Lesson video

Hello everybody.

My name is Miss Afsal and I'm very, very pleased to be here with you today.

That's because I love children's literature.

I love exploring amazing texts and novels.

And today we've got one of my absolute favourite novels of all time.

It is "Varjak Paw", and you'll need to have a copy of your book.

Hopefully, you've already read this text, so I'm gonna pause here for a moment while you go off and get your copy.

And I'm going to be admiring this cover while I'm waiting.

Look at that.

So incredible.

His eyes.

Ooh.

Okay, you're back.

Great.

So you've got your book, hope you've got lots of ideas, lots of enthusiasm, lots of responses to share.

Let's get into exploring this incredible text.

The outcome for today's lesson is I can discuss the main ideas of "Varjak Paw".

There are a few key-words in today's lesson.

Let's go through them one at a time.

My turn, your turn.

Illustrated chapter book.

Form.

Theme.

Fantastic.

I heard those loud and clear.

Let's find out more about those words.

An illustrated chapter book is a longer fictional text with illustrations to support and develop understanding.

Form is the way that a text can be presented.

A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story.

Let's make sure we look out for those words.

Let's listen for them.

Let's be thinking about those words through today's lesson.

Today's lesson has three parts to it.

We'll begin by exploring the story.

Next, we'll be exploring illustrated chapter books and finally, exploring themes.

First of all, the story.

And here's the book, "Varjak Paw" by SF Said, and what a treat we have in store for us exploring this story.

So "Varjak Paw" is written by SF Said with illustrations by Dave McKean.

"Varjak Paw" follows a Mesopotamian Blue kitten as he leaves his home and goes on an adventure to discover the mystery behind a series of cat disappearances.

The text is in the form of an illustrated chapter book, combining words and illustration.

SF Said uses descriptive language, which explores feline culture, history, and heritage.

Dave McKean's striking illustrations capture the personalities and emotions with great detail and expressiveness.

As you can see on that cover, "Varjak Paw" learns about the ancient martial art called the "Way" from his ancestor Jalal.

This martial art emphasises discipline, focus, and developing inner strength.

Through Varjak's journey, readers learn about the ideas behind martial arts.

His mental and physical skills support him to face challenges and find his true potential.

And now I have my first questions for you.

Why is this illustrated chapter book important to you? What was your favourite part? So pause the video now and share your answer with someone nearby.

Well, I am super curious.

I'm wondering what you came up with.

Why is this important to you? What's your favourite part? Let's hear from Sophia.

"I really enjoyed the sections where Varjak is trained by Jalal.

He learns skills which help him overcome challenges in the story.

The sections take place in Mesopotamia, which is now known as modern-day Iraq." And there we can see an image from a map showing modern-day Iraq.

And yeah, I've gotta say Sophia, I absolutely agree with you.

Those are my favourite sections too.

I love the training that Jalal gives Varjak.

Check for understanding.

Which of the following skills are taught to Varjak by Jalal, and refer to the blurb for support, the ability to slow down time, the ability to move through walls, building and releasing energy, the ability to disappear into the shadows.

Pause the video while you decide which of these skills are taught to Varjak by Jalal.

Well done if you selected those three, absolutely, slowing down time, building and releasing energy, and disappearing into the shadows.

What incredible skills? And now let's remind ourselves of what happens in this incredible text.

Let's go through a brief summary.

Varjak lives with his family and the Contessa in a luxurious house surrounded by a high wall.

The cats have never been outside the walls.

The Contessa unexpectedly dies.

The "Gentlemen" arrives at the house.

Varjak is tasked by his grandfather with a special mission.

Varjak knows he must train in the cat martial art called the "Way".

He learns from a mysterious spirit cat called Jalal.

Varjak embarks on a dangerous journey to the city.

He faces challenges and forms friendships with cats, Holly and Tam, and a dog, Cludge.

Check for understanding.

