New
New
Year 5

Developing responses to 'Front Desk' through rich discussions

I can develop my own response to 'Front Desk’.

New
New
Year 5

Developing responses to 'Front Desk' through rich discussions

I can develop my own response to 'Front Desk’.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Different readers may interpret a text in different ways.
  2. Readers can interpret their own big idea or message from a narrative.
  3. Discussing books by building on others and our own views can help us to deepen our understanding of a book.
  4. Reading between the lines can allow readers to make connections and parallels to their own lives.

Keywords

  • Character traits - Character traits are the special qualities that make a character in a story unique and interesting.

  • Impression - An impression refers to initial feelings about a person, place or thing, gained from reading a text.

  • Connection - How a text relates to a reader, another text or the wider world can be called a connection.

  • Recommendation - A recommendation is a suggestion for a text that is well-suited to a reader’s age and their interests.

Common misconception

A favourite character is always someone who embodies positive character traits.

Favourite characters can be characters involved in key moments in the text; characters who change the most in the story; or, characters who remind readers of someone they know.

Pupils must have read the text in advance of this lesson. When sharing recommendations, make connections to texts that you have read with the class and texts read independently by pupils and allow pupils to make their own peer-to-peer recommendations.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need a copy of the 2021 Knights Of edition of ‘Front Desk’, written by Kelly Yang, illustrated by Maike Plenzke, 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

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? Kelly Yang based all of 'Front Desk' on her own childhood.
Correct Answer: False, false
Q2.
Who is the main protagonist of 'Front Desk'?
Correct answer: Mia Tang
Jason Yao
Guadalupe Garcia
Q3.
What are Mia Tang's secrets that she tries to hide?
Correct answer: Mia lives in a motel not a large house.
Correct answer: Mia and her parents support other immigrants.
Mia is not very good at writing.
Mia is unable to make friends at school.
Q4.
Which of the following characters are 'weeklies' who stay at Mia's family motel?
Correct answer: Fred
Dolly
Correct answer: Billy Bob
Correct answer: Mrs. Q
Mr. S
Q5.
Match the following character traits to the character that shows them.
Correct Answer:Mia,determined

determined

Correct Answer:Mr. Yao,rude

rude

Correct Answer:Hank,trustworthy

trustworthy

Q6.
True or false? At the end of the text, Mia's family are able to purchase the motel.
Correct Answer: True, true

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:character traits,special qualities that make a character in a story unique

special qualities that make a character in a story unique

Correct Answer:impression,initial feelings about a person, place or thing

initial feelings about a person, place or thing

Correct Answer:connection,a text relates to a reader, another text or the wider world

a text relates to a reader, another text or the wider world

Q2.
Which of the following character traits are shown in the character of Mia?
Correct answer: determined
rude
stubborn
Correct answer: optimistic
Q3.
Which of the following character traits are shown in the character of Lupe?
Correct answer: supportive
Correct answer: empathetic
dishonest
arrogant
Q4.
True or false? Mr. Yao and his son show the same character traits throughout the story.
Correct Answer: False, false
Q5.
A recommendation is ...
a pivotal moment that significantly alters the course of the story.
Correct answer: a suggestion for a text that is well-suited to a reader’s age and interests.
a lesson that can be learnt from a story or experience.
Q6.
Which of the following are themes within the text 'Front Desk'?
life and death
Correct answer: resilience and determination
Correct answer: identity and belonging
betrayal and survival