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Year 6 - English

Understanding the historical context and the plot of 'Beowulf'

'Beowulf': narrative writing

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils rewrite the build-up, climax and resolution of the historical classic 'Beowulf', focusing on interspersing dialogue to convey atmosphere and advance the action. Pupils work to generate vocabulary that is appropriate for each section of the narrative.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to describe some key features of Anglo-Saxon culture and how these are reflected in 'Beowulf' and you can explore the structure of the narrative in 'Beowulf'.

Key Notes

  • Beowulf was written by Anglo-Saxons in England about events in Scandinavia.
  • The story refers to some historical figures, but lots of the story is fictional.
  • In Anglo-Saxon society, warriors were highly respected. We can see evidence of this in 'Beowulf'.
  • The overall story focuses on the 'problem' of Beowulf's quest for fame.
  • The story is made up of three mini-stories, each with their own story structure.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • Anglo-Saxons: the European people who settled in what is now England, following the end of Roman occupation
  • culture: the ideas, customs and behaviour of a particular people or society
  • story structure: the underlying structure of a narrative that gives it a logical and coherent order

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils may find it difficult to see the distinction between the overall story structure and the structure of the mini-stories.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Beowulf was written by Anglo-Saxons in England about events in Scandinavia. The story refers to some historical figures, but lots of the story is fictional.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'Anglo-Saxons'

the European people who settled in what is now England, following the end of Roman occupation.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils may find it difficult to see the distinction between the overall story structure and the structure of the mini-stories. Correction: As pupils will be writing events from only one mini-story in this unit, focus on the idea of each of these as a complete, resolved story in itself. The larger, overall structure is less significant for our writing in this unit.

More Lessons In This Unit

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