Lesson video

Hi everybody, I'm Miss Gardner, and welcome to your next lesson from our unit, "The Happy Prince," reading and narrative writing.

I've really been enjoying this unit so far and I hope you have too.

Thanks, so thank you for joining in on today's learning where we are going to be doing some more planning.

So let's get started.

In today's lesson from our unit, "The Happy Prince," reading and narrative writing, we are going to be planning the final two sections of our narrative.

So your learning outcome is, I can plan the climax and resolution of "The Happy Prince." So let's start with looking at the keywords.

We'll do my turn, your turn.

Plan, notes, ambitious vocabulary, figurative language, dialogue.

Let's have a look at what these mean.

A plan is a framework that writers create before they write a section or a whole text.

Notes are written out of full sentences.

Ambitious vocabulary is high-level language in writing that meets the text's purpose.

Figurative language is the use of metaphor, simile and personification to paint vivid pictures for the reader.

And dialogue is the written conversation between two characters or more within a narrative.

So there are two sections in our lesson today.

In the first we'll be planning the climax, and in the second we'll be planning the resolution.

So let's start with planning the climax.

"The Happy Prince" can be structured like this.

We have an opening, a build-up with both of these we've already written.

Then we have the climax and then the resolution.

In this lesson, we are planning the climax and the resolution.

So let's start with the climax.

The purpose of the climax is to do all of these: describe the main action of the story and take the tension and the excitement to its highest point.

So checking for understanding.

The purpose of the climax is a, to introduce a problem, b, to describe the main action, c, to introduce the characters, or d, to take the tension and excitement to its highest point.

Pause the video now.

Okay, so let's go through it.

The purpose of the climax is to, b, describe the main action, and d, to take the tension and excitement to its highest point, a, introduce a problem comes the build-up, and c, to introduce the characters comes in the opening.

Well done.

So let's first summarise the key moments in the climax because these are the moments we're going to be writing about.

Firstly, winter arrived in the city.

The days got darker and colder and snow covered the streets.

Then, bird became frailer and weaker, but he would not leave the prince's side.

Then print bird could not survive another day; he took his final breath at the prince's feet.

And then finally, the prince was so devastated about the bird's death that his metal heart broke into two pieces.

So these are the four key moments.

When we write to the climax, we'll write 'em in a lot more detail using a lot more ambitious and descriptive vocabulary.

But these are the four moments in chronological order.

So checking for understanding.

Put the key moments of the climax in the correct order.

You need to number them one to four.

Pause the video now.

Okay, let's go through it.

So number 1, winter arrived in the city.

The days got darker and colder.

Snow covered the streets.

2, bird became frailer and weaker, but he would not leave the prince's side.

3, bird could not survive another day; he took his final breath at the prince's feet.

And 4, the prince was so devastated about the bird's death that his metal heart broke into two pieces.

Well done.

So throughout our narrative we will use a range of descriptive language.

Descriptive language includes all of these: precise verbs, figurative language, descriptive adjectives and adverbs, fronted adverbials of time, place and manner, show-not-tell language to show the character's emotions and expanded noun phrases.

All of these helped create a really vivid image in the reader's mind of the characters and the setting and the action.

So throughout our climax, we will use a range of figurative language.

So literary devices that create figurative language include all of these: metaphors, personification and similes.

And we can also use literary devices such as alliteration, where two words next to each other begin with the same letter, the raging river, and repetition where you are repeating words or phrases in order to create atmosphere in our writing.

So let's look at metaphors first.

A metaphor is a type of figurative language that involves making a comparison between two things, by stating that one thing is another.

And this creates really vivid imagery and deeper layers of meaning.

So for example, blankets of snow covered the streets.

The fog was a fleeting ghost over the ground, cloaks of darkness wrapped around the houses.

In these examples, the writer says that something is or was something else, that it isn't actually, that it's not.

The snow isn't actually a blanket.

The fog isn't actually a ghost and the darkness is not a cloak.

These are all metaphors, but they're really effective in creating that image in the reader's mind of the snow and the fog and the darkness.

