Hello and welcome to today's lesson.

Thank you so much for joining me.

It's great to have so many of you here.

My name's Ms. Halladay and I'll be teaching you today.

In today's lesson, we are going to start refining our creative writing skills as we work towards creating our very own Gothic description.

So really exciting content in today's lesson, and I can't wait to get started.

So let's do just that now.

So today's lesson is called Using Semantic Fields to Create Atmosphere.

And by the end of today's lesson, you will be able to use semantic fields to create a really restrictive atmosphere.

I'm going to have a look through the lesson at exactly how you can do that.

Here are some keywords that you'll need for today's lesson.

Starting off with probably the most important keyword for today, which is semantic field because our whole lesson hinges around how to use semantic field.

Now, a semantic field is a group of words that all share similar meaning, and we'll have a look at examples of those in today's lesson.

So don't worry if you're not quite sure what I mean just yet.

Now, within a semantic field, many of the words can share similar connotations as well.

And connotations are the associations that we make with a word.

So what the word reminds us of.

So for example, the word dove reminds me of peace because doves are often used as a symbol of peace.

Now, using a semantic field can really help you to create very vivid imagery and vivid means producing strong, clear images in your reader's mind.

And finally, a slightly different keyword from the others is oppressive.

And if something is oppressive, it makes people feel uncomfortable or it is cruel and unfair.

And in today's lesson, we are going to focus on how to create a really restrictive and oppressive semantic field that is very typical of the Gothic genre.

If you'd like to take a moment to pause the video and write down any of those definitions, then please feel free to do just that now.

Here's today's lesson outline.

We're going to begin by looking at how to select vocabulary really effectively and appropriately before moving on to practising using a semantic field.

But let's start first of all by selecting vocab.

So semantic fields can be really effective in establishing a very restrictive or foreboding kind of atmosphere that's really typical of Gothic literature.

And if we think of many of the Gothic texts that we've looked at thus far, so Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, both Bronte and Shelley make really good use of semantic fields to create these very Gothic atmospheres that are characterised by the sense of foreboding that the reader gets when they read them.

And I'd like you to discuss, first of all, well what actually is a semantic field? So let's see how much of the keyword slide you can already remember.

Pause the video and discuss that with the people around you now.

Brilliant work and we're going to hear from one of our Oak pupils, Alex, and see what he has to say about semantic fields.

So Alex says, well, "A semantic field is a group of words that all share similar meanings.

Within this, we do have to remember that words have literal but also underlying meanings, and these are the connotations of a word." So as I said earlier, connotations do come into semantic fields because we have to consider whether the connotations of the different words that share meanings match as well.

So let's check for understanding before we move on, which of the following would be semantic fields? So I'm going to encourage you now to pause the video while you read through the different answer options and make your choice, pause the video and off you go.

And fantastic if you selected A and B.

Red, yellow, lilac, blue and black are all united by meaning because they're all colours.

So that makes them a semantic field.

And answer option B is also a semantic field and I'd like to check your understanding of that now.

So, true or false? Distanced, separation, hurt, torn, broken and heartache, which you might recognise as answer option B from the previous check for understanding is a semantic field of loss.

I'm going to give you a moment now to decide whether you think that statement is true or whether you think that it's false.

So pause the video and make your answer selection now.

And a massive well done if you've selected that it is in fact true.

Now for the difficult part where I'm going to ask you to justify your answer using one of the two options below.

So I'm going to give you a moment now to pause the video while you read both answer options and decide which you think is the correct justification for the above statement being true.

Off you go.

And a massive congratulations if you correctly selected answer option B.

This statement is true, so this is a semantic field of loss because each of these words reminds us of loss in some way so they have a shared meaning.

So well done if you've got answer option B.

Fantastic work.

Here is a paragraph of descriptive writing with some missing words, and this is what we're going to be building up throughout the lesson to completing.

So by the end of the lesson, you will have completed this activity.

Now we're not going to do it all in one go because we're going to walk through how to create a semantic field together.

And then at the end of the lesson, I will release you to go and practise creating your own semantic field using this paragraph with missing words.

So as I said, we are going to work through together to decide which words should fill the blanks.

We're not going to do them all because as I said, you are going to have a go at doing this yourself independently at the end of the lesson.

But I just wanted to show you this because this is what we're going to be working towards together and individually.

