Hello and welcome to today's lesson.

My name is Miss Watson, and I'm delighted that you've decided to join me today.

We are going to be learning about meeting a fantastical creature.

For this lesson, you are going to need a copy of the Chicken House books edition of "Asha and the Spirit Bird" by Jasbinder Bilan.

So when you've got that, we can start.

So the outcome of today's lesson is that you will be able to effectively use topic sentences to present your ideas about an extract.

As ever, we will begin with the keywords.

They are topic sentence, present, imagery, and connotation.

So let's look at what they mean.

A topic sentence is a sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph, often at the top of the paragraph, the very first sentence of a paragraph, not always but often.

Present, now that means to describe or show.

So we say a writer presents someone or something in a particular way.

And imagery, that is the use of words or pictures in box, films, or paintings to describe ideas or situations.

And the connotations, well, that refers to feelings or ideas that are suggested by a word as well as the word's basic meaning.

Now these are really, really important words for unlocking your learning.

So if you would like to have a little bit more time to familiarise yourself with the words and their definitions, feel free to pause the video and join us when you are ready.

So today's lesson, we are going to start by reading the extract, and then we are going to be looking at understanding the extract to deeper level.

And we are going to finish with you responding to the extract.

Now, this is what we are going to do first.

We're going to look at this extract from Jasbinder Bilan's "Asha and the Spirit Bird." And we are going to examine the description of the spirit bird.

Now a spirit is a supernatural being.

So the first thing I'd like you to do is discuss, what do you imagine a spirit bird might look like? Now you can pause the video while you'll have a discussion.

Or if you are working on your own, just pause the video, have a think and make some notes.

Look at what Laura said.

See if you agree with her.

She said that "I imagine it," the spirit bird, "would be very dainty and ethereal, maybe even slightly shimmery and translucent." Translucent means lets the light in.

Interesting thought.

I'm wondering if your ideas are similar to hers.

So let's find the extract and read it.

It's taken from the start of the text when Asha meets the bird for the first time.

And the extract is on pages 18 to 19.

You need to read from the word way to the end of Asha's first speech ending on the word bird.

And we are going to use our first readthrough to establish information about the plot and characters.

So pause the video while you read the extract.

Happy reading.

Off you go.

Welcome back.

I hope you enjoyed reading that extract.

I think the bird is beautifully described, don't you? Now I'm gonna put up some questions, which I would like you to discuss.

Here they are.

Who is Asha thinking of before the bird appears? What did she believe? And two, why is Asha's experience with the lamagaia unusual? That's the name of the bird.

What does Asha wish when she looks at the lamagaia? Now, again, if you're on your own, just pause the video, make your notes.

And if you are working in a class or with a pair, with somebody else, pause the video and chat to them.

Off you go.

Hello, welcome back.

I hope you enjoyed reading that extract as much as I do.

I think the description of the bird is just beautiful.

So I'm gonna put up answers to the questions, and I'd like you to take the time to check your own answers.

So here we go.

So the first question was, who is Asha thinking of before the spirit bird appears, and what does she believe? And the answer is that Asha is thinking of her Nanijee, who's her grandmother.

Her Nanijee thought that after death, the human spirit returned in the form of animals.

And question two, which is Asha's experience with a lamagaia, why is it unusual? Well, they very rarely come close to people, but this lamagaia is allowing Asha near it.

And what does she wish when she looks at the lamagaia? She wishes that it was the spirit of her Nanijee.

So well done if you've got all those right.

Let's move on.

Now let's have a check for understanding.

The lamagaia is a very noticeable bird.

Is that true or false? That's right, it's true.

But why is it true? Is it A, it has very bright and colourful feathers, or B, it is a colossal size? Have a think.

Make your choice.

That's right, it's a colossal bird.

Very well done.

Let's move on.

Now what I would like you to do is to read back over the description of the spirit bird on pages 18 to 19 and draw a picture of what you think it looks like.

I want you to consider this as you draw it, the colours that are mentioned in the description, the description of the feathers, and the description of the size.

