Theme: Human Body

This unit focusses on how we relate physically to the world - the five senses, fun facts about the body, hiccups, hugs, sleep, fear, laughter, sign language, singing, body image, and more.

It is vital for teachers to understand the Ziptales 10 stage Reading Scheme, which governs how reading groups can be formed in a way which matches children’s abilities to the appropriate texts. To check on this essential resource - click here.

The 10 Zip Stages cover all levels of reading ability, from Foundation/Prep/Kindergarten through to Year 6. This scheme underpins the whole Themes module.

Learning Components

Focus Stories Comprehension Conventions Writing Speaking & Listening Extension
Zip Stage 1
Play All Day
(Consonant Blends –
Easy Readers) 		Worksheet #1:
What Do You Think? 		Worksheet #2:
Word Match 		List all the fun things your body helps you do. Present the story to an audience using actions. Draw your body, use arrows to show what different parts can do (hands clap, feet jump).
Zip Stage 1
At the Playground
(Consonant Blends –
Easy Readers) 		How is the author feeling in the story? What is the main message in this story? Worksheet #2:
Compound Words 		Write about a time when you were worried about trying something new. Work in pairs to complete Worksheet #1:
Rhyming Words 		Use paper plates to draw facial expressions for different feelings.
Zip Stage 1
Crazy Dreams
(Consonant Blends –
Easy Readers) 		Worksheet #1:
Answering Questions 		Worksheet #2:
Adding ‘ed’ 		Write a story about a crazy dream you would love to have. Discuss all the amazing things our brains can do. Draw the main organs (e.g. brain, lungs and heart) inside an outline of the human body.
Zip Stage 1
Shower Fun
(Simple Digraphs –
Easy Readers) 		Use the story to draw or write the steps of having a shower. Worksheet #2:
Action Words 		List and illustrate all the ways we keep our bodies clean. Work in pairs to complete Worksheet #1:
Rhyming Words 		Learn a dance that uses body parts (e.g. Hokey Pokey; Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes)
Zip Stage 2
When I Was One
(Simple Digraphs –
Easy Readers) 		Write or draw the things in the story that you might have done when you were little. Worksheet #1:
The Amazing ‘wh’ Blend 		Worksheet #2:
All About Me 		Talk with a partner about the things you’d like to do when you grow tall. Create a timeline of your life using photos or pictures to represent different ages.
Zip Stage 2
Close Your Eyes
(Long Vowels –
Easy Readers) 		Describe how each sense is used in the story. Worksheet #1:
Exploring Sounds 		Worksheet #2:
Writing Poems 		Blindfold a partner and see if they can guess different objects using the sense of touch. Draw and label the five senses.
Zip Stage 3
Fun Facts About the Body
(Fun Facts –
Junior Readers) 		Worksheet #2:
Complete the Sentence 		Worksheet #1:
Types of Words 		Write an informative text about how to care for our bodies. Survey how long your classmates can hold their breath then graph the results. Label some of the main bones on a picture of a skeleton (e.g. ribs, skull, femur, spine, pelvis).
Zip Stage 3
The Lonely Giant
(Imaginary Worlds –
Junior Readers) 		Worksheet #2:
What’s the Order? 		Worksheet #1:
Missing Words 		Write your opinion of the saying ‘It’s what’s on the inside that counts’. In a small group, write down each other’s talents and skills. Design a poster about respecting others no matter how they look.
Zip Stage 4
Sleeping Beauty
(Timeless Tales) 		Multiple Choice Questions Worksheet #2:
Who and What? 		Worksheet #1:
Which Word? 		Write an imaginary story about sleeping too much OR not getting any sleep. Use the script (found here) as Reader’s Theatre. Design a poster about all the things our bodies need to keep healthy (like enough sleep).
Zip Stage 4
I’m Not Afraid
(Scary) 		Find some examples from the story that show Johnny is brave. General Worksheet #1:
Compound Words 		General Worksheet #3:
Write Your Own Play 		In pairs, complete General Worksheet #2:
Pack Your Bags 		Draw separate body parts and put them together to make the monster from the story.
Zip Stage 5
The Mermaid
(Myths & Legends) 		Retell the story in your own words. General Worksheet #1:
Can You See a Silent ‘b’? 		General Worksheet #3:
Life Under the Sea 		Work together to complete General Worksheet #2:
Fact or Fiction? 		Draw a labelled diagram of how we breathe.
Zip Stage 5
Hiccups
(Comedy) 		Write a character description about Freddie. General Worksheet #2:
Wonderword 		Write an explanation text about what causes the hiccups. General Worksheet #1:
Help Stop the Hiccups
Share responses. 		Experiment with static electricity by rubbing a balloon on hair.
Zip Stage 6
Copy Frog
(Animal) 		Describe the relationship between the person telling the story and Danny Rabbotini. Locate examples of comma use for an introductory phrase. Write a funny narrative about a teacher with an unusual body part. General Worksheet
#1: Act like your pet or
#2: Pet survey. 		False eyes are a disability aid. Research a disability aid of your choice.
Zip Stage 6
Talent Quest
(Fantasy) 		Use words and phrases from the text to describe the main character’s singing with and without using the microphone. Explore the meaning of the prefix ‘micro’ and define 10 words that use this prefix. General Worksheet #3:
Be Who You Want to Be 		Work in pairs to complete General Worksheet #2 or General Worksheet #4 General Worksheet #1:
Inventing Ideas or
Design a fact file about how our voice box works.
Zip Stage 6
The Attic
(Mystery) 		General Worksheet #3:
Meaningful Morals 		General Worksheet #2:
Thesaurus Task 		General Worksheet #1:
Writing Beginnings 		Present an infomercial about a product that looks after your teeth. Draw and label and detailed diagram of a human skeleton.
Zip Stage 6
Rip Van Winkle
(Myths & Legends) 		General Worksheet #2:
Feelings Profile 		General Worksheet #1:
Is it ‘s’ or ‘c’? 		General Worksheet #3:
So Many Questions 		In pairs, complete General Worksheet #4:
Who Said It? 		Research the effects of not enough sleep on the human body.
Zip Stage 7
One Wish
(Fantasy) 		General Worksheet #2:
Making Wishes 		General Worksheet #1:
Rhyming 		Write an explanation text about how modern hearing aids work. Learn some Auslan sign language and teach it to an audience. Design a detailed diagram about how our ears work.
Zip Stage 8
The Wonderful Wacky Walnut Trick
(Fantasy) 		Describe the problems Alice Matilda has performing the Wonderful Wacky Walnut Trick. General Worksheet #1:
Word Play 		General Worksheet #2:
Magic Spells 		Learn a dance that uses body parts then teach it to an audience (e.g. The Chicken Dance or The Macarena). Research the dangerous tricks magicians perform where they seem to put their bodies at risk of serious injury.
Zip Stage 8
A Hug for Harriet
(People) 		General Worksheet #2:
Finding Her Mood 		Explore similar sounding ‘r’ endings by locating words from the story that end in ar, er, re and or. Write a poem about how you use your body to do the things you love (e.g. dancing, playing sport). General Worksheet #1:
Mood Survey 		Describe different ways we use our bodies to communicate with others.
Zip Stage 8
Simon’s Secret
(Yucky) 		General Worksheet #1:
Getting Caught 		Use the word chaos to generate a word list where ch makes a hard c sound. Write an explanation text about the causes of flatulence. In pairs, write a list of good manners related bodily functions. General Worksheet #2:
Interesting Inventions
Zip Stage 9
The Open Window
(Horror –
Advanced Library) 		Worksheet #1:
Clever Characterisation 		Locate and define 15 examples of adverbs in the text. Worksheet #1 or #2:
Extension Activity 		Study different relaxation techniques (breathing exercises, yoga etc) and teach them to others. Worksheet #2:
Overcoming Depressed Feelings
Zip Stage 9
What’s So Funny?
(Expository –
Advanced Library) 		Write a synopsis of the different theories of why we laugh. Worksheet #2:
Puzzling Puns 		Worksheet #1:
Storybook Satire 		Present an oral report on the physical process of how we laugh. Research Dr Hunter ‘Patch’ Adams and his theories on laughter.
Zip Stage 10
Body Language
(Information –
Advanced Library) 		Explain how you use examples of the different types of body language outlined in the text. Worksheet #1:
Body Related Idioms 		Worksheet #2:
Body Language in Action 		Work in pairs to complete Worksheet #1 Extension Activity Worksheet #2:
Extension Activity
Zip Stage 10
Body Image
(Argument –
Advanced Library) 		Worksheet #2:
Who and What Argument? 		What are rhetorical questions? How are they used in this text? Why are they effective? Worksheet #1:
The Language of Argument 		Present an oral report offering strategies to develop a positive body image. Research some of the causes and effects developing a negative body image.


