Lesson video

Hello, everyone.

It's really good to see you.

My name's Miss Afzal, and we are gonna be doing something very exciting today.

We're exploring a picture book.

I love picture books.

This one is a particularly special one.

It is called "Greenling" and it's by Levi Pinfold.

So let's pause the video here for a moment while you go and get your copy of this fantastic text.

Okay, you're back.

You've got your copy of the text, you've got "Greenling." What else have you got? Have you got ideas? Curiosity? Enthusiasm? I really hope so.

Let's begin our lesson.

The outcome for today's lesson is I can use the text and illustrations to make predictions about "Greenling." We have got some keywords in today's lesson.

Let's go through them one at a time.

My turn, your turn.

Peritext.

Blurb.

Endpapers.

Title page.

Prediction.

Fantastic.

I heard that loud and clear.

Let's find out more about these keywords.

The peritext is the elements around the book, including its cover, title, and blurb.

A blurb is a short promotional description of the text, located on the back cover.

Endpapers are usually the first and last parts of the interior of the book, the inside of the book, to be seen when the book is opened or closed.

The title page is a page displaying the text title, author, and publisher.

It is sometimes accompanied by an illustration.

A prediction is an educated guess based on evidence in the text or prior knowledge.

Okay, let's make sure we are looking out for these words.

Let's listen out for them.

Let's think carefully about them.

Let's be curious about these fantastic keywords.

In today's lesson, making predictions about "Greenling," we will be covering two things.

First of all, exploring the peritext, and next, personal reflection.

I'm really interested about getting into both of these.

Let's start with exploring the peritext.

"Greenling" is written and illustrated by Levi Pinfold.

Oh, my goodness.

Take a look at that front cover.

Wow, it is so, (laughs) so rich.

It draws you in.

I'm curious.

There's so much going on.

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

The front cover of the text is part of the peritext.

This includes the blurb, endpapers, and title page, and we'll be going more into those further in our lesson.

The front cover can provide the reader with clues as to what might occur in the text.

What do you notice on the front cover? So take a very close look at this image here, this front cover.

Pause the video, turn to someone nearby and tell them everything that you notice.

Okay, it is good to be back with you.

I'm feeling really curious.

I'm wondering what is it that you noticed? What did you spot? Did you spot a green human-like figure? It's looking towards the reader, and its hand has a bee resting on it.

It's like it is waving at the reader.

Its hand raised like this.

The figure has a shell-like hat, protective casing around its head, a bit like an acorn, and branches protrude.

They're coming out from it.

Wild white flowers are in bloom.

Bees are flying around.

They're buzzing around the figure, pollinating the flowers, taking the pollen to the flowers, from and to flowers.

And in the background of the text, it looks as if the sun might be rising or setting.

What a lot is going on just in that one image.

That's incredible.

Well done for spotting all of these things.

And what about the title "Greenling?" Hmm, I wonder, is it referring to the figure, or perhaps it links to things growing and turning green and luscious and rich and full of life? Check for understanding.

Which of the following are usually considered examples of peritext? The main story.

Characters within a text.

The title of the text.

Front cover.

So pause the video while you decide which of these are usually considered examples of peritext.

Well done if you selected the title of the text and the front cover.

These are indeed usually considered examples of peritext.

And it can be helpful to think of the peritext as everything on the outside of the book, before you even start reading a story.

The blurb is also included in the peritext, and the blurb is a short promotional piece of text, usually on the back cover, telling us a bit about the text, enticing us in.

So I'd like you to find and look at a blurb, and it asks the reader a direct question.

What do you notice about the illustration? What is your answer to the question posed, and why? So pause the video here while you take a look at the blurb.

Take a look at the illustration.

What's your answer to the question, and why? Share with someone nearby.

Let see what Alex has to say.

"I noticed green hands stretching through the flower." Yeah, they're stretching through the centre of that flower.

"They look like they belong to the creature on the front cover, a Greenling? The flower is like a nest resting on water.

I wonder if a Greenling is being born on Barleycorn land?" Oh, my goodness.

Such a lot going on there for you, Alex, and I can see why, because it really is such an interesting illustration and the question really gets us thinking.

Oh, and also, yeah, the flower reminded me of an artichoke.

That's a very delicious vegetable.

