Calling a Dead Man

STARSEEKER

Teachers’ Resources

Frances Gregory CONTENTS

Introduction 3

Overview for Scheme of Work 4–5

Navigator 6–7

Lesson Plans and Worksheets 8–56

Assessment 57

Acknowledgements The author and publishers are grateful for permission to include the following copyright material in this resource:

Extract from Tim Bowler’s website, author notes, and press release, used by permission of Tim Bowler.

We have tried to trace and contact all copyright holders before publication. If notified, the publishers will be pleased to rectify any errors or omissions at the earliest opportunity.

Illustrations: Barking Dog Art INTRODUCTION

English teachers don’t need to be told the focuses and the resources available for each enormous value and pleasure of reading whole lesson. texts as class readers. Little compares with that feeling when a class are truly engaged in the Lesson Plans suggest particular Framework reading of a really good book. Fortunately, objectives, but the Word files can be adapted to contemporary writers of fiction for young adults suit the level of progression for each particular continue to offer us fresh opportunities to enjoy class. All Worksheets and OHTs can be easily literature with our students. adapted for differentiation.

Oxford Rollercoasters is a series that offers The Navigator offers a clear plot summary, teachers the opportunity of studying first-class identifying the stages in the structure of the novels as whole-class readers with Year 7, 8, novel. It is designed to help teachers adapt the and 9 students. Each set of materials has been pace and detail of work according to the needs written in response to the diverse needs of of their class. students in that key stage. Each Teacher’s Pack contains suggested Focus on assessment of reading Guided reading sessions as well as the Oxford Rollercoasters includes titles with varied opportunity to develop further specific group themes, challenging subject matter and teaching. engaging plots. For example, Noughts and Crosses takes a contemporary slant on racism, Every set of lesson plans ends with its own The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas explores the student Reading Assessment Progress sheet, holocaust through the eyes of a young German based on the assessment focuses, which can be boy, Iqbal tells the real-life story of young Iqbal used to identify areas for student development in Masih, whose courageous rebellion against child line with APP (Assessing Pupils’ Progress). slavery eventually cost him his life. Reading Guide In the latest wave of Rollercoasters, each novel Each of the novels has its own student Reading is accompanied by innovative and engaging Guide – an accessible, magazine-style booklet, teaching materials, designed to help all students packed with visual, textual and activity materials access the texts and also to reflect the changes to help engage students in their study of the in the National Curriculum Programmes of Study novel. Each one features writer’s craft material and the renewed Framework. The key concepts to enhance and enrich the students’ appreciation of competence, creativity, cultural and critical of the author’s skills, offering communication understanding are clearly addressed, and the with real writers that is recommended in the new schemes offer a wide range of cross-curricular Programmes of Study. Original drafts and opportunities. commentary from the authors of the novels provide valuable insight into the process of Rollercoasters continues to be written by writing. practising teachers and consultants, and draws on approaches to reading fiction recommended Ideas for wider reading and for the extension of by the English strand of the Secondary National independent reading are provided in the Strategy. The latest teaching materials are firmly Pathways section at the end of the Reading based on the reading strands and sub-strands of Guide. the renewed Framework, though teaching plans include approaches to literature through oral Oxford Rollercoasters provides first-class work, drama and media. Theories behind both teaching resources for first-class contemporary assessment for learning and thinking skills are fiction. The series is designed to engage the evident in the lesson plans. widest possible range of students in reading for pleasure, and we feel confident that it will Time-saving resources contribute to those memorable experiences of In each on-line Teaching Pack there is a reading together in the secondary classroom. compact Overview which summarizes the work scheme, identifies the relevant key concepts, the Frances Gregory Framework sub-strands that are tackled, the Series Edit learning outcomes, the relevant assessment

