'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 2 to 4
I can explain and discuss the events of Act 2, Scenes 2 to 4.
'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 2 to 4
I can explain and discuss the events of Act 2, Scenes 2 to 4.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Miss Todd, much like Bernard, represents the racist and outdated attitudes present in society.
- Edmundson includes brutal dialogue, to show the racial slurs and abuse endured by Gilbert and Hortense.
- Hortense and Gilbert see important characters from their lives which allows the audience to see their internal thoughts.
- Edmundson explores the concept of home and belonging.
- Edmundson foregrounds the emotional experiences of the Caribbean diaspora.
Keywords
Facetious - using humour to comment or remark on a serious issue
Mind's eye - what you see in your imagination
Genteel - associated with a high social class and meant to show exaggerated politeness and respectability
Depersonalise - to remove from a person the qualities that make them; to take away someone's identity
Turmoil - a state of confusion or uncertainty
Common misconception
The Windrush generation entered Britain illegally.
Those coming from the British Commonwealth were considered citizens. Migrants like Hortense and Gilbert were actively encouraged to believe that Britain was their 'home'.
To help you plan your year 9 english lesson on: 'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 2 to 4, 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': reading Act 2, Scenes 2 to 4, 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
- Contains strong language
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended