Literature - English Unit
Term 3
Text: Boss Of The Pool by Robin Klein
Focus: Disabilities and dispelling of Prejudice
(Note: Book could be read more quickly depending on spare time during the week)
Link books: The Race by C. Mattingley, Blabbermouth by Morris Gleitzman, Be Good to Eddie Lee by Virginia Fleming, Grandpa’s Stories by R. Tonkin
Week / Learning Activities / Resources / Evaluation1 /
- Ask students to look at the book cover. Ask students:
Read the book blurb. Ben is the name of the boy on the front cover. In what ways is Ben an unusual boy? How do we know this?
Why do you think Ben has a medal around his neck?
Will he learn to swim?
What sort of girl do you think Shelley will be?
Do you think she will be happy, cheerful and kind? Why or why not?
- Read chapter 1
- A class brainstorm is carried out to describe the two main characters in the book. Two large lists of describing words will be made about each character that can be added to during the term.
- Students complete questions about Shelley and her mother.
- Students are asked to complete a character profile and gallery for Shelley, Ben. They will be given a structure including physical characteristics, likes, dislikes, what they are good at etc.
- Students complete an exercise, which requires them to match difficult words from the book to their meanings. They should attempt to guess the meanings before checking with a dictionary.
- Students recall their first time they learnt to swim or/and any dangerous adventures they have had in water. They can write about their experiences.
Describing lists
Questions about Shelley and her mother
Character profile and gallery for Shelley and Ben
Extension at end
Word matching activityActivity for recalling first swimming
2 /
- Read chapter 2
- In small groups, students are asked to brainstorm words that describe how Ben would feel when he is treated with prejudice.
- Class discusses and makes a list.
- As a class discussion, students describe how they would have felt if they were Ben and Shelley had rejected them as she had done in chapter 2.
- Students are asked to think of a time when they are treated with prejudice and to write a recount of that time. They are also asked to draw a picture of that time. Some can be read out to the class if students choose to.
- Students complete a short cloze filling in the missing adverbs
- Students in a small group reread the argument Shelley and her mother had in pages 1-3. They use a scriptsheet to write a scene about how the argument could be solved, what strategies will be used. They should pay careful attention to the adverbs used to make the scene more effective. These can be presented to the class at the end of the lesson.
Recount page and picture
Extension at end
Missing adverbs activityA scriptsheet with explanation of activity
3 /
- Read chapter 3
- Students in pairs are asked to write down a list of questions they would like to ask Ben and another list for Shelley and her mother.
- Hot seat the people in the book who have a disability. How do they feel?
- Read chapter 4
- Students write a letter to Ben asking him what it is like to live in the community where he lives and about his life.
- Hot seat Shelley and her mother, students are expected to ask questions about their relationship. The questions developed earlier are used to interview the characters.
- Students complete a brainstorm of people’s feelings towards people like Ben from the hostel. They are asked to design an advertising campaign which breaks down people’s prejudice’s against disabled individuals.
- Using a storyboard, students draw the sequence of scenes they would use in a TV advertisement.
Letter page
Extension at end
Brainstorm for misconceptions about disabled peoplestoryboard
4 /
- Read chapter 5
- Students complete questions about Shelley’s remarks in chapter 4 and 5.
- Students are asked to choose one of the characters from the novel and adopt their thoughts for a week (the obvious choices would be Shelley or Ben). They write a journal as if they are their chosen character for a week, describing their thoughts. They expected to write at least half a page each day and it will be completed during DEAR time.
- Students complete an activity using adverbs from the book and identifying their meanings.
- Students reread the description of what Sally saw in the ‘big room’ (pages 16-17). Students draw the seen that has been described. They need to colour the picture in strong or dark colours to show the horror and alarm Sally felt.
- Students recall a time when, like Ben, you were trying to do something new and possibly dangerous. Write your memories about the experience into your journal.
Journal activity described
Extension at end
Adverb and their meanings activityDescription page for drawing
Description of recall
5 /
- Read chapter 6
- Discuss and make a list of the different attributes that the teacher and Shelley possess in helping the character who has a disability.
- For this whole week, students are asked to swap journals with another person in the class each day (it should be someone different each day). They are asked to write two things that they really like about that person or two things they think are really special about that person. Students are allowed to choose who they would like to write in their journal. Each person in the class must swap with someone. This will be completed in DEAR time each day.
- At the end of the week, students can read their own journals. Students are made aware that all people are special in different ways for who they are – remind them of Ben.
- Discuss the fact that people can be special in different ways. Eg. Even though Ben might not have been incredibly smart, he was very gentle, loving and in the end a good swimmer. He had overcome great difficulties to achieve a task he was afraid of.
- Students complete another adverb activity and questions.
- Students choose one particular swimming stroke (eg. Other than freestyle). They read the example of how to explain the freestyle stroke. Then they write a procedure for how to perform one of the other strokes. They need to draw an illustration to go with the procedure.
Journals
Extension at end
Adverb activity and questionsExample procedure of freestyle
Procedure page for another stroke
6 /
- Read chapter 7
- Story map of how Shelley’s attitude and feelings towards Ben change through the novel
Portfolio Sample
Students write a letter to a friend from another school telling them about the novel “Boss of the pool” a retelling from one of the characters points of view. Eg. Shelley or Ben. Students tell their friend everything that happened.- In small groups, students are asked to develop a scenario with Shelley interacting with another character who has a different disability to Ben. Would her reactions change? Each group should choose a character with a different disability.
- Students complete the matching exercise for cause and effect statements. They may need to use the book to help them figure out the correct answers.
Letter format
Scriptsheet
Extension at end
Matching cause and effect page7 /
- Students are asked to write a plan for an exposition refute the phrase “People with disabilities are different and unwanted in the community”
- In groups, students are given a story grammar chart for the novel and asked to brainstorm the following: setting, character traits, emotions, misconceptions, problems, desires, resolution, and significant happenings. An example is provided. As a whole class, students then offer their thoughts to make a class story grammar card for the novel to be stuck onto the wall.
- Students complete pictures of Ben and Shelley and answer consolidation questions about the novel.
Story grammar blank chart
Example story grammar on OH
Cardboard and paper for story grammar
Extension at end
Pictures of Ben and Shelley page8 /
- Students are asked to write at least a page to continue the novel. They are asked to write what they think happens to Shelley and Ben after the novel finishes.
- In pairs, students are asked to write down how it makes them feel when someone says something nasty about them.
- Discuss these feelings as a whole class.
- Devise a class care poster about how to look after people’s feelings in the class community, school community and local community. Stick the poster on the wall.
Page – how feel when hurt
Page for responsibilities
Cardboard and paper for care poster