Connecting to prior knowledge
Listen to an Acknowledgement of Country and discuss its significance. Students may wish to create their own class acknowledgement to begin this unit of work.
Before revealing the cover of Desert Lake written by Pamela Freeman and illustrated by Liz Anelli, ask students to brainstorm what the title means to them. Prompt by asking:
How could something be a desert and a lake?
Invite students to sketch their representations, then read through the whole book together. Read it a second time, noting how the desert becomes a lake and vice versa.
Cultural understandings of the site that link to the title of the book
Pause to learn about the Arabana people, the Traditional Custodians of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. You can access relevant videos and audio from ABC Kids Listen and the Gambay First Languages Map.
This 2015 Rangeland Journal article by Melissa Nursey-Bray and the Arabana Aboriginal Corporation contains useful background information for teachers. The authors explain that Arabana people understand water as a single resource found across many sites. Descriptions and understandings of these sites are outlined in Table 2: Arabana Water Values. Of particular interest is the idea of ‘absent water’: sites that are understood as ‘water’ sites, but currently contain no water. These may be culturally significant sites that contained water thousands of years ago, OR sites where the water flow has changed due to seasonality or other outside variables (e.g. mining, climate change).
Australian landmarks with Aboriginal and European place names
The desert lake in this book has two names: Kati Thanda (the Arabana name) and Lake Eyre (the European name). The lake’s traditional name was officially recognised in 2012.
Invite students to identify other landmarks with Aboriginal and European place names, e.g. Uluru/Ayres Rock, Kata Tjuta/The Olgas, K’gari/Fraser Island, Nguthungulli/Julian Rocks and others. Locate these, including Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, on a map of Australia.
Discuss the idea of sacred sites and special places for Aboriginal peoples. You might briefly discuss the closure of the Uluru climb in 2019.
In small groups, have students sketch or visually represent some of the landmarks on paper, then cut out and attach them to maps of Australia. Alternatively, you can provide a large map and have each group attach one landmark. Label each landmark with the Aboriginal and European names.
Although it does not clearly reference Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, Are We There Yet?* by Alison Lester could be a useful springboard for these discussions.
* Reading Australia title
Exploring the text in context of our community, school and ‘me’
Salt, water, evaporation and heat
After reading about the evaporation of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, students may be interested to explore the effect of evaporation on a local pond or waterway, as stimulated by the following activities:
| Water cycle brainstorm | Visit or view photographs of a local pond, lake, or other waterway. Ask students to imagine and brainstorm what might happen if this waterway was transported to a desert environment (like Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre), facing extreme heat, evaporation and salty water. This demonstrates part of the water cycle. |
| Salt crust experiment | Re-read the description of the salt crust on p. 27 of Desert Lake. To understand what the salt crust is and to replicate it, complete the following experiment:
Dissolve table salt (or baking soda) in water. Spoon the mixture onto baking paper on a tray or plate. Allow time for the water to evaporate. Observe what is left after the water evaporates (the salt crust). Students could repeat with two samples: one placed in the sun or under a heat lamp, another placed in the shade. Compare the results. Retain so that students can use the salt crust to help form models of the lake in the Responding section of this unit. |
Rich assessment task
Ask students to imagine that they have the opportunity to visit Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. Using the map of Australia from the previous activities, ask students to label their school or closest city/regional centre. They should draw a line to link this location with Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre.
Spend a few minutes looking at photographs and images of Kati Thanda, which may spark some curiosity about the lake.
In pairs, have students plan what they would do if they visited Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. They should start by deciding if they want to see a desert, a lake, or both! They should draw on Desert Lake for ideas, but they can also use additional resources if needed. For example, they could set up a tent, go for a walk, look at the salt crust or search for the plants and creatures from the book. They could take photographs and sketch what they observe.
Students can document their ‘visit’ by making a comic of three to six panels (digitally or on paper). You can also give them the option to use bitmoji avatars to place themselves at Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre and depict the things they would like to do.