I don't get to eat it very often, but it's quite yummy, and quite beautiful-looking, too.

"Greenling" is presented in picture book form.

In picture books, endpapers often play a significant role in setting the tone for the story or providing additional visual context.

So these are the papers, the illustrations at the beginning, at the end of the story.

The endpapers usually occur before a title page and are considered part of the peritext, so before the story begins.

They might feature illustrations or motifs related to the themes or characters in the book.

And a motif, that's a noun, is a decorative image or design, especially a repeated one, forming a pattern.

These illustrations on the endpapers not only enhance the visual experience of the book, but also serve to draw readers into the story before they begin reading the main story.

So really serve a very important purpose.

We might not think about them so much, but it's really worth paying attention to them.

I'd like to have a close look at the endpapers at the beginning of the text.

What do you notice? So pause the video here while you look at the end papers at the beginning of the text "Greenling." Share with someone nearby, what do you notice? Pause the video here.

Here's Jacob.

Okay, so what did you spot, Jacob? "The endpapers look as though they have been painted with watercolour because there are water blotches." Yeah, really good observation there, Jacob.

"The sun is either rising or setting.

I wonder if it's rising to signify the start of the story?" Oh, my goodness.

Great thinking there.

I wonder what you spotted as you looked at that endpaper.

What did you notice? Check for understanding.

True or false, endpapers are considered part of the peritext? Pause the video while you decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected true.

They are indeed part, considered part of the peritext.

Now I'd like you to justify your answer.

The peritext refers to elements of a text that occur before the story begins that contribute to a reader's understanding.

The endpapers of "Greenling" contain a sunrise or sunset painted on a blank landscape.

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

Well done if you selected the first statement.

Both of these statements are true, but, really, it's that first one that's more directly justifying your answer about endpapers being part of the peritext.

Well done if you selected this statement.

A final element of the peritext we can explore before we begin reading the text is the title page.

So find and have a look at the title page.

And what the title page does is it introduces the title, the author, and the publisher.

What do you notice about the scene depicted on the title page? Pause the video while you take a look and then find the title page.

Have a good look at it.

And what is it that you notice about the scene depicted here? Here's Aisha.

What did you spot, Aisha? What did you notice? Let's see.

"I can see a long railway or tramway.

It's leading towards a rickety," it's kinda like rundown, ramshackle, "wooden house whose white paint is fading slightly.

The background is the same as the endpapers.

Perhaps the flower on the blurb is located here? There are reflections in the water.

Is there a tunnel entrance just above the text's title?" Oh, my goodness, Aisha.

You have spotted such a lot.

I love all that, looking out for all those details, and I love your curiosity.

You're really thinking carefully about this and wondering what may be happening.

Check for understanding.

Match the following examples of peritext with their definitions.

Front cover, blurb, endpapers, and title page.

And let's take a look at the definitions.

Illustrated pages at the beginning/end of the text.

The first thing you see when you look at the text.

Brief summary of the text to promote reading.

Displays the book's title, author, and publisher.

So pause the video while you match the examples of peritext with their definitions.

Okay, let's see what you came up with.

Did you match up front cover with it being the first thing you see when you look at a text? And, oh, my goodness, the front cover of "Greenling" is really quite remarkable.

How about the blurb? Yep, you got it.

It's a brief summary of the text to promote reading.

The endpapers are those illustrated pages at the beginning and the end of a text.

And the title page displays the book's title, author, and publisher.

Well done if you matched up these examples of peritext with their definitions.

And now it's time for your first task.

From examining the peritext, what predictions can you make about the text's content? And a prediction is an educated guess based on what you know so far or on prior knowledge.

So a prediction can be based on what you've looked at and discussed so far.

You can link to the words, the illustrations, or your own personal experience.

And you begin your prediction with something like, "I predict, mm, mm, mm, because," and then give your reasoning.

So pause the video here while you make your prediction and share it with someone nearby.

Okay, I am wondering, what have you come up with? What's your prediction about this incredible text? Let's see what Laura has to say.

"I predict that the Greenling will hatch out of the flower because in the blurb, it seems to be ready to leave, with its arms outstretched." Oh, love that one, Laura.

