Literature Responding Examining Creating

Connecting to prior knowledge

Before reading, show the students the front and back cover of My Deadly Boots and ask them to think about what the book might be about.

Invite the students to think-pair-share. Allow them to think for a minute, share their thoughts with a partner, and then report back to the class. Prompt students to think about the background colour, the design of the title, the stars, and the different footwear. Share ideas.

Introduce the authors and the illustrator of the story. Show students some other books by Carl Merrison, Hakea Hustler and Samantha Campbell, such as:

* Reading Australia title

Discuss these creators and point out where they are from (refer to the back endpapers). Locate these places on a map of Australia.

Invite students to make further predictions about the story.

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Discuss the title My Deadly Boots. What might this mean? Identify all the shoe types on the back cover.

Now read the book aloud. Go slowly, pausing so that students can study each page carefully. Take special note of the endpapers. Invite the students to respond to the text:

  • What did you notice?
  • What stood out?
  • Were your predictions correct?

Discuss what the students have observed.

Guide students to engage in a connect-extend-challenge routine. The goal is to connect with what they already know, record where they were challenged and learnt new things, and devise new questions to extend their interest. In this instance, students record what they already know about the outback, what they have learnt from the story, and something new they would like to discover. Students then share their responses. These can be sorted into categories (e.g. interesting facts, common facts). Be prepared to identify and dismantle any stereotypes that may arise during this discussion. Also highlight significant place names and areas that are mentioned (e.g. Alice Springs, Coober Pedy, Broken Hill) and locate these on a map of Australia.

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Exploring the text in context of our community, school, and ‘me’

NOTE: For the purpose of tracking page numbers, the first page of the story (after the title page) is considered p. 2.

Re-read My Deadly Boots, displaying the pages so that students can clearly see the words. Ask them to read the text aloud. Choose a different student to read each double-page spread. Discuss what the boy does on each page.

  • Why does he do this?
  • Do you think he really needs the boots?
  • What makes you say that?

Recall the last page, which acknowledges this from the boy’s perspective: ‘my know my place in the world with or without them boots’ (p. 23). What does he mean by this?

Invite students to define the meaning of self-confidence. How can we tell when someone is confident? Invite students to think about people in their world: in the wider community, at school, and at home. Share responses. How do the authors and illustrator highlight self-confidence in the story? Encourage students to think about their own self-confidence. A useful discussion starter is:

I am confident when …

Invite students to make a list of words to describe themselves. They should place a plus (+) next to the positive words and a minus (-) next to the negative. Invite students to share their responses (this should be voluntary; do not call on students to participate if they do not wish to do so). Discuss how we are likely to feel when we experience positive thoughts versus negative thoughts.

Explain to students how we can change our thinking to help build our confidence. Provide a couple of examples. Ask students how they can change a negative thought into a positive thought. Return to pp. 20–21, where the grandfather tells the boy he doesn’t need his boots. What does he mean by this? Discuss how the boy’s thinking transformed over the story and why.

Ask students to write a positive message in response to the sentence starters below. They can also write their own sentence starters if they have time.

  • When someone says mean things to me , I can …
  • When I am embarrassed, I can …
  • When I feel disappointed, I can …
  • When things don’t go as planned, I can …
  • When someone is rude, I can …
  • When I think I can’t do something, I can …

The responses could be recorded on an A4 piece of paper folded in half vertically, with the feeling/problem on one side record and the positive message on the other. For example:

When I am embarrassed, I can … … say ‘I’m okay!’ Take a deep breath and count slowly to 10.
When I feel disappointed, I can … … encourage myself to try again.
When things don’t go as planned, I can … … be calm and go with the flow.

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Rich assessment task

This role-play activity will help students to build their confidence in their ability to handle different situations in real life. The focus is on communicating a message about the topic, NOT on proving the students’ acting ability. When assigning the role-play, ensure that you explain the purpose thoroughly and answer any questions. Provide clear guidelines regarding content, general presentation, behaviour, and props. Give the students a time frame so they know how long the role-play should take. Model a couple of simple examples.

Provide students with a variety of scenarios, such as:

  • A student in your class always wants to go first. What could you do or say?
  • You think someone stole your pencil. What do you do?
  • Someone is saying unkind things about you behind your back. What could you say?

Students will work through the different scenarios in pairs, acting out how they would respond positively in each case. To set the students up for group work, negotiate some ground rules such as not talking over one another, responding positively to good ideas, and seeking clarification if one person is unsure about the discussion.