So checking for understanding, what does the name for the literary technique where a writer compares two things by stating that one thing is another.

Is it a, personification b, simile, or c, metaphor? Pause the video now.

That's right, that is metaphor, well done.

Now let's look at similes.

A simile is a linguistic device that compares two things, the words like or as are used to highlight similarities and create more vivid imagery in the reader's mind.

For example, the snowflakes fell gently from the sky, like feathers floating in the breeze.

The icy winds ripped through the city like a sharp knife.

The nights were as dark as the deepest depths of a cave.

So in the first one, snowflakes are being compared to feathers.

In the second the winds are being compared to a sharp knife, and in the third, the nights were being compared to the darkness of a cave.

So they're comparing two things to create a really vivid image in the reader's mind.

The fact that the nights were as dark as a cave makes me as the reader understand that it was really, really dark.

The fact that the winds were being compared to the knife is that they were really aggressive winds, really sharp, not just a gentle breeze.

So these create really vivid images for the reader.

So let's look at this sentence.

The icy wind ripped through the air like a sharp knife slicing through the stillness with its biting cold.

Imagining colours that we want our reader to see in our descriptions helps us to choose vocabulary carefully.

So we can imagine a colour scale like this.

In the sentence above, words like ripped, slicing, biting cold, create a really negative picture.

And these might be associated with orange and red colours.

In the climax of "The Happy Prince," winter is coming, and it's what makes the bird soak frail and weak.

So this is a really negative moment.

We don't want to have really positive descriptions of beautiful snow and blue skies.

That's not quite right.

It's really negative.

It's too cold to survive.

So we want to use language that supports that and reflects that negative image.

So checking for understanding.

What is the definition of as simile, a, a linguistic device used to compare two things, b, a linguistic device that says two things are exactly the same, or c, a linguistic device that highlights the difference between two things.

Pause the video now.

That is a, similes compare two things, well done.

So there is some important dialogue that also needs to be included in our plan.

Dialogue is really important because it helps to move the story forward.

In the climax, the one of the key moments is this, bird could not survive another day; he took his final breath at the prince's feet.

Can you remember what the bird said to the prince at this moment? And if you need to, you can look in the additional materials at the text to help you with this question.

So pause the video now and think about the dialogue in this moment.

Okay, so in the climax when the prince, when the bird was about to die, he said, "Goodbye dear Prince." And then the prince responded, "How can I live without you?" So a really sad moment and a really moving moment, which is why it's in the climax 'cause it really is the most important, the main action of the text.

So the use of precise and ambitious vocabulary help to create vivid imagery in the reader's mind.

It is really important that we choose a range of adjectives, verbs, and adverbs to include in our plan that enhance the description of the climax.

So we could say this, "The prince was heartbroken," but that's not that descriptive and it doesn't include much ambitious vocabulary.

So let's think of another way of saying this.

We could say, "As the grief-stricken prince realised that Bird had gone, his own heart shattered into two pieces." So that's a lovely descriptive, complex sentence which uses really precise adjectives like grief-stricken that describes that the the prince is devastated that the bird is dying, and the shattered into pieces, really precise verb choice to describe his broken heart.

So a lot more descriptive than just saying, "The prince was heartbroken." So when you come to writing your plan, you need to be thinking about how can you describe each moment in a lot more detail and use and create this vivid image in the reader's mind.

So when we write a plan, we use notes.

Notes are concise, short, and capture key vocabulary and information.

The purpose of notes is to help the writer organise their ideas when it comes to writing later, we use bullet points when note-taking, and they look like this.

So you are going to be using bullet-point notes on your plan today.

Check for understanding.

What will you need to include in your plan? A, full sentences, capital letters, and full stops, b, bullet points for notes, c, precise and ambitious vocabulary, or d, unnecessary information.

Pause the video now.

So on your notes, you need to include bullet points and precise and ambitious vocabulary.

You do not need full sentences on your plan and you don't need any unnecessary information 'cause it's just the most important moments and key vocabulary.

Well done.

So it's time for task A.

You need to fill in the plan for the first key moment of the climax.

So the key moment is, winter arrived in the city.

