The Year the Maps Changed

Introductory activities

Danielle Binks is a Melbourne-based writer and literary agent. Her debut middle-grade novel The Year the Maps Changed was a 2021 CBCA Notable Book, and was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards the same year.

Binks has described how her childhood and family life influenced The Year the Maps Changed; this 2020 Booktopia interview provides some useful background and serves as a good introduction to the book.

You might also find the list of chapter headings (PDF, 95KB) helpful as you work through this unit.

The book explores several sensitive issues, including: the death of a parent; blended families; the onset of periods; war and refugees; refugee internment in Australia; stillbirth; and mental health (particularly grief and depression). Please be mindful of your and your students’ needs, and consult/provide additional resources and support if anyone in your class has a close association with these experiences.

Understanding setting: time and place

The historical setting of The Year the Maps Changed (1999) precedes the lived experience of middle years students, and perhaps the memory of some teachers. As such, it is important to provide context and make this historical setting more relevant. The following whole class or group activity involves some research and discussion in the classroom, and a prompt for discussion with parents, carers, family, and teachers about their memories of 1999. Collectively, these memories may provide international and local knowledge that will contextualise the events and lives portrayed in the novel.

In groups and/or as a whole class, discuss the most significant changes since 1999 regarding:

• technology
• entertainment
• communication
• refugee movement globally and to Australia
• fashion and pop culture

Wrap up by summarising key points of difference and similarity, and follow with free silent writing on one or both of the following prompts:

• What have you learned about life in Australia in 1999, and how has Australia changed (or not changed) since that time?
• Which aspects of life in 1999 would you like (or not like) to experience now?

Students will be best prepared if they can quickly talk with a partner about their ideas, and if they have a clear time limit with as much support as possible to get them writing. Emphasise that there will be no judgement and that writing can help form and refine ideas in ways that thinking and talking alone does not. This piece of work will not be assessed, but is simply a form of practise and writing for writing’s sake.

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Preparing to talk about refugee experiences

Before the next lesson, encourage students to explore the following questions with extended family and/or friends (reminding them that these are sensitive matters and should be approached respectfully):

• Do you know anyone (personally or not) who has come to Australia due to war, persecution, or financial crisis in their home country?
  • NOTE: The focus here is on living memory (e.g. among parents or grandparents) rather than written accounts of history.
• From where did they travel? When? Why? How?
• What do you know about their experiences, both positive and negative?

Refugees and Operation Safe Haven

Background knowledge will support students to understand and engage with any text. This includes historical and geographic information that forms the basis of the text being studied.

Discuss the features of the Mornington Peninsula and the location of the quarantine station on Point Nepean (see the map on p. v of the novel). Contextualise the Peninsula in relation to Victoria and the rest of the country so that students can identify the setting of The Year the Maps Changed, and see why this site was chosen to temporarily house refugees.

The discussion students have had with their family and/or friends (above) may support them to understand the experiences of refugees and migrants. Allow this to serve as background before exploring why and how Kosovar-Albanians came to Australia, along with the public debate associated with Operation Safe Haven.

The following resources are for your own reference; it may be appropriate to select and share short extracts or examples aligned to your students’ needs.

Lead a class discussion to explore the following ideas:

• How might you react if you and your family were in the same position as the Kosovar-Albanian refugees who were airlifted to Australia?
• What emotions might you feel? Would you express these? If so, how?
• What would you bring from home if you could only take a small backpack?
• What kind of accommodation and services would you expect when you arrived?
• How would you want to be treated? What would you expect to do with your time as a refugee?

Now ask students to imagine themselves as locals living near the haven.

• What could you do to support and welcome the refugees?
• What reasons might people give for being concerned about new arrivals to the area? What could you say to reassure or reason with them?

Approach these topics carefully so as not to perpetuate harmful or misinformed attitudes. For advice on establishing a safe learning environment and leading students safely in and safely out of sensitive material, see Reading Australia’s teaching resource for The Yield.

Again, you might like to finish by having students undertake five or ten minutes of low-stakes writing to consolidate what they have discussed or express their understanding of the issues.

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Learning vocabulary

The table below identifies some vocabulary that will be used throughout the unit, and that will improve student’s responses to formative and summative assessment tasks.

