New
New
Year 6

Retelling the story of 'Beowulf and the dragon'

I can create a detailed text map of the story of 'Beowulf and the dragon' and I can use this to orally retell the build-up, climax and resolution of this story.

New
New
Year 6

Retelling the story of 'Beowulf and the dragon'

I can create a detailed text map of the story of 'Beowulf and the dragon' and I can use this to orally retell the build-up, climax and resolution of this story.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. We are going to be writing a narrative retelling of most of the story of 'Beowulf and the dragon'.
  2. We will be covering the build-up, climax and resolution of this mini-story.
  3. To be ready to write, we need to know the events really well. To do this, we can create a text map.
  4. We can use the text map to rehearse saying the events we will cover.
  5. We can also use it for storytelling - saying the events out loud as if telling a story.

Keywords

  • Events - plot points or things that happen in a story or text

  • Text map - a visual representation of a series of events, where pictures represent events

  • Storytelling - saying an oral version of a story out loud, perhaps using notes or a text map to help

Common misconception

Pupils may find it difficult to remember the events of the narrative.

You may wish to work with a group of pupils to create a shared text map together, meaning it will be easier for you to rehearse with these pupils, modelling the process using a shared text map instead of individual ones.

Give pupils repeated opportunities during any spare learning time to practise storytelling using their text maps, including during or after the next two lessons and before they come to write each section.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need a copy of the 2013 Oxford Children’s Classics edition of ‘Beowulf’ written by Kevin Crossley-Holland and illustrated by Charles Keeping for this lesson.

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.
Which of the below were true of warriors in Anglo-Saxon culture?
Correct answer: they were respected
Correct answer: they had to fight for the king
Correct answer: they owned land farmed by peasants
they were kings
Q2.
How did Anglo-Saxons show their respect for warriors?
Correct answer: the king would reward them with wealth and land
Correct answer: people would tell their stories
they would be allowed to return to Europe
Correct answer: they would be given elaborate burials
Q3.
Put the elements of the story structure in order.
1 - opening
2 - build-up
3 - climax
4 - resolution
Q4.
How is 'Beowulf' best described?
one main story made up of four mini-stories
three main stories each containing three mini-stories
Correct answer: one main story made up of three mini-stories
Q5.
Put the three mini-stories that make up 'Beowulf' in order.
1 - Beowulf and Grendel
2 - Beowulf and Grendel's mother
3 - Beowulf and the dragon
Q6.
Put the events from the final mini-story - Beowulf and the dragon - in order.
1 - Beowulf has been king of Geatland for many years.
2 - A dragon is provoked to attack the Geat stronghold and burn it down.
3 - Beowulf argues he should be the one to fight it.
4 - Beowulf tries to fight the dragon, but he struggles until Wiglaf helps him.
5 - Beowulf is able to slit the dragon's throat and kill it.

6 Questions

Q1.
Which part of the story is being described here? 'A dragon attacks the stronghold and Beowulf is determined to defeat it himself.'
opening
Correct answer: build-up
climax
resolution
Q2.
Which part of the story is being described here? 'Beowulf tries to kill the dragon, but can’t; he is clamped in the dragon’s jaws.'
opening
build-up
Correct answer: climax
resolution
Q3.
What is the resolution in the story of Beowulf and the dragon?
when Beowulf becomes king of the Geats
when Beowulf is in the dragon's jaws
Correct answer: when Beowulf kills the dragon
when Wiglaf comes to help Beowulf
Q4.
Which event below follows this one? 'Beowulf saw the damage to the stronghold and he wanted to fight the dragon.'
Beowulf took some men to the dragon's cave.
Correct answer: Wiglaf protested that he was too old.
Beowulf banged on the stone to make the dragon come out.
Wiglaf stabbed the dragon in the belly.
Q5.
Which of these are true of a text map?
Correct answer: We can use it help us learn the events of the story.
Each picture represents one word in the story we will write.
Correct answer: We can use it to help us story-tell to prepare to write.
Correct answer: It's okay to use a mixture of pictures, words and letters.
Q6.
What is the best way to use your text map to make writing easier?
Correct answer: repeatedly practise saying the story aloud using your text map
rewrite the text map several times
rewrite the text map more artistically