So what you need to do now is pause the video, draw your picture.

Really looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Off you go.

So welcome back.

Now here's a picture of a lamagaia.

It's also known as a bearded vulture.

I'm wondering, does your picture look like this? You can see how big it is and how powerful its wings are.

Fascinating-looking creature, isn't it? Well done.

Let's move on.

So we have read the extract, and now we are going on to understand the extract in a little bit more detail.

Now, just thinking about when we try to understand a text, we need to think about how the writer is using language in order to create a specific effect on the reader.

And once you have read through an extract once, like you just have, you should then return to the extract to examine certain words or phrases in more detail to consider why the writer is using them.

So in order to create an effect on the reader, the writer might use certain techniques such as light and colour imagery.

Remember imagery, words used to create pictures.

So light imagery is also where writer uses descriptions of light to influence the atmosphere of a scene.

For example, "The light dimmed before her eyes." And we generally associate light with happiness and clarity and positivity.

So when the light is fading or dimming, then the atmosphere becomes more negative or more mysterious.

So we've looked at light imagery.

Now we're gonna look at colour imagery.

Colour imagery is where the writer specifically chooses a certain shade or hue of a colour in order to influence the reader.

There is, for example, a difference in saying the ocean was a deep blue and azure.

So what is the difference? Well, a deep blue ocean might be ominous, leaving you wondering what lies beneath.

However, an azure ocean might seem more serene, reflecting the sky above it.

Let's have a check for understanding.

Is it true or false to say that light imagery can influence the atmosphere of a scene? Have a think.

If you said true, you are correct.

But why is it true? Is it A, images of light and sunlight can create a positive happy atmosphere, or images of light and sunlight can create a negative, unhappy atmosphere? What do you think? Have a think.

Make your choice.

That's right, it's A.

Well done.

Let's move on.

Now, I would like you to answer some questions on the writer's use of descriptive language.

I'm going to put them up now.

One, what is the effect of Asha meeting the lamagaia under the light of a half moon? Two, the bird's wings are described as being lit up by the moon.

What does that suggest? Three, what is the effect of describing the lamagaia's feathers as golden rather than saying blonde, or straw, or flaxen? Which are other words for golden.

So what you need to do now is pause the video and answer those questions.

It would be a really good idea to keep returning to the extract.

So when you're ready, off you go.

Well done.

Welcome back.

What fantastic focus.

I'm gonna put up the answers that you might have said.

So in response to question one, which is what's the effect of Asha meeting the lamagaia under the light of a half moon, you might have said something like this, is that we associate the moon with ideas of magic and the supernatural.

Therefore, the idea of meeting the lamagaia under the moonlight could suggest a magical atmosphere.

And question two, the bird's wings are described as being lit up by the moon.

What does this suggest? It suggests that the bird will bring happiness and hope to Asha.

It's a very positive image there.

Well done.

Let's look at question three, which was, what is the effect of describing the lamagaia's feathers as golden rather than blonde, straw, or flaxen? Well, choosing to use the word golden suggests that the lamagaia is something precious and valuable and beautiful, whereas the other synonyms for gold all suggests something more ordinary and less valuable.

Well done.

Really good thinking about how the writer is using language there.

Let's move on.

So we're making really good progress.

We've read the extract.

We've looked at the extract in detail, and now this is going to be your opportunity to respond to the extract.

What we're gonna do now is really zoom in on keywords.

So you can see that I have put three quotations from the extract here.

Silky, colossal and mesmerised.

Silky and colossal both describe the bird, and mesmerised describes Asha's response to the bird.

And what I want you to think about are the connotations of those words, by which I mean the feelings and the associations that those words generate in you.

Okay? So you're going to need to pause the video to have a bit of a think, and then we can share some ideas.

Off you go.

Okay, so welcome back.

Here's some ideas I'd like to share with you.

So silky.

Now that might suggest that the bird is gentle and that it is very beautiful and that it's precious.

You know, beautiful fabric is silky, and it's a very gentle fabric to feel.

So that's some of the connotations.

