Lesson video

Hello, everybody.

It's great to see you, my name's Ms. Afzal.

I'm very pleased to be here.

That's because we are going to be exploring an incredible text together.

It's a picturebook, it's called "Greenling" by Levi Pinfold.

It looks like this, and I would like you to go and get your copy of the text now.

So I'm gonna pause here while you go and grab your copy and I'm gonna take in this incredible front cover while I'm waiting.

Okay, you're back.

You've got this text.

Look at that, wow, this is really gonna be something incredible for to explore this text together.

So make sure you've got your thinking brains and your looking eyes, listening ears, your curiosity, your enthusiasm, all of your skills, and just be you and be here.

And let's get into it.

The outcome for today's lesson is, "I can discuss and explore the narrative of "Greenling".

We've got some keywords in our lesson today.

Let's go through them.

My turn, your turn.

Fable, moral, word explosion, vignettes.

Fantastic, I heard those loud and clear.

Let's get into these words, what do they mean? A fable is a short story typically with animals as characters conveying a moral.

A moral is a lesson that can be learned from a story or experience.

A word explosion is a vocabulary-building activity designed to encourage mind-mapping and creativity in generating words related to a specific topic or theme.

Vignettes are small, focused illustrations that often capture a specific moment or scene within a narrative.

Really interesting words.

Let's make sure we're on the lookout for them.

Let's listen out for them.

Let's think carefully about these words that will be occurring in our lesson today.

So what is happening in today's lesson, exploring the story "Greenling"? Well, we're going to begin with an introduction to the genre and text, and then we'll be reading the text.

So let's get into this introduction to the genre and text.

"Greenling" is written and illustrated by Levi Pinfold.

Oh my goodness, take a look at that front cover.

Look at that illustration.

It is incredible.

What a talented person Levi Pinfold is to both write and illustrate this text.

So what do we know so far? Something is growing on land, belonging to the Barleycorns.

It has taken the place of a tree.

It looks like a green child, a Greenling.

The first page shows Mr. Barleycorn deciding whether or not to take it home.

Today, we're going to find out his response as we read the text and explore the text type.

I am very excited about this.

I hope you are too, let's go.

"Greenling" is a picturebook text.

It could be considered a fable, but also contains elements of the fantasy and magical realism genres.

Texts do not have to belong to a single genre.

It's quite nice when we mix things up like this, isn't it? Fables belong to the genre of traditional tales and folklore.

They usually explain the creation of the world, natural events and the origins of rituals or customs. I wonder if you have a favourite fable.

I quite like the fable of the hare and the tortoise.

Fables usually include universal themes.

So those are themes that apply to everybody.

Everybody, everywhere in the whole world, in the whole universe, such as kindness, honesty, greed, or perseverance.

Their primary purpose is to impart a moral lesson or message to the reader.

They're short stories, which usually contain animals or objects with human-like characteristics.

Look out for some of these features as we read.

Check for understanding.

Fables are a genre of text.

Which of the following do they usually contain? An unresolved ending e.

g.

a cliffhanger, universal themes e.

g.

honesty, kindness, animals or objects with human-like characteristics, lots of twists and turns, making them difficult to understand.

Pause the video while you decide which of these are usually contained within a fable.

Well done if you selected universal themes, for example, honesty, kindness.

Well done.

If you selected animals or objects with human-like characteristics.

Universal themes link closely with morals, a message that a reader might take away having read the text.

Let's continue to explore the text.

On pages three and four, we notice what Mr. Barleycorn decided to do with the Greenling.

Read pages three to six ending with the word feed.

Where does Mr. Barleycorn say the Greenling comes from? And does Mrs. Barleycorn agree or disagree with his decision? So pause the video while you read pages three to six and then answer these two questions.

Where does Mr. Barleycorn say the Greenling comes from? And does Mrs. Barleycorn agree or disagree with his decision? Share your answers with someone nearby and pause the video here.

Okay, good to be back with you.

What did you come up with? So what did you think? Maybe something like this.

Izzy says, "Mr. Barleycorn says it was picked up near to the wildflowers." Sofia says, "Mrs. Barleycorn does not think that Mr. Barleycorn should have picked up the Greenling.

She says he should return it." Well done if you came up with ideas something like these ones.

Mr. Barleycorn compares the Greenling to a baby child.

It cannot be left to fend for itself.

He feels he must look after it.

Refer to pages five and six.

What clues can you see that perhaps a Greenling is a different kind of baby, a different breed? Pause the video while you refer to pages five and six and look for the clues that can help you to find out how the Greenling is perhaps a different kind of baby.

So the Greenling needs a different type of food.

In the triangular vignette, it does not want to eat food.

Did you spot that, what else? Mr. Barleycorn places the Greenling in a metal pot.

He's put soil in and he's watering it.

That's not what we do with babies.

Mrs. Barleycorn and their dog look unsure and sceptical.

Sceptical is an adjective and it means not easily convinced, having doubts or reservations.

She's really not too sure about this Greenling.