Improving understanding and retention of vocabulary can be enhanced through group work and oral language that incorporates the following:

• morphology as a strategy for breaking the word down into prefixes, suffixes and root words
• etymology as a strategy for understanding the background of words and connections across words (e.g. taxidermy and dermatologist)
• making associations by identifying synonyms or antonyms
• creating visual prompts

Assign mixed ability groups to master as many of the following words as possible, focusing on recognition of the word and its meaning, along with pronunciation and spelling. Modify the list for your class and return to it frequently, giving students informal quizzes or tests to see if they can master continuous progress.

By introducing these words before reading The Year the Maps Changed, students may feel more comfortable and prepared when they encounter unfamiliar vocabulary.

Making the list accessible throughout the unit will encourage students to enhance the precision and relevance of their formal assessment responses. The more frequently they hear, speak, and read new vocabulary, the more likely they are to use it in written and oral tasks.

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The process of reading the novel

The Year the Maps Changed consists of 67 short chapters. Many of the titles reveal plot developments and highlight the metaphor of maps developed and extended throughout the novel (you may need to refresh students’ knowledge of metaphors and similes). There are many ways to engage students in the reading of a class novel, depending on their needs. The following activities can be adapted to allow for:

• some reading aloud
• a prescribed timetable for students to read a number of pages or chapters by a due date
• close reading of selected portions of the book

Some students may benefit from using an ereader with ‘read-aloud’ features. There is also an audiobook narrated by Bundjalung and Lama Lama writer and performer Tamala Shelton (a preview is available online).

Students may benefit from having a list of characters’ names and connections before they commence reading:

The writer’s craft

The Year the Maps Changed draws on Binks’ experiences growing up on the Mornington Peninsula at the turn of the millennium. This is an historical novel for young readers, with no mobile phones or social media; unfamiliar pop culture references; and historic government policies and international conflicts serving as the backdrop for the story. The following activities focus on the coming-of-age novel; narrative structure; first-person point of view; characterisation and names; and the emotional ups and downs of various characters as they confront challenges at home and in the community.

Key themes in the text

Binks has explored a range of themes significant to young people, especially those who are coming of age. Many students will relate to the shifts taking place in Winifred’s life around her family, her role within it, and the onset of puberty. In particular, the arrival of her new stepfamily (Anika and Sam) is not only disruptive, but also brings the grief of losing her mother to the fore.

In addition to these changes at home, the local community is invested in the arrival of refugees from war-torn Kosovo. Through Aidan and his father, Bill McMillan, we become aware of the political debates and tensions surrounding the resettlement or detainment of refugees in Australia. This is heightened through Mr Khouri’s explanation of the political background to Operation Safe Haven (pp. 52–53, 85–89), as well as his activism and political views.

Throughout the novel we are reminded of how individuals – grieving children and partners, refugees, ageing grandparents, and other people in our communities – deal with challenges and adversity. The advantage of first-person narration is that we get to hear Winifred’s voice and commentary as the central character and witness of the events unfolding around her.

Another theme is the value of broadening our perspective on life and the world. Mr Khouri tells Winifred what this means on p. 299. As a sign of her coming of age, we see Winifred develop a broader perspective of people at home, in her community, and around the world. Her emerging maturity allows her to appreciate aspects of her own experience through the eyes of others. Her frustrations and insights reveal important lessons for all readers, but especially young readers who we hope will mature and develop more empathy at school and beyond.

The extended metaphor of geography and mapping – a stylistic technique used throughout the novel and within the title of The Year the Maps Changed – illustrates and intensifies each of the themes mentioned above. The craft of extended metaphors and the theme of perspectives will be explored in later activities and assessment tasks.

Narrative structure

The story of The Year the Maps Changed moves forward in chronological order, though Winifred recalls memories and questions about the past. The short chapters may be likened to diary entries as they reveal Winifred’s observations and inner thoughts. She goes by several names (Fred, Freddo, Winnie) depending on who is speaking to her; as the narrative progresses, we gain insight into how she feels about these names, as well as the names she gives to others. For example, she refers to her stepfather by name, Luca, even though she once called him ‘Dad’ (this is explained on pp. 14 and 242).

