Introduction
Stories about places are part of everybody’s life, history and culture. Through these stories we learn about ourselves and others. Storytellers share their stories about real and imagined places orally, in writing, using words, sounds, movement, drama, symbols or images. Twenty-first century storytellers create stories using digital technologies and traditional means to communicate with their audiences. How we engage with stories reflects our diverse perspectives and experiences of the world.
In story place, students explore stories and storytelling and have opportunities to create and share stories about significant places. Content from the Australian Curriculum English, Technologies or The Arts: Media Arts can be used as a starting point. General capabilities such as the ICT Capability and Intercultural Understanding or organising ideas from a cross-curriculum priority can also be developed.
Task
Students work collaboratively to plan, develop and present a story about a place. They create and share their stories using multimedia.
Learning activities
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As a class,
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As a class,
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In groups or individually, students:
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Including all students
Access and participation can be enhanced by:
- using the three dimensions of the Australian curriculum
- using assistive technologies such as captions, enhanced audio, enlarged text and images, screen readers, subtitles, tactile materials
- analogue/traditional, physical/kinaesthetic activities
- learning activities that check students’ understanding:
- what is a story?
- how do people tell stories?
- discussion about how story tellers use stimulus material in different formats and combinations of formats such as audio, visual, tactile or other multimedia formats
- places, spaces and times where students can communicate the message of their stories
- classroom organisation strategies such as:
- small groups to encourage students to take roles that suit their strengths
- using different multimedia formats
- supporting students to present their learning in formats that facilitate the expression of their ideas
- pre-recorded presentations.
For further information, see the Student Diversity pages on the Australian Curriculum website.
Table 1: Links from the task to the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies
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Digital Technologies Achievement standard |
F–2 By the end of Year 2, students create and organise ideas and information using information systems, and share information in safe online environments. |
Years 3–4 By the end of Year 4, students collect and manipulate different data when creating information and digital solutions. They safely use and manage information systems for identified needs using agreed protocols and describe how information systems are used. |
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Strand |
Digital Technologies processes and production skills |
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Content descriptions |
F–Year 2
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Years 3–4
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Key concept/s |
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Key ideas |
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Cross-curriculum priorities |
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General capabilities |
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Table 2: Links from the task to the Australian Curriculum: English
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Learning area name English |
Achievement standards – see 'Engaging with texts' |
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Strands and substrands Language Literacy |
Language
Literacy
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Content descriptions |
Foundation Understand that texts can take many forms, can be very short (for example an exit sign) or quite long (for example an information book or a film) and that stories and informative texts have different purposes (ACELA1430) Understand concepts about print and screen, including how books, film and simple digital texts work, and know some features of print, for example directionality (ACELA1433) Explore the different contribution of words and images to meaning in stories and informative texts (ACELA1786) Create short texts to explore, record and report ideas and events using familiar words and beginning writing knowledge (ACELY1651) Construct texts using software including word processing programs (ACELY1654) |
Year 1 Understand that the purposes texts serve shape their structure in predictable ways (ACELA1447) Understand concepts about print and screen, including how different types of texts are organised using page numbering, tables of content, headings and titles, navigation buttons, bars and links (ACELA1450) Respond to texts drawn from a range of cultures and experiences (ACELY1655) Engage in conversations and discussions, using active listening behaviours, showing interest, and contributing ideas, information and questions (ACELY1656) Create short imaginative and informative texts that show emerging use of appropriate text structure, sentence-level grammar, word choice, spelling, punctuation and appropriate multimodal elements, for example illustrations and diagrams (ACELY1661) Construct texts that incorporate supporting images using software including word processing programs (ACELY1664) |
Year 2 Understand that different types of texts have identifiable text structures and language features that help the text serve its purpose (ACELA1463) Identify visual representations of characters’ actions, reactions, speech and thought processes in narratives, and consider how these images add to or contradict or multiply the meaning of accompanying words (ACELA1469) Discuss different texts on a similar topic, identifying similarities and differences between the texts (ACELY1665) Identify the audience of imaginative, informative and persuasive texts (ACELY1668) Create short imaginative, informative and persuasive texts using growing knowledge of text structures and language features for familiar and some less familiar audiences, selecting print and multimodal elements appropriate to the audience and purpose (ACELY1671) Construct texts featuring print, visual and audio elements using software, including word processing programs (ACELY1674) |
Year 3 Understand how different types of texts vary in use of language choices, depending on their purpose and context (for example, tense and types of sentences (ACELA1478) Identify the features of online texts that enhance navigation (ACELA1790) Identify the effect on audiences of techniques, for example shot size, vertical camera angle and layout in picture books, advertisements and film segments (ACELA1483) Identify the audience and purpose of imaginative, informative and persuasive texts (ACELY1678) Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features and selecting print,and multimodal elements appropriate to the audience and purpose (ACELY1682) Use software including word processing programs with growing speed and efficiency to construct and edit texts featuring visual, print and audio elements (ACELY1685) |
Year 4 Understand how texts vary in complexity and technicality depending on the approach to the topic, the purpose and the intended audience (ACELA1490) Identify features of online texts that enhance readability including text, navigation, links, graphics and layout (ACELA1793)
Interpret ideas and information in spoken texts and listen for key points in order to carry out tasks and use information to share and extend ideas and information (ACELY1687) Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features (ACELY1694)
Use a range of software including word processing programs to construct, edit and publish written text, and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements (ACELY1697) |
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Key ideas |
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Cross-curriculum priorities |
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General capabilities |
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Engaging with texts
By the end of Foundation, students:
- use appropriate interaction skills to listen and respond to others in a familiar environment
- understand that their texts can reflect their own experiences
- retell events and experiences
By the end of Year 1, students
- identify that texts serve different purposes and that this affects how they are organised
- create texts that show understanding of the connection between writing, speech and images
- create short texts for a small range of purposes
- make short presentations on familiar topics
By the end of Year 2, students
- understand how similar texts share characteristics by identifying text structures and language features used to describe characters and events, or to communicate factual information
- make connections between texts by comparing content.