Observe the students’ interaction skills and the way they engage with conversations while they are working through their scenarios. Some of these could be shared towards the end of the session. Ask students to evaluate each other’s role-play using two stars and a wish.

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Responding to the text

Revisit My Deadly Boots. Invite students to take a closer look at the images and words. Look at the first double-page spread as a class (pp. 2–3). Students will notice the red earth, small plane, mailbag, etc. Talk through and model the see-think-wonder routine.

Ask students if this text is imaginative, informative, or persuasive. Ask them to identify the audience for the text. Record students’ ideas on the whiteboard.

Divide the class into small groups. Each group will focus on a different double-page spread from My Deadly Boots. They will record their ideas on the see-think-wonder template. Invite each group to share their thoughts with the class. Highlight the following aspects if they do not come up in the ensuing discussion:

Illustrations Colours, facial expressions, characters’ feelings, position of characters, body language, medium used, how the illustrator has created movement on the page
Text Colour, size, position on page, words/phrases

Invite students to think about how the book has made them feel and why. You may pose the following questions:

  • How do the pictures and words stir your emotions?
  • What is your favourite part of the story and why?
  • What have you learnt from the story? Can you relate to the story?

Invite the students to think-pair-share. They should justify their responses by referring to the illustrations and text.

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Exploring plot, character, setting, and theme

Plot and characters

Every story has a plot. Ask students to think about the main characters and their role in My Deadly Boots (i.e. what the characters are doing and saying). Discuss the idea of cause and effect and how this shapes the plot and the story as a whole.

Complete the table below as a class. Students should refer to the illustrations and text to justify their observations.

Character How does this character interact with the boy? How does the boy feel/respond? What could the character say to the boy?
Postie He looks happy to have the boy’s package. The boy looks eager to receive the package.
Sister
Teacher
Mate
Policeman
Coach
Uncle
Grandfather
Mother

Afterwards, ask:

What emotions might the boy feel in each scenario? Why do you think this?

Character analysis

Use the step inside thinking routine to explore how and why the protagonist of My Deadly Boots makes particular choices, and why he may have certain reactions to different people and events throughout the story. Give each student four sticky notes in different colours (examples are listed below). They will think about and respond to the following:

Pink note What does the main character see, observe, and notice throughout the text?
Blue note Why does he think these events have occurred, and what is his role in these events?
Yellow note What does he care deeply about? How do you know? Provide evidence.
Green note What puzzles him throughout the text? What questions arise for you about this character or his actions?

Once students have recorded their response, collect the sticky notes and group them according to colour. Read the responses to each question aloud and discuss as a class. You could also repeat this exercise with other characters from the book.

NOTE: Some children may wonder why the policeman asked the boy about his boots (pp. 12–13). Over-policing of First Nations youth is a sensitive issue. Make sure you have sufficient knowledge to address any questions in a culturally safe and age-appropriate manner (ANTAR, the Justice and Equity Centre, or Penal Reform International may be useful here). Be aware that this topic may be distressing for First Nations students. Consider excusing them from this conversation if they do not wish to take part. It is also a good idea to provide a safe space that they can retreat to (with a supportive Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander teacher or liaison officer) if necessary. Magabala Books’ guide to teaching Indigenous content is a good starting point for establishing an environment in which all students, especially those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, feel supported and safe to learn.

Setting

Revisit the setting of My Deadly Boots. Although it is not specified in the text, the illustrations resemble Central Australia. Look up images of Central Australia using a search engine. Compare these images to where students live using Google Earth. Print out coloured images and compare the two areas. Invite students to study each image carefully. Prompt their thinking with a few initial questions:

  • What features stand out? Are the features natural or man-made?
  • What colours do you see?

In pairs, students will record the similarities and differences on sticky notes. They can attach the differences to the relevant images and place any similarities between the two (alternatively, they can record their responses on a Venn diagram). For example:

Red earth Sparse vegetation Some greenery Rocky hills Roads Houses
Streams Parks Churches Traffic lights Shops Fields

Also discuss the term ‘bush’ and how it is used in different ways:

Bush A single shrub
Rose bush A type of prickly bush with fragrant flowers
Bushland Land on which there is natural vegetation – usually dry soil and woody shrubs/bushes as opposed to dense forests
‘The bush’ A term to describe places where few or no people live, far from cities, and things/activities that are country or rural in nature
Scrub Vegetation consisting of undergrowth, twigs, and small branches

Once the students have finished recording similarities and differences, ask them to share their findings. If they live in a city or large town, ask them what they think it would be like living in a remote area similar to the setting of My Deadly Boots. What would life be like? What are the pros and cons of living there? Again, be prepared to identify and dismantle any stereotypes that may arise during this discussion.