First-person narrative and point of view

Literary point of view may be a new concept for Year 7 students. Novelists choose the point of view (or perspective) they wish to use to tell a story. In The Year the Maps Changed, this is Winifred’s.

Binks has Winifred narrate the story in the first person. One of the benefits of this choice is that we can hear her inner thoughts and feelings and are privy to a deeper understanding of her character over all others. A limitation of this choice is that we can only see or experience events through Winifred’s eyes, supplemented by what other characters communicate or explain to her.

Help students appreciate and distinguish first-person point of view from others:

Coming-of-age and point of view

As a class, brainstorm coming-of-age novels, television shows, films, songs, and other media that students have read, seen, or heard. For each of these, identify the point of view or perspective. Here are some examples to get them started:

* Reading Australia resource available

To better understand point of view, have students convert an extract from The Year Maps Changed from the first to third person. This can be done individually, in groups, or as a class. The model below, based on a paragraph from the prologue (p. vii), may help students get started:

Lately, Winifred had been thinking that it might not matter where she ended up if she couldn’t even remember how she got there. As her grandfather would say: ‘It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey’.

It is worth noting that, in this example, the tense has changed from present to past. This is because the third-person narrator is reporting what has already happened to Winifred, rather than what is currently happening to her. Depending on the extract that students choose, it may not be necessary to change the tense. They may, however, find that they use slightly more formal language as they are not writing in Winifred’s voice.

Following this exercise, discuss the following questions:

• What would be different if you wrote about your own life (in the first person), compared to if a teacher, carer, sibling, or friend wrote about your life (in the third person)? Whose point of view would be most favourable and why? Whose voice would be most/least accurate and why?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of writing in the first- and third-person point of view?
• Notice that Winifred recounts incidents when she has done the wrong thing and been reprimanded. Does this make us like her more or less? How might it make her a more reliable and authentic narrator when she owns up to her flaws?

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Names, connections, and emotions

Throughout the novel, the names used to refer to people and places are significant. They reveal unique connections between characters (e.g. ‘Winnie’ being the nickname Winifred’s late mother gave her) and respect for the traditional place names used by First Nations peoples (e.g. Uluru, which non-Indigenous Australians called Ayers Rock until 2002; see Winifred’s commentary on p. 30).

Several characters respond to multiple names of familial or cultural significance. For example, Jed’s parents Vi and Khoa came to Australia as refugees in the 1970s. He and his sister Lily go by their Vietnamese names at home, but use Anglicised names at school. This has been a common practice for many refugees in Western countries to accommodate English speakers, reduce racism, or develop a sense of belonging. As Australia becomes more diverse, some refugee and migrant families are proudly choosing to keep their birth names from their country of origin.

Just as Winifred inherited her name from her Nan, the local town of Sorrento is named after an Italian town that overlooks the sea (p. 11). On top of that, the family home is known as Il Castello di Maria – ‘Maria’s Castle’ – after Winifred’s late mother (p. 16).

Winifred herself is variously called Freddo, Fred, and Winnie (this last one is reserved for very few people). She contemplates these nicknames, and what they mean to different people, on p. 7.

We also learn, on pp. 13–14, that Winifred has stopped calling Luca ‘Dad’. It isn’t until much later (pp. 241–242) that she confesses this to Luca, finally coming to terms with the feelings she has kept bottled up throughout the novel.

By the end of the year, having made peace with her stepfamily, Winifred asks Anika to call her Winnie (p. 290) This is a significant step forward and sign of maturity, as this was Maria’s special nickname for her.

Choose ONE of the following activities for students to complete individually, in pairs, or in groups.

Option 1: Your names

1. Explain the meaning of your name and why you were given that name (or names). Aim to write 40–60 words, highlighting any terms you have incorporated from the vocabulary list (Initial Response > Introductory Activities > Learning Vocabulary).
   1. NOTE: Students may need some time outside of class to find out the meaning of their name.
2. Think of a family member or friend who is known by more than one name (this might even be you!). Perhaps their parents call them one name and their friends another; perhaps they have a nickname at home and use their full name outside. Explain how this person gained their names, and what those names reveal about them AND their relationships with different people. Aim to write 30–60 words, highlighting any terms you have incorporated from the vocabulary list.
3. What do Winifred’s various names in The Year the Maps Changed reveal about her relationships with others? Aim to write 30–60 words, highlighting any terms you have incorporated from the vocabulary list.
4. Before you hand in or share your writing, read over it to check for spelling and punctuation. Read it aloud, have someone else read it, OR use a spelling and grammar checker to ensure that it makes sense and that your sentences are correctly formed.

