Area of Study (AOS):

Discovery

An Introduction

AOS: DiscoveryCommon Paper: Standard and Advance

Weighting: 40% of your HSC

HSC Exam: 2hours with 10 minutes reading time.

o Section I: Short Answer on Unseen Discovery Texts– 40minutes (15 marks)

o Section II: Creative Writing – 40 minutes (15 marks)

o Section III: Extended response on prescribed text, Away by Michael Gowand Other Related Texts (ORT) x2 – 40 minutes (15 marks)

Activity:

Use the following information to complete

“AOS: Discovery – HSC Paper One – An Introduction”

Take out the magnifying glass we’re pulling the Rubric apart…

Read through the Rubric quietly and UNDERLINE what appear to be the important words and phrases that offer guidance for this unit.

From the Rubric – AREA OF STUDY (AOS)

In the Area of Study, students explore and examine relationships between language and text, and interrelationships among texts. They examine closely the individual qualities of texts while considering the texts’ relationships to the wider context of the Area of Study. They synthesise ideas to clarify meaning and develop new meanings. They take into account whether aspects such as context, purpose and register, text structures, stylistic features, grammatical features and vocabulary are appropriate to the particular text.

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/english-prescriptions-2015-20.pdf

Breaking it down:

• Examine relationships between language and text: how techniques shape meaning within a text.

• Interrelationships among texts: Exploration of a variety of texts linked by a common theme.

• Synthesise: To form an argument based on textual evidence.

THE RUBRIC…Prescriptions: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/english-prescriptions-2015-20.pdf

This Area of Study requires students to explore the ways in which

the concept of discovery is represented in and through texts.

• Away by Michael Gow• ORT – Other Related Texts• Creative/Imaginative Writing• Unseen Texts

• Techniques• Language forms and features• Context

Possibilities about the nature of Discovery…

From the Rubric:

Discovery can encompass the experience of discovering something for the first time or rediscovering something that

has been lost, forgotten or concealed. Discoveries can be sudden and unexpected, or they can emerge from a

process of deliberate and careful planning evoked by curiosity, necessity or wonder. Discoveries can be fresh and

intensely meaningful in ways that may be emotional, creative, intellectual, physical and spiritual. They can also be

confronting and provocative. They can lead us to new worlds and values, stimulate new ideas, and enable us to

speculate about future possibilities. Discoveries and discovering can offer new understandings and renewed

perceptions of ourselves and others.

Activity:

Use this section of the Rubric to make bullet points about the nature of Discovery

• For example: Discoveries can be sudden or unexpected

The possibilities continue…

From the Rubric:

An individual’s discoveries and their process of discovering can vary according to personal, cultural,

historical and social contexts and values. The impact of these discoveries can be far-reaching and

transformative for the individual and for broader society. Discoveries may be questioned or

challenged when viewed from different perspectives and their worth may be reassessed over time.

The ramifications of particular discoveries may differ for individuals and their worlds.

Activity:

Use this section of the Rubric to add to your list of bullet points about the nature of Discovery

• For example: Discoveries can be sudden or unexpected

Activity: AnswersUse this section of the Rubric to add to your list of bullet points about the nature of Discovery.

Discoveries can:

1) be new discoveries - Discoveries can encompass the experience of discovering something for the first time

2) be rediscoveries something that has been lost, forgotten orconcealed (hidden)

3) be sudden and unexpected

4) emerge from a process of deliberate and careful planning

5) be evoked by curiosity and wonder

6) be made out of necessity

7) be fresh

8) intensely meaningful

9) may be emotional

10) be creative

11) be intellectual

12) be physical

13) be spiritual

14) be confronting and provocative

15) lead us to new worlds

16) establish new values

17) stimulate new ideas

18) enable us to speculate about future possibilities

19) offer new understandings and renewed perceptions of ourselves and others.

20) vary according to personal, cultural, historical and social contexts and values.

21) be far-reaching and transformative for the individual and for broader society.

22) may be questioned or challenged when viewed from different perspectives

23) their worth may be reassessed over time

24) the ramifications of particular discoveries may differ for individuals and their worlds

Discovery as a concept?