And how about Lucas? "I think that the Greenling will change the landscape, which looks quite empty on the title page, into a green forest because it seems to have an effect on nature." Oh, my goodness.

This is fantastic.

I love these ideas.

Thank you for sharing.

I wonder what your predictions were? And if your prediction can be justified using the text, illustrations, or your personal experience, then it is a good prediction.

And now it's time for us to move on to personal reflections.

I really enjoy this part of exploring texts.

Readers can form personal reflections about picture books by engaging with the text and illustrations in a meaningful way.

This can be achieved through close observation.

Look at the words and illustrations carefully.

How do they make you feel? Connecting to personal experience.

Do you relate to any of the characters or settings? Wondering aloud, ask questions about the text.

Are there any mysteries? Critical thinking.

Do you agree or disagree with the character's actions? How do you feel about the story and its resolution? I'm really excited to get into this.

On the very first page, the reader finds out where the flowery nest is located.

It is at the mouth, the opening, of a tunnel.

Read pages one and two, and look closely at the illustration.

What do you notice about the first page? Pause the video here while you read pages one and two.

Look closely at that illustration, and tell someone nearby, what do you notice about the first page? Hmm, did you notice this? Did you see a man and his dog going for a walk? "The green hands of the creature are reaching through the petals." "The text explains that there once used to be a tree here, and the Barleycorns are the owners of the land." Well done if you spotted these things.

Refer to pages one and two.

Which characters are we introduced to and what do we learn about them? So who are our main characters? So who are these characters that we're introduced to? Pause the video while you refer back to pages one and two.

Which characters are we introduced to? What do we learn about them? Share with someone nearby.

Here's Sophia.

"I think the gentleman might be Mr. Barleycorn.

He might live in the house near the railway line.

He could be quite shocked.

He's holding a hat in his hands, which he's taken off his head." What about Jun? What did you spot? "We see the face of the Greenling staring out at the gentleman.

The dog's head is tilted.

Perhaps it is unsure of the creature within?" Yeah, really great things you've noticed there.

Thank you.

Check for understanding.

Personal reflections can be made through close observation, wondering aloud, reading the text quickly.

Pause the video while you decide how personal reflections can be made.

Well done if you selected through close observation and through wondering aloud.

Readers can also form personal reflections by connecting to their personal experiences and through thinking critically about the text.

And now it's time for your final task.

Having explored the first page of the text, what would you do if you were Mr. Barleycorn? Would you take the Greenling or leave it where it is? Write down your response in first-person perspective.

So this is where you'll be using I, me, and considering your own and sharing your own thoughts and feelings.

You might use the following sentence stems: I wondered, I think that, I might, I could, I believe that.

So pause the video here, and having explored that first page of the text, write down your response as if you were Mr. Barleycorn.

What would you do? Would you take the Greenling or would you leave it where it is? Let's have your perspective, your first-person perspective on this.

Pause the video while you have a go at this task.

Okay, hello, Mr. Barleycorn.

So what did you decide? What did you come up with? What's your personal reflection? Let's read this one here.

"I wondered whether this creature was intended for me.

It gazed directly into my eyes.

I couldn't help myself.

I reached down to help it out.

I don't think it poses any danger to me.

I could take it back to my home to look after it, as it might not be safe near the barbed wire fence, tins, cans, and the muddy water." Well, thank you for sharing this personal reflection on what you would do if you were Mr. Barleycorn.

So interesting.

Perhaps we'll find out some of the answers and confirm your initial thoughts as we continue exploring the text.

I am really excited, again, about getting further into this remarkable text.

In our lesson today, making predictions about "Greenling," we have covered the following.

The front cover of the text is part of the peritext.

This also includes the blurb, endpapers, and title page.

The peritext can give the readers clues and hints about what is contained in the story.

A prediction can be based on what readers have explored within a text.

It can be justified by the text, illustrations, or personal experience.

Readers can form personal reflections about picture books by engaging with the text and illustrations in a meaningful way.

Well done, everyone, for how you have been engaging with this incredible text, "Greenling." I loved hearing your predictions and I loved your exploration of the peritext.

It's such a rich text, with all of those amazing images in the endpapers, the title page, even on the blurb.

So we are in for a treat to be exploring "Greenling" further together over the next few lessons.

I look forward to seeing you next time.

Bye for now.