Understanding the structure and historical context of ‘When the Sky Falls’
I can identify the structure of the story in ‘When the Sky Falls’ and I can describe the historical context of the climax of the book.
Understanding the structure and historical context of ‘When the Sky Falls’
I can identify the structure of the story in ‘When the Sky Falls’ and I can describe the historical context of the climax of the book.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- 'When the Sky Falls' is a complex novel with several plot lines - such as Joseph's struggle with reading.
- Different plot lines are resolved at different points in the story.
- We can argue that the air raid at the zoo is the climax of the story.
- The resolution of the story is not a 'happy ending' - the 'problem' of guarding Adonis is resolved by his death.
- The historical context of the climax - the Blitz - is key to the narrative.
Common misconception
Pupils may struggle to identify the story structure within such a long novel.
Emphasise that different problems may be resolved at different points in a story, but we can identify the air raid as the overall climax because it is the point of highest tension.
Keywords
Climax - the point in the narrative where the suspense and excitement reach their highest point
Resolution - the point where the problems in a story are resolved
Historical context - the background information that existed at a specific period in history
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- 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).
Video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
where the writer describes the setting and characters
where the problems are introduced and tension rises
the highest point of the action and tension
where the problems are resolved