Put the following events from "Varjak Paw" in chronological order.

Use the text to support you.

Chronological means in time sequence.

The order in which they occurred in the text.

Varjak sets off for the city in search of a dog.

Varjak learns of the vanishings from Tam and Holly, who take pity on him.

With the help of his friends and skills he has learned, Varjak engages in a final showdown with The Gentlemen.

Varjak confronts Sally Bones and her gang.

So pause the video now while you place these events in chronological order.

Okay.

Did you come up with, Varjak sets off for the city as the first event? Next, Varjak learns of the Vanishings.

Next, Varjak confronts Sally Bones.

And finally, with the help of his friends and skills he's learned, Varjak has the final showdown.

Well done if you place the events in this order.

And now it's time for your first task.

We've explored the story, so now we're going to discuss our own thoughts and feelings about the text.

I'd like you to answer questions in the grid that will appear in a moment with your partner.

Be honest about your thoughts, feelings, and listen as well to your partner's opinion.

So I'd like you to use this grid to help you explore your thoughts and feelings about the text.

Likes, what caught your attention, what made you want to keep on reading? Keep turning those pages.

You might like to start your sentences with, I enjoyed or my favourite part was.

How about dislikes? Was there anything you weren't sure about? Maybe didn't understand? You could say I wasn't unsure about or I wanted to know more about.

How about puzzles? Was there anything you found strange, surprising, puzzling? You could begin your sentence with, I wondered or I noticed.

So pause the video now use these sentence starters to help you help your discussion and share with your partner.

Okay, good to be back with you.

And I'm really curious, I'm wondering how did you get on? What did you like? What did you dislike? What were you puzzled about? Intrigued about? Let me share some ideas with you.

My favourite part was the showdown with Sally Bones in chapter 23.

It was really exciting.

The illustration on page 166 really brought her to life.

Whew.

Dislikes.

I didn't like how Julius and his siblings treated Varjak because of his different-colored eyes.

They weren't very kind to him at all.

Puzzles, I noticed that the illustrations for the Jalal sequences were lighter.

Perhaps these were happening in a dream.

I wondered if the skills Jalal taught Varjak were needing to be taught in a specific order.

Wonder what you came up with.

And now let's explore illustrated chapter books.

Illustrated chapter books are a great form of reading, particularly for readers who want to explore novels.

There are lots of interesting features.

Illustrated chapter books have frequent illustrations throughout the text.

The illustrations can support meaning in the words or create their own.

Illustrated chapter books can be in a range of different genres, including adventure, animal fiction, realistic, history, and fantasy.

I wonder which of those is your favourite.

Illustrated chapter books are accessible.

They can support readers who are daunted by long sections of text.

It's quite nice to break up the text with some images I find.

Check for understanding.

What are the main features of illustrated chapter books? They include frequent illustrations throughout the text.

They have no illustrations.

They can be written in a range of different genres.

They can only be written in the action-adventure genre.

Pause the video and decide which of these are the correct features for illustrated chapter books.

Well done if you selected statements A and C.

Absolutely, they have frequent illustrations in text and can be written in a range of different fantastic genres.

David McKean's illustrations are included throughout "Varjak Paw".

His drawings blend realistic art with fantasy.

His artwork adds suspense and drama to the story.

Refer back to your copy of the text.

What is your favourite illustration and why? Pause the video and tell someone nearby.

And you may like to use following sentence starters.

My favourite illustration is, and also it's really interesting because, I'll see you when you've had your discussion.

Okay.

So what was your favourite illustration, I'm wondering? Something like this.

"My favourite illustration is on page 149.

It shows Varjak's view as he caught exploring Sally Jones' territory.

It's really interesting because I noticed the scar down Razor's eye." Wow.

What a detail.

"My favourite illustration is across pages 212 and 213.

I liked it because it's symmetrical and shows the Gentlemen's cats.

I was worried for Varjak.

