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BLUEBACK by Tim WintonAn English unit of work

developed with grades 7 and 8 students in mind.

This unit was written first by Susan Weston-Smith from Cosgrove High

School. She devised a wide range of activities for students to work on

before, during and after reading the novel.

Mary Miles, from Claremont High School, and Pam Powell, the Derwent

District literacy support teacher, adapted the unit to suit the needs of

Marys grade 8 class. Assessment sheets were provided, some activities

were selected by the teacher, some choices were made by the students and

others were negotiated as the unit progressed.

One of the distinguishing features of this unit is that it has been written asa series of worksheets for students. It could be printed and presented to

students in its current form. Assessment sheets were written for the

KILOs. While some schools will want to use alternative assessment criteria,

the form provided will still serve as a model,

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BLUEBACKby

Tim Winton

1. BEFORE READINGFIRST Think about the title: Bluebackis written as one word. What does this suggest?

What might the novel be about?

Next Think about the author: What do you know about Tim Winton?

Has anyone read any of his books? If yes, can you suggest something that Tim Winton

might use in this book?

THEN examine the front cover: Look at the relative sizes and positions of the images. Look at the expressions on their faces.

Look at the colours, lines and general atmosphere.

Use all of the information you have learned about the cover to predict what you think the

novel might be about.

WHILE READINGChoose at least one activity from each section and begin to think, plan, make notes and writefirst drafts.

Keep records of reading and research activities as you do them. These will be added to your

assessment file.

AFTER READINGWork out which activities you want to present to the class and which ways might be best topresent them.

Plan, draft, revise, edit, format and publish your chosen pieces. Remember to keep alldrafts so that your teacher can assess the processes you have used.

Present your work, gain feed back and plan future learning goals.

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RESEARCH

CHOOSE AT LEASTONE OF THESE IDEAS

2. SCUBA DIVINGAs you read make a list of the names of the equipment used for diving.

Find out about

the ways in which the equipment is used

the safety rules for diving

Extension activities Contact a clubs, organisations or people and interview them about their

scuba diving experiences.

Contact an abalone diver and interview or invite him/her to visit the class.

3. SEA CREATURESAs you read make a list of the names of sea creatures mentioned in the

book. Choose several of the most interesting creatures or form a group and

divide them up.

Find out about the appearance

habitat

unusual features

location around Australia.

Extension activities

Work in a group to prepare a frieze for the classroom which shows the

information you have found. Include illustrations, too.

Contact the Fisheries Department and find out the rules about taking

creatures from the sea. Investigate the danger in the deep. That is, find out which sea creatures

pose threats to people. In what circumstances are they dangerous? How

likely are they to harm people?

4. THE HISTORY OF WHALING AND SEALINGRe read page 126. Note the thoughts that Dora has about whaling and

sealing.

Find out

how the whalers and sealers caught their prey.

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which products were manufactured from the animals.

where and why they were valued.

what damage occurred to the environment.

Extension activities

Find out where collections of whaling artefacts are housed. The museum

seems the logical place to start. Organise a class visit.

Prepare a wall chart which shows visually both the benefits and the

dangers of whaling or sealing. Find out the location of marine sanctuaries around Australia. Send away

for information about the sea life that has been saved. Share your

findings with the class.

5. THE AUTHOR - Tim WintonUse the library, internet or television programs to find out about

his home and family

his hobbies and interests

the other books he has written his thoughts, attitudes and values.

Extension activity

Read through the only print interview he has given about Bluebackand

decide why he had enormous pleasure writing it, probably more fun than

anything he has written for years. And why it is about things close to his

heart.

With each topic remember to

brainstorm and group ideas into a logical order plan and write down questions to investigate

read and make brief notes

record the sources of your information

Also record which of these techniques you have used to locate your

information:

subject, key word, author, title searches

tables of contents, indexes, glossaries, bibliographies, catalogues,

atlases, directories etc.

encyclopaedias, data bases, magazines, pamphlets and newspapers

catalogues, microfiche or CD ROMs

Include your use of illustrations, maps, tables, graphs and timelines

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RESPONDin a

READING JOURNAL

6. Record your thoughts about issues from the novel in a

reading journal.Spend some time writing while you read or you might even like to revisit

some of the sections that you found to be particularly interesting.Think carefully about the issue you have selected and share your

thoughts, feelings and reflections.

