Year 6 - English
Exploring Addie's speech in the climax of '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 create a summarised version of Addie's speech and you can empathise with her emotions and observations as she speaks.
Key Notes
- Writing is most successful when it is planned.
- Vocabulary can be generated to precisely match the emotions of a character.
- Thinking hard about vocabulary makes writing outcomes more powerful.
- Vocabulary choices can be made to highlight the emotions of a character to the reader.
- Precision in describing a character's emotions means getting inside the character's head.
Vocabulary To Learn
- climax: the point in the narrative where the suspense and excitement reaches its highest point
- summarise: to pull out the key information and ideas from the text
- empathise: to get inside a character's head
- internal monologue: the inner voice of a character - their thoughts to themselves, not spoken aloud
- tableau: a group of motionless figures showing a scene from a story
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may struggle to identify the key thrust of Addie's speech and instead focus on minor details.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Writing is most successful when it is planned. Vocabulary can be generated to precisely match the emotions of a character.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'climax'
the point in the narrative where the suspense and excitement reaches its highest point.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may struggle to identify the key thrust of Addie's speech and instead focus on minor details. Correction: When reading the text, say aloud your thoughts as a reader, for instance 'Ah, I can see Addie is trying to show the connection between what happened in the past and what's happened to Bonnie ...'.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Adopting different perspectives Study Guide
- Exploring a historical scenario linked to 'A Kind of Spark' Study Guide
- Exploring Addie's character 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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