Lesson video

Hello, everybody, I'm Miss Afzal.

And I'm wondering how you're doing.

I hope you're doing well.

I'm feeling really good because we're gonna be exploring one of my very favourite books today.

It is a picture book called "Mirror" by Jeannie Baker.

It looks like this.

And it also looks like this.

Oh my goodness, there's something very, very special about this book, which we're gonna be getting into shortly.

So I'd like you to go off and find your copy of "Mirror" by Jeannie Baker.

So I'm gonna pause here while you go and get your copy of the text.

While you're gone, I'm just gonna spin this book around so we can see both of the front covers 'cause it's pretty unique in that respect.

Okay, so you're back.

You've got your copy of the text.

Let's get into it.

I'm really excited.

Hope you are too.

The outcome for today's lesson is, I can identify and engage with the key themes in "Mirror." We have some keywords in our lesson today.

Let's go through them one at a time.

My turn, your turn.

Afterword.

Theme.

Convey.

Identity.

Great stuff.

I loved hearing those keywords.

Let's find out more about them.

An afterword is a concluding section providing additional insights or reflections after the main content.

A theme is a big idea, topic, or message that recurs within a text.

To convey means to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly.

Identity is linked to understanding who you are and your place within the world.

I'm really looking forward to exploring these words and finding out about them in the context of our lesson.

I hope you are too.

Our lesson today, exploring and engaging with themes in "Mirror" has two parts to it.

First, we'll be reflecting on the text.

And, next, we'll be identifying and reflecting on themes.

Let's begin with reflecting on the text and here it is.

Here is our text, "Mirror," created by Jeannie Baker.

Take a very good look at those two front covers.

Have you ever seen anything like it? Oh my goodness, I'm just bowled over every single time I look at these.

Such an incredible creation.

Well done, Jeannie Baker, you are amazing.

So what do we know so far? The text is a dual narrative text with two stories that can be read side-by-side.

The Moroccan story is read from right to left, the Western story from left to right.

The Moroccan story is set in the Valley of the Roses.

Doesn't that sound like a lovely place? The Western Australian setting is based on a suburb of Sydney called Rozelle.

Also sounds nice.

There are connections between the two stories involving characters, objects, and clothing.

We rejoin the stories as both fathers and sons return home.

We're now going to focus on the resolution of both stories.

Let's first look at what happens when the Moroccan father and son return home.

Read pages 14 and 15 of the Moroccan story.

What can you see? What are the characters doing? So pause the video now while you read pages 14 and 15 of the Moroccan story.

And share with someone nearby everything you see and what you notice the characters are doing.

So, what did you spot? Maybe this, the mother greets the father and son.

She carries a baby and rests the container on her head with fabrics.

In panels 2-5, the mother is preparing dinner.

A pan of boiling water is used to cook the potatoes.

In panel 6-9, tea is poured, the donkey fed, and the father unboxes a computer and begins to plug in the wires with his son.

In panels 10-12, the livestock, the animals are fed.

I wonder if you spotted all of these things.

Now let's compare this to the panels in the Western story.

Read pages 14 and 15 of the Western story.

And same thing, show someone nearby, what do you see? What are the characters doing? So pause the video here while you read pages 14 and 15 of the Western story.

And tell someone nearby, what can you see? What are the characters doing? Okay, so what did you spot? What did you notice? Maybe these things.

The son gives his mother a flower.

It looks like one that may have dropped near their car on page 10.

Perhaps it is a rose, hm, interesting.

In panels 2-6, the kettle is boiled, washing placed in the machine, and a takeaway ordered.

Mm, yummy.

In panels 7-10, the father drinks a cup of tea and continues his work on the fireplace.

In panels 11-15, the boy plays with his sibling.

before writing and researching a map on a computer.

there is a delivery at the door.

Well done, if you noticed these things.

And next, I'd like you to reflect on how do both families have their evening meal? Are there any changes that you notice from the breakfast scene? And refer to the larger panels on page 15 of both stories.

So pause the video here while you take a look at page 15.

How do both families have their evening meal? Here's Sophia.

"The Australian family are having fish and chips.

It looks as though the father is taking some of the boy's chips." Cheeky.