Some of the experiences that might be suitable for a journal response

include

page 8 - Learning to dive

page 20 - Abel's unusual life style

page 30 - Making friends with a wild animal

page 32 - Learning of his father's death page 45 - An accident in a boat

page 52 - Going to boarding school

page 77 - Thinking about the destructive acts of the divers.

NOTE: While those pages numbers have been given as examples, you should

choose any section which interests you. In the same way you might like to

avoid some sections which bring forth very powerful emotions that you might

not wish to share with others.

Write to

develop your own understanding of the issues

to link your reading with your own experiences

explore your own attitudes and values about the issue

to reach new understandings

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RESPOND TO THE WRITING

7. Is this a book for children or a book for adults? Does itreally matter?The following quote from an internet interview with the author outlines the

situation:That yarn about a boy called Abel Jackson, his sea-loving mother, a giant blue groper and

the fight to preserve their idyllic Longboat Bay environment has been released in separately

packaged adult and childrens editions in Australia. In the U.S., it will be published for

adults, in the U.K. for children. Go figure, laughs Winton. I had enormous pleasure

writing it,. he allows, probably more than anything Ive written in years. And it is about

things close to my heart.

(From Tim Winton Into the Blue http://www.ozemail.com.au/)

Now that you have finished reading the book, what do you think?

Which aspects of the writing might appeal to children and which to adults?

If you were a publisher, which audience would you target? Why?

Explain your answer as fully as you can giving examples from the text to

support your opinions.

8. What impressions do you gain from Tim Wintons writing?Read about Abels first view of Blueback which is printed below.

Underline three or four of the expressions that you think describe the

groper well.

Reluctantly he stuck his snorkel back in his mouth and put his head under. Near the bottom,

in the mist left from their abalone gathering, a huge blue shadow twitched and quivered.

There it was, not a shark, but the biggest fish he had ever seen. It was gigantic. It had

fins like ping pong paddles. Its tail was a blue-green rudder. It looked as big as a horse

Abel and his mother saw the fish hovering then turning, eyeing them cautiously as they

came. It twitched a little and edged along in front of them to keep its distance. The big

gills fanned. All its armoured scales rippled in lines of green and black blending into thedizziest blue. The groper moved without the slightest effort. It was magnificent; the most

beautiful thing Abel had ever seen.

(Adapted from pages 10 & 11.)

Write down each of the expressions you have chosen and explain what each

tells us about the groper. What effects do the words create?

What does Tim Winton want us to think about the groper? In what ways do

the words has he chosen, build up his picture of the fish.

http://www.ozemail.com.au/http://www.ozemail.com.au/

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9. Recreate the authors words.Read the section of the story below.

Some of the words have been left out.

Work with a partner to choose one word to fit in each space.

Towards the end of the novel Dora Jackson faces a terrifying storm that

changes her perceptions of the sea..

When it came, the storm was like cyclone. It blew down her fences and took

the roof off her freezer shed. The sea grew tormented. It buckled and

swelled and bunted against the cliffs and headlands. Surf hammered the

shore and chewed it away. The air was thick with foam and sand and spray.

Wind gusts screamed till she covered her ears. The old house rattled and

rocked like an old lugger at sea. Dora Jackson lay in bed until it was all over.

Late in the morning she got up to see the ... She walked down to the

shore to see a .. jumble of white stumps on the beach. As she.. close she saw they were whale bones, thousands and .. of

them all along the bay. They stood like .. and broken teeth and

tombstones where the storm had .. them. Dora Jackson stepped

over and under and around ... It was like walking through a

graveyard. These bones .. lain here under the sand of Longboat Bay

for .. century or more. Shed walked over them for forty ..

without knowing. It was a terrible feeling having history .. itself so

suddenly.

