AC9E1LE05 • Year 1 English

Retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters...: Year 1 English topic guide

orally retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters, language features including vocabulary, and structure of a familiar text, through role-play, writing, drawing or digital tools

What students learn in AC9E1LE05

This unit helps students build a clear, usable understanding of Retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters.... The goal is not to memorise one answer pattern. Students should be able to explain the idea, recognise it in a new example and apply it in a short practice or worksheet task.

  • Start with the main idea: orally retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters, language features including vocabulary, and structure of a familiar text, through role-play, writing, drawing or digital tools.
  • Use concrete examples, pictures, oral explanation and short written responses before moving to independent practice.
  • writing character descriptions imitating a characteristic piece of speech or dialogue, or the attitudes or expressions of favourite characters in texts
  • Finish with mixed questions so students must choose the correct strategy rather than copy the last example.

Curriculum coverage and elaborations

The content description and elaborations below show the curriculum ideas taught in this unit. Items marked as teaching context support lesson planning but may not appear in the initial eight-question activity.

  • Content description: orally retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters, language features including vocabulary, and structure of a familiar text, through role-play, writing, drawing or digital tools
  • E1: writing character descriptions
  • E2: imitating a characteristic piece of speech or dialogue, or the attitudes or expressions of favourite characters in texts
  • E3: retelling key events in stories using oral language, visual arts, digital tools or performance

How to use this unit

Read the topic guide, use the teacher slide for instruction, then complete the Worksheet, Practice and Test. These three activities use the same eight-question unit bank.

Teacher resource

AC9E1LE05 teacher slide

Use this one-page PDF to introduce the key idea, vocabulary and teaching sequence before students begin the activities.

Open teacher slide (PDF)

Common mistakes to watch for

  • Answering from memory without using clues from the text, sentence or image.
  • Knowing the idea orally but not transferring it into reading, writing or speaking.
  • Missing punctuation, word order or vocabulary clues that change meaning.

International curriculum mapping

This table gives closest-topic mapping for search and planning. The Australian Curriculum code is exact; overseas entries are broad equivalents because each jurisdiction structures outcomes differently.

RegionCurriculumClosest mapping
AustraliaAustralian Curriculum v9.0AC9E1LE05 — orally retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters, language features including vocabulary, and structure of a familiar text, through role-play, writing, drawing or digital tools
VictoriaVictorian Curriculum F-10Year 1 English: closest match in Creating literature. Use this page as a VIC-aligned practice and worksheet reference.
NSWNSW CurriculumStage 1 English: closest content focus for Retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters... and related outcomes.
United StatesCommon Core / NGSSGrade 1 Common Core Mathematics/ELA closest topic match for Retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters....
England / UKNational CurriculumKey Stage 1 / Year 1: closest programme-of-study match for Retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters....
CanadaProvincial and territory curriculaGrade 1 closest topic match. Canada varies by province, so use this as a broad Ontario/BC-style learning outcome reference.
New ZealandNew Zealand CurriculumLevel 1 English: closest achievement-objective topic for Retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters....
IndiaNCERT / CBSEClass 1 closest NCERT/CBSE topic match for Retell or adapt a familiar story using plot and characters....

Related Year 1 English topics

Official curriculum references