Year 4 - English
Engaging with 'The Borrowers'
'The Borrowers': narrative writing and 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 explore 'The Borrowers' through reading and writing activities. They sequence key events, analyse the setting and characters and write a descriptive setting piece. Pupils also plan, write, and edit sections of the build-up, developing their narrative writing skills.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to order the key events of 'The Borrowers'.
Key Notes
- 'The Borrowers' is a fantasy fiction text written by Mary Norton in 1952.
- 'The Borrowers' is about miniature people, who secretly live under the floorboards of an English house.
- The protagonist in 'The Borrowers' is Arrietty, who is the daughter of Pod and Homily.
- It is important for stories to have a clear structure so that readers can understand and enjoy them.
Vocabulary To Learn
- fantasy fiction: a story which is made up or imagined and involves magical elements
- summarise: to pull out the key events and ideas from the text
- structure: the order of events within a narrative that gives it a coherent and engaging flow
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may have different ideas about which parts of 'The Borrowers' constitute the opening, build-up, climax and resolution.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
'The Borrowers' is a fantasy fiction text written by Mary Norton in 1952. 'The Borrowers' is about miniature people, who secretly live under the floorboards of an English house.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'fantasy fiction'
a story which is made up or imagined and involves magical elements.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may have different ideas about which parts of 'The Borrowers' constitute the opening, build-up, climax and resolution. Correction: Ensure that pupils know that the way one person summarises may be different to another person's summary. If possible, print the story staircase on A3 sized paper to make Task B more accessible.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Describing the setting in 'The Borrowers' Study Guide
- Discussing a section of 'The Borrowers' Study Guide
- Discussing a section of 'The Borrowers' (part 2) Study Guide
- Editing a section of narrative writing based on 'The Borrowers' Study Guide
- Planning a section of a narrative based on 'The Borrowers' Study Guide
- Planning a section of a narrative based on 'The Borrowers' (part 2) Study Guide
- Presenting a narrative based on 'The Borrowers' Study Guide
- Understanding the setting and characters in 'The Borrowers' Study Guide
- Writing a section of a narrative based on 'The Borrowers' Study Guide
- Writing a section of a narrative based on 'The Borrowers' (part 2) Study Guide
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