MARC LIBRARY
UNIT OF WORK: Term 4 2013
LOWER/MIDDLE PRIMARY
AUTHOR STUDY: Enid Blyton
Explore with the folk of ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’
AUS Vels: Sub-Strand
Literature and Content
· Recognise that texts are created by authors who tell stories and share experiences that may be similar or different to students’ own experiences (Prep)
· Discuss how authors create characters using language and images
· Discuss how depictions of characters in print, sound and images reflect the contexts in which they were created
Responding to Literature
· Share feelings and thoughts about the events and characters in the texts
· Discuss characters and events in a range of literary texts and share personal responses to these texts, making connections with students’ own experiences
Examining Literature
· Identifying some features of texts including events and characters and retell events from the text (Prep)
· Discuss the characters and settings of different texts and explore how language is used to present these features in different ways
Creating Literature
· Recreate texts imaginatively using drawing, writing, performance and digital forms of communication
Interacting with Others
· Use interaction skills, including turn-taking, recognising the contribution of others, speaking clearly and using appropriate volume and pace (Prep)
· Using interaction skills, including active listening behaviours and communicate in a clear, coherent manner using a variety of everyday and learned vocabulary and appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume.
Creating Texts
· Create short texts to explore, record and report ideas and events using familiar words and phrases (Prep)
· Create short imaginative, informative and persuasive texts using growing knowledge of text structures and language features for familiar and some less familiar audiences, selecting print and multimodal elements appropriate to the audience and purpose
Years P/1/2/3
Lesson 1A collection of Enid Blyton’s classic books (old and new editions of her books)
My Favourite Enid Blyton Story Book
by Enid Blyton / Learning Intention:
For students to recognise that texts are created by authors that tell stories.
Success Criteria:
Be able to write down on a small piece of paper that Enid Blyton is an author- a writer of adventure and mystery books for children. / Lesson Plan
Prior Knowledge: Whole Class Activity
Make a list of all that the students know about Enid Blyton on the whiteboard.
Explain that Enid Blyton is an author of adventure and mystery stories.
Powerpoint Presentation
View Powerpoint presentation showing pictures of Enid from childhood through to later life. Discuss what they notice in each picture. Focus on the typewriter that Enid is holding in one of the pictures. What do you think this is? How have times changed?
YouTube Clips
Show a YouTube clip of Enid Blyton in her home at Green Hedges in 1946, as well as a YouTube clip showing her playing with her children. Discuss.
Enid Blyton: Suitcase Full of Classics
Show students a collection of Enid Blyton books- some originals and some new editions.
Read the first page of ‘Summer Time at St Clare’s’ (Published 1948) and read ‘Summer at St Clare’s’ (Published 2013)
What do you notice?
What does this tell you about of Enid Blyton’s books?
Focus on how her writing has stood the test of time and is still very popular even 45 years after her death.
Read some short stories and poems from ‘My Favourite Enid Blyton Story Book’ by Enid Blyton.
Individual Task
Give each student a small slip of paper and write down one thing that they have learnt about Enid Blyton today. Place in the suitcase and share with the whole class. / Requirements
Access to the Internet- Youtube
Collection of Enid Blyton books in a suitcase
Slips of coloured paper
‘Lesson 2
‘The Magic Faraway Tree’
by Enid Blyton / Learning Intention:
.For students to discuss the characters in a given text and explore how language is used to present the features of each character.
Be able to share their feelings and thoughts about a character in the text.
Success Criteria:
Be able to identify the main characters in ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’.
Be able to contribute words to describe each of these characters in a small group discussion.
Be able to write about their favourite character and reasons for their choice. / Lesson Plan
Read ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ – up to page 19.
YouTube Clips
· The Land of Toys
· The Land of Take What You Want
Whole Class Activity
Make a list of the main characters in the story on the whiteboard. Discuss how these characters are all very different both physically and in terms of personality.
Small Group Activity
Allocate each group a main character from the story. Write the name of the character on the top of a coloured A3 sheet of cover paper. Work together to make a list of words that best describe the given character. Share ideas with the whole class.
Whole Class Activity
Laminated pictures of the folk of the faraway tree and describing words- match the three describing words with a picture of the character (e.g. sweet, tiny, kind- Silky).
Individual Task
Choose your favourite character and give a written explanation for your choice. Draw a matching picture. Share the whole class. / Requirements
The Magic Faraway Tree
Laminated pictures of the main characters who live in the faraway tree
Laminated list of 3 describing words for each of the folk of the faraway tree
A3 sheets of coloured cover paper
Whiteboard
Lesson 3
‘The Magic Faraway Tree’
by Enid Blyton / Learning Intention:
For students to discuss the characters in a given text and explore how language is used to present the features of each character.
For students to be able to identify the setting in a story and be able to imaginatively recreate the text using drawing.
Success Criteria:
Be able to identify the main characters in ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’.
Be able to contribute words to describe each of these characters in a small group discussion.
Be able to identify the different things that make up the setting in the faraway tree and draw these on a picture of a tree. / Lesson Plan
Read ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’- The Land of Topsy-Turvy (up to page 25)
YouTube Clips
Watch YouTube clips:
· The Land of Dreams
· The Land of Spells
Whole Class Discussion
What is the main setting in the story? What are the features of the setting? What words has the author used to describe the setting of the faraway tree?