Responding to the text
Conduct shared readings of the picture books Drought and Flood* by Jackie French, illustrated by Bruce Whatley. Invite students to share their responses in a whole class discussion.
* Reading Australia title
Ask students to think about concepts of ‘dry and wet’ and ‘drought and flood’ in a subsequent re-reading of Desert Lake. Invite students to talk about their memories/experiences of dry times and possible drought or water restrictions, as well as times of rain and possible flood. Be mindful of students who may have personal experiences or close connections with these phenomena so you can approach the discussion sensitively and safely.
Invite aesthetic and emotional responses to the written and illustrative text in Desert Lake by asking students to:
- List words or sentences from the book that they find pleasing (aesthetic) and others that make them feel something (emotion). For example, ‘Far, far away, pelicans lift into the sky’ could evoke a poetic sense of anticipation and wonder (aesthetic); but ‘the pelicans don’t come in years when the lake is dry’ could evoke a sense of loss (emotion).
- Sketch thumbnail pictures of illustrations they find aesthetically pleasing, and illustrations that give them an emotional reaction or make them feel something.
In small groups, students will then explain how these words and illustrations from the book attracted or pleased them, and how they made them feel. Prompt students to speak in a way to show their emotion, considering tone, pace, pitch and volume. They may incorporate dramatic movement or gesture.
Exploring plot, character, setting and theme
Show students this BTN video to give them an extended overview and different perspective of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre.
Lake and lake life: models of the lake
To focus on the setting and the creatures in and around the lake, invite students to replicate the two ‘faces’ of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre as models in sand trays (or equivalent). Tasks can be delegated throughout the whole class.
Students could make creatures such as frogs and birds from modelling clay, paper or cardboard. Alternatively, they could bring in any figurines they may have from home.
Creatures that are mentioned but not featured in the book (such as avocets) are optional.
Model 1: dry lake setting
- Students layer the base of the tray with sand.
- They bury model frogs and frogs’ eggs (made from plastic packaging, small polystyrene balls or similar) that will later float in the sand.
- They place the salt crust from their prior experiment (see Literature > Exploring the Text in Context of our Community, School and ‘Me’ > Salt, Water, Evaporation and Heat) over the sand.
- They arrange some stones around the edges and place model dragon lizards underneath, as well as under the salt crust.
- They also dig burrows around the edges for mice (pp. 18–19).
- They label the creatures.
Model 2: wet lake setting
- Students layer the base of the tray with sand, building higher sections around the edges and in the middle to form islands, and place the salt crust on top.
- They pour fresh water over the sand to cover the deeper sections, noting that this mixes with the salt crust to form salty water.
- They float model frogs’ eggs in the water along with model tadpoles, gobies, shield shrimps and other underwater creatures from the book (pp. 12–13, 22–23).
- They place model pelicans, gulls, pink-eared ducks and ducklings, avocets, swans, zebra finches, kites, wedge-tailed eagles and/or owls (pp. 14–17, 24–25) on the sand or water, or suspend them from above with fishing line or cotton tread.
- They place mice and dragon lizards on the raised sand or stones (pp. 18–20).
- They label the creatures.
Research and write about creatures
Working in pairs, students will select one of the species living in or near Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre (e.g. Australian pelicans, wedge-tailed eagles, pink-eared ducks, dragon lizards, water-holding frogs). They should research the creature (and its life cycle, if possible) using Desert Lake and other sources such as Sand Swimmers by Narelle Oliver (which looks at Australia’s inland desert and has a section on Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre).
Students should present their research as a poster. Keep these for use in the Creating section of this unit.
Rich assessment task
Individually or in pairs, ask students to imagine that they are the creature they researched earlier.
They are to write a story from the creature’s point of view about where it lives and what it does, thinks, fears and enjoys. They can base this on their research, their imagination or a mixture of these.
