Lesson video

Hi everyone.

I'm Miss Chu, and in today's lesson we are going to be retelling the story of "Whale Rider." Are you good at telling stories? Well, let's find out, shall we? Let's get started.

Today's lesson outcome is I can retell the story of "Whale Rider." Here are today's key words.

I'd like you to read through them and their definitions now.

This lesson is split into two parts.

The first part is we are going to be sequencing the story, and then the second part is retelling the story.

So let's start sequencing the story.

The story "Whale Rider" can be structured in this way: the opening, buildup, climax, and resolution.

We are going to be sequencing the story using this story structure.

Let's look at the opening in more detail.

The opening of a narrative normally introduces the main character and sets the scene.

This is what we know about the opening of "Whale Rider." A baby girl is born and named Paikea, but sadly, her brother and mother die in childbirth.

At the hospital, the baby's grandfather who is chief of the Maori tribe is very sad that his grandson has died.

The baby's father is so sad that he decides to start a new life in Germany, and he leaves his baby daughter to grow up with her grandparents.

Paikea grows up to be a bright, capable child who loves and admires her grandfather, Koro.

Let's order the following from one to four now, shall we? Paikea's father decides to start a new life in Germany.

Paikea grows up to be a bright, capable child who loves and admires her grandfather, Koro.

A young girl named Pakeia is born, sadly, her brother and mother die in childbirth.

The baby's grandfather who is chief of the Maori tribe is very sad that his grandson has died.

I'd like you to pause the video, and now just think about the chronological order.

Which one is number one? Start with that one, then two, three and four.

Off you go.

Okay.

Shall we have a look? So the first one is a young girl named Paikea is born.

Sadly, her brother and mother died in childbirth.

Which one's the second one? Which one did you say? Point to the screen.

Yes.

The baby's grandfather, who is chief of the Maori tribe is very sad that his grandson has died.

The third one is Paikea's father decides to start a new life in Germany, and finally, Paikea grows up to be a bright, capable child who loves and admires her grandfather, Koro.

Let's look at the build-up in more detail.

The build-up of a narrative builds suspense for the reader leading up to the climax.

This is what we know about the build-up of "Whale Rider." Koro, who knows that he's getting older, decides that he needs to find the person who will be chief after him.

It must be a boy! Koro starts an afterschool club to teach all the boys in the tribe how to be a good leader, so that he can pick the next chief.

Paikea who loves her Maori heritage is desperate for her grandfather to see that she could be a good chief.

None of the boys in Koro's afterschool club show themselves to be a good leader.

True or false? Koro allows Paikea to join the afterschool club.

Pause the video, and think about whether this is true or false.

So the answer is false.

He does not allow her to join the afterschool club.

Koro teaches only the boys in the tribe how to be a good leader, or Koro teaches all the boys and the girls in the tribe how to be a good leader.

The answer is A, Koro teaches only the boys in the tribe how to be a good leader.

Let's look at the climax in more detail.

The climax is the point in the narrative that describes the main action, the most significant part of the story and takes the suspense to the highest point.

It's kind of the most exciting part of the story.

This is what we know about the climax of "Whale Rider." One night, some whales get stranded on the beach and they can't get back into the sea.

All the members of the tribe go to the beach to try and help the whales get back into the sea.

Despite all their efforts, the whales start to die and the villagers, including Koro do not know what to do.

They start to lose hope, and they decide there is nothing left that they can do to save them.

Order the following from one to four.

All the members of the tribe try to help the whales.

One night, some whales get stranded on the beach.

Despite all their efforts, the whales start to die.

There is nothing left that they can do to save them.

Again, I'd like you to pause the video, and think about which one would be the first one in this chronology here.

Okay, so the first one here is one night, some whales get stranded on the beach.

What's number two? All the members of the tribe try to help the whales.

Number three is, despite all the efforts, the whales start to die, and finally, there is nothing left that they can do to save them.

Let's look at the resolution in more detail.

The final part of the story.

The resolution in a narrative resolves the problem.

That means sort of fixes the problem encountered in the story or brings it to a close.

This is what we know about the resolution of "Whale Rider." Paikea approaches the largest whale, and she greets it with a hongi, a traditional Maori greeting involving the pressing together of the forehead and nose.

Then she climbs on the back of the whale.

Paikea encourages the whale, and it finally shifts, manages to shift its weight back into the water.

Urged by the first whale, all the other whales struggle back into the ocean and they swim away.

Her grandfather recognises her as a leader and successor of the tribe.

True or false? Paikea has a deep connection with the lead whale.

Pause the video to have a think about whether this is true or false.

The answer is true, yes, the whale doesn't respond to Paikea in the story or the whale responds to Paikea's presence and then it begins to move.

Yes, that's right.

B, the whale responds to Paikea.

Task A, I would like you now to choose six key points in the story and create your own storyboard using words or pictures.

So you might want to start with, a baby girl is born named Paikea.

And then I would let you choose the other parts of the story to create your own storyboard.

Think of five more.

Pause the video and have a go at this task.

Let's have a look at the six key points of the story that I chose.

The first one, a baby girl is born named Paikea.

Second one, Koro starts an afterschool club to teach boys in the tribe.

Number three, Paikea wants Koro to see that she could be a good chief.

