Benji, You’re a Legend

Learning Intention:

I am learning to explore ideas presented in a text and conduct research so that I can formulate an opinion and compose an opinion piece.

Success Criteria:

• I can read, comprehend and discuss ideas presented in a text
• I can work independently and in a group to conduct research
• I can compose an opinion piece using evidence to support my ideas

Essential knowledge:

For information about representation in texts, view the video Representationungroup on the School Magazine website.

Oral language and communication

Engage the class in a whole class discussion. Use the following questions:

• What kind of person would be called a ‘legend?’
• Are there any other sorts of things that people could do that would make them a legend?
• Would you like to be considered a ‘legend?’ Why? Why not?
• Can you name any Australian ‘legends?’
• Can you name any local ‘legends?’
• Do ‘legends’ have to be really famous? Can you be a legend and not be known all over the world?

As the class provides ideas, note them on the board in the form of a mind map.

Understanding text:

Read the story as a class, or listen to the audio recording if you have a digital subscription.

Read up to ‘until the sun started roasting me and I had to go home too.’ (page 5)

Ask students to answer the following question in their workbook:

• What makes Jamie a ‘legend?’
• Why does Benji want to be a ‘legend?’
• What advice does Jamie give?
• Predict whether Benji will become a legend by the end of the story.

Continue reading until ‘Soon I could swerve like an eagle, hop like a bunny, and ride downstairs.’ (page 6)

Instruct students to discuss the following with a partner:

• Do you think that Benji is a legend yet? Why/Why not?

Continue reading until the end of the story.

Discuss the following as a whole class:

• Looking back at your prediction – did you correctly predict what would happen in the story?
• Why does the principal say, ‘everyone here thinks you are a legend!’?
• How is the idea of a being a ‘legend’ represented in the story ‘Benji, You’re a Legend?’

Creating text:

Inform students that they will be writing an opinion piece in which they explain what makes a legend. To do this, students will need to conduct some research about a real-life legend to use as an example. Encourage students to think beyond the obvious (eg. sports hero) and think about the special qualities that make someone a legend.

Students complete the following activities to prepare and plan their opinion piece:

• In small groups talk about what being a legend means to them. Students listen carefully and respond to their peers.
• Small groups make a list of common characteristics that 'legends' might have. They can use mini whiteboards or butcher’s paper to record their ideas
• Individually, students choose one ‘legend’ from real life to research. They should answer the questions: who, what, where, why, when, how.
• Individually students write their own definition of what it means to be a legend.

Students are now ready to spend some time working on their writing. They might like to use the following scaffold to help them write their opinion piece.

Assessment for/as learning:

Students find a partner to swap their work with. They complete a peer assessment using the two stars and a wishungroup scaffold for feedback.