Description
Explore the powerful relationship between language and images with this rich grammar and visual literacy lesson based on Zeno Sworder’s award-winning picture book Once I Was a Giant.
Students investigate how authors and illustrators work together to create meaning by exploring personification alongside shot distance. Through engaging games, close reading and creative writing, students discover how human characteristics can bring objects to life while visual choices position the reader and shape emotional connection.
Using a gradual release model, students first identify personification and visual perspective within the text before creating their own dialogue and narration for the book’s wordless ending. Along the way, they learn to analyse how illustrations influence meaning and how carefully chosen language can complement visual storytelling.
Aligned with the Australian Curriculum: English (Version 9) across Foundation to Year 6, this flexible lesson supports multiple year levels through differentiated discussion prompts, scaffolded writing tasks and extension opportunities.
This comprehensive lesson plan includes:
- A fun “Stationery Who Am I?” introductory game
- Explicit teaching of personification and shot distance
- Guided visual and language analysis using Once I Was a Giant
- A visual grammar poster explaining close, medium and long shots
- Collaborative discussion prompts
- Scaffolded creative writing activities
- Optional personification writing prompts for younger students
- Reflection and assessment activities
- Ready-to-print classroom resources
Perfect for teaching figurative language, visual literacy, multimodal texts, and creative writing, this lesson helps students see how words and images work together to tell unforgettable stories.
