1. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Learning intention:
To make predictions about a text using evidence.
Success criteria:
I must make a prediction about a text by using the information on the front cover.
I should be able to justify my prediction with reasons.
I might be able to revise my prediction after learning more information about the text.

2. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Turn-and-talk!
What information do we use when making a prediction before reading?
LI: To make predictions about a text using evidence.

3. Author Study: Margaret Wild The Dream of the Thylacine
The text that we are going to look at this week is called…
The Dream of the Thylacine
Turn-and-talk!
What do you think the text will be about based on the title alone?
LI: To make predictions about a text using evidence.

4. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Now let’s look at the front cover. There is some new evidence that we can now use:
The pictures on the cover;
Our background knowledge of the author.
Turn-and-talk!
Now what do you think the story might be about?
If you have read the story before, how might you explain what the story will be about to somebody without ‘spoiling’ it for them?
LI: To make predictions about a text using evidence.

5. Author Study: Margaret Wild Your task today!
In your Reading Journals, write your prediction! Make sure you explain the evidence that you are using to justify your prediction. After that, begin independent reading.
Alternative task:
Have you read the story before? Write a blurb for The Dream of the Thylacine. A blurb is a little ‘window’ into the book – it does not give the juicy details away. Begin independent reading when completing.
LI: To make predictions about a text using evidence.

6. Author Study: Margaret Wild Let’s reflect!
Share the prediction that you made and the evidence you used to make the prediction or share the blurb that you created.
LI: To make predictions about a text using evidence.

7. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Learning intention:
To use clues in the text to infer the author’s message.
Success criteria:
I must be able to identify the main ideas and characters in a text.
I should be able to recognise text and picture clues.
I might be able to use text and picture clues to find out the author’s unstated message.

8. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Let’s read the story of The Dream of the Thylacine now, paying close attention to the meaning behind the story. We will be making some inferences about the author’s message later on.
LI: To use clues in the text to infer the author’s message.

9. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Now that we have read the story…
Turn-and-talk!
What is the text trying to say? Is it giving us a simple message, or is there something more to it?
LI: To use clues in the text to infer the author’s message.

10. Author Study: Margaret Wild
The Dream of the Thylacine is focused on environmental sustainability. Margaret Wild wrote this book to teach others about how human impact on the environment can be detrimental to animals.
Turn-and-talk!
We have looked at some books in the past that have covered endangered or extinct species. The thylacine is now believed to be extinct. What do you think led to its extinction?
LI: To use clues in the text to infer the author’s message.

11. Author Study: Margaret Wild Your task today!
Worked example:
Your task today!
Read your Just Right Books and make one inference about the author’s message. Make a table in your Reading Journal – record your inference and the clues used to make your inference.
My inference about the author’s message
Picture or text clues used
Margaret Wild’s message in The Dream of the Thylacine is that human impact has caused many animals to go extinct.
The barbed wire shows that humans have entered and ruined the thylacine’s environment. The thylacine wailing in sadness on the cover of the book shows its reaction to the devastation.
LI: To use clues in the text to infer the author’s message.

12. Author Study: Margaret Wild Let’s reflect!
Turn-and-talk: Share the inferences that you made with the person next to you. Which text or picture clues did you use to make your inference?
LI: To use clues in the text to infer the author’s message.

13. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Learning intention:
To explore how visual features add meaning to a text.
Success criteria:
I must be able to identify different visual features of a text.
I might be able to explain how different visual features work together to create meaning.
I should be able to explain how the visual features support the written meaning of a text.

14. Author Study: Margaret Wild
We are going to look at how pictures and other visual features can add a lot of meaning to the ideas behind a text. Some vocabulary that we will look at today:
colour
medium
focus
Let’s discuss what these words mean and then add them to our Word Wall. We will come back to these words in other Margaret Wild texts too.
LI: To explore how visual features add meaning to a text.

15. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Turn-and-talk!
The pictures are very powerful in this text. Discuss what you think of the pictures in this book with a partner. Would the words have been as memorable without the pictures?
Take a look at the front and back covers. The focus of thylacine is very different on both covers. Why do you think Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks have done this?
LI: To explore how visual features add meaning to a text.

16. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Turn-and-talk!
Many of the pages in this book have just pictures on them without any words. What do you notice about the colour and medium of the pictures on these pages? Are there any similarities or differences?
LI: To explore how visual features add meaning to a text.

17. Author Study: Margaret Wild
The design of the endpapers and title pages are something we often skip over but they can sometimes tell a lot about what is to come in the book.
Take a close look at the colour and medium of the title page (left). What do the DILAPIDATED BROWN BOARDS suggest of what is to come in the story?
LI: To explore how visual features add meaning to a text.

18. Author Study: Margaret Wild Your task today!
Read independently, paying close attention to the visual features of the text that you are reading. Write down anything interesting that you have noticed about the visual features onto a sticky note to share later.
LI: To explore how visual features add meaning to a text.

19. Author Study: Margaret Wild Let’s reflect!
Bring your sticky note to the floor. What have you noticed about the visual features in your book? Why do you think the illustrator has made those choices? Share your wonderings with a partner.
LI: To explore how visual features add meaning to a text.

20. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Learning intention:
To make text-to-text connections to improve our understanding of a text.
Success criteria:
I must be able to identify important information, ideas and events in two texts.
I should be able to compare important information, ideas and events between two texts.
I might be able to explain the similarities and differences between two texts.

21. Author Study: Margaret Wild
We have looked at two texts by Margaret Wild so far in this author study: Fox and The Dream of the Thylacine.
Turn-and-talk!
In a moment we are going to make a Venn diagram comparing the two texts. Discuss any similarities or differences that you have noticed between Fox and The Dream of the Thylacine with a partner. Think about the themes, characters, visual features, etc.
LI: To make text-to-text connections to improve our understanding of a text.

22. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Let’s begin making a Venn diagram together as a class to discuss the similarities and differences between these two texts.
LI: To make text-to-text connections to improve our understanding of a text.

23. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Your task today!
Using the Venn diagram sheet provided, think of your own similarities and differences between Fox and The Dream of the Thylacine.
Begin independent reading once you have enough ideas on your Venn diagram.
LI: To make text-to-text connections to improve our understanding of a text.

24. Author Study: Margaret Wild
Let’s reflect!
Draw a coloured circle on your Venn diagram page to show how well you can make text-to-text connections between Fox and The Dream of the Thylacine. Be honest!
LI: To make text-to-text connections to improve our understanding of a text.