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Year 10
AQA

Planning an essay about the character of Brod in ‘Leave Taking’

I can plan an essay on the theme of belonging as explored through the character of Brod in ‘Leave Taking’.

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New
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Year 10
AQA

Planning an essay about the character of Brod in ‘Leave Taking’

I can plan an essay on the theme of belonging as explored through the character of Brod in ‘Leave Taking’.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Annotate an essay question so you know its focus.
  2. A successful plan follows a clear structure.
  3. A thesis is a clear overarching argument supported by the whole text.
  4. Topic sentences state a paragraph's main idea.
  5. Concluding sentences focus on the writer’s intentions and link to your topic sentence, without repeating it.

Common misconception

Concluding sentences are the same as conclusions.

Concluding sentences conclude a single paragraph. Conclusions come at the end of a full essay.

Keywords

  • Thesis - The overarching argument to an essay, supported by the entire text.

  • Topic sentence - The first sentence of a paragraph. It states the paragraph’s main idea.

  • Concluding sentence - The final sentence of a paragraph. It comes to a conclusion about the paragraph’s main idea, focusing on writer’s intentions.

  • Main quotations - Quotations which support your topic sentence, and that require analysis.

  • Supporting quotations - Quotations which support your topic sentence, but don’t require analysis.

Consider how long you think it will take for students to complete the planning grid (the longest task in the lesson) and then work out the rest of the lesson's timings.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need access to a copy of Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking' published by Nick Hern Books.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

Supervision

Adult supervision required

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

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6 Questions

Q1.
Brod is one of the five characters in 'Leave Taking'. What is true of his character?
Correct answer: he is the only male character in the play
he is Enid's partner
Correct answer: he migrated to England when he was younger
he visits Mai to ask for an obeah reading
he is Del's father
Q2.
In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', Brod tells Enid off for not sharing her Jamaican roots with her children. He says, "They going where they come from."
Correct Answer: forget, "forget", Forget, Forget., forget.
Q3.
In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', Brod tells Enid off for calling her children "English girls" and ignoring their "Caribbean souls". He says, "You these children up, Enid."
Correct Answer: mix, Mix, Mix., mix., "mix"
Q4.
In Scene Three of 'Leave Taking', Brod imitates talking in tongues. Why does he do this?
he is having a religious experience
Correct answer: he is engaging with his memories of a religious service in Jamaica
he wants to scare the Pastor
he wants to anger Enid
he is mocking those who talk in tongues
Q5.
In Scene Seven of 'Leave Taking', Brod tells Del that her father faced daily racial discrimination at work. He says her father's colleagues didn't treat him like he was a " ".
Correct Answer: human, Human, "human", Human., human.
Q6.
In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', Enid and Brod discuss having to pay to become a citizen of Britain in a process called naturalisation. How has this process affected Brod?
negatively - this is why he has begun drinking
negatively - now he can no longer visit his family in Jamaica
negatively - it has made him decide to move back to Jamaica
Correct answer: negatively - his sense of his own Britishness has been destabilised
Correct answer: negatively - he is angry at the Home Office

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
When writing main body paragraphs in an essay on 'Leave Taking', you should include main quotations. What is the meaning of the term main quotation?
the most important quotation in the play
Correct answer: a quotation which supports your topic sentence and requires analysis
a term for a quotation you should embed in a sentence, but not analyse
a quotation which you will use in every paragraph because it is your main one
a quotation that the main character in a play says
Q2.
When writing main body paragraphs in an essay on 'Leave Taking', you should include supporting quotations. What is the meaning of the term supporting quotation?
a quotation which supports multiple arguments and topic sentences
a quotation you use in your thesis that supports your argument
a quotation which requires analysis
a quotation that a supporting character in a play says
Correct answer: a quotation you should embed in a sentence, but not analyse
Q3.
When you write essays about 'Leave Taking', you will include a thesis and topic sentences. What are some of the differences between the two?
a thesis starts every paragraph; topic sentences don't
Correct answer: a thesis starts your essay; topic sentences start each paragraph
a thesis requires main quotations which you analyse; a topic sentence doesn't
Correct answer: a thesis is your overarching argument; a topic sentence presents one idea
a thesis offers both sides of an argument; a topic sentence presents one idea
Q4.
When you write essays about 'Leave Taking', you will include concluding sentences at the end of each paragraph. What should a concluding sentence do?
Correct answer: make it clear the paragraph has reached its conclusion
be at least three sentences long
Correct answer: focus on writer’s intentions
include analysis of main quotations
Correct answer: link to, but not repeat, your topic sentence
Q5.
Each essay you write on 'Leave Taking' will include a thesis statement. What is true of a thesis statement?
it focusses on a specific scene of a play
Correct answer: it is the overarching argument of the entire essay
it lists each of your topic sentences in order
Correct answer: it is supported by the entire text
it starts each of your main body paragraphs
Q6.
There are some key essay terms which are useful to know and understand before you write any essay on 'Leave Taking'. Match the key terms to their definitions.
Correct Answer:thesis,overarching argument to an essay, supported by whole text

overarching argument to an essay, supported by whole text

Correct Answer:topic sentence,states the paragraph's main idea

states the paragraph's main idea

Correct Answer:concluding sentence,comes to a conclusion about the paragraph's main idea

comes to a conclusion about the paragraph's main idea

Correct Answer:main quotations,quotations which require analysis

quotations which require analysis

Correct Answer:supporting quotations,quotations that don't require analysis

quotations that don't require analysis