They look very fierce and intimidating." Intimidating means scary, frightening.

And now for the final part of our lesson, we'll be exploring themes.

A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs.

It comes up again and again within a story.

Identifying themes within a text involves inference, which means looking very carefully, read in between the lines.

Themes are not explicitly stated within a text.

So text won't say this is a text about, but instead, there are ways in which we can identify themes.

For example, considering actions and characteristics of people within the text.

Identifying repetition, actions, emotions, traits that occur again and again.

Searching for deeper meaning, using inference or considering the overall message of the text.

One of the most prominent themes is identity and self-discovery.

So identity, who we are, what makes us who we are, and self-discovery, finding that out, going on that journey.

So identity is who you are, what makes you unique.

It includes your interests and the things you believe in.

Varjak grapples with questions of identity and belonging as he learns about his family's heritage and discovers his own strengths and abilities.

What themes do you think are shown within the text? So pause the video here while you share that with someone nearby.

Did you come up with anything like this? Any themes such as friendship, difference, loyalty, bullying, good versus evil, determination, and family.

There are many possible themes that can be drawn out from this text, and readers may interpret themes and their importance differently because we all have our own identities and our own reading identities.

So we all bring our own experiences to this text.

Hope is the feeling of optimism and belief that things will get better even in difficult or uncertain times.

Self-discovery is all about learning more about yourself and what you like, what you're good at, and what makes you happy.

Good versus evil is all about the battle between right and wrong.

Stories with this theme often show heroes fighting against villains to protect what is right and make the world a better place.

I wonder if any one of these themes that particularly appeal to you.

For me, I'm really into things that explore self-discovery.

Next, I'd like you to match the theme with how it is conveyed.

In the text, conveyed means how it's shown or represented.

So here we have our themes, hope, self-discovery, good versus evil, and how it could be conveyed in the text.

The conflict between Varjak and the sinister Sally Bones.

Through his interactions with Jalal, Varjak understands more about himself and what he can achieve.

Varjak perseveres never giving up on his quest to save his family.

Pause the video here while you match the theme with how it's conveyed in the text.

Did you match up hope with Varjak's perseverance? Did you match up self-discovery with Varjak understanding more about himself? And good versus evil is conveyed through Varjak's conflict with the sinister Sally Bones.

A takeaway idea within a text may link to themes that are explored and developed in it.

It may include a key message, insight, or perspective that the author has communicated to the reader.

What are your takeaway ideas within "Varjak Paw"? Pause the video, and share with someone nearby.

Let's see what June's takeaway idea is.

"If you believe in yourself, you can achieve great things." Yes, I love it, June, great one.

How about Sophia? "You don't have to join a gang or group of people to truly fit in." Absolutely.

I love that one.

Wow.

What amazing takeaway ideas.

Wonder what yours was.

Some takeaway ideas you might have mentioned could be, support from your friends and family can help you overcome obstacles.

It is possible to find strength in difficult times.

You should be proud to be different.

Being different is being unique, is being yourself.

Varjak's skills made me connect to how we practise mindfulness, focus breathing, and other ways of being in the present.

As our reading experiences are unique.

As you are unique, your ideas will be too, and that's wonderful.

In our lesson today, we have covered the following, "Varjak Paw" follows a Mesopotamian Blue kitten as he leaves his home and goes on an adventure to discover the mystery behind a series of cat disappearances.

The text is in the form of an illustrated chapter book, combining words and illustrations.

One of the most prominent themes is identity and self-discovery.

Identity is who you are and what makes you unique.

A takeaway idea within a text may link to themes that are explored and developed in it.

It may include a key message, insight, or perspective that the author has communicated to the reader.

It's been wonderful to spend time with you exploring our understanding of this incredible illustrated chapter book, "Varjak Paw".

Thank you for joining in.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for your presence.

Thank you for your unique identity, and I'll see you in the next lesson.

Bye for now.