'Small Island': the significance of the hurricane
I can explain the significance of the hurricane.
'Small Island': the significance of the hurricane
I can explain the significance of the hurricane.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Edmundson uses the literary trope of the storm to create a dramatic setting.
- The hurricane establishes a foreboding atmosphere and foreshadows the dramatic events to come.
- The hurricane parallels the rising tensions between the characters.
- The hurricane is a powerful natural force that exposes truths about the human relations between characters.
Keywords
Foreboding - a feeling that something bad will happen
Irrepressible - unable to be controlled or restrained
Foreshadowing - a warning or indication about events to come
Literary trope - a theme, image, character or plot element that is used across many texts
Reputation - the opinion people have about someone or something
Common misconception
That all writers use only original ideas and if they don't they are bad writers.
Explore the idea of a literary trope and how writer's use these to elicit specific responses from readers. How do recognisable conventions work to appeal to us as readers?
To help you plan your year 9 english lesson on: 'Small Island': the significance of the hurricane, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 9 english lesson on: 'Small Island': the significance of the hurricane, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 english lessons from the 'Small Island' unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the play 'Small Island' written by Andrea Levy and adapted for the stage by Helen Edmundson
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
"I would prefer to stay at home."
"get away from this house, from this small, small town."
"He has brought shame on my name. Shame on this family. Let him go."
"They are saying that my son was caught in an unholy embrace."
"The boy he done a bad ting. A bad ting."
"Oh where is he? I want him. I want him!"