- create texts that show how images support the meaning of the text
- create texts, drawing on their own experiences, imagination and information they have learnt.
By the end of Year 3, students
- understand how content can be organised using different text structures depending on the purpose of the text
- understand how language features, images and vocabulary choices are used for different effects
- create a range of texts for familiar and unfamiliar audiences
By the end of Year 4, students
- understand that texts have different text structures depending on purpose and context
- explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used to engage the interest of audiences
- describe literal and implied meaning connecting ideas in different texts
- use language features to create coherence and add detail to their texts
- create texts tat show understanding of how images and detail can be used to extend key ideas
- create structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences
For further information, see the Student Diversity pages on the Australian Curriculum website.
Table 3: Links from the task to the Australian Curriculum: The Arts - Media Arts
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The Arts: Media Arts Achievement Standard |
By the end of Year 2, students make and share media artworks using story principles, composition, sound and technologies. |
By the end of Year 4, students They discuss how and why they and others use images, sound and text to make and present media artworks. Students collaborate to use story principles, time, space and technologies to make and share media artworks that communicate ideas to an audience. |
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Strands |
Making and responding by
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Content descriptions |
F–Year 2 Explore ideas, characters and settings in the community through stories in images, sounds and text (ACAMAM054) Use media technologies to capture and edit images, sounds and text for a purpose (ACAMAM055) Create and present media artworks that communicate ideas and stories to an audience (ACAMAM056) Respond to media artworks and consider where and why people make media artworks, starting with media from Australia including media artworks of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACAMAR057) |
Years 3–4 Investigate and devise representations of people in their community, including themselves, through settings, ideas and story structure in images, sounds and text (ACAMAM058) Use media technologies to create time and space through the manipulation of images, sounds and text to tell stories (ACAMAM059) Plan, create and present media artworks for specific purposes with awareness of responsible media practice (ACAMAM060) Identify intended purposes and meanings of media artworks, using media arts key concepts, starting with media artworks in Australia including media artworks of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACAMAR061) |
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Key concept/s |
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Cross-curriculum priorities
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Story specific |
General capabilities |
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Cross-curriculum priorities Depending on the places featured in stories, the following organising ideas could be incorporated into the learning: |
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
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OI.2: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities maintain a special connection to and responsibility for Country/Place. OI.3: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have holistic belief systems and are spiritually and intellectually connected to the land, sea, sky and waterways. OI.5: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ ways of life are uniquely expressed through ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing. |
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Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia |
Asia and its diversity OI.2: Interrelationships between humans and the diverse environments in Asia shape the region and have global implications. |
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Sustainability |
World views OI5: World views are formed by experiences at personal, local, national and global levels, and are linked to individual and community actions for sustainability. Futures OI8: Designing action for sustainability requires an evaluation of past practices, the assessment of scientific and technological developments, and balanced judgements based on projected future economic, social and environmental impacts. |
Resources
The following list is a sample of resources that may be useful in planning teaching and learning programs. ACARA advises teachers to use their own judgement as to the value of the references for their teaching context and to use the list as a model to identify other appropriate material.
Resources for making multimedia works
- ABC education
- Media Arts resources main page: a large range of teaching resources related to The Arts. Suitable for primary and secondary students.
- Journalism and news reporting: resources mapped to the Australian curriculum - For primary and secondary schools
- ACMI
- Film it!: Film It is an online resource covering a range of filmmaking skills found in pre-production, production and post-production stages
- Game Builder: Game Builder is an online resource for teachers and students making their very first videogame, and for those who have some experience already.
- The Magic of Aardman education resource: a series of modules and activities including Types of animation, History of animation, Make your own thaumatrope, Make your own zoetrope, From sketch to clay: making your own claymation character, Create a cracking contraption and How to create a stop motion animation.
- Resources for primary teachers: items in the ACMI shop.
- Digital Technologies Hub
- Game based learning: information, resources, teaching ideas, applications and games and case studies for F-10.
- National Film and Sound Archive of Australia – Education Resources
- Australian Screen education collection - this collection is designed to help teachers and students make the most of the wide range of moving image resources on the site. The clips in this collection are accompanied by teachers’ notes created by specialist curriculum writers.
- SYN.org.au:
Resources for storytelling
Teachers:
AFTRS, White Paper No. 2 – Precipice Binaural, information about an applied industry research project which developed a new form of aural storytelling.
Dutton, J., D’warte, J., Rossbridge, J., & Rushton, K. (2018). Tell me your story: Confirming identity and engaging writers in the middle years. PETAA.
Education Services Australia Ltd. and ABC Education. (2012). Storytelling. Retrieved from http://education.abc.net.au/home#!/digibook/613035/storytelling
Use search terms such as ‘places’ or ‘stories’ and filter for year level, curriculum focus to locate materials on sites, such as:
- Scootle
- ABC Education: My Place (also see Australian Children’s Television Foundation) LINK
- national/state/territory/regional/local museums, libraries, cultural and tourist information sites and organisations etc.
Resources for creating and communicating stories in multimedia formats
- storyboarding apps and templates, for example:
- Scootle
- Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI): storyboards section
- Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS): Media Lab
- open-source software
- presentation software
- website templates
- VR, AR MR, XR tools
- game-making software/applications
- word-processing
- drawing and image manipulation software
- animation tools and applications.