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Theme

Refer to the boots making the boy feel confident. Ask students to think about an item (clothing, shoes, or otherwise) that makes them feel confident. Ask:

Run through the following questions with the students before they record their answers on the template below:

What is the item?
Did you buy it yourself?
Where did you buy it from?
Did you save up your pocket money?
How much did it cost?
Alternatively, was it a gift? If so, who bought it for you?
Was it given to you for a special occasion?
How did it make you feel when you received it?
Did you have to wait a long time for the item to arrive?
Why does this item make you feel special?
How does it make you feel confident when you put it on/have it?
Illustrate your item.

Invite students to share their responses with the class.

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Rich assessment task

Read Rodney Loses It! by Michael Gerard Bauer, illustrated by Chrissie Krebs. If you do not have access to the physical book, you can watch a reading by the author. Discuss the story. Use some thought provokers:

  • What is Rodney’s favourite thing in the world and why?
  • How does it make him feel?
  • How does Penny Pen help him in his everyday life?
  • How does Rodney react when he loses his pen?

Record student responses on the board. Ask them to make comparisons to My Deadly Boots.

Print out a large Venn diagram and invite students to record their ideas about the two books using sticky notes. Discuss the responses.

Ask students to think about how they would feel if they lost their special item. What would they do? How would they cope? How would they feel? Invite students to individually write a response to this dilemma. Provide the sentence starter:

If I lost my [special item], I would …

In addition, ask students to write a response to how the boy in My Deadly Boots reacted to losing his boots. What were his thoughts in the end? Share responses.

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Examining text structure and organisation

Re-examine the text as a class. As you examine each double-page spread, ask students to make note of the new characters on each page. Each character should be added to a timeline in order of appearance. Display this on the board.

Discuss:

  • What is the main complication and resolution in the story?
  • Are there smaller complications throughout?

Also invite students to reference the illustrations and text. Is there a pattern/repetition in the story? If so, ask them to describe what they think it is.

Different colours are used to represent the boy and other characters’ thoughts/dialogue. Discuss the words and phrases in orange. Why have the authors chosen to do this? Look at the size and orientation of the text and discuss. What information does this provide to the reader? Does it help tell the story? Discuss responses.

The phrases in orange are adjectives. It’s more typical to use everyday adjectives such as ‘footy’ boots, ‘my favourite colour’ boots, or ‘shiny brand new’ boots. The boy is using literary turns of phrases such as ‘spikes on the bottom’ boots, ‘reaching my own goal’ boots, and ‘I’ll pass them down to you’ boots.

Students will engage in a see-think-wonder routine. Ask groups of two to four students to study one of the double-page spreads from My Deadly Boots and share what they see, think and wonder. One person from each group will act as the scribe, recording ideas on the template. Once this activity has been completed, walk around the room and invite the groups to share their responses. Discuss the findings while adding relevant information to the character timeline.

Now discuss the resolution of the story: what happened in the two scenes with the boy’s uncle and grandfather (pp. 16–17, 20–21)? What did they say to the boy that made him realise he did not need his special boots?

Discuss the language and illustrations. How do they provoke thoughts about First Nations peoples, their cultural identities, and the connection they have with Country? Discuss other stories that highlight the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Prompt students to think about the land, family, and spiritual beliefs.

Other books you could refer to include (but are not limited to):

* Reading Australia title

If possible, place these books in your class library for easy access. Encourage students to visit the library to discover other titles.

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Examining grammar and vocabulary

Take a closer look at how the authors use rhyme and repetition. Turn to the pages with the teacher and playground (pp. 8–9) and record examples of rhyme from the text on the board (e.g. blues/shoes, lose/shoes, twos/shoes). Students can work together (as a class or in groups) to locate these and other examples of rhyme in My Deadly Boots.

The words ‘my’ and ‘boots’ are used three times on every double-page spread. Why might this be the case? Discuss the size, orientation, and colour of the text:

  • Why is some in a larger font?
  • Why have the authors used different colours for text throughout the story?
  • How do these writing techniques/visual features add to the story?

There are a number of interesting phrases in My Deadly Boots. Discuss these and locate them in the text. Once located, allow time for students to interpret them, either individually or in small groups. Students will respond to each phrase, noting its meaning and how the boy feels.