"The young boy and mother are smiling.

The fireplace is now complete." And here's Laura.

"The Moroccan family share a meal together.

They are all smiling.

A new computer mouse and monitor are set up.

Wires trail across the wall." Exciting.

Love the smiles that we saw in both the families.

Check for understanding.

Sequence the following events from both stories in chronological order.

So chronological means in time order.

The order in which they occurred.

And refer to the text for support.

So we have these events.

The family sit down to eat a meal together.

Father and son return home.

The father enjoys a cup of tea.

There's always tea.

So pause the video while you place these three events in chronological order.

Did you get this one first? The father and son return home.

Next, the father enjoys a cup of tea.

And finally, the family sit down to eat a meal together.

Well done if you put the events in this order.

And now I'd like you to turn over both pages to the final double page spread, pages 16 and 17.

What can you see in the Moroccan story? What are the characters doing? So pause the video while you take a look at that final double page spread, 16 and 17.

What's happening in the Moroccan story? What do you see? What are the characters doing? Tell someone nearby.

Pause the video here.

Okay, here's Izzy.

Let's see what she has to say.

"The son, father, and grandfather are gathered around a computer.

There is an image of the world.

Maybe they're looking at satellite imagery of Morocco.

The mother is caring for the boy's younger sibling.

Grandmothers are having tea.

One has a pink flower tucked into her clothing.

A full moon can be seen through the window." Thank you for sharing that, Izzy.

I wonder if you found something similar.

And now let's focus on the Western story.

Same thing, what do you see? What are the characters doing? So pause the video while you take a look at this double page spread and share what you can see and what the characters doing with someone nearby.

Here's Aisha.

"The family are set together on their new carpet made by the Moroccan family." Oh my goodness.

"They're looking at the boy's artwork, which depicts them flying on a magic carpet.

The artwork shows a camel, mountains, and a white bird.

A flower is resting on the fireplace.

It looks very similar to the flower the Moroccan boy's grandmother was wearing." Well done, Aisha, noticing so many of those similar motifs, things that came up in both of the stories.

I wonder if you noticed some of these similarities too.

Check for understanding, true or false.

There are no connections between the stories.

Pause the video while you decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected false.

And now I'd like you to justify your answer.

The young Moroccan boy feeds the animals while the Australian boy plays with his sibling and goes on the computer.

The carpet that the Moroccan mother made is now in the Australian family's home.

Pause the video while you decide which of these statements will directly justify your earlier answer.

Well done if you selected the second statement.

Yes, indeed, the carpet that the Moroccan mother made is now in the Australian family's home.

That this is a very real and direct connection between the two stories and it justifies your answer.

And now it's time for our first task.

In this task, we're going to explore the afterword.

And, remember, the afterword is an additional section which provides more insights or reflections after the main content.

This is written by Jeannie Baker and describes the reasons that she created the text and how she made the collage artwork.

I'd like you to read the afterword in either English or Arabic script.

Page 18.

And then answer the following questions.

What was Jeannie Baker's main idea for the text? How does it link to the title "Mirror?" Do you have any questions you would like to ask Jeannie Baker about how she created the artwork? So pause the video here, read the afterword, and answer these questions.

What was Jeanie Baker's main idea for the text? How does it link to the title "Mirror?" And do you have any questions for Jeannie Baker? I'll see you when you're finished.

Okay, it's great to be back with you.

What did you reflect on? What queries, inquiries do you have? Let's find out.

Jeannie relates the text to Australia's attitude towards foreigners.

She made the text to show that while our outward characteristics may seem different, we are much more similar than we think.

She compares this to a mirror, reflecting what we see back to us.

I love seeing Jeannie's different materials in the Arabic script version of the afterword.

I know a project can sometimes take her over four years.

I would like to know how long each page takes her to complete.

Oh, some really interesting thoughts, reflections, and queries there.

Thank you for sharing.

And now it's time for us to move on to identifying and reflecting on themes.

A theme is a big idea, topic, or message that recurs within a story.

Within literature, authors use techniques to convey themes to the reader.

These themes often mirror issues and topics that we encounter in our own lives, making the story relatable to the reader.

Examples of themes.

