New
New
Year 1

The theme of happiness in 'Anna Hibiscus' Song'

I can link a story to my own feelings and experiences.

New
New
Year 1

The theme of happiness in 'Anna Hibiscus' Song'

I can link a story to my own feelings and experiences.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Recalling events in the story helps to summarise the most important parts
  2. The actions of a character are what the character does or says
  3. This story is different from traditional tales because it does not have a clear beginning, middle and end
  4. Instead, this story follows each family member and the discussions that the main character has with them
  5. This story demonstrates there are different ways to show happiness and explores the themes of family and happiness

Keywords

  • Theme - a main idea that the writer wants to focus on

  • Character - a person or animal in a story

  • Setting - where a story takes place

  • Plot - what happens in a story

  • Emotion - a feeling or mood

Common misconception

Pupils may struggle to distinguish between what makes them happy and what they do to stay happy.

Use examples from your own experiences. Discuss that our feelings may change, but there are strategies you use to keep a positive mood going. Emphasise all of the things that the characters do to help to keep their happiness going.

Dedicate a large part of the lesson to re-reading and discussing the whole story. After re-reading the story, take a class vote about which thing they would do to help their happiness to grow to start to compare opinions, feelings and ideas. You could create a tally chart to show it.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of the 2012 Walker Books edition of 'Anna Hibiscus' Song' by Atinuke.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
The __________ in the story 'Anna Hibiscus' Song' is called Anna.
setting
plot
author
Correct answer: character
Q2.
The __________ in the story is Nigeria, Africa.
Correct answer: setting
plot
character
author
Q3.
The __________ of the story 'Anna Hibiscus' Song' is Atinuke.
character
setting
plot
Correct answer: author
Q4.
Which adjectives could describe how Anna is feeling on the front cover of the story?
Correct answer: calm
lonely
Correct answer: relaxed
Correct answer: happy
angry
Q5.
Which of these are ways the characters stay happy?
Correct answer: dancing
going to the shops
Correct answer: counting
shouting
Q6.
What makes Anna happy in the story 'Anna Hibiscus' Song'?
trips to the beach
Correct answer: her family
going to the shops
playing on her own

6 Questions

Q1.
Which emotion is explored in the story?
sadness
anger
boredom
Correct answer: happiness
Q2.
Match each character to what makes them happy in the story.
Correct Answer:Uncle Tunde,dancing

dancing

Correct Answer:Mama,hugging

hugging

Correct Answer:Cousins,gymnastics

gymnastics

Q3.
Summarising focuses on the __________ points of a story.
small
boring
Correct answer: main
Q4.
Put the main events of the story in the correct order.
1 - Anna watches her family quietly from a tree.
2 - Anna asks each family member what makes them happy.
3 - Anna sings a song about her family's happiness.
Q5.
Which emotions are positive emotions?
sadness
anger
Correct answer: excitement
Correct answer: happiness
Q6.
Why is 'Anna Hibiscus' Song' different to traditional tales?
It doesn't have any illustrations.
It doesn't have any words.
Correct answer: It doesn't have a problem to solve.
It doesn't have any characters.