Now we're looking here to create a semantic field of restriction because that is really typical of the Gothic genre and this is a Gothic description.

So what I'd like you to discuss now is, well, we know that the narrator feels restricted and we also know that we're trying to create this kind of impression of restriction for the reader as well.

So how does the description of the landscape already echo that idea of restriction? So I'm going to invite you now to read through the description.

I know there are words missing, but you can still kind of look at how the setting is characterised as restricted anyway.

So pause the video, have a read of the description and discuss how you think you can already see that kind of idea of restriction in this setting, off you go.

Fantastic discussions.

And I really enjoyed hearing this idea of pressure and I heard somebody pull out this phrase almost fit to burst with rain and talk about how that kind of shows the pressure that the landscape is under.

And I really like that idea because pressure and restriction are kind of off the same category.

They're both kind of stop people from moving properly or they kind of make people feel claustrophobic and trapped.

And those feelings of claustrophobia and entrapment are really typical of the Gothic genre.

So well done if you brought that up in your discussion.

Great work.

So as we know, we are trying to create this really restrictive atmosphere and in order to do that we need to create the impression that the moon is dominant and oppressive.

So therefore we need to use a semantic field of control and restriction to describe the moon in this extract.

So, Lucas in response to Alex's advice says, well, "I've got the perfect word to go in the first gap and it's hovered!" So let's try that out now and see what we think.

The moon hovered over the desolate landscape beneath.

Now, as Alex points out, hovered means to hang or float in the air.

So Alex says, "I'm not really sure that this is the best choice of word, Lucas." And Alex would now like you to discuss why that's true? So why is this not the best choice of word? And in order to do that, you're going to have to think carefully about what the connotations of that word hovered are and whether you think they're appropriate in creating that restrictive and controlling atmosphere that we're looking to create here.

So I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while you discuss that with the people around you and gather some ideas together to share with the group.

Off you go.

Brilliant work.

And it was great to hear so many of you using the word connotations really appropriately and accurately in your discussions there.

Fantastic work.

So Alex points out here, well, "We tend to use the word hovered to describe birds or people when they're a little bit nervous.

So for example, you might say he hovered at the door.

Now this doesn't create the impression that the moon is in any way oppressive or dominant, and therefore it's not really an appropriate word choice because we need a real much stronger word that has much more menacing connotations." So Alex has asked you to help Lucas out here and get involved by suggesting a different word that you might use instead of the word hovered.

And we are here looking for a verb, so make sure that your suggestion is a verb because that is the only type of word that will fit in this gap.

So again, I'm going to invite you to pause the video where you have a brainstorm with the people around you and try to come up with an alternative word that we could fill this gap with.

Off you go.

Fantastic work.

Now, Lucas heard all your suggestions and he really liked loomed the best.

So he says, okay, well what about loomed then? And I'd like you now to discuss that word choice that Lucas has put forward and and have a discussion about whether you think that's a more appropriate word choice than hovered.

And if so, why is it more appropriate or why is it less appropriate? And again, I'd really like to hear some of you using that word connotations to discuss the word loomed.

So I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while you have those discussions with the people around you now.

Again, some really brilliant discussions and even more people using that word connotations accurately.

So a huge well done.

Now Alex weighed in on this conversation and he said, yeah, "Brilliant, Lucas! "Loomed" is a much better verb choice because it creates a more threatening impression of the moon as if it's almost watching over the landscape in an intimidating way." So that kind of does contribute to this atmosphere of control and restriction.

The word loomed also implies the sheer size of the moon, which portrays it as physically dominant.

So here Alex is suggesting that that word loomed is a much more appropriate verb choice.

So onto the first task of the lesson now.

When creating a semantic field, it can be really useful to start to consider the vocabulary that you might use before you begin writing.

So as Lucas points out, well, "Let's brainstorm some words then that mean, or that show this idea of control and restriction." So what I'd like you to do now is in groups, or you can do this individually if you're not working with anybody else, that's fine.

I'd like you to try and make a list of adjectives and verbs that you could use in your description to portray the moon as really controlling and dominant and restrictive in your description.

So here's an example.

You might say that this word smothered shows that that element of control or dominance because if one thing is smothering the other, then it kind of creates a power situation in where one object has more power over the other.

