- Story
- Countdown, Year 3
- Issue 3, 2019
Chrissie and a Queen
Learning resource
Outcomes
Worksheet: I command you to ...
Prior to reading
See, think, wonder thinking routine to explore the title and make predictions about ‘Chrissie and a Queen’.
- What do you see?
- What do you think about that?
- What does it make you wonder?
Connecting to the text EN2-11D
Background reading: Strategy explained: text-to-text, text-to-self, text-to-world
- Text-to-text connections occur when we make connections between other texts in relation to the text we are reading.
- Text-to-self connections occur when we make connections between personal experiences and the text.
- Text-to-world connections occur when we relate the text with what we already know about the world.
Text-to-World: How do the ideas in this text relate to the larger world—past, present and future?
- What I just read makes me think about (event from the past) because …
- What I just read makes me think about (event from today related to my own community, nation or world) because …
- What I just read makes me wonder about the future because …
Students complete a Text-to-World worksheet activity.
Discuss as a class or use a worksheet from Think, Pair, Share.
Author purpose EN2-7B
Watch Finding Author’s Purpose, which explains the ‘PIE’ model: was it to Persuade, Inform or Entertain? Discuss: What is Kaye Baillie’s intention/purpose?
Identify evidence in the text using the Author’s Purpose worksheet to support student thinking and analysis of the text.
Discuss the English Textual Concept Narrative as the fundamental way in which humans think. It is innately human to tell stories. Stories shape the way we see our world and make sense of our experiences.
How has Kaye Baillie portrayed characters to influence her audience? What language choices, for example names and descriptive language, and images have been chosen? How do they impact our interpretation? How did Kaye Baillie create a connection between the reader and her story? Why is this important?
Remind children that connection is also important in their writing endeavours. Choosing which ideas will connect with their audience and their language choice, directly influences their narrative writing development.
Create a Narrative PowerPoint or Google slide to illustrate understanding of the textual features, structure and the messages conveyed in ‘Chrissie and a Queen’.
Get creative EN2-10C
Draw what Chrissie saw from the detailed description given on page 16, beginning where ‘Chrissie couldn’t believe her eyes’. Animate using Vyond.
Create a film strip of ‘Chrissie and a Queen’ using this story board worksheet.
Adapt the film strip into a play or podcast using the Audacity multi-track audio recorder and editor.
Write a poem about chickens. Use the poem ‘Coo-ee’ (page 9), as a writing scaffold and utilise animal sounds instead of coo-ee.
Create a crossword using this free crossword maker, using unfamiliar words from the story.
Adapt ‘Chrissie and a Queen’ into a play and perform as a mime.
Map it out EN2-2A
Create a mind map for ‘Chrissie and a Queen’ that shows Thirteen’s point of view as an unwanted pet. What emotions did he feel? How did Thirteen’s actions change how Chrissie felt? How do you think Thirteen would feel knowing he would have a real home? Would you want a pet chicken?
Story map the main events of ‘Chrissie and a Queen’, with one of these Story Map worksheets, or by using a Story Arc.
Using this Venn diagram worksheet, compare Thirteen to the other ‘prized’ chickens, or to another pet.
Use this ‘Label a chicken' worksheet to identify the various parts of Thirteen, using information from the text.
Persuade EN2-9B
Design an infographic, using Canva, on how to look after a pet of your choice.
Create an advertisement for a new chicken product to rival KFC.
Write a persuasive speech to convince your school principal to buy chickens for your school.
Write a persuasive letter to convince your parents to buy chickens or another pet.
Hot Seat EN2-6B
Perform a Hot Seating activity where students can explore the point of view (sometimes written as POV) of each character. Perform in groups of three, or as a class. Students can pose questions to each character, including Chrissie, her father, Thirteen and Mrs Pompy.
Explore further the English Textual Concept Point of View.
That’s interesting EN2-7B
Complete a PMI chart Encourage students to use their PMI chart to highlight three elements (in three different colours or use coloured post-it notes) within the narrative that are positive, negative and interesting:
- Plus/Positive: Good/Positive experiences, themes, messages, events and happenings in the text.
- Minus/Negative: Events in the text that are negative/bad experiences in the text, things that go wrong etc.
- Interesting: Anything that appeals to the student; questions, feelings and emotions that arise, morals, messages and connections that resonate with the students.
Reflecting EN2-12E
I used to think ... But now I think … This routine helps students to reflect on their thinking about a topic or issue and explore how and why that thinking has changed. It can be useful in consolidating new learning as students identify their new understandings, opinions, and beliefs.