By exploring the concept of discovery, students can understand how texts have the potential to affirm or challenge individuals’ or more widely-held assumptions and beliefs about aspects of human experience and the world. Through composing and responding to a wide range of texts, students may make discoveries about people, relationships, societies, places and events and generate new ideas. By synthesisingperspectives, students may deepen their understanding of the concept of discovery. Students consider the ways composers may invite them to experience discovery through their texts and explore how the process of discovering is represented using a variety of language modes, forms and features.

Breaking it down:o How texts affirm/confirm attitudes and beliefs

o How texts challenge attitudes and beliefs

o Composing a wide range of texts – you may be asked to respond in various text types and forms i.e. creative, essay, speech, short answer…

o Responding to a wide range of texts – various texts from various textual forms i.e. poetry, drama, film, prose…

o Discoveries can be made about:• People• Relationships• Societies• Places• Events• Ideas

o Ways – Techniques, language modes, forms, features…

o Students make their own discoveries when analysing texts

o Explore the process of discovery through various techniques

What students have to do…In their responses and compositions, students examine, question, and reflect and speculate on:

• their own experiences of discovery

• the experience of discovery in and through their engagement with texts

• assumptions underlying various representations of the concept of discovery

• how the concept of discovery is conveyed through the representations of people, relationships, societies, places, events and ideas that they encounter in the prescribed text and other related texts of their own choosing

• how the composer’s choice of language modes, forms, features and structure shapes representations of discovery and discovering

• the ways in which exploring the concept of discoverymay broaden and deepen their understanding of themselves and their world.

• Responses and compositions:

• Various text types

• Essays

• Imaginative writing

• Short Answer

• Speeches

• Different types/styles of questions (focus on knowing the language used in exam question)

• Examine

• Reflect

• Speculate

• Analyse

• Engagement with texts

• Unseen texts

• Prescribed text – Awayby Michael Gow

• Other Related Texts (ORT) at least x2

• Assumptions, ideas, possibilities, aspects of/about Discovery and who and what (people, places, societies, events, ideas) we make discoveries about.

• How (ETES)composers make language choices and use techniques to shape and convey meanings about Discovery.

• Students personal responses and discoveries while studying.

That’s a lot!

The possibilities seem endless…

Discovery Rubric in SummaryRubric says consider ‘the ways in which the concept of Discovery is represented in and through texts’

Consider:

• discovery and rediscovery

• discovery may be planned or unplanned evoked by curiosity, necessity, wonder leading to New:

• worlds, values and ideas• understandings and renewed perceptions of

ourselves, others and the world• can enable us to speculate about future possibilities• can be, emotional, creative, intellectual, physical and

spiritual

• can vary according to personal, cultural, historical and social contexts and values

• can be confronting and challenging

Impact of Discoveries• may be transformative for the individual and

broader society• can be questioned or challenged when viewed from

different perspectives• may be reassessed over time

Overall:

• By exploring discovery students understand how texts can affirm or challenge an individual’s assumptions and beliefs of human experience and the world

• They may make discoveries about people, relationships, societies, places, and events in prescribed text and ORTS

• They explore the HOW the process of discovering is REPRESENTED through a variety of language modes, forms and features shape representations of discovery and discovering when they examine, question, reflect and speculate on:

• their own experiences of discovery, personally and through texts

• the assumptions underlying representations of discovery• the effect of composers’ choice of techniques• the ways in which their study of discovery can help them

broaden and deepen their understanding of the world and themselves.

Stages of DiscoveryDiscovery is a process – whether expected or unexpected,

abstract or actual.

The follow is one way to organise the plethora, and seemingly endless list of possibilities and ideas presented in the Rubric.

It is important to remember that not every text will explore all the following stages of Discovery, but each text should at least fit into one of the stages somewhere.

You may wish to use the proceeding flow-chart as vehicle to explore various texts in relation to Discovery. The words in bold are directly from the Rubric.

