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Year 3 - English

Developing responses to 'Varjak Paw' through rich discussions

'Varjak Paw': book club

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils explore and discuss the illustrated chapter book 'Varjak Paw'. They will share their opinion on the text and explore the key themes of hope, identity and self-discovery. Finally, pupils will engage in rich discussions, making connections and recommendations.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to develop your own response to 'Varjak Paw'.

Key Notes

  • Character traits can be explored through the text's illustrations or words used by the characters.
  • Different readers may interpret a text in different ways.
  • Discussing books by building on others and our own views can help us to deepen our understanding of a text.
  • Making links to other characters and stories helps to deepen our awareness of texts.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • character trait: Character traits are the special qualities that make a character in a story unique and interesting.
  • impression: An impression refers to initial feelings about a person, place or thing, gained from reading a text.
  • connection: How a text relates to a reader, another text or the wider world can be called a connection.
  • recommendation: A recommendation is a suggestion for a text that is well-suited to a reader's age and their interests.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils may think that how a character looks determines whether they are friend or foe.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Character traits can be explored through the text's illustrations or words used by the characters. Different readers may interpret a text in different ways.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'character trait'

Character traits are the special qualities that make a character in a story unique and interesting.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils may think that how a character looks determines whether they are friend or foe. Correction: When discussing the character of Sally Bones, focus on character traits that intimidate Varjak, not solely her appearance.

More Lessons In This Unit

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