Publish the story as a Word document, print it out, and have the students create a decorative border that represents the creature’s habitat. Alternatively, display all the stories against the backdrop of the desert lake.
Examining text structure and organisation
Illustrations
The illustrations in Desert Lake are notable for their colours, texture and composition. These will be examined below.
Endpapers
Have students look at the colour, texture and composition of the endpapers. Ask what objects and prints might be shown and invite students to try to identify these. They can also try to predict what materials and processes Liz Anelli used to create the endpapers.
In her illustration notes for Desert Lake, Anelli explains that she used a technique called monoprinting. She rolled the ink onto a metal sheet and placed small textured objects such as leaves, tiny bits of cotton, dust, and twigs on top of the inked sheet. In some places she removed ink, scratching with a twig or rolling the side of a cotton reel against the sheet. Then she put a thin sheet of paper over the top and passed it through a printer’s press.
Students will employ a similar technique in the Creating section of this unit.
Collage creatures
Anelli used collage (along with other techniques) to create the birds, insects and other creatures, as well as the seeds and leaves. She sourced images, patterns and colours from fashion magazines and carefully cut and pasted them into her compositions. This is how she created the distinctive feathers, skin, scales and fur. The pelican wings on pp. 14–15, for example, took days and were made from black and grey deckling paper (paper with rough-cut edges) and butcher’s paper with almost-dried ink rolled onto it.
Students will employ a similar technique in the Creating section of this unit.
Page composition
Most of the illustrations in Desert Lake are double-page spreads. Ask students:
- What does this achieve?
- When is a single-page spread used? Why?
- What is the effect of this?
Anelli explains that Desert Lake had an interesting history because she and Pamela Freeman had to start over halfway through. They were at the final roughs stage when, following much deliberation, their editors decided there was too much focus on pelicans (the original story had followed one chick throughout its life).
The re-write put the lake and its environment as the central characters, rather than one specific creature. This called for a dramatic compositional change – now that the landscape was central, single pages no longer made sense.
The exception is on pp. 20–21, where a change of pace was needed. A sense of passing time had to be created, hence the compositional break using single pages.
(AC9E5LA07) (AC9E5LE03) (AC9E5LY05)
Examining grammar and vocabulary
Two text types
Prompt students to identify the two text types (literary and non-fiction) in the book. The texts are shown in different fonts and sizes. Ask students to table examples of each and identify specific vocabulary, language structures and stylistic features that are representative of literary and non-fiction texts. Make sure the students understand that the different text types represent two different social purposes for writing: to entertain and to describe.
| Literary texts | Help students see the emphasis on description, vivid vocabulary and poetic style. For example:
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| Non-fiction texts | Explain that clear and relevant information is paramount in this text type. For example:
Also highlight the conventions of non-fiction texts at the end of the book, i.e. a map, further information about Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre and an index. |
Scientists and poets
Split the class in half and assign each half the role of either scientists or poets (representing the two text types). Form small mixed groups of scientists and poets, including one impartial moderator. The scientists in each group will prepare 10 questions for the poets in their group and vice versa. For example:
| Scientists’ questions for poets | Poets’ questions for scientists |
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|
The scientists and poets can take turns answering the questions.
Now invite students to read other books in the Nature Storybooks series (e.g. Emu by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Graham Byrne). Some of these are listed under More Resources. Compare and contrast the subjects, environments and writing/illustrative styles.
Optionally, you could ask students to work in pairs to research and write a paragraph about an Australian animal NOT featured in Desert Lake to demonstrate their ability to both describe and entertain (i.e. compose informational and literary texts). This is a precursor to the Rich Assessment Task in the Creating section of this unit.
Rich assessment task
Ask students to identify the awards that Desert Lake has been nominated for. A list is available from Walker Books Australia. Optionally, you might like to explore the criteria for these awards on the relevant websites (Wilderness Society, State Library of NSW – here and here, Speech Pathology Australia, Children’s Book Council of Australia, Educational Publishing Awards Australia).