Triggers

•What lead to the discovery? What started the process? What has motivated the discovery? What was the catalyst?•Had something been hidden, lost, concealed or forgotten?•Was it sudden and unexpected or deliberately and carefully planned?•Was it sparked by desire, curiosity, wonder or out of necessity?•Were there any intrinsic or extrinsic influences, personal, cultural, social, historical, values and beliefs?•What values, beliefs or attitudes did the individual have before the discovery?

Experiences

•Was this a new discovery or a rediscovery? Was it a rediscovery that involved reassessing? Was the discovery reassessed overtime?

•What were the meaningful experiences? What were the fresh, emotional, physical, intellectual and/or spiritual experiences?

•What was discovered? Were new worlds, new ideas, new attitudes, new beliefs, new understandings, new opportunities discovered?

•What type of discovery was made, personal, cultural, physical, intellectual, spiritual? Was it a self-discovery or a physical discovery?

•Were discoveries made about individuals, peoples, places, societies, relationships, events, new knowledge?

•Have previously held values, beliefs, attitude been challenged or affirmed? Was anything confronting, provocative, challenging, daunting, difficult transformative or cathartic?

Consequences

• What was the impact/ramifications of the discovery? Were they far-reaching? How far-reaching? Were the consequences long-term or short-term?

• Were the consequences positive, negative, neutral? Did they effect individuals, relationships, the boarder society?

• What new insights, values, beliefs, attitudes, outlook and perspectives were gained? Were any of these challenged or affirmed?

• Did the experience offer a sense of rejuvenation, a sense of redemption? Did the discovery lead to a re-evaluation of self or others? Did the discovery lead to a transformation or altered perspectives?

• Have experience lead to future speculations and future possibilities?

• Did the text contain a moral or didactic message for the responder to discover?

Responding to the concept of Discovery

Keep in mind what you have learnt from the Rubric about the concept of

Discovery and respond to the following visual stimuli accordingly

in your English workbooks.

Image OneWhat different types of

discoveries are depicted in this image?

What has led you to these conclusions?

Image Two

What different types or possible discoveries could be depicted

with this image?

What has led you to these conclusions?

Image Three

What possible discoveries could be

made?

What has led you to these conclusions?

Image Four

List everything you see that relates to the concept Discovery.

Who is this character?

What has led you to this conclusion?

Responding Imaginatively

Keep in mind what you have learnt from the Rubric about the concept of

Discovery and respond to the following visual stimuli

accordingly in your English workbooks.

Remember -Good writers don’t say that it is raining, they create the feeling of

being rained upon for the reader…

Therefore you must write around the concept – show, do not tell

Example: The cool, refreshing droplets pattered against the plastic canopy of my umbrella,

running down its curved surface, dripping gently onto the exposed skin of my outstretched palm.

Never is the word

rain mentioned…but we still know that it is

raining.

Image OneYou have discovered a lost Kitten in a drain. In four to

five sentences describe what you see?

You are not allowed to use the words Kitten or Cat, or any other synonym.

Image TwoYou have just discovered chocolate for

the first time. You have never tasted this food before.

In four to five sentence describe the experience of eating this delicious treat

for the first time.

You must describe its taste, smell and texture.

You are not allowed to use the words sweet and chocolate.

Image ThreeYou have discovered this never before seen photograph of your

Grandfather.

In four to five sentences describe what you see and your emotional

response to this discovery?

You are not allowed to use the words photograph, discover, or

soldier.

Image FourYou find the following box. What is

hidden inside?

In four to five sentences describe the box and what you find inside.

You are not allowed to use the words old, small, big, large, wood, or wooden. You may only use the word box in conjunction with an

adjective.

Image FiveYou remember the first time you

were allowed beyond the back fence.

In four to five sentences describe how you feel and what you discover?

You are not allowed to use the words scared, excited, or happy. You may only use the words fence, and gate if you combine them with at

least one adjective.

Image SixYou find your old teddy bear from

when you were a small child.

In four to five sentences describe your emotional response to this

discovery, how the teddy bear feels and looks?

You are not allowed to use the words sad, happy, old or fluffy. You may only use the words teddy/bear,

if you combine them with at least one adjective.