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OVERVIEW FOR SCHEME OF WORK

Lesson and focus Key concepts Framework sub-strands Rollercoasters (Book chapter) Reading AFs resources Reading strategies 1 Response Competence 5.1 Developing and adapting active reading WS: 1a, 1b to character Critical understanding skills and strategies RG: pp. 4–5 Pages 1–22 AF2 5.2 Understanding and responding to ideas, (Chapters 1–3) AF3 viewpoint, themes and purposes in texts AF6 5.3 Reading and engaging with a wide and Reading between the varied range of texts lines Predicting 2 Setting and Creativity 4.1 Using different dramatic approaches to WS: 2a, 2b relationships Critical understanding explore ideas, texts and issues RG: 6–7 Pages 23–50 AF2 5.1 Developing and adapting active reading (Chapters 4–5) AF3 skills and strategies AF6 5.2 Understanding and responding to ideas, Visualizing viewpoint, themes and purposes in texts Interpreting ideas/images 3 Character Critical understanding 4.1 Using different dramatic approaches to WS: 3a, 3b, 3c Pages 51–67 AF 2 explore ideas, texts and issues RG: p. 8 (Chapters 6–7) AF 3 5.1 Developing and adapting active reading AF 6 skills and strategies Rereading 5.2 Understanding and responding to ideas, Asking questions viewpoint, themes and purposes in texts 4 Tension and fear Competence 6.2 Analysing how writers’ use of linguistic and WS: 4a, 4b Pages 68–114 Critical understanding literary features shapes and influences meaning (Chapters 8–10, AF4 6.3 Analysing writers’ use of organization, and 11–12 for AF5 structure, layout and presentation homework) Feeling 10.2 Commenting on language use Empathizing 5 Narrative interest Competence 5.2 Understanding and responding to ideas, WS: 5a, 5b Pages 115–140 Critical understanding viewpoint, themes and purposes in texts (Chapters 13–15) AF4 6.2 Analysing how writers’ use of linguistic and AF5 literary features shapes and influences meaning Passing comments and 10.2 Commenting on language use judgements Rationalizing 6 Character Critical understanding 5.1 Developing and adapting active reading WS: 6a Pages 141–156 AF3 skills and strategies (Chapters 16–17) AF6 5.2 Understanding and responding to ideas, Deducing evidence viewpoints, themes and purposes in texts Passing judgments 7 The title Creativity 5.1 Developing and adapting active reading WS: 7a Pages 157–179 Critical understanding skills and strategies RG: pp. 9–10 (Chapters 18–20) AF4 6.2 Analysing how writers’ use of linguistic and AF5 literary features shapes and AF6 influences meaning Interpreting images 10.2 Commenting on language use Asking questions Predicting 8 Theme/music Creativity 5.1 Developing and adapting active reading WS: 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d Pages 180–202 Critical understanding skills and strategies RG: pp. 8–11 (Chapters 21–22) Cultural understanding 5.2 Understanding and responding to ideas, AF3 viewpoint, themes and purposes in texts AF6 6.2 Analysing how writers’ use of linguistic and Rereading literary features shapes and Interpret patterns influences meaning 10.2 Commenting on language use 9 Character and Competence 4.1 Using different dramatic approaches to WS: 9a mystery Critical understanding explore ideas, texts and issues RG: p. 14 Pages 203–241 AF3 5.1 Developing and adapting active reading (Chapters 23–24, AF4 skills and strategies and 25–26 for Rereading 5.2 Understanding and responding to ideas, homework) Re-interpreting viewpoint, themes and purposes in texts Empathizing