She sat all day with bones .. her, bones the Jacksons had left there

in their .. days. It was whaling and sealing that brought the

.. here in wooden ships last century. Blubber oil and .., seal

fur and fish had paid for this land .. time. The Jacksons were all

dead now, generations of.., women and children and only Abel and

her were left. .. had come down to them. They had lived from the

.. all this time. Dora saw what must be done. .. it was time

to help the sea live. She .. protect the bay for all time.

Now, find pages 124 to 126 and compare the words the author used with the

ones you had chosen.

Discuss the differences in meaning with your partner. Which words make

the writing more effective? Why?

Choose three examples. Make notes and share your findings with your class.

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RESPOND by WRITING

Your teacher will tell you which of these tasks are essentialand which ones are optional. Keep a record of the writing

tasks you do.

10. Chart Abel's life as the story develops. Plan an approach - a flow chart, graph, dot points, plot profile should

work.

Draft the work in your book.

Make a larger chart for classroom display when you reach the end of thebook.

See how inventive you can be in presenting this information in a way that will

encourage others to read and understand it quickly.

11. Write a newspaper report.Choose a newsworthy topic from the book. Possibilities include

Mad Macka's death

Abel's father's death

the declaration of Long Boat Bay as a marine sanctuary.Remember to set out your published work as a newspaper.

12. Write a poem Re-read Abel's dream in chapter 5. Write a poem which develops some

of the key images from his dream.

OR

Choose a sea creature. Make a quick collection of published poems about

sea creatures and write a journal entry about the ways in which words

and phrases have been used. Use the ideas you have gained to write apoem of your own about the creature you have chosen.

OR

Make a list of the words Tim Winton uses to describe the relationship

between Abel and Blueback. Write a poem which creates similar feelings.

13. Write a letter Write a letter from Abel to his mother at an important stage in his life.

It might be his first week at boarding school or his success with his

studies. Re- read this section from the book before planning your letter.

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OR

Write at least two of the letters that Dora sent to politicians, scientists

and businessmen as part of her quest to save Longboat Bay. Suit each

letter to its audience. (Use words which suit the type of person to whom

the letter will be sent.)

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RESPOND by TALKING

Choose ONE of the following suggestions to present to the class.Remember to prepare and plan your talk. First find and re-read the

section in the book that relates to your talk. Next, use the assessment

sheet to help you with your preparation.

14. Abel confronts Mr CostelloImagine Abel meets Mr Costello on the jetty when he returns from one of

his fishing trips. Work with a partner to present the conversation that

might take place.

15. Abel talks to school students.As an adult, Abel travels widely and gives lectures about marine life.

Imagine he comes to a school assembly to talk to the students. What might

he speak about? Give his talk to the class.

16. Dora talks with a property developer

A charming business man arrives with flowers, chocolates and a bottle ofchampagne. He hopes he might convince Dora to sell her land. He wants to

build a hotel, golf course, swimming pool and marina on the Jackson land.

Work with a partner to present their conversation.

17. Abel and Stella discuss their future.As Blueback's fame grows, visitors arrive to dive with him. Abel watches an

oil tanker accident on TV and worries about Longboat Bay. Work with a

partner to present one of their conversations at that time in their lives.

18. Abel tells his daughter about his first meeting with

Blueback.As a three year old, young Dora dons a wet suit and ventures into the sea to

meet Blueback. Imagine that the night before Abel tells the little girl about

his first meeting with the extraordinary fish. Give Abel's talk to the class.

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ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Negotiate with your teacher to select activities forindividuals, groups and/or the whole class.

19. Prepare a tourist brochure.You have been employed by the developers to draft a brochure showing the

facilities that the company wants to provide for tourists at Longboat Bay.

Plan, draft and publish the brochure seeking feedback from class members

at each stage.

20. Conduct a town meetingImagine that everyone from the local community and others who have an

interest in wanting to develop the area gather in the town hall to debate the

issue.