The days got darker and colder; snow covered the streets.

So you want to think about some precise verbs and adverbs and adjectives to describe the winter and the cold weather and maybe also some figurative language.

So some metaphors and similes like we went through earlier in the lesson.

So pause the video now and add some bullet point notes to describe this first key moment.

Off you go.

Well done everybody.

Welcome back.

I'm going to go through some of my ideas and if you want to, you can pause the video and add these to your plan so that you can use them in the writing later.

So precise verbs and adjectives.

I thought the days grew darker and longer.

Cold, icy winds, an expanded noun phrase there, and snow whipped through the air, the precise verb choice of whipped, and then figurative language, as dark as the deepest depths of a cave, describing those dark nights.

The wind ripped through the city like a sharp knife, simile there, and blankets of snow draped across the streets, a metaphor there.

Don't worry if your ideas weren't exact and the same I don't expect 'em to be at all.

But if you want to, you can add some of these to your plan.

So it's time now to plan the second key moment.

This key moment there is that bird became frailer and weaker but he would not leave the prince's side.

So can you come up with some precise verbs, adjectives, and adverbs to describe the bird, describe how he was feeling, how he was becoming weaker, but how he also wouldn't leave the princes side, and then some dialogue that we looked at earlier in the lesson.

What did they say to each other when they were about, when the bird was about to die? Pause the video now and add your bullet-point notes.

Off you go.

Well done everybody.

Okay, I'm going to go through my ideas and if you want to, you can add them to your plan.

So the precise verbs and adverbs and adjectives, the bird became frailer, weaker, meeker.

Three adjectives to describe just how weak the bird had become.

Devoted and loyal.

The bird is so devoted to the prince, he will not leave his side.

Death was rapidly approaching, building that suspense.

And then the dialogue.

"Goodbye dear Prince," the reporting clause, he weakly whimpered, and then, "How can I live without you," the prince response.

Well done everybody.

Okay, it's time to plan the third key moment of our climax.

This is a really important moment of the climax.

Bird took his final breath and the prince's heart broke into two pieces.

So we want to make sure we're using really precise vocabulary here to describe this moment in detail.

So think about the bird, what he would've been feeling, think about how the prince was feeling, and then what happened when they died.

So pause video now and off you go.

Okay, well done everybody.

So here are some of my ideas and as always, if you want to, you can add them to your plant too.

So the grief-stricken prince, grief-stricken is an adjective to describe how devastated someone feels when someone dies.

Crack, the sound that the prince's heart made when it broke.

And then we can describe that as a devastating sound.

Then the precise verbs and adverbs.

The bird was gasping for breath, struggling to breathe.

Plummeted, the heart plummeted to the ground, and then it loudly shattered on the street.

So hopefully you all now have a really detailed plan for our climax and make sure you keep it safe for the next lesson while we will be writing the climax, well done.

It is now time to for the second section of the lesson where we'll be planning the resolution.

The purpose of the resolution is to do both of these, resolve a story and allow readers to reflect and think about what they've read.

So checking for understanding, the purpose of the resolution is a, to close the story, b, to develop the characters and plot, c, to introduce the characters, or d, to give the reader a chance to reflect.

Pause the video now.

So the purpose of the resolution.

a, to close the story, and d, to give the reader a chance to reflect, b and c take place in the opening and the build-up, well done.

So let's now summarise the key moments in the resolution.

Firstly, an important man notices the prince is looking unhappy and is missing its jewels and gold leaves.

So then he orders the statue to be removed immediately.

He says, "We cannot have such a shabby looking statue guarding our city." So the prince and the bird, 'cause the bird is still on the prince's feet, are thrown into a burning hot furnace.

And then God asks Bird and Prince to look after the city's people together and they are happily reunited in death in God's garden.

So now you need to put these moments in the correct chronological order.

So numbering them one to four.

Pause the video now and off you go.

Okay, welcome back.

So let's go through it.

The first moment of the resolution, number 1, an important man notices the prince is looking unhappy and is missing its jewels and gold leaves.

Number 2, he orders the statue to be removed immediately.

3, the prince and the bird are thrown into a furnace.

