Bone Idol

Learning Intention:

I am learning to reflect on my understanding of a character so that I can consider how their experiences and feelings relate to my own.

Success Criteria:

• I can use imagery from a text to answer questions that help me develop an understanding of a character.
• I can discuss the feelings of a character and how I can relate to them.
• I can answer questions to help me create a plan based on my own goals and interests.
• I can complete a presentation for my plan using a format of my choice.

Focus question:

How does imagery help readers emotionally connect to a text?

Understanding text:

After reading the text, reread the following passages and pose the accompanying questions to the class:

Passage: Lucas knelt on the bed, his elbows resting on the windowsill, and stared thoughtfully into the darkness

Question: Why might he be staring into the darkness the night before his birthday?

Passage: He pressed his face to the glass and watched it wheel around and circle back to settle in the gum tree just metres away.

Question: Why would Lucas be compelled to press his face against the window rather than just sitting back and watching?

Passage: Mesmerised, he watched the bird glide away before he dragged his gaze back down to the screen. ‘Oh, wow!’

Question: Why was Lucas so mesmerised by the owl?

Passage: ‘Thanks, Uncle Michael,’ he told his absent relative. ‘I know exactly what I’ll get. And you’re coming with me when I buy it,’ he said to the owl.

Question: What do you think he is going to buy with the money from Uncle Michael?

Passage: He placed the tiny figure on the pillow beside him and slid down under the covers.

Question: What might he have been thinking as he prepared to go to sleep?

Ask students to silently reflect on what all of this tells us about Lucas and how he is feeling on the eve of his birthday.

Vocabulary:

Break students up into small groups and distribute a blank piece of paper to each group. Ask students to write words that describe how Lucas was feeling in the story. Give groups a few minutes to discuss and write down their ideas. Ask students to take turns reading out the words their group came up with and use these to create a class word bank on the board or a poster. Add any that you feel should also be included and discuss the meaning of any unfamiliar words with students. Words in the class word bank may include:

• Fearful
• Inspired
• Thoughtful
• Confused
• Contemplative
• Overwhelmed
• Captivated
• Grateful
• Reflective
• Hopeful

Creating text:

Discuss the way Lucas was inspired by the owl outside his window along with the coincidence of the present from Uncle Michael, leading him to decide that he wanted to be a wildlife photographer.

Ask students to think about things that may have inspired them in their lives and sparked their own interests. For example, this may be something they’ve watched or read, participation in a special interest group or camp, a new area of understanding from researching an assignment, or a chance occurrence in their life that has captured their attention, like Lucas and the owl.

Have willing students share their answers, then ask them to take a few moments to think about what they dream of for their future. Give some wide-ranging examples to help them start thinking (e.g. a surfing expedition around Australia, running a dog rescue sanctuary, trekking on the Great Wall of China).

Ask students to think about how they can achieve their goal by thinking about what steps they need to take to get there. This may involve learning a new skill or refining and practicing a current one, saving or raising money, or continuing studies after they complete high school.

Explain that they are going to create a future plan for themselves by thinking about what they already know and conducting research to learn more. They should then use this information to address the following questions in the first draft of their plan:

• Why is this goal important to me?
• What resources do I need to get started? (e.g. equipment, money, land)
• What relevant skills do I already have? How can I improve them?
• What new skills do I need to learn?
• What setbacks might I face? How will I stay motivated when this happens?
• Who can help me and/or give me advice?
• What are the milestones of reaching this goal?
• What is the first step that I need to take?

Students should then use their answers in a final presentation of their plan, using a format that suits them. This may include:

• A mind map
• A poster or infographic
• A slideshow presentation
• A timeline
• A video presentation

Assessment as learning:

Plans should be submitted to the teacher, with students given the opportunity to also present theirs to the class. Feedback given by both peers and teacher should be based on how thorough the plan is by asking questions that have not already been answered in the final presentation.