Assessment Ideas

Spelling/Grammar
  • Make a list of body related words for use as a spelling list e.g. bones, skeleton, heart, lungs, brain, tendons, muscles, veins, capillaries etc
  • Use the Word Work and Spelling and Vocabulary Worksheets for the Reading Library genre stories to improve students’ spelling skills.
  • Explore how suffixes are used for systems of the body e.g. ‘ory’ - circulatory and respiratory; ‘ive’ digestive; ‘al’ skeletal; ‘ous’ – nervous.
  • Select a passage from one of the on-line stories as dictation assessing knowledge of apostrophes.
Reading
  • Complete the Fill the Gaps and Multiple Choice questions at the end of the story (available for the Junior Readers, Reading Library and Advanced Library genre stories).
  • Use the Learning Support Worksheets for the Reading Library genre stories to practise a range of reading skills.
  • Design a cause and effect chart for the events from one of the on-line stories.
  • Write a detailed description of one or more of the characters from one of the on-line stories.
Writing
  • Write narratives using the following topics:
    The Day my Hair went Green
    My Life as an Eyeball
    A Journey Inside the Human Body
  • Record the food eaten and physical activity over the period of a week and write a reflection about the nutritional value of the meals and the quality of the exercise overall.
  • Write a poem about body movements e.g. swimming.
  • Write an argument text about the effects of not looking after your body properly.
Oral Language
  • Act out one of the on-line stories to the class.
  • In small co-operative groups, students classify a variety of body parts using headings such as skeletal system, circulatory system, digestive system etc. Present results to the class.
  • Create a slide show presentation about one of the systems in the human body.
  • In pairs or small groups, present an infomercial that aims to promote a healthy body image in young people.
Related Ziptales Activities:

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