ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
MEDIUM TERM PLAN
YEAR 8 / PRIVATE PEACEFUL
Aims:
This scheme is designed to support the teaching of the novel with a range of reading and writing activities.
It presents opportunities for students to read and discuss texts (fiction and non-fiction) focussing on language choices and overall impact.
There are chapter-by-chapter activities and extension activities. These activities are designed for teachers to pick and choose or adapt. They are designed to help focus the students during shared reading or homework reading. (They also provide adequate cover lessons.)
The novel is supported by extracts from other fiction, newspapers, autobiographical writing and war poetry.

Duration: 6 weeks
Resources:
  • Private Peaceful
  • Booklet of questions to check understanding.
  • First Day at School extract from Cider with Rosie
  • Extract – ‘Shot for Cowardice…?’
  • Extract from ‘Dear Mr Morpingo’ – showing Morpurgo’s stimulus for novel
  • Propaganda posters from (see Classkits and WW1)
  • Selection of war poems
  • Images of War ‘wheel’
  • Kar2ouche – trenches storyboard – the soldier’s view
  • Blackadder Goes Forth – final episode
  • Point, Evidence, Explanation card sort
Key Outcomes:
  • A piece of empathetic writing
  • An analysis of war propaganda
Most students will: read key passages from the ‘Private Peaceful’, both as shared text and within groups. They will respond analytically and creatively showing understanding of themes and narrative structures within the novel and related texts. They will produce two key assessment pieces showing an ability to connect with characters and analyse non fiction texts
Some student will not have progressed so far and will: read and enjoy most of the novel and engage with some of the non fiction work. They will write using ideas from the novelwith support frameworks. And make an attempt at the analytical work with teacher support.
Some students will have progressed further and will: respond to the novel, extracts and poems as pieces of well-crafted writing and then attempt to replicate and further ideas in their own work, ' They will show confidence and awareness of audience in their empathetic piece and clear thinking in their analytical work.

KEY TEACHING AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Pupils should be taught to:
TEXT LEVEL – READING
Reading for meaning
  • Recognise bias and objectivity, distinguishing facts from hypotheses, theories or opinions (R6)
Understanding the author's craft:
  • Analyse the overall structure of a text to identify how key ideas are developed (R10)
  • Investigate the different ways familiar themes are explored and presented by different writers (R11)
  • Read a substantial text revising and refining interpretations of subject matter, style and technique (R13)
TEXT LEVEL – WRITING
Plan, draft and present
  • Experiment with different approaches to planning, drafting and presenting writing, taking account of the time available (Wr1)
Write to imagine, explore, entertain
  • Develop the use of commentary and description in narrative (Wr5)
  • Experiment with figurative language in conveying a sense of character and setting (Wr6)
Write to analyse, review comment
  • Integrate evidence into writing to support analysis or conclusions (Wr 17)
SENTENCE LEVEL
Sentence construction and punctuation
Explore the impact of a variety of sentence structures (S2)
  • Explore the effects of changes in tense e.g. past to present for vividness (S4)
WORD LEVEL
Vocabulary
  • Appreciate the impact of figurative language in texts (W11)
TEXT LEVEL – SPEAKING AND LISTENING
Speaking
  • Tell a story, recount an experience or develop an idea, choosing and changing the mood, tone and pace of delivery for particular effect (S/L2)
Drama
  • Explore and develop ideas, issues and relationships through work in role (S/L15)

POSSIBLE TEACHING SEQUENCE
Week 1: Introduction to the novel
Objectives:
Understanding the author's craft:
  • Analyse the overall structure of a text to identify how key ideas are developed (R10)
  • Read a substantial text revising and refining interpretations of subject matter, style and technique (R13)
Sentence construction and punctuation
Explore the impact of a variety of sentence structures (S2)
  • Explore the effects of changes in tense e.g. past to present for vividness (S4)
Vocabulary
  • Appreciate the impact of figurative language in texts (W11)
Speaking
  • Tell a story, recount an experience or develop an idea, choosing and changing the mood, tone and pace of delivery for particular effect (S/L2)
RESOURCES:
  • Private Peaceful
  • Booklet of questions to check understanding.
  • First Day at School extract from Cider with Rosie
TEACHING IDEAS:
  • Introduce the scheme by the name of the novel Private Peaceful. What could this mean? What might it be about?
  • Display the front cover. Is it clearer now? How does the title make sense?
  • Brainstorm what they think of when they think of war.
  • Watch last 5 mins of Blackadder Goes Forth. What extra images can they add to their list?
  • Prediction – what do we expect from a novel about WW!?
  • Read opening section Five Past Ten. What are the fiction hooks? Look at tense. What questions are in head?
  • Read p7 – p13 – Fist Day at school.
  • Students devise their own table for comparing first day at school experiences. Use own experiences, Laurie Lee’s in Cider with Rosie and Tommo’s
  • Feedback ideas. Teacher models collecting ideas, sequencing them and then preparing short monologue on memories of first day at school. Students prepare own monologue and share in small groups.
  • Read p13 – 17 and look at and annotate description of Colonel as shared text.
  • Read p18 – 34. Focus on what we learn of Big Joe and Grandma Wolf. Students do own annotated text of character.
  • P 25 use the text without speech marks to review speech punctuation. Students punctuate and check their work in copies. Agree a class list of essential rules.
  • Read p35 -46. Use questions as a focus.
  • Predictions of how story will develop

