Help students uncover the power of symbolism through this thoughtful and engaging five-day reading sequence built around the original mentor text, *The Feather*.

Designed for Years 5–6, this pack explores how authors use symbols to communicate deeper ideas and themes. Through the story of Mia and a small white feather she carries throughout her first year at a new school, students discover how ordinary objects can hold extraordinary meaning.

As students revisit the text across five short, structured lessons, they move beyond literal understanding to explore symbolism, inference, theme, author's purpose, and evidence-based responses. The text provides rich opportunities to discuss confidence, courage, growth, and the personal significance we attach to meaningful objects.

This pack includes:

• Original mentor text
• Five days of structured learning
• Explicit WALTs and success criteria
• Vocabulary and figurative language investigations
• Hyperbole and figurative language analysis
• Inference and interpretation tasks
• Theme and author’s purpose exploration
• Evidence-based response scaffold
• Student self-reflection pages
• Comprehensive teacher guide with answers and alternative interpretations

Perfect for:

• Whole-class reading
• Guided reading follow-up
• Literacy rotations
• Independent literacy tasks
• Figurative language instruction
• Explicit comprehension teaching
• Students will learn how metaphors allow authors to communicate complex ideas through familiar images and experiences. 

Students will explore how symbols work in texts, how authors communicate ideas indirectly, and how confidence often develops through experiences, challenges, and personal growth.

Curriculum Focus: Reading Comprehension, Figurative Language, Symbolism, Author Craft, Inference, Themes, Evidence-Based Responses

Year Level: Years 5–6
Lesson Length: 15–20 minutes per lesson
Pack Focus: Figurative Language
Symbolism
Theme: Confidence

Scope and Sequence: Pack A, Week 5