Display (and, if possible, provide copies of) other fiction and narrative non-fiction picture books that have won or been nominated for the same awards. For example:
- Dingo by Claire Saxby, illus. Tannya Harricks
- Home by Narelle Oliver
- The All New Must Have Orange 430* by Michael Speechley
- Bouncing Back: An Eastern Barred Bandicoot Story by Rohan Cleave, illus. Coral Tulloch
* Reading Australia title
Students can explore these books to identify the attributes they and Desert Lake share that resulted in them being distinguished in this way. They should then orally persuade their classmates as to why these books deserve to have been awarded.
Optional extension
Students can find and read judges’ reports on the awarded books, then write their own report on a book they consider deserving.
The report should include a brief synopsis and discussion of the following (where appropriate):
- Characterisation
- Point of view
- Setting
- Writing style or tone
- Final evaluation
There are several useful examples on the Reading Time website, from the 2017 CBCA Book of the Year Awards:
Publish the reports on a class Wiki or similar platform to form a resource about awarded picture books.
Writing and illustrating in the style of Desert Lake
Students have been reading literary and non-fiction texts in picture books like Desert Lake and others. Many of these are award-winning books.
Students have practised writing literary and non-fiction texts, mainly in pairs. They have researched and written about creatures at Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre and elsewhere in Australia.
Individually, they will now craft and polish a piece of writing and illustration about one creature that lives in or near Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre.
Literary writing
Have students use Desert Lake and any writing already completed as scaffolding for one or more short, polished literary texts about a creature at Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. This will ideally be the creature they researched in the Responding section. The number of texts they produce will be determined by the available time.
Students should aspire to match, as much as possible, the quality of Freeman’s writing in Desert Lake. To achieve this, brainstorm success criteria before beginning.
Encourage students to highlight key words in bold and large font, as in Desert Lake.
Non-fiction writing
As in the previous exercise, students should use prior research and writing as scaffolding for one or more short, polished non-fiction texts about the same creature at Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre.
Illustrations using monoprinting
If needed, review Anelli’s monoprinting technique as described in the Examining section.
Ask students to use desktop monoprinting to print on thin cardboard. The process is explained in this article.
The materials needed for desktop monoprinting include masking tape, paper, ink (ideally reddish-brown), rollers, and assorted materials such as leaves, twigs, and possibly cotton reels and popsicle sticks to scratch off some ink. Placing foil on the desktop saves some mess.
Creatures
Students should outline their chosen creature on paper and experiment with textures from collage materials.
These learning experiences contribute to the Rich Assessment Task below.
Rich assessment task
Publishing using a lift-the-flap construction
As a culmination of their study of Desert Lake, students will publish their writing about a creature that lives in or near Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre.
Each student will publish their work as a lift-the-flap construction. They will employ the illustrative techniques discovered in the Examining section of this unit and practised above.
Each student will need a thick piece of cardboard as a base. They will also need a thinner piece to place on top.
Base layer
Students will copy their literary and non-fiction texts onto the base layer in neat handwriting. They should write in paragraphs or boxes, leaving space so that flaps can be attached to the top, bottom or sides. The literary text will feature key words in larger, bold font. The non-fiction text will be written in smaller font.
Students will also illustrate the creature they have written about by outlining it on the base layer and gluing collage materials onto it. Details such as eyes or beaks can be added in pen or pencil. The illustration will need to be of a size that can be covered with a flap.
Top layer
Students will mark their flaps with a pencil and then cut them into (or out of) the top layer so that, when they are opened, the writing and illustration underneath can be viewed.
Make sure they have illustrated the top layer in the monoprint style of the endpapers from Desert Lake. This will represent one aspect of the lake or its surrounds. Students can then secure the finished top layer to the base.
Classmates can appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the lift-the-flap construction and enjoy lifting the flaps to read the writing underneath. This will allow them to extend their understanding and imagine what it would be like to visit Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre.
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