And then finally number 4, God asks Bird and Prince to look after the city's people together and they are happily reunited in death, well done.

So there is some important dialogue that needs to be included in our plan.

The dialogue we know is really important because it helps to move the story forward.

So what did the man say in these moments? An important man notices the prince is looking unhappy and is missing it's jewels and gold leaves.

Man orders the statue to be removed immediately.

If you need to, you can refer to the text and the additional materials to help you with this.

So pause the video now and off you go.

Okay, so what did the man say? "The happy prince doesn't look very happy at all!" That's what he notices when he goes up closely to the statue.

So, "We can't have a shabby prince guarding our city." So then he says, "Take the statue down now and melt it!" So really three really important lines of dialogue which help move the story forward.

So we need to make sure we're including them in our plan.

So it's time for task B.

You now need to fill in the plan for the first key moment of the resolution.

The first key moment is, an important man notices the prince is looking unhappy and is missing its jewels and gold leaves.

So think about some precise vocabulary you can use to describe the man, the prince, in this moment.

And then also the dialogue.

What does he say at this point when he notices the prince is looking quite shabby? Pause the video now.

Off you go.

Okay, so I'm going to go through my ideas and if you want to, you can add them onto your plan too.

So some precise vocabulary to describe this moment that the man was strolling calmly through the streets.

Then he closely inspected, and he noticed that the prince was missing its shimmering jewels, shimmering an adjective to describe the jewels that used to be on the prince.

So the dialogue, "The happy prince doesn't look happy at all," he says.

The reporting clause, he exclaimed in disappointment.

And then he says, "We can't have a shabby prince guarding our city!" Shabby means kind of messy and dishevelled, which is what the prince looks like now.

Okay, well done.

If you need to, you can pause the video and add any of these ideas to your plan, otherwise, well done.

Now let's plan the second key moment of the resolution.

The second key moment is, the man orders the prince and the bird to be thrown away into a furnace.

So can you think of any precise verbs and adjectives and adverbs to describe this quite dramatic moment and really sad moment? The burning hot furnace and the dialogue.

What does the man say? He orders them to be taken away, doesn't he? So think about maybe the reporting clause you can use there too.

Pause the video now and off you go.

Well done everybody.

Here are some ideas and vocabulary that I've come up with to describe this moment in more detail.

They tossed the dishevelled statue.

It's not just, tossed is a synonym for threw.

It shows that they don't really care, they just tossed it without thinking.

The ferocious furnace, that's some nice alliteration there because both words begin with F, and then they crumbled into dust, the bird and the prince.

Dialogue.

"Take the statue down now and melt it immediately," and then the reporting clause would be ordered or command 'cause he told people to do it, he didn't do it himself.

Okay, if you need to, you can add these to your plan now.

Otherwise it's time to plan for third key moment.

And this is the final moment of the resolution.

So a really powerful moment and a chance for the reader to reflect.

So in this key moment, God asks Bird and Prince to look after the city's people together and they are happily reunited in death.

So much more positive now.

So thinking about some precise verbs, adverbs, and adjectives to describe how they're feeling now that they're reunited in God's garden.

Pause the video now.

Okay, welcome back, here are some ideas that I've come up with and you can add them to your plan if you'd like.

They were joyfully, reunited, joyfully is a synonym for happily, in God's sacred garden, that adjectives sacred just to describe how special the garden is, and forever guarding their beloved city.

They loved that city so much, they were so worried about the people who were suffering there.

So we can describe it as beloved.

Okay, well done.

And just like in the climax, make sure you keep your plan for the resolution safe.

'cause you're going to need it when it comes to writing the resolution.

Well done everybody.

So here's a summary of everything we've learned.

When we plan, we log precise and ambitious vocabulary to help paint vivid pictures for our reader.

Plans are written in note form.

Figurative language is used in narrative writing to create vivid pictures for the reader.

The purpose of the climax is to describe the main action and to take the tension and excitement to its highest point.

The purpose of the resolution is to resolve a story, tying up its loose ends and allowing readers a chance to reflect on the story.

Great job today, everybody.

Well done.