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

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.

Common misconception

Concluding sentences are the same as conclusions.

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

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).

Lesson video

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Worksheet

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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