New
New
Year 4

Planning a section of a narrative based on 'The Borrowers' (part 2)

I can plan a section of the build-up of ‘The Borrowers’.

New
New
Year 4

Planning a section of a narrative based on 'The Borrowers' (part 2)

I can plan a section of the build-up of ‘The Borrowers’.

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.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The purpose of the build-up is to build action and suspense leading up to the climax.
  2. In this section of the build-up, Arrietty explores the outside world and spots the eye of a human “bean”.
  3. The atmosphere and Arrietty’s emotions shift after she spots the eye.
  4. A range of precise and ambitious vocabulary, including ‘show and tell’ language, is used to describe key moments.
  5. ‘Show and tell’ language shows a character’s feelings by describing their actions, body language and facial expressions.

Keywords

  • Build-up - the building of action and suspense that leads up to the climax in a narrative

  • Suspense - when you are feeling anxious or excited about what may happen

  • Atmosphere - the tone or mood created in a text

  • 'show and tell' - a writing technique for showing a character’s feelings with description of their actions and expressions

Common misconception

Children may struggle to ensure their 'show and tell' language is appropriate for each paragraph. For example, paragraph one is meant to convey concern but not complete fear yet.

Model different examples of 'show and tell'. Ask children to identify whether they convey concern or fear. E.g. for concern, we might say 'chest tightened slightly at the strange sight'. For fear, we might say, 'heart pounded rapidly in her chest'.

Model how the emotions increase in intensity on a graph for the children to refer to.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need a copy of the 2014 Puffin Books edition of ‘The Borrowers’ by Mary Norton 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

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
What is a plan?
the final piece of writing
Correct answer: a framework that writers create before they write
the ideas a writer has in their head
Q2.
What format is a plan written in?
paragraphs
full sentences
Correct answer: notes in bullet points
Q3.
True or false? In a plan, it is important to write notes for a narrative in chronological order.
Correct Answer: True
Q4.
Match the word type to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:noun,a word that names a person, place, thing or idea

a word that names a person, place, thing or idea

Correct Answer:adjective,a word that describes a noun

a word that describes a noun

Correct Answer:verb,a doing or being word

a doing or being word

Correct Answer:adverb,a word that describes or gives more information about a verb

a word that describes or gives more information about a verb

Q5.
Match the word type to the correct example.
Correct Answer:noun,freedom

freedom

Correct Answer:adjective,glassy

glassy

Correct Answer:verb,surged

surged

Correct Answer:adverb,closely

closely

Q6.
What does atmosphere refer to?
Correct answer: the tone or mood created
how a character feels
where a story is set

6 Questions

Q1.
Order the following events from the build-up.
1 - Arrietty enjoyed the freedom of the outdoors and explored.
2 - Arrietty ventured through the grass and settled by a tree.
3 - As Arrietty lay in the sun, she spotted something that alarmed her.
4 - Arrietty realised she was looking at the eye of a human “bean”!
5 - Arrietty felt terrified and considered how she could escape safely.
Q2.
How does the atmosphere shift at the end of paragraph one?
Correct answer: It shifts from peaceful to concerning.
It shifts from happy to sad.
It shifts from scary to safe.
Q3.
True or false? We can use 'show and tell' to convey Arrietty's emotions.
Correct Answer: True
Q4.
Which language would you use to convey the shift from a peaceful to a concerning atmosphere?
Correct answer: strange, unnerving thing leering at her
gazed around at the sights of nature
glorious sunlight, face glowed
Correct answer: suddenly spotted something alarming
Q5.
Which ‘show and tell’ language accurately conveys how Arrietty felt after realising it was the eye of a human “bean”?
giggled and smiled playfully
Correct answer: pulse raced, struggled to breathe
Correct answer: froze in silence
rubbed her tummy in delight
Q6.
How does 'show and tell' language convey emotions?
Correct answer: describing actions
Correct answer: describing body language and facial expressions
Correct answer: describing physical sensations
only explicitly stating how a character feels