Outcomes

  • Annotated description of character
  • Own description of first day at school
  • Revision of direct speech
  • Chart comparing first day experiences

Week 2: Getting to Grips with the Characters
Objectives:
Understanding the author's craft:
  • Analyse the overall structure of a text to identify how key ideas are developed (R10)
  • Read a substantial text revising and refining interpretations of subject matter, style and technique (R13)
Sentence construction and punctuation
Explore the impact of a variety of sentence structures (S2)
  • Explore the effects of changes in tense e.g. past to present for vividness (S4)
Vocabulary
  • Appreciate the impact of figurative language in texts (W11)
RESOURCES:
  • Private Peaceful
  • Booklet of questions to check understanding
  • BellTower extract
TEACHING IDEAS:
  • Shared reading or listening of pp 47. Annotate Ten to Midnight highlighting questions we would like to ask Tommo.
  • Read p 47 – 60.
  • Revise reported speech.
  • Re-write the conversation with the pilot on p56 in reported speech.
  • Speaking and listening. In pairs one is Tommo, recount the meeting with the pilot in the first person, first of all using basic facts. Then swap and embellish stories. Continue with adding and exaggerating game.
  • Then brainstorm Tommo’s thoughts after he has been found out at school.
  • Read p 60 – 87 – Focus on disappearance of Big Joe.
  • Look at description of BellTower. (in booklet) Annotate as class to show positive atmosphere.
  • Now model how elements could change to create a more negative atmosphere in piece with people being angry and Big Joe being in trouble.
  • Students rewrite this section from a negative viewpoint.
  • As class discuss the different options open to Morpurgo at this point. Students to discuss why they think Morpurgo chose to make it more positive and happier ending to episode.

Outcomes:

  • A sense of place: annotated versions of the bell tower
  • A short piece which alters the atmosphere.
  • A short piece of writing in reported speech

Week 3: Propaganda
Objectives:
Reading for meaning
  • Recognise bias and objectivity, distinguishing facts from hypotheses, theories or opinions (R6)
Understanding the author's craft:
  • Analyse the overall structure of a text to identify how key ideas are developed (R10)
  • Read a substantial text revising and refining interpretations of subject matter, style and technique (R13)
Plan, draft and present
  • Experiment with different approaches to planning, drafting and presenting writing, taking account of the time available (Wr1)
Write to analyse, review comment
  • Integrate evidence into writing to support analysis or conclusions (Wr 17)
RESOURCES:
  • Private Peaceful
  • Booklet of questions to check understanding.
  • Propaganda posters from (see Classkits and WW1)
  • Point, Evidence, Explanation card sort
TEACHING IDEAS:
  • Shared and paired reading of p87- 97
  • Use comprehension questions and ‘empty head’ to record Tommo’s thoughts at this point in novel as his life and emotions change. What is he thinking, what is he feeling?
  • Brainstorm the thoughts of Molly and Charlie too. If they could only say 3 things to each other what would they be?
  • Focus on the Sergeant Major’s speech and persuasive techniques.
  • Students do card sort for persuasive techniques on the Sergeant Major’s speech. Using the PEE idea the students match the point with the evidence and the explanation.
  • Students then use these ideas to write an analytical piece on the sergeant’s persuasive techniques.
  • Look at the Propaganda posters available on ProQuest.
  • (then choose classkits then WW1)
  • Model the deconstruction of a propaganda poster from WW1. Identify persuasive devices.
  • Students deconstruct their own poster and identify devices.
  • Read p 97 – p118. Collect the main thoughts that go through Tommo’s head as he goes through this life changing experience.
  • Students to either write Tommo’s diary and/or his letter home showing understanding of what he would share and what he would keep to himself.
OUTCOMES
Students to write an analytical piece on the sergeant’s persuasive techniques.
Students deconstruct their own poster and identify devices.
Students to either write Tommo’s diary and/or his letter home showing understanding of what he would share and what he would keep to himself.
Week 4: From Prose into Poetry
Objectives:
Understanding the author's craft:
  • Investigate the different ways familiar themes are explored and presented by different writers (R11)
Write to imagine, explore, entertain
  • Experiment with figurative language in conveying a sense of character and setting (Wr6)
Vocabulary
  • Appreciate the impact of figurative language in texts (W11)
RESOURCES:
  • Private Peaceful
  • Booklet of questions to check understanding.
  • Selection of war poems
  • Images of War ‘wheel’
  • Kar2ouche – trenches storyboard – the soldier’s view
TEACHING IDEAS:
  • Read page 119 – 134 and focus on description of trenches.
  • Use Kar2ouche trenches storyboard the soldier’s view and add in images, sounds and commentary on storyboard to show what the trenches were really like.
  • Read p 135. What do we think is going to happen to Tommo? Why?
  • Read p 136 – p149. Look at the characters of Charlie and Hanley. What do we learn about both of them? What do we expect to happen to them at end of novel?
  • Capture class predictions.
  • Read p 150 – 156 (Gas attack)
  • The gas attack. Read the gas attack. Introduce Wilfred Owen. Teach ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’
  • Find the similarities with the gas attack in the story. Annotate around the poem with quotations from the novel.
  • Now play - Images of War Wheel – students throw dice six times, each time moving one circle in until they have a list of 6 elements they have to include in a piece of writing (prose or poem) that captures the images in the novel and in the poetry read.
Outcomes:
  • Storyboard of life in trenches – showing extra images, sounds and commentary
  • Annotated poem
  • Own piece of ‘war – writing’ generated by Images of War wheel

