[T4R] Let’s Build a Boat: L6 Writing a Boat-making Procedure

The Book

Let’s Build A Boat

Written by Jane Godwin, illustrated by Meg Rennie, published by Little Hare Books

This inspiring picture book celebrates teamwork, creativity, and determination. As a group of children come together to build a boat for their picnic on an island, the story naturally lends itself to discussions about the purpose of a boat in general and context of the text (AC9TDE2K01 – Years 1 and 2, Design and Technologies). The story also highlights the importance of preparation before they begin (AC9TDE2P01 – Years 1 and 2, Design and Technologies), innovation and problem-solving when they face the challenge at sea (AC9TDE2P03 – Years 1 and 2, Design and Technologies).

Throughout their journey, they experience challenges and moments of joy, allowing students to reflect on how they manage emotions in different situations (AC9HP2P03 – Years 1 and 2, Health and Physical Education). The story also supports children in understanding how teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving help them to achieve shared goals (AC9HP2P01 – Years 1 and 2, Health and Physical Education).

Let’s Build a Boat is a perfect launchpad for hands-on STEM or creative projects, as well as social-emotional learning discussions around collaboration, effort, and celebrating differences.

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Resource creator

Steven Huynh

Subject

Design and Technologies, English Language and Literacy,

Level

Year 1, Year 2,

Description

In this lesson, students examine sample rafts and write a procedure to explain how to make a boat base (raft) using classroom-safe materials. They build on their knowledge of boat design from the story and test their ability to sequence and describe simple steps.

Learning Intentions

• We are learning to write instructions about how to make a good boat base (a raft).

Successful Criteria

• I can talk about the materials I will need.
• I can think about the steps before writing.
• I can write steps in order to explain how to make a raft.

Curriculum Alignment

AC9E1LA02 9.0 (English Language and Literacy Year 1): Explore language to provide reasons for likes, dislikes and preferences

• using words including “because” to introduce reasons for likes, dislikes and preferences
• exploring comparative words (adjectives) to express the degree of preference; for example, “better”, “faster”

AC9E1LE03 9.0 (English Language and Literacy Year 1): Discuss plot, character and setting, which are features of stories

• recognising similar characters and settings in different types of literary texts; for example, traditional tales, narrative poems and fables
• discussing whether features of settings including time (year, season) and place (country or city) are realistic or imagined
• discussing how plots develop, including beginnings (orientation), how the problem (complication) is introduced and solved (resolution)

AC9E1LY06 9.0 (English Language and Literacy Year 1): Create and re-read to edit short written and/or multimodal texts to report on a topic, express an opinion or recount a real or imagined event, using grammatically correct simple sentences, some topic-specific vocabulary, sentence boundary…

• applying emerging knowledge of text structure and grammar when creating text
• using learning area vocabulary when creating text
• creating digital images and composing a story or information sequence on screen using images and captions
• adding or deleting words on a page or screen to improve meaning; for example, adding an adjective to add meaning to a noun
• beginning to use dictionaries and resources to check and correct spelling
• identifying words that might not be spelt correctly

AC9E2LA02 9.0 (English Language and Literacy Year 2): Explore how language can be used for appreciating texts and providing reasons for preferences

• exploring how language is used to appreciate texts using more precise vocabulary; for example, “I liked how the author described the setting because …”
• exploring verbs used to express degree of preference; for example, “liked”, “preferred”, “enjoyed”
• identifying First Nations Australian language words specific to Country/Place that help the reader to be specific when appreciating the setting in a text

AC9E2LE03 9.0 (English Language and Literacy Year 2): Discuss the characters and settings of a range of texts and identify how language is used to present these features in different ways

• comparing how similar characters or settings are described in texts from different contexts; for example, how the seasons are described
• identifying and comparing verb groups used to convey actions, emotions and dialogue in a range of literary texts
• identifying the language used to describe the landscape in First Nations Australians’ stories

AC9E2LY06 9.0 (English Language and Literacy Year 2): Create and edit short imaginative, informative and persuasive written and/or multimodal texts for familiar audiences, using text structure appropriate to purpose, simple and compound sentences, noun groups and verb groups, topic-specific…

• creating written texts so that readers follow the sequence of ideas or events
• using vocabulary, including topic-specific vocabulary, appropriate to the purpose
• using digital tools to create texts
• using simple and compound sentences correctly and flexibly to express and combine ideas
• editing by adding, deleting or changing vocabulary to improve a text; for example, replacing an everyday noun with a topic-specific one
• reviewing sentences for grammatical accuracy; for example, use of pronouns

AC9TDE2P02 9.0 (Design and Technologies Year 1,Year 2): Use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions

• exploring how available materials can be used or re-used in construction play, for example using used wrapping paper and gift cards to design and make decorations or signage for the classroom or a school event to minimise waste
• practising a range of technical skills using tools and equipment safely, for example joining techniques when making products, watering and mulching gardens, preparing a recipe using a knife safely
• practising a range of technical skills using tools and equipment safely, for example joining techniques when making products, watering and mulching gardens, preparing a recipe using a knife safely

Materials

Sample raft (2–3 different styles)
Let’s Build a Boat by Jane Godwin (pages 2–7)
Classroom raft-building materials (e.g. paddle pop sticks, rubber bands, tape, string)
Video: How to make a raft
Procedure Writing worksheet

Instructions

Warm-up

Explain: Before we build a full boat, we need to make a raft – the boat base. Later, we might continue building a full boat.
Show 2–3 sample rafts with slight variations. Ask children to compare the variations.
Children choose a model and talk to a partner about which one they like and why.

Partner Discussion – Predicting the Steps

In pairs, students discuss tools, materials, and what steps they would take to make the raft.
Encourage use of sequencing words like first, next, then, last.

Reading and Viewing

Read pages 2–7 of Let’s Build a Boat.
Ask students to recall what the characters did first and next.
Watch a short video showing how to make a classroom-safe raft using safe materials (no hot glue).

Writing the Procedure

Students write/draw their steps on the procedure worksheet.
Encourage use of clear and simple instructions.
Teacher provides support with sentence starters or prompts as needed.

Extensions

Have students follow a friend’s written procedure to try making the raft.
Add a design challenge: personalise or decorate the raft and add an extra instruction explaining their choice.

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