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Lesson and focus Key concepts Framework sub-strands Rollercoasters (Book chapter) Reading AFs resources Reading strategies 10 The escape Competence 6.2 Analysing how writers’ use of linguistic and WS: 4a, 10a, 10b Pages 242–260 Creativity literary features shapes and RG: pp. 12–13 (Chapters 27–28) Critical understanding influences meaning AF4 6.3 Analysing writers’ use of organization, AF5 structure, layout and presentation AF6 10.2 Commenting on language use Empathizing Feeling Passing judgements 11 Resolution Creativity 4.1 Using different dramatic approaches to WS: 11a, 11b, 11c Pages 261–284 Critical understanding explore ideas, texts and issues RG: p. 13 (Chapters 29–30) AF4 5.2 Understanding and responding to ideas, AF6 viewpoint, themes and purposes in texts Rereading 6.3 Analysing writers’ use of organization, Seeing patterns structure, layout and presentation Passing judgements 12 Resolution Creativity 5.2 Understanding and responding to ideas, WS: 12a, 12b, 12c, Pages 285–-301 Critical understanding viewpoint, themes and purposes in texts 12d, 12e, 12f, 11c (Chapter 31) Cultural understanding 6.3 Analysing writers’ use of organization, AF4 structure, layout and presentation AF6 Empathizing Reinterpreting Seeing patterns 13 Resolution and Creativity 5.2 Understanding and responding to ideas, WS: 13a, 13b, 11c end Critical understanding viewpoint, themes and purposes in texts RG: p. 15 Pages 301–323 AF4 6.3 Analysing writers’ use of organization, (Chapters 32–33) AF6 structure, layout and presentation Passing judgements Reinterpreting 14 Review Creativity 5.3 Reading and engaging with a wide and RG Whole novel Critical understanding varied range of texts WS: 14a, 14b Cultural understanding 6.1 Relating texts to the social, historical and AF6 cultural contexts in which they were AF7 written Relating to other reading experiences Passing judgements Drawing comparisons 15 Review Competence 1.2 Understanding and responding to what RG and if possible, Whole novel Critical understanding speakers say in formal and informal some of the novels Cultural understanding contexts listed in the AF6 5.3 Reading and engaging with a wide and Pathways section AF7 varied range of texts on p. 16. Relating to other reading 7.2 Using and adapting the conventions and experiences forms of texts Passing judgements

Progression: teachers’ choice of this text should be influenced by the degree to which the study of Starseeker will allow a class to make appropriate progress in their knowledge and skills of reading. Starseeker offers excellent opportunities to develop students’ skills in the interpretation of patterns within a text, such as: tracing themes; noticing repetitions of ideas or images; finding connections between events or characters or places or ideas; tracing narrative structure. The language of the novel also offers teachers the chance to analyse a writer’s creation of mood and atmosphere with a class.

Cross-curricular links: strong opportunities to link with music, PSHE, art and religious education. Mrs Little’s experience also offers opportunities to discuss aspects of the Second World War and the Battle of Britain.

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NAVIGATOR

Chapter Plot outline

Chapter 1 Fourteen-year-old Luke Stanton – an evidently sensitive boy who plays the piano – is pressured by a gang of boys to break into The Grange to steal a precious box from an old lady who lives alone in this neglected old house. Once inside, Luke discovers not the box but a little girl, whose plaintive voice and weeping so disturbs him that he runs from the house without further thought of his original purpose.

Chapter 2 Luke flees to his haven in the Buckland Forest – to the old oak tree that was the favourite haunt of his father. Luke has yet to be reconciled to the death of his father which happened two years ago. The gang – Skin, Daz and Speed – are furious with Luke’s failure to rob the old lady at The Grange. Though Luke hides from them in his old oak tree, the gang leader, Skin, waits until Luke leaves the tree, and beats him up, viciously.

Chapter 3 Luke struggles home, more worried by the girl he has found and her tiny, haunting voice, than by his injuries. He is not happy to find his mother’s boyfriend, Roger Gilmore, leaving the house as he arrives home.

Chapter 4 Luke’s mother is suspicious of his wounds, but he is evasive. He quickly becomes defensive and aggressive in response to her comments about his current ‘friends’ (Skin and the gang) and yet he is clearly not happy about them himself. He and his mother know that he has changed for the worse in recent months. Alone in his room, he hears his mother playing the piano which makes him recall the strange little girl and the forest trees. That night he has vivid dreams about his father, the oak tree and a bright star.

