Teach-Primary-Issue-19.8

www.teachwire.net | 65 T E ACH RE AD I NG & WR I T I NG Loved this? Try these... v Flo of the Somme by Hilary Robinson & Martin Impey v Bunny the Brave War Horse by Elizabeth Macleod v While the Storm Rages by Phil Earle v War Horse by Michael Morpurgo v Amazing Animals with Astonishing Jobs by Simon Philip, ill. Adam Ming 3. CREATE AGRAPHIC NOVEL Deepen understanding of the characters and emotions of the story by transforming it into a graphic novel. Use comic strip layouts with various sized panels to illustrate important plot points, zoom in on characters’ reactions to their experiences, and focus on significant themes. Use dialogue bubbles and narration boxes containing key words and short phrases to help readers really understand the meaning of each panel and move the plot forwards. Work in pairs or groups to share responsibility for different sections of the story, then put them together. 4. DESIGN YOUR OWNMEDAL As per the PDSA, ‘the Dickin Medal is a large, bronze medallion bearing the words ‘For Gallantry’ and ‘We Also Serve’ all within a laurel wreath. The ribbon is striped green, dark brown and sky blue representing water, earth and air to symbolise the naval, land and air forces.’ Challenge the children to design their own medal (for animals or humans). It could be awarded for courage, kindness, resilience, generosity or some other important quality. Think carefully about nomination criteria and the actions that will make potential winners truly special. You may wish to provide pupils with a template that includes a round medal and a ribbon, or have them design their own with a unique shape. Spend time discussing inscriptions and looking at examples of other medals. Use a thesaurus to explore possible wording. Consider the significance of certain ribbon colours and choose a combination which reflects the meaning of the award. Finally, think about who might win the medal. This could be someone you know or a person/ animal from the past. Hold an awards ceremony and present the class medals. Take it even further by making physical medals from card or clay. Kate Heap is a primary English consultant, author and children’s book reviewer. Her Developing Reading Comprehension Skills series provides teachers with high-quality, engaging texts and thought-provoking questions that will inspire young readers. scopeforimagination.co.uk it was attacked by enemy planes? How did Judy help her shipmates to survive? What was the impact of Judy’s relationship with Frank Williams? How did she become an official prisoner of war? Ask the children to imagine they are living during WWII. They should write an engaging newspaper report about Judy and her heroic acts, including key facts and quotes from people who knew her. Remind them to include an eye-catching headline and photographs (or drawings). You can also simplify this task by asking for a timeline of events instead. Provide pupils with cards describing each key moment in the story. Ask them to organise the cards in chronological order then stick, write or draw each event on a timeline. Amazing animals As per the PDSA, ‘the Dickin Medal is the highest award any animal can receive whilst serving in military conflict. It is recognised worldwide as the animals’ Victoria Cross’. It was created in 1943 in response to incredible acts of bravery displayed by animals in active service and on the Home Front. It has been awarded for gallantry 75 times, most recently in 2023. Find out more about the Dickin Medal and the animals who have received it. Tom Palmer has shared information about three courageous animals at the back of War Dog : Simon, a ship’s cat who kept rats away from the crew’s food despite being injured by shrapnel; Upstart, a horse who helped control traffic during a London bombing; and Glen, a parachuting dog who helped prepare the way for the Allied D-Day invasion. There is also information shading. Oil pastels or crayons would provide opportunities to layer and blend colours. The true story of Judy Spend time researching the true story of Judy and the HMS Grasshopper. There is a lot of information on the PDSA website, along with some gorgeous photos of Judy wearing her medal ( tinyurl.com/tp-PDSAjudy ) . Find additional photographs and information about Judy’s life on the Imperial War Museum website ( tinyurl.com/tp-IWMjudy ) . Challenge students, too: where was the HMS Grasshopper located when about all 75 recipients on the PDSA website ( pdsa.org.uk ) . This includes the name and breed of each animal as well as a description of its brave or sacrificial actions. Ask children to choose one of the dogs, horses, pigeons or cats and create a poster that includes a drawing and facts about the animal’s courage. An image search on a web browser will bring up more photographs of the animals and further articles describing their achievements. More information, articles and videos about animals in war can also be found on the Imperial War Museum website ( iwm.org.uk ). This would be most appropriate for UKS2 pupils. TP