Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
icon-background-square
New
New
Year 5

Exploring perspective in 'Princess Sophia Duleep Singh: My Story'

I can compare and contrast two different perspectives of a setting.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
icon-background-square
New
New
Year 5

Exploring perspective in 'Princess Sophia Duleep Singh: My Story'

I can compare and contrast two different perspectives of a setting.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
View new resources
arrow-right

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Abdul Karim is a member of Queen Victoria’s household. He is teaching the Queen Hindustani.
  2. Abdul Karim describes India in Chapter 6.
  3. The Duleep Singh sisters visit India in Chapters 9-14; their experiences differ from their expectations.
  4. Reading from a particular perspective may mean that events or thoughts might not be balanced.
  5. Readers can compare and contrast a character’s perspective if they discuss shared or similar experiences.

Keywords

  • Perspective - refers to the point-of-view or position from which the reader reads, influencing the way events or ideas are portrayed and understood

  • Compare - identifying similarities between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts

  • Contrast - identifying differences between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts

Common misconception

Pupils may think Abdul Karim's description of India is fully linked to his own experiences.

Explain that Abdul Karim was born in the village of Lalitpur in the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. His family background was modest. His description is likely influenced by who he is talking to.

Before the following lesson, read Chapters 7-14. Children can read independently or have this read to them. A summary is provided if not possible.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

You need a copy of the 2022 Scholastic edition of ‘Princess Sophia Duleep Singh (My Story), written by Sufiya Ahmed, for this lesson.

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Skip lesson video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Who is the author of the text 'Princess Sophia Duleep Singh'?
Correct answer: Sufiya Ahmed
Princess Sophia Duleep Singh
Maharaja Duleep Singh
Q2.
Historical fiction is a genre in which a fictional plot takes place in the setting of particular real historical events.
Correct answer: True
False
Q3.
What is characterisation?
the special qualities that make a character in a story unique and interesting
identifying differences between two or more things, ideas, themes or texts
Correct answer: the way an author describes & develops the personalities and traits of character
Q4.
Sophia and her siblings share all the same character traits.
True
Correct answer: False
Q5.
Select the words which best describe Sophia's character.
Correct answer: loyal
Correct answer: caring
nasty
unkind
Q6.
Select the words which best describes Bamba's character.
Correct answer: independent
Correct answer: strong-willed
weak
shy

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the following keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:perspective,the point-of-view or position from which the reader reads
tick

the point-of-view or position from which the reader reads

Correct Answer:comparing ,involves identifying similarities between two or more things or ideas
tick

involves identifying similarities between two or more things or ideas

Correct Answer:contrasting ,involves identifying differences between two or more things or ideas
tick

involves identifying differences between two or more things or ideas

Q2.
Who was Abdul Karim?
Correct answer: a member of Queen Victoria’s household
Sophia's brother
the Maharaja of the Sikh Empire
Q3.
It was possible for Queen Victoria and Sophia to taste a mango.
True
Correct answer: False
Q4.
It was not safe for either Queen Victoria or Sophia to travel to India.
Correct answer: True
False
Q5.
Put the following events from the text into chronological order.
1 - Sophia and her sisters ‘come out in society’.
2 - Queen Victoria passes away.
3 - Bamba experiences inequality due to her gender.
4 - Sophia arrives in Delhi.
Q6.
Match these words from the text to their definitions.
Correct Answer:aristocracy ,a group of people belonging to the highest social class in a society
tick

a group of people belonging to the highest social class in a society

Correct Answer:resentment ,when someone feels angry or bitter about something
tick

when someone feels angry or bitter about something

Correct Answer:Hindustani ,a language spoken in India, blending Hindi and Urdu words
tick

a language spoken in India, blending Hindi and Urdu words

Correct Answer:Punjabi,a language spoken in the Punjab region
tick

a language spoken in the Punjab region