Week 5: Heroes and Villains
Objectives:
Reading for meaning
  • Recognise bias and objectivity, distinguishing facts from hypotheses, theories or opinions (R6)
Understanding the author's craft:
  • Analyse the overall structure of a text to identify how key ideas are developed (R10)
Write to analyse, review comment
  • Integrate evidence into writing to support analysis or conclusions (Wr 17)
Drama
  • Explore and develop ideas, issues and relationships through work in role (S/L15)
RESOURCES:
  • Private Peaceful
  • Booklet of questions to check understanding.
  • Extract – ‘Shot for Cowardice…?’
  • Extract from ‘Dear Mr Morpingo’ – showing Morpurgo’s stimulus for novel
TEACHING IDEAS:
  • Read Dear Mr Morpingo extract and predict what might happen in rest of novel.
  • Read p 157 – 167.
  • Discuss and record Tommo’s thoughts. Look at description of attack on page 167. How might we react if we were in situation? What are Tommo’s options?
  • Read p 168-end looking at how the author surprises us with the ending.
  • What are our final thoughts on Tommo, Charlie and Hanley?
  • Get students to think about how if they would suggest changes to the ending or to the presentation of Charlie and Hanley. If they could what would these be?
  • Write letter to Michael Morpurgo to express thoughts and ideas on ending and character development using examples from text.
  • Using the non-fiction articles as a starting point explore the topic of being shot for cowardice.
  • Class discussion on thoughts and opinions on topic.
  • Set up and structure class debate with students in role as officers, soldiers, family members, government officials either just after the event or in present day.
OUTCOMES:
  • Letter to Morpurgo to express thoughts and ideas on ending and character development.
  • Structured class debate with students in role as officers, soldiers, family members, government officials either just after the event or in present day – debating issue of being shot for cowardice.

Week 6: Charlie’s story?
Objectives:
Write to imagine, explore, entertain
  • Develop the use of commentary and description in narrative (Wr5)
  • Experiment with figurative language in conveying a sense of character and setting (Wr6)
Drama
  • Explore and develop ideas, issues and relationships through work in role (S/L15)
RESOURCES:
  • Private Peaceful
  • Booklet of questions to check understanding.
  • A3 extracts p136 – p139 (or other key events)
TEACHING IDEAS:
Working towards final outcome:
  • Empathetic writing. Choose an extract from the novel to recount from a different perspective.
  • (Suggestion 169-174)
  • Explain the task – to rewrite a section of the novel from Charlie’s viewpoint.
  • Give the students the extracts on A3 pages (136-139)
  • Read through the section and stop after each page to:
  • Come up with some questions to ask Charlie at this point
  • Questions Charlie might have at this point
  • Highlight key lines
  • Give the students a possible start and model how to incorporate the actual text in their version.
  • Remind them they have learnt how to report speech and how to create a negative/positive atmosphere. You will be looking for evidence of these skills in their writing.
Final outcome:
  • Empathetic writing. Choose an extract from the novel to recount from a different perspective.