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Year 5

Developing responses to 'The Unforgotten Coat' through rich discussions

I can develop my own response to 'The Unforgotten Coat’.

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New
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Year 5

Developing responses to 'The Unforgotten Coat' through rich discussions

I can develop my own response to 'The Unforgotten Coat’.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Readers can form impressions of characters based on what they say, the actions they perform and their appearance.
  2. During the story, characters and their relationships change and evolve.
  3. Making connections and recommendations can significantly broaden a reader's understanding of literature.

Keywords

  • Character trait - the special qualities that make a character in a story unique and interesting

  • Impression - initial feelings about a person, place or thing, gained from reading a text

  • Polaroid - a brand of instant film camera that produces self-developing photos

  • Connection - how a text relates to a reader, another text or the wider world

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

Common misconception

Pupils may find it challenging to provide two contrasting impressions of a character.

It may be helpful to visually mind map how readers might describe a character (using adjectives). Impressions can also be modelled verbally to develop pupils' understanding of character.

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 2012 Walker Books edition of ‘The Unforgotten Coat’, written by Frank Cottrell Boyce with photographs by Carl Hunter and Clare Heney, for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive 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).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
From whose perspective do we read the text 'The Unforgotten Coat'?
Chingis
Correct answer: Julie
Mimi
Nergui
Q2.
What is Julie's class teacher called?
Correct answer: Mrs Spendlove
Ms Reynolds
Mr Thompson
Q3.
Put the following events into chronological order.
1 - Chingis and Nergui arrive at school during the summer term wearing thick coats.
2 - The class share facts they have learnt about Mongolia in an assembly.
3 - Chingis & his brother leave school during the school day. They head to a beach.
4 - Julie brings Chingis and his brother back to their mother at the flat.
Q4.
What is a suitable definition of the word recommendation?
the ability to understand other people’s feelings and points of view
Correct answer: a suggestion for a text that is well-suited to a reader’s age or interests
a strong desire to know, explore, and learn about the world around you
Q5.
What adjectives might you use to describe Julie?
Correct answer: supportive
Correct answer: determined
rude
unkind
Correct answer: kind
Q6.
True or false? Chingis and his family were deported at the end of the story.
Correct Answer: True, true

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:impression,initial feelings about a person, place or thing, gained from reading

initial feelings about a person, place or thing, gained from reading

Correct Answer:Polaroid,a brand of instant film camera that produces self-developing photos

a brand of instant film camera that produces self-developing photos

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

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

Correct Answer:recommendation ,a suggestion for a text that is suited to a reader’s age & interests

a suggestion for a text that is suited to a reader’s age & interests

Q2.
Which of the following character traits are demonstrated by Chingis in the text?
Correct answer: resilience
Correct answer: curiosity
dishonesty
jealousy
Q3.
Match the following characters to their relationship with Julie.
Correct Answer:Mrs Spendlove,Julie’s class teacher.

Julie’s class teacher.

Correct Answer:Nergui,Chingis’ younger brother. He sits in Julie’s class on the first day.

Chingis’ younger brother. He sits in Julie’s class on the first day.

Correct Answer:Mimi,Julie’s best friend.

Julie’s best friend.

Q4.
Which of the following are true?
The demon takes the dough boy that Chingis makes.
Correct answer: Chingis is really good at hula hooping.
Chingis says that Mongolia is known for its use of cows.
Q5.
True or false? Julie was able to get back in touch with Chingis as an adult.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q6.
True or false? Researching and making recommendations does not widen a reader's understanding of texts.
Correct Answer: False, false