This is the teacher notes page identifying the outcomes addressed in these lessons. Copy each lesson link and send it to your students. For printable versions of these materials log into the teacher information section of the Department of Education.

Introduction

This is an introduction to the genre of historical fiction writing. In previous learning sequences, students have spent time exploring perspectives of war poetry. They have analysed how language forms and features have been used to communicate perspectives on war. They have also reflected on how their own experiences can shape our perspectives and reception of these texts. 

Students will now draw on their understanding of perspective as they write a short piece of historical fiction. They will apply their knowledge of the context of one of the poems studied and their understanding of language features. This will guide them as they experiment with writing in a new form. Throughout this sequence they will be introduced to the genre of historical fiction, deconstruct a sample text and be supported to plan a text of their own. The lesson sequence after this one will guide students through drafting, refining, editing and reflecting on their piece of historical fiction. 

As a reminder, the four poems students have studied are:  

• ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ by Alfred, Lord Tennyson 

• ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ by Wilfred Owen 

• ‘Casabianca’ by Felicia Dorothea Hemans 

• ‘The Black Rat’ by Iris Clayton

During these lessons, students will: 

• review the definition of ‘genre’ and make connections between their understanding of genre and definitions of historical fiction 

• reflect on their learning through completing the ‘connect, extend, challenge’ thinking routine 

• explain the purposes of historical fiction 

• review the elements of narrative and how they are applied to historical fiction texts 

• explore the language forms and features used within historical fiction through unpacking a sample piece 

• review the historical information for the battle that will form the backdrop to their text 

• reflect and select the character/persona whose perspective they want to convey 

• review a sample plan and plan their own response. 

These lessons address the following outcomes:  

A student:  

• EN5-5C thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information and increasingly complex ideas and arguments to respond to and compose texts in a range of contexts

  • S506UA8: compare and contrast the use of cohesive devices in texts, focusing on how they serve to signpost ideas, to make connections and to build semantic associations between ideas 

The coding for this content point comes from the English Textual Concepts and Learning Processes resources for Stage 5 English – Stage 5. 

Lesson one – Introducing historical fiction  

This first lesson will focus on introducing the genre of historical fiction. Students will review a definition of ‘genre’ before considering definitions of the historical fiction genre. They will reflect on their prior knowledge and make connections between what they already know about genre and their learning during this lesson.   

Learning intentions

Students will:

• review the definition of ‘genre’ and make connections between their understanding of genre and definitions of historical fiction

• reflect on their learning through completing the ‘connect, extend, challenge’ thinking routine.