Phrase Meaning How the boy feels
‘give me confidence’ (p. 19) Able to believe in myself and my ability Happy and content
‘too deadly’
‘I’m somebody’ (p. 19)
‘know my place in the world’ (p. 23)
‘walking in two worlds’ (p. 17)
‘can’t feel the sand in my toes’ (p. 17)
‘healthy lifestyle’ (p. 15)
‘why aren’t blackfellas allowed flash boots?’ (p. 13)
‘standing my ground’ (p. 13)
‘fighting away the blues’ (p. 9)
‘blackfella don’t need to be labelled boots’ (p. 5)
‘reaching my goal’ (p. 5)
‘dream big’ (p. 5)

Invite students to share their responses. Then discuss what the boy is experiencing in the story and how the text and illustrations support this. Invite students to think-pair-share. Students may come up with ideas such as self-confidence, being proud of his identity, discrimination, and finding his own voice. Discuss these further.

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When re-reading My Deadly Boots, ask students to identify any homophones within the text. Record these on the board. Students can use their prior knowledge to spell other words that sound the same. Discuss the different meanings and ask students to provide an example of the new word(s) in a sentence.

new knew
too to, two
wait weight
need
wear
you
bare
know

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Finally, students can use their morphemic knowledge to change some of these words by adding prefixes and suffixes to the base word or root.

Base word Adding suffixes to make new words
reach reaches, reaching, reached

As the boy reached for the ball, he tripped on a rock and fell heavily on the ground.
label
wait
long
save
final
pack
make
walk
pass

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Rich assessment task

Show students some examples of simple book reviews (e.g. from CBCA Reading Time, Kids’ Book Review, ReadPlus, or Alphabet Soup). As examples are shown, highlight key words and phrases. Discuss the main components of a book review.

Invite students to write a review for My Deadly Boots and give it a rating. They can use Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or a similar word processor. Run through some key steps before students begin:

  • Consider the main points: the characters, plot, and theme.
  • Write an introduction that includes the book title, authors and illustrator, genre, and a brief summary of the story.
  • Write a body paragraph that evaluates the book, using quotes and examples (text/illustrations) to support your opinion.
  • Write a conclusion that summarises your evaluation and gives your recommendation. What age group would you recommend this book for?
  • Give the book a rating out of five stars (one being the lowest and five the highest).

On completion, invite students to move into pairs to share their work. They can then give feedback on their partner’s review in the form of two stars and a wish.

If there is a copy of My Deadly Boots in your school library, students may be able to write a review for the catalogue. Check with your school librarian to see what may be possible.

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Connections with First Nations cultures

Reconnect with the last two double-page spreads in My Deadly Boots (pp. 20–23). Focus on what the grandfather says to the boy. Reflect on the boy’s thoughts immediately after this (p. 21). Invite students to think-pair-share in response to these pages. Record their responses on a mind map and discuss.

If possible, share Coming Home to Country by Bronwyn Bancroft (a proud Bundjalung woman and artist). Take time to explore the themes, text, and illustrations. Then engage in a see-think-wonder routine. Discuss the students’ thoughts and wonderings. Ask them what they think Bancroft is trying to get across to the reader. Does she succeed in doing this? Discuss her use of minimal text along with rich colours, shapes, and patterns that evoke the Australian landscape. Bancroft’s book features many different people and their unique relationships to the land. Ask students how these people are identified in the book.

NOTE: If you cannot access this book, you could base your discussion on the interiors available from the publisher’s website. Alternatively, select another book with themes of Country and home and have a similar discussion. Several are listed in the Examining section (under Examining Text Structure and Organisation).

Ask students if they are familiar with Welcome to/Acknowledgement of Country protocols. If so, do they remember which land they are on? Discuss the purpose of a Welcome to and Acknowledgement of Country. Refer to the AIATSIS map of Indigenous Australia or Gambay First Languages Map to locate the Country you are on. If possible, connect with a local Elder or cultural educator who can share insights into their culture, history, language, food, traditions, beliefs, and so on. You could also organise a visit to a nearby site of significance or conduct more research into your local area and language group.

NOTE: Elders and cultural educators should be remunerated for their time and expertise, just like any other specialist. More information is provided in Reading Australia’s teaching resource for Guwayu — For All Times* edited by Jeanine Leane (see Initial Response > Synthesising Tasks > A Note on Cultural Safety and Remuneration).

* Reading Australia title

Students could respond to these experiences with a written recount, highlighting the most significant things they have learned. Model first, discussing the text structure, language features, topic-specific vocabulary, and relevant visual features/images that you expect to see.