So that would be effective in showing us that control or dominance of the moon there.

So I'm going to invite you to pause a video while you brainstorm and get as many ideas together that mean or show control as possible.

So pause the video and off you go.

I can't wait to hear all of your suggestions when we come back together as a group.

Brilliant work and it was great to see so many of your pinching ideas and vocabulary from each other because that's exactly what this task was all about.

It's about broadening your vocabulary horizons and exposing yourself to words that you might not have heard before from other people.

So really well done for being so open to borrowing and stealing vocab from other people.

Great work.

So here are some words that would fit within a semantic field of control or restriction.

And I'd like you to add any words that you didn't get to your list because you might need to use them later.

The more words that you have, the more informed decisions you can make about which ones to use.

So obviously we started off with that example of smothered, which we've already talked about.

Now this word watchful, really effective 'cause it implies one thing is kind of really sternly observing another, so therefore that thing has more power.

Strangled again, implies that element of dominance because one thing is kind of powerless against another.

Dominated itself is a great word to use, shows that element of control.

Intimidating again, that shows that kind of psychological presence of something or also the physical presence of something.

So it shows that idea of control and restriction, again.

Imprisoned again, really effective word to show control and dominance.

If you're locking something up, you are trapping it, you're making something feel powerless.

Threatened again, another brilliant word.

Another brilliant word here, harsh.

Again, you could use that as an adjective to show how controlling or how restrictive or how dominant something is being over something else.

If you are allowing someone to do something that implies again that you have more power and that you have to give them permission to move or to speak or to breathe or whatever it is.

Ordered, again, real connotations of control and dominance there.

Confined again, that feeling of claustrophobia that you might get if you were being controlled or restricted.

And finally, I love this word enslaved because I think it is really effective in showing the dominance or control of one thing over another.

So any of these words will be really effective in creating that semantic field of restriction and control.

And as I said, if you didn't get any of these words, please add them to your own notes so that you can use them later in the lesson.

So under the second part of the lesson now where we're going to have a look at you actually using a semantic field and experimenting with your choices of vocabulary.

So I'm really excited for this part of the lesson.

So here are two sentences from the incomplete paragraph that I showed you earlier in the lesson.

So we've got the moon loomed over the desolate landscape beneath.

Its light was something against the backdrop of the ink-black sky.

Now what we're going to have a go at doing is substituting different words into this gap and having a look at why these words might be or might not be appropriate.

So let's start with this word breathtaking.

So we've got it's a light was breathtaking against the backdrop of the ink-black sky.

And I'd like you to consider, well why is the word breathtaking not really appropriate in this context? And I'd like you to think, well, what are the connotations of the word breathtaking? So I'm going to give you some discussion time now and encourage you to pause the video while you have those conversations with the people around you and before we share some ideas as a group.

So pause the video and off you go.

Some brilliant discussions there and many of you hitting the nail on the head that actually this word breathtaking has much more positive connotations than we want for this kind of description.

It's got distinctly positive connotations.

We describe something really beautiful or mesmerising or enchanting as breathtaking.

Now here, we're writing a Gothic description.

So we're trying to create an ominous and foreboding atmosphere.

And therefore the word breathtaking is far too positive to use in this context.

So because that's an inappropriate word choice, Alex and I would like you to try and come up with an alternative word that we might use that is more appropriate to the atmosphere that we're trying to create, which is this restrictive, controlling dominant atmosphere.

So I'd like you to discuss with the people around you and make suggestions as to words that you could use to fill this gap.

Now in this case we're looking for an adjective, okay? Because breathtaking is an adjective.

So we're looking to describe the light of the moon.

So I'm going to invite you to pause the video while you have those conversations and suggest different adjectives that might be more appropriate to fill this gap with the people around you.

Off you go.

Fantastic work and a real diverse range of suggestions there.

Now I'm going to take a few of the suggestions that I heard you mention and we're going to explore why some of them do work and why some of them might not work as effectively.

So let's experiment with some of the vocabulary that you just came up with.

So for each word that we put in the gap, I would like you to explain how it changes and shapes our impression of the moon.

So here's our basic two sentences and the first word that we're going to have a look at that I heard you come up with is this word blinding, which I actually really like.

So its light was blinding against the backdrop of the ink-black sky.