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Option 2: Naming others, connections, and emotions

1. Imagine an alternate reality in which you are 20 years older, with two children and a house of your own. Take this role seriously! What have you called your children and home? How are those names significant to you, or how do they make you feel? Aim to write 40–60 words, highlighting any terms you have incorporated from the vocabulary list.
2. Not everyone likes their nicknames, and sometimes people call each other names that are unkind. Explain why some nicknames can be hurtful and have an impact on the people they are bestowed upon. Aim to write 40–60 words, highlighting any terms you have incorporated from the vocabulary list.
   1. NOTE: Depending on your students’ experiences, this activity may not be appropriate. Be mindful of your class context when assigning this task.
3. Before you hand in or share your writing, read over it to check for spelling and punctuation. Read it aloud, have someone else read it, OR use a spelling and grammar checker to ensure that it makes sense and that your sentences are correctly formed.

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Creating an emotions map

For this activity, students will consider the emotional ups-and-downs of TWO characters over the course of the novel. See the emotions map (PDF, 87KB) for instructions (you might like to model the process using Pop, Jed, Merjeme, or even Nora as an example).

Once students have completed their maps, discuss Winifred’s and the other characters’ emotional journeys in pairs, groups, or as a whole class. Students can then write TWO paragraphs, one for each of their chosen characters.

• The paragraph must briefly discuss the character’s greatest challenge(s) and how they responded over the course of the novel. Include a quote from the novel to demonstrate how that character rose to the challenge(s).
• Each paragraph should be 75–100 words (a total of 150–200 words for both).

Remind students to read over and edit their work, using the strategies mentioned in the previous activities, before they hand it in.

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Ways of reading the text

So far, this unit has focused on guiding students to understand and discuss:

• the social, political, and geographic context of the novel, including relevant vocabulary
• the writer’s craft, including narrative point of view and structure
• characterisation, naming, and emotional turmoil and growth

From this basis, students will now consider the key themes and connections to other texts, such as novels, picture books, and videos. Connections and comparisons with diverse texts can help students to deepen their understanding of refugee experiences and the impact of grief on young people.

Comparison with other texts

Whether it is through genre, theme or author, readers may develop a deeper and more nuanced understanding of texts by placing them next to each other. In what ways are they similar? How do they differentiate, emphasise, or silence aspects of their narrative and connections to the world beyond the text? In this section, students will explore aspects or brief extracts from a number of age-appropriate texts. These recommendations are a starting point for comparisons, and will challenge the keenest readers and thinkers to expand their understanding of themes and the writer’s craft beyond The Year the Maps Changed.

Genre: coming-of-age

In The Year the Maps Changed, we follow Winifred’s transition from childhood to adolescence. The novel spans her final year of primary school before entering high school (pp. 25–28). She is not only physically transitioning – she experiences her first period on pp. 54–56 – but also growing in her awareness of the world and her place within it. Coming-of-age stories often include awareness of sexuality; this is not a focus of the novel, although we do witness Jed’s growing affection for Winifred, and the suggestion that their relationship may soon shift from friendship to romance (pp. 285, 297).

It is worth pointing out that Binks has written about a time when she herself was coming of age. For this reason, the novel might also be classified as historical because it is embedded in the political and social context of 1999. You might like to revisit the activities about Understanding Setting: Time and Place (Initial Response > Introductory Activities). In which historical period – the turn of the millennium or now – would students prefer to come of age? What would be the pros and cons of each?

There is no shortage of coming-of-age texts by other Australian authors. They include Playing Beatie Bow* by Ruth Park – a book that Winifred reads for school (p. 123) – The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling* by Wai Chim, and Two Wolves* by Tristan Bancks. You can find more ideas on the Reading Australia website.