But the bird is also colossal.

It is powerful.

It is huge.

It is intimidating.

Those are all words that are suggested by something that is colossal.

Colossal isn't automatically a negative word.

It can be colossal and magnificent, colossal and wonderful.

It can be colossal and intimidating.

So you can see that the bird is an interesting mixture of sort of gentle and powerful and precious and intimidating.

And Asha is mesmerised.

And if you are mesmerised, it's like you are hypnotised.

Mesmerising is like an old-fashioned word of hypnotism.

And it means that she sees the bird as alluring and magical and as if it's casting a spell on her.

What brilliant ideas you came up with.

Well done.

Let's move on.

So what we're going to do now is consider how to create a topic sentence in order to show our response to the extract.

Now, you may have come across the term topic sentence before, and it was one of our key words.

Let's make sure that we're all, all understand what it means.

That's right.

A topic sentence introduces the main idea of your paragraph.

It clearly tells the reader what your idea is.

And there are some guidelines for a good topic sentence.

So a good topic sentence should explain the specific focus of the paragraph.

And it should be concise, which means short and clear.

And it should reference the writer's name.

So that's what the three things that would be expected of you if you are writing a good topic sentence.

Now, Laura has chosen to focus on the word mesmerised and the idea of the lamagaia appearing under the half moon.

She thinks that this may suggest that the bird is magical.

So how do you think that Laura could write her topic sentence to this question? How does Bilan present the spirit bird? Remembering what a topic sentence should need, how should her sentence go? Have a think about that.

You can pause the video while you have a think or jot down what that topic sentence should be like.

So Laura's topic sentence might be this, "Bilan may be presenting the bird as magical." Does it do what a topic sentence should? It includes the writer's name, and it clearly and concisely shows her idea, that the presentation is there to make you understand that the bird is magical.

Let's have a check for understanding to see that we really truly understand what a topic sentence is.

So which one of the following success criteria does not belong in a topic sentence? Is it A, include detailed language analysis, B, explain the main focus of the paragraph, C, reference the writer's name clearly, D, be concise, explain the idea in a short and clear way? So have a think.

Make your choice.

Did you say A? Yes.

A topic sentence doesn't include detailed language analysis.

Very well done.

Let's move on.

It's over to you now.

Your task is to write a topic sentence to answer the question, how does Bilan present the lamagaia in the extract? Remember that a topic sentence should explain the focus of the paragraph.

Be concise.

That means be short and clear.

And clearly reference the writer's name.

So when you are ready, gather your thoughts, gather your notes, pause the video and write your topic sentence.

Off you go.

Welcome back.

I just want to say how fantastically focused you were when doing that task.

Well done.

Now I want you to self-assess your topic sentence.

I'm gonna give you some questions for you to think about, to see if you did them, did it correctly.

Did you explain the focus of the paragraph? Did you keep it concise? Was it short and clear? And was the writer's name clearly mentioned? So have a look at your work.

If there's anything you didn't do, like maybe you think you sort of explained the focus of the paragraph, but you weren't crystal clear about what that paragraph was going to be about, the exact way in which Bilan is presenting the spirit bird.

Take this time to make some adjustments and tweaks and amendments.

Pause the video while you do that and then join us when you're ready.

Now, before we say goodbye, I'd like to have a short summary of what you have been learning today.

So in today's lesson about meeting a fantastical creature, you have learned to use your first read through of an unseen extract to establish ideas about plot and characters, and to use your second read through to examine words or phrases in more detail to consider the writer's intention.

You will always read an extract more than once.

You'll always read it several times.

You've also learned that light imagery is where the writer uses descriptions of light in order to influence the atmosphere.

Colour imagery is where the writer makes specific vocabulary choices, that's word choices, in order to influence the reader.

And topic sentences, which you have the opportunity to practise, they introduce the main idea of a paragraph and clearly tell the reader what your idea is.

I'd like to thank you for coming, today's lesson, for your hard work and your focus.

I wish you a brilliant rest of the day, and I hope to see you again in another lesson.

Bye for now.