Friendship, family, love, courage, betrayal, good versus evil, death, protection, loneliness, survival.

I'd like you to have a think about anything you have read or come across, it could be a book or text.

It could be a film.

It could be an audiobook, TV programme.

Can you think of something that you have really enjoyed which had one of these themes? Pause the video while you reflect on this and share with someone nearby.

I hope you enjoyed sharing.

One of my favourite texts is the novel "Varjak Paw," which has themes of friendship, good versus evil, and courage.

It's such an inspiring novel.

Do you check it out if you haven't read it.

Identifying themes within a text involves inference.

Themes are not explicitly stated within a text.

So text will not say, this book is about this theme.

Authors commonly use repetition to convey themes to represent, to show those themes, communicate the themes to the reader.

There are a few ways to identify themes.

Considering actions and characteristics of people within the text.

Identifying repetition, actions, emotions, traits that recur.

Searching for deeper meaning using inference from looking for those clues, like a detective.

Considering the overall message of the text.

There are many possible themes that can be drawn out from a text as rich as "Mirror." Readers may interpret themes and their importance differently.

Here are some of the themes.

Place, culture and traditions, community, family.

These are just some of the themes that can be inferred.

There are many more.

Check for understanding.

Match the theme to how it is conveyed in the text.

So we have some themes here.

Culture and traditions, community, and family, and how they're conveyed in the text.

Characters interact with one another and engage in communal activities.

Both sets of characters share meals together and support one another.

Each setting has unique clothing, architecture, food, and daily activities.

Pause the video while you match the theme with how it is conveyed in the text.

Okay, did you match up culture and traditions with each setting having unique clothing, architecture, food, and daily activities.

Community is how the characters interact with one another and engage in communal activities.

And family, both sets of characters were sharing meals together and supporting each other.

How wonderful.

Hope you made these connections.

And now, it's time for your next task.

I would like you to discuss which other themes appear throughout the story.

So we've already looked at these themes, place, culture and traditions, community, family.

Some themes are more complex and encourage us to consider their meaning.

So pause the video while you discuss with someone nearby which other themes appear throughout the text "Mirror." It's good to be back with you.

I am really, really looking forward to this.

What themes did you pull out from this incredible text? Let's have a look.

Belonging, yeah, wonderful.

Home, identity, environment, heritage, human impact, understanding one another, oh my goodness.

You can see why I love this text so much.

Look at all that it brings to us.

How wonderful to reflect on these.

And now I would like you to answer the following questions.

How do the settings and events depicted in the book contribute to the boys' sense of identity and belonging? What have you learned from reading the text? You may like to begin your sentences like this.

I think the settings and events inspire the boys to be.

From reading "Mirror" I have learned.

So pause the video here and answer these two questions.

How the settings and events depicted in the book contribute to the boys' sense of identity and belonging? And what have you learned from reading the text? Share your answers with someone nearby.

I am very curious to find out what you came up with to both of these questions.

Okay, let's have a look.

"I think the settings inspire both boys to be curious about the world that they live in.

Characters get a sense of who they are through what they wear and the traditions that they have, such as eating together and sharing in achievements." Oh, fantastic observations there.

And what have you learned? "From reading 'Mirror' I have learned that the two settings and cultures are very different.

However, by seeing the parallel lives of the families, it is clear that they are essentially the same.

This shows me that we are all the same in the ways that really matter." Oh my goodness, I'm just loving reading these answers.

Thank you so much for sharing.

There's so much for us to learn from this incredible text.

In our lesson exploring and engaging with themes in "Mirror," we've covered the following.

The afterword provides the reader with valuable information and context.

In "Mirror," it describes why Jeannie Baker was inspired to make the text and how she created the artwork.

A theme is a big idea, topic, or message that recurs within a story.

Culture and traditions are key themes conveyed within the text.

Each setting has unique clothing, architecture, food, and daily activities.

Setting and events depicted in the book contribute to the boy's sense of identity and belonging.

I really enjoyed spending this time together exploring "Mirror" engaging with the themes of this text.

Thank you for sharing your ideas and especially for sharing what you've learned from it.

I will continue to learn from this text.

It is so rich, it has so much to offer.

I look forward to seeing you at another lesson soon.

Bye for now.