Rima Ali English 2A

17789022
Preliminary Area of Study Concept: Opportunity

Rationale

The following anthology of texts all align with the course concept of ‘Opportunity’. These
texts were meticulously chosen due to their symbolic nature. the text all explore various
elements of opportunity in a range of viewpoints through utilisation of various literary devices.
By exploring the theme of opportunity through these texts as mediums students will gain the
ability to understand the connection between an individual and their world and will acquire an
in depth understanding of how opportunity is shaped through the anthology of text. Through
the Assigned task and lessons students will be required to examine, reflect and speculate on
both their own experiences of opportunity and the experience of opportunity within texts.
they will examine the assumed definition of opportunity as well as reflect on how the concept
of opportunity is illustrated within their texts by their authors. additionally, students will be
examined on their ability to identify various language forms and features through the
composer’s texts and reflect on how they represent ideas of opportunity.

Although the concept of opportunity will be explored in a broad scope, this unit will explore
the concept of opportunity in a detailed alignment of 3 key themes.
1. Opportunity and identity
2. Confronting nature of opportunity
3. Absence of opportunity

Opportunities are advantageous in its ability to provide countless possibilities. However

limitations in an individual’s life can occur when there is an absence of opportunity. Often the
opportunities we have available to us define us as individuals as they shape our future and
identity thus the absence of opportunity can permit hindrance to a successful future. The
image Strange fish by Genespencer illustrates the key theme of absence of opportunity
through the use of a contemporary humanitarian issue. the image raises issues of war and
refugee crises allowing students to investigate the implications that the deprivation of
opportunity can create. the image coupled with the text makes explicit reference to the Syrian
refugee crises directly relating to the toddlers that were washed up on the shores of turkey.
through this medium student will begin to examine opportunity in a realistic perspective and in
form of necessity evaluating its impact on an individual’s life. students will analyse the
composers use of visual techniques and examine its ability to illustrate themes of opportunity.

Opportunity and its ability to shape an individual’s identity and future is further examined
through the short films Deng Thiak Adut and Deng Thiak Adut- australia day. These mediums
will exemplify the first key theme of the unit; opportunity and identity. Through these two
texts students are able to examine the ways in which a profound array of opportunities can
inevitably shape an individual’s future and build their identity. Dang Thiak Adut a refugee
who has overcome immense obstacles both physically and mentally advocates the ways in
which opportunity has the ability to mould an individual’s identity and future. both short films
provide students the ability to gain and enhance film analysis skills. students will begin to
analyse the medium in forms of technique and purpose.

Opportunity can be unexpected or can be a result of planning, often opportunity can be

confronting and distressful as it may lead to an unforeseen future or path allowing individuals
to be speculative and initially resistant. The poem The Door by Miroslav Holub illustrates the
second key theme of the unit; the confronting nature of opportunity. through the poem the door
the composer Holub utilises various language forms primarily symbolism to illustrate the
confronting nature of opportunity but advocates the necessity of opportunity. through analysis
of this text students will explore opportunity in form of necessity and resistance. the poem
utilises symbolism and repetition to illustrate the necessity of opportunity as well as
representing opportunity in a realistic manner demonstrating both the positives an negative
outcomes of opportunity

Course Text Anthology: -

Image: Strange Fish by Genespencer, 2015. Accessed at:
https://genespencer4.wordpress.com/

Poem: The Door by Miroslav Holub, 1923-1998. Accessed at:

http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poetry/poems/door

Song Lyrics: Hall of Fame by The Script, 2012. Accessed at:

https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tfli4exu4um4lrk3dhycriilgsi?lyrics=1&utm_source=g
oogle&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics

Short Film: Deng Thiak Adut Unlimited by Western Sydney University 2015. Accessed at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buA3tsGnp2s

Short Film: Deng Thiak Adut-2016 Australia Day by Fairfax Media Accessed at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xocVehUd7q4
 1) Lesson Plan
Time Teaching and Learning Actions
Mark roll, handout work sheet
5 (Venn diagram) +(song lyrics)+
(question worksheet)
bring up Venn diagram on
interactive white board and
spend 5 minutes revising the
10 area of study ‘opportunity’
which would have been
discussed in previous lessons to students: open previous
refresh their minds.
Whole class discussion
facilitate class discussion as a
group activity brainstorming
5 T/S
ideas about the characteristics
of opportunity. discussion may
include questions such as:
Centred
Organisation
T/S
Teacher: mark roll,
handout worksheet
Student: enter the
classroom, prepare for
lesson
T
resources: 30x worksheets
(Venn diagram)
30x worksheets (question
worksheet)
Teacher: set up board and
instruct students to turn to
previous brainstorm work
on the concept of
opportunity and refresh
their memory. T
work to brainstorm.
resources: interactive white
board.
teacher: discuss with
student’s possible
characteristics of
opportunity while writing
their responses on
interactive whiteboard.
 1) what is opportunity?
2) what can opportunities student: respond to
provide? question and write their
3) how does opportunity effect responses on their sheets
an individual? provided
4) how can opportunity effect
an individual’s future? resources: interactive
Simultaneously write ideas on whiteboard, worksheet
interactive white board. (Venn diagram)
students should also be taking
notes on their own worksheet
for future reference.
Whole class discussion
facilitate class discussion as a
teacher: discuss with
group activity brainstorming
student’s possible
ideas about the characteristics
characteristics of identity
of identity. discussion may
while writing their
include questions such as:
responses on interactive
1) what is identity?
whiteboard.
2)how is an individual’s
identity shaped?
5 student: respond to T/S
3) under what circumstances is
question and write their
an individual’s identity
responses on their sheets
moulded?
provided