Check for understanding, true or false? Mrs. Barleycorn is overjoyed that her husband has brought home the Greenling.

Pause the video while you decide if that's true or false.

Well done if you selected false.

That's really not the way she's feeling.

And now I'd like you to justify your answer.

Mrs. Barleycorn tells her husband that he should return the Greenling to the wild where it came from.

Mrs. Barleycorn enjoys gardening.

She has a watering can in her hand.

Pause the video while you decide which of these statements justifies your answer.

Well done if you selected the first one.

Both of these statements are true.

However, it's the first one that really is directly justifying the answer you gave earlier.

Mrs. Barleycorn says that the Greenling should return to the wild where it belongs.

The word wild is significant here.

It has lots of meanings and connections.

To focus on a word, we can complete a word explosion to unpick its meaning, discovering linking words and connections.

We begin by writing a definition of the word.

Sometimes words such as wild might have more than one appropriate definition.

So definition is what the word means.

Next, we find synonyms, words that have a similar meaning, and antonyms, words that have an opposite meaning to the word and we list these.

We then write the word in a sentence, the more creative, the better, which is gonna be right up your street, I'm sure.

And after that, we can write any connections we have to the word.

This can be from another text or something we've seen, read, or heard recently.

Finally, we can illustrate the word.

So much fun.

So let's take a look at an example using the word green.

So then we've got our word in the centre is our word green.

Definition, it's a colour formed by mixing blue and yellow.

We could say a grassland could be referred to as green, and it's also looking after the planet.

We can talk about being green when we look after the planet.

Let's look at some synonyms. So synonyms for the colour green, emerald, jade, and olive.

Synonyms for grassland could be forest, leafy, lush.

And synonyms for being green, looking after the planet, would be sustainable and eco-friendly.

How about antonyms, so opposites? So yeah, the opposite of green, we could say blue and yellow.

The opposite of green like grassland green would be if the landscape is barren, dry, or desolate.

And the opposite of being green and looking after our planet could be being harmful or polluting.

Hopefully we are not doing that.

Okay, how do we use it in a sentence? The field was filled with colourful wildflowers and vibrant shades of green.

Really nice.

Connections, we could talk about being green with envy.

So that's sometimes what we could, how we could describe being jealous.

Or we could talk about being green-fingered.

So a keen gardener might be green-fingered.

And also there are some characters are very green, such as The Lorax or Peter Pan.

Oh, I thought of another one, The Incredible Hulk.

And we can illustrate it, oh my goodness.

Look at that beautiful, beautiful green in that image.

Check for understanding.

Which of the following are included in a word explosion? Synonyms and antonyms, the etymology of the word, a definition of the word, connections to the word.

Pause a video while you decide which of these are included in the word explosion.

Well done if you selected synonyms and antonyms, a definition of the word, and connections to the word.

It can be useful to remember the prefix syn in synonym, which suggests sameness or similarity.

Likewise, it can be useful to remember the prefix anti in antonym, which suggests opposition or opposites.

And now it's time for your task.

I would like you to create a word explosion using the word wild.

So a definition of the word, some synonyms, some antonyms. Use it in a sentence.

Do you have some connections for it? And illustrate it.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

So pause the video here and have a go at completing a word explosion using the word wild.

Okay, how did you get on, what did you come up with? Let's have a look, let's have a look at some ideas.

So definition for wild, growing or living in a natural world.

Nice.

Also, uncontrolled or unrestrained fury or rage.

Yeah, goodness, sometimes can feel like that.

Synonyms. So synonyms for that first definition of wild.

Wilderness, untamed, unspoiled.

And then synonyms for that uncontrolled or unrestrained fury or rage that is wild.

Furious, frenzied, stormy.

Fantastic.

What about antonyms? Opposites.

So the opposite of wild could be controlled, managed, tamed in terms of the landscape.

And in terms of feelings, opposite of wild could be calm, serene, and soothing.

Oh, it was lovely hearing those words.

Let's put it, let's put the word wild in a sentence.

The wild deer approached cautiously, its ears pricked for any sound.

Really nice.

How about some connections to the word wild? "Where the Wild Things Are", fantastic storybook.

"Planet Earth", love that programme.

And wild animals and wild adventures.

Who doesn't love a wild adventure? And how did he illustrate it? Oh wow, look at these illustrations.

Beautiful wildlife and natural world and somebody being, some character being extremely wild.

Wow, love it.

And now it's time to read the text.

Mr. Barleycorn decides to care for the Greenling.

He brings it inside where it is safer.

I'd like you to read pages 7 to 12 up to the description of the Greenling transforming the Barleycorn's living room ending with the word grow.

What effect does the Greenling have on the Barleycorn's home? What do you notice? So pause the video while you read those pages 7 to 12.

And then answer these two questions.

What effect does the Greenling have on the Barleycorn's home? And what do you notice? Pause the video here and share with someone nearby your responses.

Okay, let's see what Alex has to say.

"The Greenling is introducing nature to the inside of the Barleycorn's home.