* Reading Australia resource available

Refugee experiences

NOTE: There may be students in your class who have come to Australia as refugees, or have other close connections with this experience. It is essential that you understand your class context so you can approach the following activities sensitively and modify where appropriate.

Texts that explore refugee experiences are used in primary and secondary English classrooms (and incorporated in other learning areas) in most Australian schools. A range of these, supported by teaching resources, can be found on the Reading Australia website. In particular, Shaun Tan’s wordless graphic novel The Arrival – a highly accessible text for EAL/D learners – can be used to highlight the challenges of family separation and isolation arising from linguistic and cultural barriers, and how these might be broken down.

Melburnian bookstore Readings has compiled a list of children’s books about refugees and asylum seekers (including The Year the Maps Changed). This is a diverse collection that reflects a range of cultures and experiences in novels, non-fiction, and picture books. Classroom resources and text recommendations (films, books, podcasts) are also available from the Refugee Council of Australia.

Comparing narratives

Compare and contrast the following videos with the experiences of the Kosovar-Albanian refugees in The Year the Maps Changed:

• Ali and the Long Journey to Australia (03:47)
• Hiba’s Story: Ten-Year-Old Syrian Refugee | UNICEF USA (03:03)
• Refugee life through a child’s eyes in Lebanon | Documentary short film (2020) (09:01)
• Ukrainian refugees building new lives in Australia | The Drum | ABC News (03:12)

Students can use the note-taking grid (PDF, 50KB) to make their own notes about the stories, then discuss their ideas as a class. Following the discussion, pose the question:

What have you learnt about the experiences of refugees from these videos and The Year the Maps Changed?

Students should respond to this question in 50–100 words, with reference to both the challenges and the resilience of the various refugee groups. Remind students to read over and edit their work, using the strategies mentioned in previous activities, before they hand it in.

Writing an Instagram post

Ask students to imagine that Instagram was available during the events of The Year the Maps Changed. Drawing on what they have learned from the novel and the videos above, they are to write an Instagram post in either Luca OR Mr Khouri’s voice about the needs of the refugees at the Quarantine Station. The post must outline what Luca/Mr Khouri wants the government to do to improve conditions for the refugees.

Students should aim to write 50–100 words from Luca/Mr Khouri’s first-person point of view. They should highlight any terms they have incorporated from the vocabulary list provided earlier (Initial Response > Introductory Activities > Learning Vocabulary). They should also locate an image online (or up to three, if they wish) that they think Luca/Mr Khouri would use to arouse sympathy and support. This should be available under an open license (e.g. Unsplash, Openverse).

Remind students to read over and edit their work, using the strategies mentioned in previous activities, before they hand it in.

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Bias and perspective

Of the characters we meet in The Year the Maps Changed, it is only Bill McMillan (and Aidan, for a short time, under his father’s influence) who openly rejects the idea of accommodating the refugees.

As a class, read pp. 95–96 (from Keira’s question about the so-called ‘protests’ to Bill’s quote in the local newspaper) and identify the key words and phrases that indicate a prejudice against the refugees. Then challenge students to rewrite this passage from a pro-refugee stance, so that they better understand how language can generate bias or convey a certain perspective on a debate. For example:

‘They’re planting a garden at the haven,’ Aidan said. ‘They’re going to make it feel more like a home.’

I’d heard similar stories in the local newspaper. Just the other day Luca showed Sam and I a headline that said:

KOSOVARS EMBRACE HOSPITALITY

Unlike Bill, Luca and Mr Khouri are outspoken about their views on human rights, politics, and the treatment of the refugees at the haven. Using a selection of Instagram posts from the previous activity, collaboratively analyse the language students have used to express Luca or Mr Khouri’s concern and empathy for the refugees.

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Death and grief in the lives of children and adolescents

Winifred and her family experience grief over two significant deaths: Maria (prior to the events of the novel) and Drumlin. In addition, she is confronted with the refugees’ grief over losing their families and homes to the war in Kosovo (we see this in interactions with Merjeme on p. 162, and with Nora on p. 181). None of us is immune to grief, but literature can be a powerful way of offering comfort and hope to readers, helping them to feel less alone and more empathetic. Teacher librarian Megan Daley has written eloquently about this in Raising Readers.