Number four, one night some whales get stranded on the beach.

Number five, Paikea climbs on the back of the whale and guides it to sea.

Number six, her grandfather recognises her as the successor of the tribe.

How did you get on with your storyboard? We are now onto the second part of our lesson, which is retelling the story.

You are going to be retelling the story of "Whale Rider' using the same story structure that we've been looking at, the opening, buildup, climax, and resolution.

Let's think about and consider the purpose of each part of this narrative structure.

The opening of a narrative normally introduces the main character and sets the scene of the story.

The buildup of a narrative builds a bit of suspense for the reader, leading up to the highest point, which is the climax.

The climax is the point in the narrative that describes the main action or the most significant part of the story and takes the suspense to its highest point.

And finally, the resolution in a narrative resolves the problem encountered in the story.

Now, I would like you to match each part of a narrative to its purpose.

We have the opening, build-up, climax, and resolution, which one of these would be the opening? Describes the main action and takes the suspense to its highest point, resolves the problem encountered in the story.

Builds tension for the reader leading up to the climax, or introduces the main character and sets the scene.

Pause the video and have a go at doing all four of those parts.

Great job.

I hope that you've matched them all up now.

So let's have a look at the first one.

The opening introduces the main character and sets the scene.

Yes, well done.

The build-up builds tension for the reader leading up to the climax.

And the climax describes the main action, or the most significant part of the story and takes the suspense to its highest point.

And finally, resolution, resolution resolves the problem encountered in the story.

When retelling a story, it is important we convey the appropriate tone at each point of the story.

Your voice, your language choices and expressions should change when retelling each part of a narrative.

You can do this by ensuring you do the following things.

Choose the appropriate language to meet the purpose.

Use an expressive voice, include emphasis or changes in volume.

Pause when appropriate.

This is great for building suspense and consider pace.

This will help to heighten suspense.

Remember to also use facial expressions to convey your feelings and emotions.

True or false? When retelling a story, I should use an expressive voice.

Pause the video and have a think about whether this is true or false.

So the answer is, get ready to point is true.

My voice should change throughout each part of a narrative and include emphasis or changes in volume, or my voice should gradually get quieter over the course of retelling the narrative.

Don't think it's that one.

So the answer is, A, my voice should change throughout each part of a narrative and include emphasis or changes in volume.

We are now onto task B.

You are going to retell the key moments from "Whale Rider." You're going to start with the opening, the build-up, the climax, and then finally the resolution.

I'd like you to use these key moments to help you to structure your story when you are retelling your story.

Let's have a look at the key moments.

A baby girl is born named Paikea and she grows up with her grandparents.

Build-up, Koro starts an after school club to teach boys in the tribe.

Paikea wants Koro to see that she could be a good chief.

In the climax, one night, some whales gets stranded on the beach.

Paikea climbs in the back of the whale, Paikea guides the whale back out into the sea.

And finally the resolution, Koro recognises her as the leader and successor of the tribe.

I want you to pause the video now, and tell the person next to you or an adult or your friend the story.

Okay.

Let's have a check.

In the opening, did you introduce Paikea, the main character and set the scene? You did.

Well done.

Here's an example of one opening that I overheard.

In a beautiful village by the sea, a baby girl named Paikea was born.

She was special because she had particularly good, innate skills.

That means she was born with these skills.

The chief, her grandfather wanted a boy to be the next leader.

He was very sad and disappointed.

Paikea grew up loving the sea and the whales.

In the build-up, did you build suspense as to whether Paikea gets chosen as the next leader? You did.

Well done.

Here's one that I heard.

As Paikea grew older, she loves spending time with her grandfather, Koro.

Koro taught her many things about their Maori culture and traditions, but he still believed that only a boy could become the next chief.

Koro started a school to teach the village boys how to become leaders.

He taught them skills and told them stories about their ancestors.

Paikea wanted to join the lessons, but Koro wouldn't let her because she was a girl.

In the climax, did you describe the main action in the story and create heightened suspense? Let's listen to one example of a climax.

One day, a pod of whales swam too close to Paikea's village and they became stranded on the beach.

Koro and the villagers tried everything they could to save the whales, but the whales wouldn't move.

Paikea felt a strong connection to the whales, and she knew she had to help.

She walked up to the biggest whale, the leader of the pod, and she whispered softly to it.

She climbed onto its back, and she formed an even more special connection with it.

That's a lovely climax.

And in the resolution, did you describe how this resolved the problem for everyone? Well done if you did.

Let's listen to this resolution.

Miraculously, the whale started to move.

It swam back into the ocean with Paikea holding on tightly.

The other whales followed, and soon they were all safe in the water.

It was then that Koro realised that Paikea was the true leader that they had been waiting for.

He saw her bravery and love for their traditions.

To summarise, when retelling the story of "Whale Rider." "Whale Rider" tells the story of Paikea, and the challenges she faces and overcomes as a young girl in a Maori tribe.

A narrative can be structured into four key sections.

The opening, the build-up, the climax, and the resolution.

Each part of a narrative has a specific purpose.

Voice, language choices and expression help us retell the story effectively.

When retelling a story, it is important to convey the appropriate tone at each point of the story.

I hope you enjoyed retelling the story as much as I did.