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Year 7

Reading 'The Twisted Tree': identifying key themes

I can continue to understand and recall the plot, as well as explore some of the key themes.

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New
New
Year 7

Reading 'The Twisted Tree': identifying key themes

I can continue to understand and recall the plot, as well as explore some of the key themes.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The books in Martha’s room move on their own, introducing an element of the supernatural.
  2. Ravens help to create an ominous atmosphere in the novel.
  3. Key themes in the novel include the supernatural, good vs. evil, fate and being an outsider.
  4. A theme is an important idea in a text that is explored in a number of different ways.
  5. As students of English, the first step is to work out what are a text’s most important themes.

Common misconception

A theme is any idea or plot point in a text.

Themes are the most important ideas in a text. There may be multiple. The most important themes are the ones that are returned to over and over again, and explored in a number of different ways.

Keywords

  • Fleeting - passing quickly

  • Foreboding - a feeling that something bad is going to happen

  • Ancestry - a person’s family history or lineage

  • Omen - a sign or event that is believed to predict or indicate a future occurrence

  • Theme - an important idea or thread in a text that is explored in a number of different ways

When reading the text, try different independent reading strategies. For example, 'control the game'. Select students at random to read, jumping from pupil to pupil after a couple of sentences.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to the text 'The Twisted Tree' by Rachel Burge, published by Hot Key Books, 2019.

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).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In 'The Twisted Tree', where does Martha travel to stay with her grandmother?
Sweden
Correct answer: Norway
Denmark
Finland
Q2.
In 'The Twisted Tree', what physical feature makes Martha feel self-conscious and different?
a missing finger
Correct answer: a scar on her face
a birth mark
Q3.
In 'The Twisted Tree', what unusual supernatural powers does Martha discover she has?
telekinesis
seeing into the future
Correct answer: touching clothes and knowing about the owner's life
knowing when something bad is going to happen
Q4.
At the start of 'The Twisted Tree', the book is dedicated to Odin. What type of mythology does this refer to?
Greek mythology
Correct answer: Norse mythology
Egyptian mythology
Celtic mythology
Q5.
Match the characters from 'The Twisted Tree' to the correct description.
Correct Answer:Martha,The protagonist who has supernatural powers.

The protagonist who has supernatural powers.

Correct Answer:Stig,A local boy in Norway who becomes an important friend to Martha.

A local boy in Norway who becomes an important friend to Martha.

Correct Answer:Mormor,Martha's grandmother, who is discovered to be dead.

Martha's grandmother, who is discovered to be dead.

Correct Answer:Olav,Gives Martha a lift. Bearded and friendly.

Gives Martha a lift. Bearded and friendly.

Correct Answer:Yrsa,Olav's wife, has concerns for Martha being alone in the cabin.

Olav's wife, has concerns for Martha being alone in the cabin.

Correct Answer:Gandalf,Mormor's dog.

Mormor's dog.

Q6.
Which word can be described as 'a foul smell from rotting matter'?
Correct answer: putrid
macabre
mildew
fragrant

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word can be described as 'a person’s family history or lineage'?
omen
Correct answer: ancestry
theme
tome
Q2.
Which birds appear in Norse mythology as a messenger of the gods?
Correct answer: ravens
gulls
magpies
sparrows
starlings
Q3.
In 'The Twisted Tree', Martha references her Mormor's stories about "draugr". What are these?
trees that are alive and prey on human souls
ravens that can predict the future
Correct answer: walking corpses who come back to kill the living
crows that send messages from the gods
Q4.
There are a number of key themes in 'The Twisted Tree'. What is a theme?
an important character in a text which is explored in different ways
an important quotation in a text which could be explored
Correct answer: an important idea in a text which is explored in a number of different ways
an important plot point in a text which is explored in different ways
important language devices used by the writer in a text
Q5.
Which of the following would not count as a key theme in 'The Twisted Tree'?
ancestry
Correct answer: love and marriage
being an outisder
supernatural
fate and destiny
Q6.
Below are three key themes in 'The Twisted Tree'. Match each theme to one way it is explored in the novel.
Correct Answer:fate and destiny,through the character of Martha and her role to water the tree

through the character of Martha and her role to water the tree

Correct Answer:the supernatural,through Martha's powers in reading people through their clothes

through Martha's powers in reading people through their clothes

Correct Answer:good vs. evil,through Martha's bravery and the tree's foreboding presence

through Martha's bravery and the tree's foreboding presence