New
New
Year 4

Exploring and engaging with themes in 'Escape from Pompeii'

I can identify and engage with the key themes in ‘Escape from Pompeii’.

New
New
Year 4

Exploring and engaging with themes in 'Escape from Pompeii'

I can identify and engage with the key themes in ‘Escape from Pompeii’.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story.
  2. Themes can leave us with ideas and questions that we reflect on after reading the text.
  3. The theme of remembrance is conveyed through Tranio and Livia’s return to the mountain in the resolution.
  4. Fluent readers can process text swiftly and efficiently.

Common misconception

Less confident readers may find reading aloud challenging in a whole class context.

More confident readers could be partnered up with lesser-confident pupils, with a copy of the two double page spreads to refer to.

Keywords

  • Remembrance - Remembrance is thinking about and honouring people or events from the past.

  • Fluency - Reading fluency refers to the ability to read a text accurately, smoothly and with appropriate expression.

  • Expression - Reading with expression means reading with feelings and emotion to bring the words to life.

  • Convey - To convey means to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly.

  • Theme - A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story.

Adults may wish to highlight specific literary devices if they are discussed during the analysis of pages 19-22. Pupils could research the answers to their questions in Task B after the lesson.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need a copy of the 2005 Frances Lincoln Children's Books edition of ‘Escape from Pompeii’ written and illustrated by Christina Balit, for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of upsetting content

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).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the details from the text.
Correct Answer:characters,Tranio and Livia

Tranio and Livia

Correct Answer:plot,the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79

the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79

Correct Answer:setting,Pompeii

Pompeii

Q2.
What form is 'Escape from Pompeii' presented in?
graphic novel
poetry collection
Correct answer: picturebook
Q3.
What genre best fits 'Escape from Pompeii'?
Correct answer: historical fiction
science fiction
fantasy
humour
Q4.
Which of the following best describes a theme within a text?
a person’s reasons for doing something
a point in the narrative where the excitement reaches its highest point
Correct answer: a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story.
Q5.
True or False? Tranio and Livia return to the mountain to pay their respects.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q6.
Order the following story structure elements.
1 - opening
2 - build-up
3 - climax
4 - resolution

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:remembrance,thinking about and honouring people or events from the past

thinking about and honouring people or events from the past

Correct Answer:fluency,the ability to read a text accurately, smoothly and with expression

the ability to read a text accurately, smoothly and with expression

Correct Answer:convey,means to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly

means to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly

Q2.
Reading with expression means...
reading at the same pace.
Correct answer: reading with feelings and emotion to bring the words to life.
reading at the same volume.
Q3.
Reading fluency refers to being able to read...
Correct answer: ...with expression.
...loudly.
Correct answer: ...smoothly.
Correct answer: ...accurately.
...each syllable.
Q4.
Which of the following are some of the important features of reading fluency?
still or neutral expression
the same tone on every word
Correct answer: facial expressions
Correct answer: emphasis on certain phrases or speech
Q5.
True or false? Themes are explicitly stated within a text.
Correct Answer: False, false
Q6.
Select the themes that might be found in 'Escape from Pompeii'.
Correct answer: rememberance
Correct answer: survival
good vs evil
space
Correct answer: loss