So what I'd like you to think now is, well, how does this word blinding shape our impression of the moon? Why might this be a decent vocabulary choice? So I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while I discuss that word blinding and what you think about it in this context with the people around you.

Off you go.

Fantastic discussions.

Let's hear from Alex and see what he thinks about this word choice.

So he says, well, "Here I get the impression that the moon is extremely powerful because it's light is blinding." So here we can see that this is a decent vocabulary choice.

However, I still think that we might be able to do a little better.

So this isn't wrong and this does work.

However, I'm all about pushing ourselves and I think that we can still do a little bit better than this.

So yes, it works, but I still think we should be more ambitious.

So let's see what's up next.

So next up, we've got this word overwhelming.

So we've got its light was overwhelming against the backdrop of the ink-black sky.

So again, I'm going to invite you to pause the video while I discuss with the people around you how using this word and this adjective shapes our impression of the moon.

Do we think it's more appropriate than blinding or less appropriate than blinding? So pause the video and discuss that with the people around you now.

Again, some brilliant discussions and it's lovely to see so many of you really evaluating the two different options and saying, well, whilst one is this, on the other hand, the other one is this.

So it's great to see you being really judicious with your word choices here.

Now Alex points out that for him overwhelming is not a good adjective choice here.

And I have to agree with Alex because actually, the word overwhelming can be used positively or negatively.

You can be overwhelmed with joy and excitement, but you can also be overwhelmed with grief or sadness or confusion.

So here, we don't feel that the word overwhelming is specific enough to contribute to creating that restrictive atmosphere.

And I think that this is a really good point from Alex because actually, when you are writing descriptive pieces, I would try to avoid words that can be used in a neutral sense unless you clarify how they're being used.

So you might say overwhelmingly, you know, blinding or overwhelmingly joyous.

And in that sense, you are clarifying how that more neutral word is being used in the context.

But I will try to avoid using neutral words without clarifying whether you are going positive or negative in your use of that word.

So thank you to Alex for that great point.

And I think it's definitely one to take forward and remember, later in the lesson when you come to create your own semantic field.

So the last answer option that has been suggested was this word oppressive, which I heard many of you bring up because it was one of our keywords of the lesson.

So let's have a look at why this might work better.

So Alex has asked you to consider with the people around you, well actually if we put this word oppressive up against that word blinding, why might the word oppressive work better here than the word blinding? So I'm going to invite you to pause a video while you have that discussion with the people around you or jot some ideas down if you're working independently.

Off you go.

Fantastic discussions.

And it's great to see so many of you using your evaluation skills again to weigh up two words and evaluate which one you think was better.

So it was great to hear so many of you saying that actually, we are aiming to use a semantic field of control and therefore oppressive is more appropriate because it's much more suggestive of control than the word blinding, which is actually, if we think about it, probably more suggestive of pain.

So a massive well done 'cause I did hear some of you saying that and it's a very perceptive difference between the two words.

So a huge well done for identifying that slight, slight difference there.

So let's check for understanding before we move on, true or false? Where possible, you should try to make word choices that fit within your semantic field.

I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while you decide whether you think that's true or whether you think that it's false.

So pause the video and off you go.

And a massive well done if you correctly identified that it is in fact true, we should always try to make word choices that fit within our semantic field.

And now I'd like you to justify your answer by choosing one of the different justifications that are on screen now.

So I'm going to invite you to pause the video while you read both suggestions and decide which you think is the correct justification for the above statement being true.

So pause the video and off you go.

And a massive file done if you selected A, using semantic fields and choosing words within those semantic fields that fit is really important because it allows you to create a much more vivid depiction of what you are describing for your reader.

Okay, so creating those really strong images in the reader's mind there.

Now answer option B is wrong because actually, good writing isn't about making it more impressive for the reader.

Writing is an experience for the reader.

And in order to create that experience, it's not through showing off your use of language methods, it's through how you use language and how you combine language together to create really vivid depictions of what you're trying to describe for your reader.

So well done if you identified that the answer is A and not B, great work.

So once our last task of the lesson, and remember I said we were working towards completing this task individually by going through some of the earlier answers together and exploring different vocabulary options.

So here is our incomplete paragraph from earlier in the lesson, and we filled in the first few gaps together.

So those have been done for you.

