New
New
Year 5

Introducing the text and author of 'Mirror'

I can make predictions about a text.

New
New
Year 5

Introducing the text and author of 'Mirror'

I can make predictions about a text.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. ‘Mirror’ is a dual narrative text: two stories that are made to be read side-by-side.
  2. 'Mirror' can be considered a wordless or silent text.
  3. Different readers may interpret a text in different ways.
  4. Jeannie Baker uses collage artwork to tell the story.
  5. Predictions can be based on what readers have explored within a text or personal experience.

Keywords

  • Wordless text - narratives which are conveyed almost entirely through illustrations; they can also be known as silent texts

  • Dual narrative - a storytelling technique where there are two distinct but interconnected storylines or perspectives presented simultaneously within the same text

  • Collage - an artistic technique where images are created by assembling various materials to form a piece of artwork

  • Word explosion - a vocabulary-building activity designed to encourage mind-mapping and creativity in generating words related to a specific topic or theme

  • Prediction - an educated guess, based on evidence in the text or prior knowledge

Common misconception

Pupils may not have encountered many wordless or silent texts.

Have a range of wordless or silent texts accessible in the class or school library.

Pupils could use technology to research the two locations (to help identify their location on a world map). Interactive maps (such as street view) can allow pupils to explore some similarities and differences.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need a copy of the 2010 Walker Books edition of ‘Mirror’ created by Jeannie Baker, 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.
What is a suitable definition of a picturebook?
a traditional tale explaining a culture's beliefs and customs
a summary of a story which highlights key events and details
Correct answer: a form of text where images and words work together to create meaning
Q2.
Which of the following are genres of text?
picturebook
Correct answer: fantasy
reference text
Correct answer: science fiction
Q3.
Match the following terms to their definition.
Correct Answer:rural,countryside or small towns

countryside or small towns

Correct Answer:urban,cities or densely populated areas

cities or densely populated areas

Correct Answer:city,a densely populated and organised human settlement

a densely populated and organised human settlement

Q4.
True or False? Illustrations have to be drawn with a pencil.
Correct Answer: False, false
Q5.
Match the words to their definitions.
Correct Answer:character,a person or an animal in a story

a person or an animal in a story

Correct Answer:setting,where the story takes place

where the story takes place

Correct Answer:plot,what happens in the story

what happens in the story

Q6.
A prediction can be informed by which of the following?
Correct answer: the words in the text
Correct answer: the illustrations in the text
imagined events
Correct answer: personal experience

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:wordless texts,narratives which are conveyed almost entirely through illustrations

narratives which are conveyed almost entirely through illustrations

Correct Answer:collage,a technique where images are created by assembling various materials

a technique where images are created by assembling various materials

Correct Answer:prediction,an educated guess, based on evidence in the text or prior knowledge

an educated guess, based on evidence in the text or prior knowledge

Q2.
What is a suitable definition of the term dual narrative?
a language device used to have a desired impact on the reader
Correct answer: a technique where there are two distinct but interconnected storylines
the first section of a story and where the writer describes the setting
Q3.
Which two countries are the focus of the text?
Sweden
Correct answer: Morocco
Correct answer: Australia
New Zealand
Q4.
Which of the following are included in a word explosion?
Correct answer: connections to the word
Correct answer: synonyms and antonyms
Correct answer: a definition of the word
the etymology of the word
Q5.
Which two constellations can be seen on the front cover of 'Mirror'?
Correct answer: Ursa Major / The Big Dipper
Leo
Correct answer: Southern Cross
Orion
Q6.
Which of the following is true about Jeannie Baker?
As a child, she did not like art.
Correct answer: Jeannie studied at art college.
Jeannie's first published book was called 'Grandmother'.
Jeannie was born in Australia.