cave near the area now known as Barramundi Gap. As she enters the cave the women prepare to catch her with nets made from rolled Spinifex grass (a traditional fishing method known as Kilkayi). The barramundi realises she is trapped in the shallow, muddy water of the cave entrance and tries to escape by swimming to the other end, toward Nunbung (Wesley Springs). But she cannot find a way out and returns to the entrance of the cave, where the women are waiting with their nets. She swims toward the women and jumps over them, shedding her scales as she jumps and leaving them behind in the shallow water. The scales become the diamonds of all colours that are found there today. The barramundi then jumps through a gap in the rocks, landing in the deep, clean water of Kowinji (also spelled Gawinyin), or Cattle Creek rockhole on the Bow River. As the barramundi dives she turns into a white stone. Three of the old women who have chased the fish to Cattle Creek peer into the water to look for her and they too turn to stone, forever becoming a part of the landscape. Today there are three stone formations overlooking the creek. According to the Gidja people, barramundi are not found in

the area today because of the presence of the Ngarranggarni

barramundi in this place.

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Red Barramundi Dreaming

Artist: Darlene Devery

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Dreaming words

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First card.

Who has the synonym for commence?

I have begin.

Who has the synonym for prejudice?

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I have racism.

Who has the synonym for family?

I have blood relations.

Who has the synonym for remember?

I have recall.

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Who has the synonym for annoy?

I have irritate.

Who has the synonym for important?

I have significant.

Who has the synonym for gather?

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I have muster.

Who has the synonym for ashes?

I have cinders.

Who has the synonym for stolen?

I have taken without consent.

Who has the synonym for hug?

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I have embrace.

Who has the synonym for thought?

I have idea.

Who has the synonym for stories?

I have narratives.

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Who has the synonym for teach?

I have I have educate.

Who has the synonym for sorrow?

I have grief.

Who has the synonym for Journey?

I have trip.

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Who has the synonym for assist?

I have help.

Who has the synonym for struggle?

I have wrestle.

Who has the synonym for mistake?

I have error.

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Who has the synonym for heavy.

I have massive.

Who has the synonym for anger?

I have rage.

Who has the synonym for wept?

I have cried.

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Who has the synonym for terrified?

I have frightened.

Who has the synonym for spirits?

I have ghosts.

Who has the synonym for hushed?

I have silent.

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Who has the synonym for homeland?

I have birthplace.

Who has the synonym for pretend?

I have fake.

Who has the synonym for change?

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I have alter.

Who has the synonym for speak?

I have talk.

Who has the synonym for finish?

I have complete.

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