So I'm just going to read the rest of the answer to you so that you can hear the description and start to think about what vocabulary choices you might want to make here.

So we've got the moon loomed over the desolate landscape beneath.

Its light was oppressive against the backdrop of the ink-black sky.

Though I couldn't see them, I imagined the dark clouds above, almost--fit-to-burst with rain, but something closed by the gloom, which seemed to wrap itself around everything, muffling any sound and dimming any light that might something that of the moon.

The whole landscape was something to her, the glowing orb of something white light that cast something shadows along the ground, illuminating the tapestry of decaying foliage.

The bed of brown leaves, whose edges were shrivelled and dried from something out for a sun that wasn't strong enough, crunched and cracked as I tiptoed across them, desperately trying to remain in the darkness and away from the moon something luminous light.

Okay, a very ominous and already quite, you know, restrictive and foreboding atmosphere being created there.

So what I'd like you to do, as I said at the beginning of the lesson, is now fill the gaps using words which really contribute to that semantic field of control and restriction.

Now remember to think carefully about your word choices and you are welcome to use some of the words we collected earlier in the lesson if they are appropriate and you use them accurately.

So here are some of those words now, we've got confined, ordered, to allow, watchful, enslaved, intimidating, dominated.

I'm not going to read them all out as I've already gone through them with you, but there are some of the words from earlier in the lesson that you might want to use.

I also really want to encourage you to use your own vocabulary too, because this task is about experimenting.

Alex is right, and therefore try to use different words and see which you think fits best.

So this is all about experimentation.

Don't be afraid to try a different word that you might not have used before.

Let's see what word fits best here and which word kind of most contributes to creating that atmosphere of control and semantic field of restriction.

So I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while you have a go at completing the gaps in our incomplete paragraph from earlier in the lesson.

I cannot wait to see what you come up with.

I'm really excited to read your descriptions.

So pause the video and off you go.

Fantastic work.

So here are some of the words that you might have chosen to use.

The moon loomed over the desolate landscape beneath.

Its light was oppressive against the backdrop of the ink-black sky.

Though I couldn't see them, I imagine the dark clouds above, almost-fit-to-burst with rain, but strangled closed by the gloom, which seemed to wrap itself around everything, muffling any sound and dimming any light that might threaten that of the moon.

The whole landscape was enslaved to her.

The glowing orb of harsh white light that cast watchful shadows along the ground, illuminating the tapestry of decaying foliage.

The bed of brown leaves whose edges were shrivelled and dried from crying out for a sun that wasn't strong enough, crunched and cracked as I tiptoed across them, desperately trying to remain in the darkness and away from the moon's brutal, luminous light.

So as I'm sure you can see there some really kind of strong words that are very suggestive of control or restriction.

So the semantic field there has been created really effectively.

Now, what I'd like you to think now is, well, I'd like you to choose one of the words and I'd like you to explain to somebody else why you chose it.

And in order to do that, I'd like you to think about the connotations of that word and how it fits within your semantic field, and equally how it contributes to creating this atmosphere of restriction, control and oppression.

So I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while you have a go at explaining one of your word choices to someone else.

Off you go.

Brilliant, thank you so much.

Let's come back together.

And I always think it's really important to kind of consider why you chose a word, because that's what conscious vocabulary choice is and means.

Okay, so this was a really useful activity for you to really evaluate whether you think you chose the most appropriate word for that context, and hopefully by explaining it to somebody else, you were able to get clarity on that.

So a massive well done for being so reflective about your work.

It's great to see that.

So to summarise the learning from today, well first of all, we know that a semantic field is a group of words that all share similar meaning, and that semantic fields can be really helpful in creating vivid imagery.

Now, it can be really useful to plan your use of vocabulary within the semantic field before you start writing.

So brainstorming those different ideas that will help you to create your desired semantic field.

And finally, when making a vocabulary choice, it can be really useful to consider the context in which this word is usually used to see whether it's connotations align with the impression that you're trying to create.

So is the word that you're choosing really the most appropriate and the most effective in creating the impression of the scene or the atmosphere that you're trying to create? I'd like to thank you for coming to today's lesson and engaging so proactively in your learning.

It's been fantastic to share ideas with you and to see how your vocabulary has developed throughout the course of the lesson.

Thank you very much for your contributions and I look forward to seeing you next time.

See you later.