New
New
Year 6

Making comparisons

I can compare Addie’s experiences at different places in the book ‘A Kind of Spark’ and I can compare characters between different texts.

New
New
Year 6

Making comparisons

I can compare Addie’s experiences at different places in the book ‘A Kind of Spark’ and I can compare characters between different texts.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. When we give our opinion about a text, we often need to justify our view with evidence or explanations.
  2. Specific language choices are made by the author to convey meaning.
  3. We can compare characters within and between texts, including the same character at different points in a text.
  4. Making these comparisons helps us to understand characters better.

Keywords

  • Justify - give an explanation or evidence to support our view

  • Language choices - the conscious decisions an author makes to use certain words to have a certain effect or convey a certain meaning to the reader

  • Compare - identify similarities and differences between two things, ideas, concepts or texts

Common misconception

Pupils may label characters like Emily and Miss Murphy as simply 'bad', instead of trying to see their motivations.

Emphasise that giving reasons for someone's actions is not the same as excusing them; most things we do have a reason - that reason might just be a bad one!

After this lesson and before the next one, read chapters 17 and 18 of the book. Due to the sensitive nature of the content, you may wish to read to pupils or plan additional lessons to cover these chapters.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need a copy of the 2020 Knights Of edition of ‘A Kind of Spark’ written by Elle McNicoll, illustrated by Kay Wilson, for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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.
Match the words to their meanings.
Correct Answer:relent,give in

give in

Correct Answer:pardoning,saying someone is innocent

saying someone is innocent

Correct Answer:masking,when autistic people try to 'blend in'

when autistic people try to 'blend in'

Correct Answer:overstimulated,overwhelmed by sensations

overwhelmed by sensations

Q2.
Match the words to their meanings.
Correct Answer:wavers,becomes less certain

becomes less certain

Correct Answer:titters,quiet laughs

quiet laughs

Correct Answer:indignant,annoyed at being treated unfairly

annoyed at being treated unfairly

Correct Answer:comically,in a way that seems funny

in a way that seems funny

Q3.
Why did Addie travel to Edinburgh?
to investigate the Witch Trials
to see Keedie
Correct answer: to give Keedie her card
because she wanted to get Nina in trouble
Q4.
How is Bonnie's situation similar to that of the 'witches'?
she was accused of breaking the law
Correct answer: she has been punished for being 'different'
Correct answer: she is powerless to help herself
she was accused of being married to the devil
Q5.
Whose perspective might this be written from? 'Thank goodness Addie's safe; I can't believe Nina would be so disobedient to me!'
Keedie
Dad
Correct answer: Mum
Nina
Q6.
Which of the following might be part of Keedie's perspective on events at the university?
Correct answer: Anything could have happened - just for a stupid card!
Correct answer: What on Earth was Nina thinking?
I can't understand why on Earth Addie thought she needed to come.
Correct answer: I feel so guilty: what if she'd got hurt coming to help me?

6 Questions

Q1.
Which word best completes the following sentence? 'Emily __________ Addie's personal possessions.'
relished
Correct answer: violated
tried
mortified
Q2.
Which word best completes the following sentence? 'Addie was __________ into violence by Emily's actions.'
defaced
remorse
ableist
Correct answer: provoked
Q3.
Who tried to stop Addie's thesaurus being defaced?
Jenna
Miss Murphy
Mr Allison
Correct answer: Audrey
Q4.
What information did Miss Murphy hold back from Nina and Keedie in their meeting?
that Addie had hit Emily
Correct answer: that Addie's thesaurus had been defaced
that Addie was going to be suspended
that she had taught Keedie as well
Q5.
Why does Keedie describe Miss Murphy as 'ableist'?
because she doesn't like Keedie
Correct answer: because she treats autistic children badly
because Addie hit Emily
because she gives autistic children special treatment
Q6.
Whose reactions in the meeting are most shocking to the reader?
Keedie's
Correct answer: Nina's
Addie's
Miss Murphy's