Year 2 - English
Understanding character in 'The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark'
'The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark': reading
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils read and explore the text, 'The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark'. They use a range of strategies to build their understanding of the plot and the characters. Finally, they explore the key themes in the text and give a personal response.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe Plop's appearance and personality.
Key Notes
- Characterisation is the way an author describes and develops the characters in a story.
- Appearance is how a character looks on the outside.
- Personality refers to what a character is like on the inside.
- Plop is a cute, fluffy barn owl who is clumsy but friendly.
- The author's characterisation of Plop makes him a likeable character, which is engaging for the reader.
Vocabulary To Learn
- characterisation: the way an author describes and develops the characters in a story
- character traits: the special qualities that make a character unique and interesting
- appearance: how a character looks on the outside
- personality: what a character is like on the inside
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Children may find it hard to identify character traits for Plop for the inside of the owl template.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Characterisation is the way an author describes and develops the characters in a story. Appearance is how a character looks on the outside.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'characterisation'
the way an author describes and develops the characters in a story.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Children may find it hard to identify character traits for Plop for the inside of the owl template. Correction: Reread specific pages aloud to the children and discuss Plop's actions and what this tells us about his character e.g. when he hears noises he goes down from his tree to explore - this tells us he is curious.
More Lessons In This Unit
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