Adolescence is a time of heightened sensitivity to the loss of family, friends, members of the community, pets, and even celebrities. Literature provides an opportunity to connect to these life experiences and create intertextual links and contrasts. Relevant and familiar texts may include the films Up (2009) and The Lion King (1994); J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events; and Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terabithia (also a 2007 film). You might consider asking students to draw out connections with other texts they have enjoyed.

Other texts that explore grief in childhood and adolescence include Sister Heart* by Sally Morgan; A Ghost in my Suitcase* by Gabrielle Wang; 47 Degrees* by Justin D’Ath; and The Art of Taxidermy* by Sharon Kernot.

* Reading Australia resource available

Grief as an expression of love

NOTE: There may be students in your class who have recently lost someone or have trauma related to death. It is essential that you understand your class context so you can approach the following activities sensitively and modify where appropriate.

Consider Winifred’s grief and fears following her mother’s death. Apart from missing Maria terribly, Winifred worries that her mother is being forgotten or replaced, and that she might be losing Luca too. As the novel progresses, she also worries that she lacks a meaningful connection with Luca and Anika’s baby. She subsequently struggles to make sense of her feelings – and to accept their validity – when Drumlin is stillborn. It is Anika who, reflecting on their shared experience of loss, concludes that grief is a manifestation of love (p. 289).

Guide students through the following activities:

• Draw or locate images of THREE objects/actions that express love and respect for people who have passed. These might be found in places of worship, cemeteries, homes, on social media, in mainstream media, or in public places. Examples include black armbands at sporting events, or death notices in newspapers (these are distinct from obituaries). What other practices allow family, friends, and/or fans to pay their respects to the deceased?
• For each of the three images, write TWO complex sentences that explain what the object/action is and how it reflects love and respect for the deceased.

If appropriate, you could display the images and sentences in the classroom to reflect the diverse ways people honour the departed. To this end, you might encourage students to reflect on practices that are unique to their culture, family, or religion.

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The extended metaphor of maps

The concept of maps and mapping as a metaphor for life is implicit in the title of the book (The Year the Maps Changed), and developed and extended within the text itself.

Many of the literal references to maps come from Mr Khouri’s geography lessons. These references – and the deeper lessons Winifred extrapolates from them – provide significant background knowledge to support student comprehension and appreciation of the novel. Like Lucas, Mr Khouri is supportive of the Kosovar-Albanian refugees; it is worth exploring how Binks illustrates his position through what he teaches in class.

Below is a list of quotes that either explain the features of maps and mapping OR use maps as a metaphor for life.

Explore each quote with students and have them determine whether it is an example of literal language (i.e. taking words in their usual or most basic sense, without connotation or exaggeration) OR a metaphor (i.e. a thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else). Also have them list the characteristics that maps are said to have in the book (e.g. they lie, are changeable, show distances, depict terrain).

Explain that Binks’ sustained use of this metaphor throughout the novel constitutes an extended metaphor. Students will soon develop their own extended metaphor as part of Rich Assessment Task 1, representing the ups, downs, and complexities of their school life through the characteristics of a river.

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Preparatory brainstorm

This activity will prepare students to write about their experiences using an extended metaphor. As a class, brainstorm the characteristics of a river and how they might apply to being at school. The following template may be useful (you can make additions or substitutions as you see fit):

Now share the following examples of river metaphors: one for the first day of school, and one for the school holidays.

Have students discuss (in pairs, groups, or as a whole class) what these metaphors reveal about the writer’s experiences. Point out that they are both examples of complex sentences (with Sample 2 being a compound-complex sentence) and reveal complex ideas.

This work can be used as a springboard for the first Rich Assessment Task.

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Rich assessment task 1

Creating an extended metaphor using words and images

Taking inspiration from the extended metaphor in The Year the Maps Changed, students are to represent their school life as a river flowing across a landscape.

Using the samples from the previous exercise as a model, they will write about FIVE school experiences using river metaphors. Each experience must be described in a complete complex or compound-complex sentence. Each sentence should be 20–40 words long; this should allow students to write a sufficiently detailed metaphor without becoming too wordy.