Ask students to think back to My Deadly Boots and how it reflects a specific culture and way of life. Recap and discuss the boy’s intentions and how his mindset evolved throughout the story. What connections can they make to their learning about First Nations peoples and cultures? Explain the connect-extend-challenge routine and provide a template so that students can record their responses. Invite them to share and explain their ideas.

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To further students’ understanding, explore Our World: Bardi Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon* by the students of One Arm Point Remote Community School. This book will provide insights into the lives of Bardi Jaawi people on the Dampier Peninsula in Western Australia. Discuss the importance of Elders within the community and how they impact the lives of younger people.

* Reading Australia title

Select relevant pages to share with the students to further their knowledge of this community and their culture. Introduce the sentence-phrase-word routine and have students respond to the text in pairs. This will help them to engage with the text, enhancing discussion and drawing attention to the power of language. Each pair will share their responses and explain their choices. Reflect on their ideas in relation to their understandings of the text.

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Take a closer look at the endpapers of My Deadly Boots. Ask students what they see and what they know about what they see. The front and back endpapers show some symbols that are recognisable from Aboriginal art. The back endpapers also provide information about the authors and illustrator. Discuss and invite students to share their thoughts on the artwork.

View and discuss a variety of Aboriginal artworks. The National Museum of Australia has an excellent collection from its Papunya Painting exhibition. It’s important to note that this style of painting – characterised by dots, lines, and circles – is specific to the Western Desert region that covers parts of Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory (this is where Papunya is located). Other communities have their own distinctive art styles. Invite students to take a closer look at some of the symbols used in First Nations art.

Invite students to work in pairs to identify the symbols on the endpapers. If possible, make multiple copies of My Deadly Boots available, along with a symbol identification chart (Common Ground and ART ARK may be useful here). Students should use sticky notes to label the different symbols. Invite them to share their findings.

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Connections with the authors and illustrator

Read the information about the authors and illustrator at the back of the book. Ask students to use the think-pair-share routine to discuss what they know about these creators, including other books they may have written/illustrated. You might like to revisit relevant discussions from the start of the unit (see Literature > Connecting to Prior Knowledge).

Carl Merrison Hakea Hustler Samantha Campbell
 

 

Focus on and discuss the connection each of these people have with Aboriginal communities. Use Google Maps and the AIATSIS or Gambay map to locate the places where they grew up, and the peoples from whom they descend (Merrison from Jaru and Gija; Campbell from Dagoman). Ask students to think about how their experiences living in these places may have influenced their motivations to create My Deadly Boots. Why might the authors have wanted to write a book about boots and cultural identity?

Ask students:

If you had the opportunity to ask the authors or illustrator some questions, what would you ask? What thoughts would you like to share with them?

First work on a whole class example, providing ideas for structure, language, and content. You can continue to come up with a class list of questions OR invite students to come up with their own individually. Once these have been edited and approved by you, try sending them to Merrison and Hustler and/or to Campbell. Any responses can be shared with the class and discussed.

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Connections with culture

Why is it important to maintain connections to your own culture? Write this question on large sheets of paper and place them at different stations around the room. Assign students to small groups and set them up at each station for a chalk talk thinking routine. Encourage students to respond to the question AND each other by adding their own comments and questions. Give them a few minutes to respond silently, then rotate the groups to new stations. Remind students to elaborate on their peers’ ideas. Once the rotations are complete, each group will return to their original sheet of paper. Share the responses one group at a time. Ask students what themes emerge, if there are any common threads, and what surprises them.

Rich assessment task

Country and culture: personal response

Share some of Bronwyn Bancroft’s other books (several are featured on Reading Australia). Pick out pages that highlight the shapes, colours, patterns, and landscapes Bancroft has used to create her illustrations. Discuss her use of both images and words to explore the beauty of the land she calls home.

Students complete a Y-chart about what Country looks like, feels like, and sounds like to them. Using these ideas, they will record further details about the Country they live on, their culture, and their family’s connection to the land or place where they live. Ask them to consider the following:

  • The definition of Country (AIATSIS or Common Ground may be useful here)
  • Key events or landmarks from the Country they live upon
  • Their family values and cultural beliefs
  • How they connect with and respect the land

Students should record their responses on a retrieval chart. They will then write a description of the Country they live on and provide reasons for the different elements they have included.

Discuss and model the desired writing structure and key language features of a description. Recall earlier discussions relating to descriptions of settings (Responding > Exploring Plot, Character, Setting, and Theme > Setting). The ability to use descriptive language, including noun groups and adverbial phrases of time and place, will be key features to note for assessment.

To accompany their description, students should draw a scene of the Country they live on. Provide and discuss options for drawing tools, colour palettes, and composition.

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