Provide each class member with a role to act. These might include

the local mayor or shire president

Dora and Abel Jackson

Mr Costello

state and federal politicians from all political parties local shopkeepers and small business owners

lawyers, accountants and architects who represent the interests of the

developers

leavers from the nearest school

the unemployed

independently wealthy people who have moved to the area from the city

university students who are very interested in conservation issues

people who have retired to the area seeking solitude

people who have developed a self-supporting community eating onlyorganically grown produce.

You might also like to include a news team. A camera person, reporter and

interviewer will add an extra dimension, especially if they are able to video

the meeting and replay it as a TV news item.

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This activity is limited only by the amount of time available, your interest in

the tasks and your own imagination. You might like to prepare

leaflets advertising the meeting,

placards to wave at the meeting,

pamphlets representing the views held by both sides,

letters to the editors of the local newspaper expressing individual views, maps, diagrams and charts which show aspects of the development.

Once everyone has thought his of her position through, conduct the meeting.

Conclude with a vote or even a value line to determine the outcome.

21. Create a collageLook carefully at some of the picture books that use collage techniques.

Jeannie Baker has several examples of this type of work including Where

the Forest Meets the Sea. Try to find the Storymakers video TheIllustratorsin which Jeannie Baker explains how she developed the collages.

Reread key scenes from the book and then make your own collages to show

what happened. Work on each scene in pairs, then combine them to create a

visual representation of the ideas from the book.

22. Write a sequel or an epilogue.Think about what might happen after the events that are told in the book.

EITHERImagine that you are either Abel or Stella or Dora Abel and Stellas

daughter. You are an old person, now, and you are looking back, telling

stories to one of your young friends. Write the conversation that might

have happened.

OR

Imagine you are Tim Winton. Use the same style of writing to create a

sequel.

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Speaking Assessment

Name of speaker:

Topic:

Did the speaker Yes/No Suggestions for improvement

Choose a topic that interested you?

Stay on the topic?

Give enough information about the topic

(e.g. Tell you about who, what, when,where, why, how etc?)

Give you too much information on the topic

or a part of it?

Organise the information clearly so thatyou could follow it easily?

Did he/she give

a clear introduction?

main ideas & supporting details?

a conclusion or summary?

Use words that you understood or explainunusual words?

Express himself or herself using clear

sentences & linking words?

Speak loudly enough?

Speak at about the right speed?

Vary his or her speed & tone of voice?

Make eye contact with you?

Use objects, charts or pictures to

illustrate what she or she was talking

about?

Rephrase the parts where he or she got

mixed up or were too difficult to beunderstood?

Where necessary stop to think about what

to say next?

Ask for questions & answer them?

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Do you think he or she prepared & rehearsed the presentation well?

What makes you think this?

Signed:

BLUEBACKREADING & WRITING ASSESSMENT

Name:

No.

READING Not

Yet

Some

times

COMMENTS2.2 Understands what is read Written responses

Spoken responses

3.2 Shows understanding of

different styles of writingJournal ChartResearch Newspaper report

Poem Letter

4.1 Speaks & writes about own

ideas of what is read

Journal

Research

5.1 Knows what information is

needed for research & why

Research

5.2 Knows how & where to findinformation needed for

research

Research

6.1 Shows a positive attitude to

reading

Chooses to read

Contributes ideas about what has been read

WRITING1.1 Uses different styles of

writingJournal ChartResearch Newspaper report

Poem Letter

2.1 Plans, drafts, shares, revises

& redrafts to make themeaning clear.

Passes up all drafts & planning work

2.2 Uses writing to help thinking

& learning

Journal

3.1 Uses understanding of writing

rules to make meaning clear.

Grammar

Punctuation

Style of writing

3.2 Correctly spells words used

often and can correct & learn

new words.

Uses have a go card

Underlines words that might be mis-spelledUses dictionary

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4.1 Shows a positive attitude to

writing

Chooses to write

Edits own work

Contributes to discussions about writing