Simultaneously write ideas on

resources: interactive
interactive white board.
whiteboard, worksheet
students should also be taking
(Venn diagram)
notes on their own worksheet
for future reference.
5 Whole class discussion teacher: discuss with T/S
 facilitate class discussion as a
group activity brainstorming
ideas about the connection
between opportunity and
identity.
1) how can an individual’s
opportunity effect their
identity?
3)can a limitation of
opportunity negatively impact
an individual’s identity?
Simultaneously write ideas on
interactive white board.
students should also be taking
notes on their own worksheet
for future reference.
hand out work sheets (song
lyrics of ‘hall of fame’ +
question sheet) and allow
students 5 minutes to read
10
through the questions while
bringing up the song on
youtube on the interactive
white board.
5 listen to song and watch video
student’s possible
connection between
opportunity and identity
while writing their
responses on interactive
whiteboard.
student: respond to
question and write their
responses on their sheets
provided
resources: interactive
whiteboard, worksheet
(venn diagram)
Teacher: hand out
worksheet. bring up song
on the interactive white
board and observe class.
student: listen to song and
read through song lyrics. S
resources: interactive white
board, song available at
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=mk48xRzuNvA,
worksheet (song lyric)
Teacher: observe class T
 asking students to think about
the correlation of opportunity
and identity within the text.
Think pair share
allow students time to annotate
the song lyrics paying specific
attention to the literary devices
15 used and then instruct the
students to turn to the question
sheet supplied at the beginning
of the lesson and answer the
series of questions in pairs.
Student: listen to song
resources: interactive white
board, song available at
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=mk48xRzuNvA,
Teacher: set up class in a
way that students will be
able to facilitate group
work successfully. instruct
students to annotate lyrics
on worksheet provided
(song lyrics) and observe
class.
S
student: annotate work
sheet, work in pairs
discussion and answering
questions.

resources: worksheets
(song lyrics) + (question
sheet)

Reflection/Evalutation
what insight have I gained about the teaching and learning process through preparation of this
lesson?

Implementing two activities within the lesson was proving to be time constraining disallowing
for time to discuss students answer to questions as well as annotations of song lyrics. in future
it would be useful to allocate more time to review the student’s answers.
Outcomes

Learning outcome Method of measurement

this will be done by
2) Lesson Plan
Time Teaching and Learning Action Centred T/S
Mark roll, hand out worksheet (film technique) bring up video Deng
5 T
Thiak Adut- australia day on interactive white board.
Think, Pair, Share
allow students to watch first video (Deng Thiak Adut- australia day) in
order to provide students with context. Instruct students to work in
pairs and brainstorm ideas of opportunity and its ability to shape
10 T/S
identity in relation to the video. This activity is designed to facilitate
ideas of connection of identity and opportunity allowing students to
comprehend how opportunity can inevitably shape an individual’s
identity.
bring up Western Sydney University Ad-Deng Thiak Adut on
interactive white board and let children watch it first time.
Ask students to refer to Film technique worksheet provided at the
10 S
beginning of lesson and fill in the techniques when watching the video
for the second time. This will allow students to build on their film
analysis skills.
Exchange student’s ideas in group discussion about the film techniques
utilised as well as the composer’s possible purpose of the technique
10 implemented. Students discussion should relate to the key concept of T/S
opportunity and identity. Instruct students to write the answers on the
worksheet provided.
Close reading of text
ask students to refer to the worksheet provided at the beginning of the
lesson (poem ‘The Door’) pull up poem on interactive white board.
20 T/S
form a class deconstruction of poem on the interactive whiteboard,
highlighting literary techniques within the texts and explaining the
authors purpose. This text and discussion should be used to guide the
 student’s thoughts to the key concept of the confronting nature of
opportunity. Students should be taking notes on their worksheet.
provide students with homework task to research Syrian refugee issue
and read article (url provided)
60 T
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/03/refugee-crisis-syrian-
boy-washed-up-on-beach-turkey-trying-to-reach-canada

3) Lesson Plan
Time Teaching and Learning Action Centred T/S
5 Mark roll, ask students to bring out last lessons homework task. T
facilitate discussion with students on their thoughts on the
Syrian refugee crises. This will provide students with
5 T/S
background context of the image by Genespencer.

brainstorm with students the concept of absence of opportunity

in relation to refugee crises while simultaneously writing their
ideas on the whiteboard. This allows students to gain an in
10 T
depth understanding of the area of study ‘opportunity’ and
facilitate ideas of opportunity allowing it to guide their thoughts
and understanding of the world around them. Students should be
 taking down these notes in their books
Close study of text
Pull up strange Fish by Genespencer image on interactive white
10 T
board and discuss visual literacy techniques within the image.
students should be taking notes during this process.
dictate essay question to students to copy in their books. Essay
question is as follows:- ‘often opportunity can define an individual in
form of identity’ discuss this statement with reference to a minimum of
30 S
two text studied in class.
Provide students with time to start their essays working
independently.

work sheet 1)
Work sheet 2)

Film technique Effect

(camera angle/ lighting/ Cinematography/ (composers purpose in shaping ideas of
Camera movement/ Mise en Scene) opportunity)
Worksheet 2)

1) What is the main themes of opportunity represented within this song?

2) What literary devices has the composer implemented to portray these themes

3) How are themes of identity communicated?

4) How does the video reveal ideas of transition and identity through opportunity?
5) The song is persuasive by nature evoking determination and aspiration discuss how the
composer entices this.