PETAA teaching unit

Using novel study to inform student writing with Spirit of the Crocodile

Years 5-6 English Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures

Explicitly teach students to analyse characterisation, setting, dialogue and perspective, using textual evidence to support written responses while building understanding of identity, belonging, culture and community.

Explicit teaching sequence Rich assessment task Curriculum aligned

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What students will learn

This unit helps students study Spirit of the Crocodile as a novel, using close reading, discussion and textual evidence to build interpretations and inform student writing.

📖

Analyse a novel

Explore how characterisation, setting, dialogue, perspective and theme work together to shape meaning.

💬

Discuss and interpret texts

Use questioning, inference and collaborative discussion to develop and refine interpretations.

🌊

Build cultural understanding

Explore Torres Strait Islander perspectives on place, identity, community and belonging.

🧭

Examine themes and perspectives

Track how ideas develop through character actions, relationships and significant events.

🔎

Use textual evidence

Select and explain evidence from the novel to support interpretations and personal connections.

✏️

Inform student writing

Use close reading, discussion and textual evidence to plan, draft and refine written responses.

A sequenced approach to literacy learning

This unit reflects PETAA's approach to literacy teaching: building knowledge, engaging with rich texts, making language visible and supporting students towards independent application through carefully sequenced instruction.

🌿
STEP 1
Build
knowledge
→
📖
STEP 2
Read
& discuss
→
✏️
STEP 3
Study
language
→
💬
STEP 4
Analyse &
interpret
→
🧭
STEP 5
Apply
independently

Inside this teaching unit

The unit is designed as a complete instructional resource, supporting teachers to build knowledge, develop deep comprehension, make language visible and guide students towards thoughtful written responses.

Build knowledge before reading

Activities to build understanding of Torres Strait Islander perspectives, place, culture, language and community before engaging with the novel.

Support deep reading comprehension

Guidance for reading sections of the novel, developing comprehension strategies and discussing character, setting, relationships and events.

Develop vocabulary and word knowledge

Explicit teaching of vocabulary, morphology, code-switching and culturally specific language to support comprehension and meaning-making.

Analyse language choices

Explicit teaching of dialogue, descriptive language, perspective and characterisation to explore how authors create meaning.

Guide students into writing

Structured opportunities for discussion, interpretation, using textual evidence and planning to support independent written responses.

Compose a written response 

Students draw on evidence from the novel to communicate and justify their thinking about identity, belonging and community.

Rich assessment task

Students bring together their understanding of character, theme, perspective and community through a thoughtful written response.

🎯

Students compose a written response exploring what Spirit of the Crocodile reveals about identity, belonging and community.

Their final response:

  • explains how themes are developed through characters, events and relationships
  • draws on relevant evidence from the novel to support ideas
  • makes thoughtful connections between the text and personal or real-world understandings
  • communicates ideas clearly using appropriate structure and language choices

📖

Understanding the novel

Use ideas developed through reading, discussion and analysis of characters, themes and relationships.

🔎

Textual evidence

Select and explain evidence from the novel to justify interpretations and support thinking.

💭

Making connections

Connect themes and ideas from the novel to personal experiences, perspectives and understandings.

✏️

Written response

Organise and communicate ideas clearly using appropriate vocabulary, structure and language choices.

Included with PETAA membership

Download the complete teaching unit

Download the complete unit, including the teaching sequence, explicit language teaching opportunities, assessment task and curriculum-aligned versions for your teaching context.

Australian Curriculum NSW Syllabus VIC Curriculum 

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