Students should also locate FIVE images (one for each sentence) to accompany their writing. It is important that these reflect the meaning created by the river metaphors. No class time will be given to image searches without your say-so, as class time is best spent discussing and refining students’ writing. Instruct them to select their images ahead of time (again, these should be available under an open license) and bring them to class so that they are ready to begin writing.

Encourage students to incorporate at least some positive messaging, particularly for their final metaphor and image (i.e. end on a positive or hopeful note).

If students are confident and would prefer to use a different metaphor to represent their experiences, they may negotiate an alternative with you (e.g. weather, dance, skateboarding, train travel). Students may also prefer to describe a different aspect of their life outside of school (e.g. engaging in their favourite hobby or team sport); again, this should be negotiated with you.

Once students have completed their metaphors, ask them to select their favourite sentence and image for classroom display (physical or digital).

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Reflection and revision

Throughout this unit, students have explored the context and a range of approaches to/readings of The Year the Maps Changed. Now that you are wrapping up, direct students to review their notes and classwork from previous activities, particularly:

• Understanding setting: time and place (Initial Response)
• Refugees and Operation Safe Haven
• Learning vocabulary
• Coming-of-age and point of view (Close Study)
• Names, connections and emotions
• Creating an emotions map
• Refugee experiences (Significance)
• Bias and perspective
• Grief as an expression of love
• Preparatory brainstorm and Rich Assessment Task 1

This will support students to draw connections between their prior reading and understanding of the novel, and the final activities and Rich Assessment Task to come (some students have difficulty making these connections alone, and may need support to identify which activities have been most beneficial to their learning).

Class evaluation

Present students with the following questions:

1. What did you expect this novel to focus on? In what ways did it stay true to your expectations, and in what ways did it surprise you?
2. Which events in the novel were most expected? Why?
3. Which events were least expected? Why?
4. What evidence in the text reveals this as a coming-of-age novel?
5. What made the novel more or less engaging for you as you reached the end?
6. What makes the town and region described in the book appealing to you (or not) as a place to grow up?
7. What social and political issues have you explored while studying this novel? What have you learned that you did not know before?
8. What makes this book relevant to your age group?

Have students form groups to discuss some or all of these questions. Give them a strict time limit of five minutes per question. Each student must contribute ONE brief response to the group, and the group will then choose TWO responses to contribute to a class list of key reflections. You can add to this list as further insights and learnings emerge from the groups.

You may wish to break the list into two or three sections, allowing time for whole class discussion in between. You could also assign different questions to different groups, and have students lead the class discussion around their designated question.

Introduce the second Rich Assessment Task as soon as possible after completing this exercise (or before, if you wish) so that students can see the relevance and benefit of the group and class discussions.

(AC9E7LE01)   (AC9E7LE02)   (AC9E7LE05)   (AC9E7LY05)

Rich Assessment Task 2

Video commentary

Students will demonstrate their understanding of The Year the Maps Changed by producing a short video commentary. They may choose to respond to ONE of the following topics:

Students must be convincing by referring closely to the text in their response. They must incorporate a slide at the beginning of the video that lists their name, the book and author (with an optional cover image), their chosen topic, and the full date of production. The following elements allow for a degree of flexibility:

• Students may incorporate slides or images into their video, but these should not be too busy/distracting; the voiceover should remain the most significant element.
• If students are not confident using video editing software or appearing on camera, they may create slides with relevant images/quotes and add voiceover narration to the presentation. Again, the slides should not be too busy; the focus should be on the voiceover.

Success criteria:

The student has:

• carefully considered the purpose and audience of their video
• demonstrated that they have read and understood the novel
• incorporated knowledge and insights from discussions and activities throughout the unit
• evaluated the novel and provided textual evidence for their views
• addressed their chosen topic and incorporated at least TWO relevant quotes from the novel
• used features of their voice to enhance the video (e.g. volume, tone, pitch, pace)
• used visual and multimodal elements to communicate in an effective and engaging manner

(AC9E7LA02)   (AC9E7LA04)   (AC9E7LE01)   (AC9E7LE02)   (AC9E7LE03)   (AC9E7LE04)   (AC9E7LY02)   (AC9E7LY03)   (AC9E7LY05)   (AC9E7LY07)