Crops grow overnight." Oh my goodness, what a thing.

Let's see what Sam has to say.

"I noticed lots of hidden animals.

The dog is cowering," it's hiding back, "behind the sofa while the Greenling grows." Oh wow.

Great answers here.

I wonder if you had something similar.

The Greenling continues to grow.

Soon, plants begin to spread outside the house.

Mrs. Barleycorn is distraught.

She is so, so upset.

Read pages 13 to 18 up to the scene of Mrs. Barleycorn laying in bed wide awake, ending with the word me.

And I'd like you to answer this question.

How does Mr. Barleycorn respond to his wife when she says that they cannot shop? So read those pages 13 to 18 and then answer the question, share with someone nearby and pause the video here.

Here is Laura.

"Mr. Barleycorn says that they now have a wide range of fruit, vegetables, and herbs in their home.

They can make do with what the Greenling has provided them with." Yeah, great response, Laura.

I wonder if you've got something like this.

Check for understanding.

Which of the following fruits and vegetables has the Greenling provided for the Barleycorns? Pumpkins, pears, plantain, apples.

Pause the video while you decide which of these fruits and vegetables the Greenling provided for the Barleycorns.

Well done if you selected pumpkins and apples, both super delicious as are pears and plantain.

Vignettes in picturebooks provide readers with additional illustrations, enriching the reading experience by offering glimpses into specific moments or aspects of the story.

In "Greenling", vignettes depict closeup views of the mysterious Greenling, showcasing its unique features and expressions.

They also highlight small moments of wonder or curiosity experienced by the characters as they interact with the Greenling and explore its enchanted surroundings.

Vignettes might depict subtle hints or clues that contribute to the overall mystery and magic of the story.

The local surroundings also begin to transform.

Not everyone is happy about what has happened.

I'd like you to read pages 19 to 24 up to the illustration of the Greenling surrounded by blossoming flowers and bees ending with the word weeks.

And then I'd like you to look closely at the vignettes on these pages.

How do they compare to one another? So pause the video while you read pages 19 to 24.

And then look closely at the vignettes.

How do they compare to one another? I wonder if you noticed that the vignettes on page 21 show the different reactions and emotions of the Barleycorns.

And the vignettes on page 23 show a bud from a flower opening and blossoming.

This could symbolise growth.

Oh, fantastic observations there.

As summer ends, the Greenling disappears.

Read pages 25 to 31 up to the resolution of the story ending with the word land.

And then I'd like you to answer this question.

What is different about the double-page spread on pages 31 and 32 compared to the title page? So pause the video while you read pages 25 to 31 and then take a look at that double-page spread at 31 to 32.

How is it different to the title page? Here is Jacob.

"I noticed that flowers have bloomed across the grassland.

A bird has returned to feed.

There are environmental changes to the Barleycorn's home and surrounding area." Great observations, Jacob.

I wonder if you made those observations too.

Check for understanding, true or false? The Greenling has had a positive effect on the Barleycorn's land.

Pause the video while you decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected true and now I'd like you to justify your answer.

The Greenling has grown bountiful crops and provided the Barleycorns and their community with a respect for nature.

The Barleycorns no longer disagree.

They share a warm embrace at the end of the text.

Pause the video while you decide which of these two statements justifies your answer.

Well done if you selected the first statement, they're both true, both of these are, but it's the first one that justifies as more direct justification to this positive effect that the Greenling has had.

And now it's time for your final task.

Having read the story, put the following events into chronological order, and chronological means in time order, in the sequence that they occurred.

Mrs. Barleycorn cannot believe the Greenling has taken over their home.

The Barleycorns share their crops with the local community.

The Greenling leaves at the end of the summer.

Mr. Barleycorn finds the Greenling where a tree once stood.

Crowds tell the Barleycorns that the Greenling must go.

Mr. Barleycorn nurtures the Greenling baby and brings it indoors.

So pause the video while you put these events into chronological order.

Okay, did you begin with this one first? Mr. Barleycorn finds the Greenling.

Next, he nurtures, he looks after the Greenling baby.

After that, Mrs. Barleycorn cannot believe the Greenling has taken over their home.

The crowds tell the Barleycorns that the Greenling must go.

And finally, the Barleycorns share their crops with the community and the Greenling leaves at the end of the summer.

What a story.

In our lesson today, exploring the story "Greenling", we have covered the following.

Greenling is a picturebook text.

It can be considered to be a fable.

Fables usually include universal themes such as kindness, honesty, greed, or perseverance.

Their primary purpose is to impart a moral lesson or message to the reader.

Words can have multiple meanings.

Pupils can explore these through a word explosion.

In "Greenling", vignettes draw the reader's attention to specific moments or aspects of the story.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that you have done a great job today in this lesson, exploring the story "Greenling".

Love how you've really got into it, especially how you got so creative with that word explosion and exploring the vignettes.

It's been wonderful to be with you and I look forward to seeing you at the next lesson.

Bye for now.