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Year 5 - English

Exploring characterisation in 'Princess Sophia Duleep Singh: My Story'

'Princess Sophia Duleep Singh: My Story': reading

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils read and explore the historical fiction text, 'Princess Sophia Duleep Singh: My Story'. They explore characterisation across the text and compare perspectives. Finally, pupils engage with the key theme of inequality and explore the legacy of the suffragettes.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explore characterisation in historical fiction.

Key Notes

  • Following their mother's death, Sophia and her family are split up.
  • Sophia's father has decided against regaining his kingdom, he has asked Queen Victoria for forgiveness.
  • Sophia's father remarries after the death of his wife. Sophia has mixed feelings about her step-family.
  • Sufiya Ahmed writes the Duleep Singhs with some shared character traits and some different traits.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • characterisation: Characterisation is the way an author and illustrator describes and develops the personalities and traits of the characters in a story.
  • character traits: Character traits are the special qualities that make a character in a story unique and interesting.
  • compare: Comparing involves identifying similarities between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts.
  • contrast: Contrasting involves identifying differences between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • A question in the first cycle explores the letter that Sophia's father writes to Queen Victoria. Pupils may find it hard to think of persuasive techniques that he uses to appeal for forgiveness.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Following their mother's death, Sophia and her family are split up. Sophia's father has decided against regaining his kingdom, he has asked Queen Victoria for forgiveness.

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

Characterisation is the way an author and illustrator describes and develops the personalities and traits of the characters in a story.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: A question in the first cycle explores the letter that Sophia's father writes to Queen Victoria. Pupils may find it hard to think of persuasive techniques that he uses to appeal for forgiveness. Correction: It would be useful to link to prior learning to remind pupils of some techniques (such as emotional language, flattery, rhetorical questions etc.), alternatively adults could model some of the key points aloud.

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