Whole Class Activity
Create a whole class chart on the whiteboard. List the things they would find on the branches of the magic faraway tree and what they would find in each of the houses belonging to the folk who live there. For example:
Moonface / Silky / Saucepan Man / Mr Watzisname / Angry Pixie / Dame Washalot
Hole to the slippery slip
Curved room / Fairy wings
Popcakes on a table / Saucepans and kettles on a shelf / Comfortable chair / Kettle / Washing tub
Washing line
The setting of the story moved from the faraway tree to the land of Topsy-Turvy. How did this change the setting? What was similar? Has the author successfully created a setting to suit her characters? How?
Individual Task
During this unit of work the students will make their own Magic Faraway Tree and create their own land the top.
Step 1: Give each student a copy of the faraway tree on a piece of A3 white cover paper. Students are to draw the characters and add the necessary detail to each of their houses on the branches of the tree. / Requirements
Whiteboard
A3 piece of white cover paper with a picture of a tree with 5 branches
Coloured pencils
Access to the Internet
Lesson 4
‘The Magic Faraway Tree’
by Enid Blyton / Learning Intention:
For students to identify the events in a story.
To be able to create short and imaginative text using knowledge of text structures and language features.
Success Criteria:
Be able to contribute actively in a whole class discussion about the events that occurred in The Magic Faraway Tree.
Be able to write a short and imaginative prediction about what sort of muddle Saucepan Man may get into. / Lesson Plan
Read ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’- The Land of Spells (up to page 35)
Whole Class Discussion
What was the main event in The Land of Topsy-Turvy? What is the main event in this chapter- The Land of Spell? The next chapter is called Saucepan Makes a Muddle. What do you think might be happen in this chapter?
Individual Task
Predict the next event that may occur in The Magic Faraway Tree. Write a paragraph describing the sort of muddle you think Saucepan Man may get into. Share your written paragraph with the whole class.
Listen to Saucepan Makes a Muddle on the CD
Whole Class Discussion
What was the main event in the chapter about Saucepan Makes a Muddle?
Individual Task
Step 2: Make a ladder from brown cover paper. Attach ladder to the top of the tree. / Requirements
The Magic Faraway Tree
A3 piece of white cover paper with a picture of a tree with 5 branches
Brown cover paper to make ladder
The Magic Faraway Tree
CD
Lesson 5
‘The Magic Faraway Tree’
by Enid Blyton / Learning Intention:
For students to be able to recreate texts using drawing and creativity.
Success Criteria:
Be able to add the required detail to their magic faraway tree so that it shows thought and creativity. / Lesson Plan
YouTube Clips
· The Land of Dame Tickle
· The Land of Goodies
Read ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’- What Can They Do Now (up to page 40)
Individual Task
Step 3: Cut out green branches and create a lift the flap on the magic faraway tree.
Decorate with glitter and sequins. Continue adding detail to the pictures on each branch of the tree. / Requirements
The Magic Faraway Tree
A3 piece of white cover paper with a picture of a tree with 5 branches
A3 green cover paper
Sequins and glitter
Invisible tape
Access to the Internet
Lesson 6/7
‘The Magic Faraway Tree’
by Enid Blyton / Learning Intention:
To be able to create a short and imaginative text using knowledge of text structures and language features.
Success Criteria:
Be able to create a land at the top of the tree and write a short description. The description is to include what it looks like, who you will find there and an event that may happen, using describing words that bring the land alive.
. / Lesson Plan
Read ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’- Mr Change-About and the Enchanter & How Can they Escape? (up to page 54)
Whole Class Discussion
What lands have the characters of The Magic Faraway Tree visited so far in the story? Make a list of these on the whiteboard.
What do you notice about each of these lands? What can you tell me about the characters that live in these lands? What do the lands have in common? How are they different? What type of land would you like to visit? Would it be a happy land? Would it be one of trickery and treachery?
Teacher Demonstration
The teacher explains that she would love to go to the Land of Books. The teacher demonstrates how to write a short description of a land that she created.
e.g I peeped through the whole in the cloud. What I saw was amazing! There was crazy car made out of a Zac Power book driving along a track made out of books. The heroic Zac Power was even driving it. I walked along further and came across a cute little house made out of Billie B Brown books. I ventured inside and even Billie B Brown herself. What a surprise! I had a chat and she gave me one of her books. The library was next door so I decided to go in for a look. I went to open the door and noticed that the door was The Magic Faraway Tree book. What a peculiar land! I had lots of fun in the library. Reading of course! I then took my Billie B Brown and sat down under a tree that was covered in book leaves. I had a quiet read and a short snooze and then it was time to go home.
What do you notice about my writing?
Focus on the students expressing clearly what they see in his or her land, as well as the use of describing words to bring the land alive.
Individual Task
Step 4: Write a short description of their own land on the outline of a cloud.
Step 5: Give each student a copy of the same outline of a cloud. Students draw a picture of their own land. Place the drawing of the land on top of the written description and join together. Attach to the top of their Magic Faraway Tree.
Each student to present their Magic Faraway Tree to the whole class. / Requirements
The Magic Faraway Tree
A3 piece of white cover paper with a picture of a tree with 5 branches
Outline of a cloud on white A3 cover paper
Invisible Tape
Whiteboard
Lesson 8
‘The Magic Faraway Tree’
by Enid Blyton / Learning Intention:
To be able to retell the events in a text.
Success Criteria:
Be able to accurately complete a story map showing, in order, the lands that were visited in the story of The Magic Faraway Tree. / Lesson Plan
Read ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’- The Land of Dreams (up to page 60)
Whole Class Discussion
What land was at the top of the tree first? What land arrived next?
Individual Task
Complete a story map showing the lands that arrived at the top of the tree throughout the story of The Magic Faraway Tree. The lands must be drawn in order and labelled. / Requirements
The Magic Faraway Tree
Assessment Task: Template of a story map