Year 9 · English · beta
'Small Island'
In this unit, pupils explore the playtext adaptation of Andrea Levy's novel 'Small Island'. They first explore the transition from novel to stage, before reading the playtext in full and exploring key scenes in detail. They then plan and write an essay on the theme of 'hope' in the text.
This is an attributed Oak National Academy lesson sequence, not a completed or academically approved DASKEREL course. Supporting transcripts may depend on video, images, practical equipment or teacher explanation. Follow each lesson’s supervision guidance. For religious education and RSHE, follow the school’s syllabus, policy and safeguarding procedures.
Prior knowledge
- Pupils have read the play and understand the plot
- Pupils can recall key details about the play's central characters
- Pupils understand the key conventions of a play, including the use of stage directions, asides and monologues
- Pupils understand the differences between the time in which a play is set and written
- Pupils can distinguish between attitudes presented by characters and by the author
- Pupils can write in analytical paragraphs, using a topic sentence and supporting quotations
Source curriculum references
- Read increasingly challenging contemporary English drama independently
- Understanding increasingly challenging texts through making inferences
- Understanding increasingly challenging texts through knowing purpose, audience and context of writing
- Read critically through knowing how performance and staging creates meaning in drama
- Improvising, rehearsing and performing play scripts and poetry
Oak source metadata. DASKEREL has not independently verified school-level coverage.
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