Year 8 English
Overview
In Year 8 English, you will embark on the hero’s journey. You will be challenged and supported in your learning with rich interactive content and diverse ways to succeed. Explore parallel worlds from science fiction and fantasy and look at familiar worlds in new ways. Meet characters from fiction and history, alien planets, and closer to home.
What do you do?
- Write reviews for your favourite texts.
- Elaborate and present on themes from the course texts.
- Record a radio play.
- Film a short movie.
- Develop an interactive text-based game.
- Choose and create a text response.
- Learn how media influences our minds.
What skills do you develop?
For Reading/Viewing, you will:
- engage with interactive quizzes and videos.
- explain and summarise key topics.
- analyse stories and themes to notice the choices authors make.
- develop your understanding of contemporary issues in media.
In Writing you will:
- mix images and words for effect (make character cards, social media posts, and haikus)
- express yourself through fictional, argumentative, and informative texts.
- make a short video about you or something you like.
- create your own interactive fiction text-based game.
For Speaking and Listening, you can:
- research and debate contemporary issues in media.
- make an informative presentation and record a short audio drama.
- persuade others using rhetorical questions, logic, and emotional appeals.
- ask questions and talk about ideas in class.
You will also look at ethical capabilities in English. For this you will:
- discuss complex issues, where right and wrong is not always clear.
- consider and try to resolve different values and interests.
Requirements
Required resources:
- Crow Country, Kate Constable
- Chocky, John Wyndham
- A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula Le Guin
- Hunt for the Wilderpeople, film directed by Taika Waititi (available in VSV Online)
Internet access required for this course and attending online lessons.
Things you can do now
You can watch Hunt for the Wilderpeople in the online course in Semester 2. You can get a copy and watch it earlier if you like.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople, (film, 2016), director Taika Waititi
Go to the VCAA English Level 8 section for more information about this subject.
Things to have a look at
What makes a hero?