Year 6 - English
Exploring a historical scenario linked to 'A Kind of Spark'
'A Kind of Spark': narrative writing
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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 write a build-up and climax based on the text, 'A Kind of Spark'. They learn to switch tense to highlight a jump in perspective from narrative prose to an internal monologue and from present to past tense to indicate a flashback. These outcomes can be used for KS2 SATS writing.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to empathise with a character from a historical scenario and re-enact a scenario to better understand the characters' motives.
Key Notes
- Those executed or accused of witchcraft in Early Modern Scotland would often have been vulnerable people.
- We can use role play and drama to try and empathise with these characters.
- We also need to consider the motivations of their accusers.
- We should aim to remember that these were real people who suffered real persecution.
Vocabulary To Learn
- empathise: to get inside a character's head
- dialogue: spoken words between two or more people
- re-enact: act out an event from the past
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may struggle to respect the sensitivity of the subject matter.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Those executed or accused of witchcraft in Early Modern Scotland would often have been vulnerable people. We can use role play and drama to try and empathise with these characters.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'empathise'
to get inside a character's head.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may struggle to respect the sensitivity of the subject matter. Correction: Encourage pupils throughout to view the accused people as real people. You may want to refer to Addie's response to the school trip to help children understand this.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Adopting different perspectives Study Guide
- Exploring Addie's character Study Guide
- Exploring Addie's speech in the climax of 'A Kind of Spark' Study Guide
- Planning the build-up of 'A Kind of Spark' including switches in perspective Study Guide
- Planning the climax of 'A Kind of Spark' including flashbacks Study Guide
- Self-editing the build-up of 'A Kind of Spark' Study Guide
- Self-editing the climax of 'A Kind of Spark' Study Guide
- Understanding the historical context of the Scottish witch trials Study Guide
- Using drama to explore a character 'low' Study Guide
- Writing the final sections of the climax, including a flashback Study Guide
- Writing the first half of the build-up of 'A Kind of Spark' Study Guide
- Writing the first section of the climax of 'A Kind of Spark' Study Guide
- Writing the next two sections of the climax, including a flashback Study Guide
- Writing the second half of the build-up of 'A Kind of Spark' Study Guide
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