Chapter 5 Luke tries to avoid Skin the next day but fails, and has to accept Skin’s command that he return to The Grange that night. Luke meets Roger Gilmore and a school friend, Miranda Davis, who discuss a wooden sculpture of a dancing figure that Roger has made for Miranda’s mother. Again, Luke finds himself thinking of the mysterious girl at The Grange. Luke agrees to help Miranda prepare her flute piece for a musical concert in their village. Though Roger tries to be pleasant with Luke, Luke resents him, disapproving of his relationship with his mother.

Chapter 6 Luke visits his music teacher, Mr Harding, who is an eccentric but affable old man. Mr Harding understands that Luke is troubled by hearing sounds not heard by others. He also senses that Luke is anxious. They discuss what Luke might play at the concert and Mr Harding agrees that Luke’s options can remain open. Luke is still haunted by strange noises – the girl’s voice, a deep roaring sound and a strangely familiar yet unknown melody.

Chapter 7 At home, Luke goes to check his emails and, guiltily, his mother’s, discovering how serious her relationship with Roger Gilmore actually is. Wildly, he attempts to email his father, and within minutes he is, yet again, hearing that melody, and contemplating with some dread the night ahead and his return to The Grange.

Chapter 8 Luke and the gang return to The Grange and Luke breaks in again. He discovers the box, but realizes that he is being watched: Mrs Little is standing behind him.

Chapter 9 Mrs Little tells him that she has phoned the police and Luke is deeply worried about the consequences of his actions. However, Mrs Little engages him in conversation and introduces him to the strange little girl who proves to be blind. Mrs Little challenges him to do something good and not to waste his talent, eventually, asking him to come to The Grange again to play her piano for the benefit of her granddaughter. She swears him to secrecy.

Chapter 10 Luke faces the gang again, pretending that he has searched the house and failed to uncover the precious box. Skin does not believe Luke’s story and threatens him once again. Luke struggles home, worried by his situation and yet again hears the strange melody which continues to develop with the introduction of new and more varied sounds.

Chapter 11 Luke has breakfast with his mother. She tries to talk to him about his father, about his friends and about her friends, but he is difficult to talk to, questioning his mother’s relationship with Roger Gilmore.

Chapter 12 Luke visits his father’s grave and, as a result, arrives late for the practice session with Miranda. She, too, recognizes that Luke is struggling with his life, but they focus on their music and Luke begins to enjoy it. Quite suddenly Luke, once again, hears the strange melody that has been haunting him – yet another element is added to the piece in his imagination.

Chapter 13 The gang meet in Luke’s old oak tree. Skin demands that they return to The Grange at midnight that night, and hints at dreadful consequences if Luke lets him down yet again.

Chapter 14 Luke’s mother tells him that she has received some silent telephone calls. Luke discovers they were from Mrs Little, who later comes to his house to beg him to come to The Grange to play her piano for her granddaughter. That night, Luke deliberately fails to go with the gang to The Grange at midnight. As he lies in bed, he hears the strange music again, and with it, he dreams of colours and shapes that end with a five-pointed star. He is woken from his dream by a torch beam – it’s Skin, ready to punish him for failing their rendezvous at The Grange.

Chapter 15 Luke fakes an email from his mother to excuse himself from school and, making it look as though he is going to school as usual, he escapes to The Grange.

Chapter 16 At The Grange, Mrs Little tells him the story of the little girl – how her parents were killed in a car crash, how she needed someone to care for her and how she took her from a care home that was inadequate. She also tells Luke that a visit from the piano tuner made her aware that the little girl – Natalie – loved piano music.

Chapter 17 Luke plays the piano for Natalie. She is entranced by his playing and he is entranced by her trusting, gentle nature. She calls him ‘Funny Ears’.

Chapter 18 Luke, hiding in the oak tree until it’s time for school to end, contemplates the little girl’s response to him. On the way home, he passes Roger Gilmore’s house and glimpses his mother and Roger together. He goes back to the graveyard where he is found by Miranda. She senses he is troubled and tries to confront him with the reality that his father is dead. He resists her challenge but they return to her home to continue their music practice.

Chapter 19 Under pressure from Luke, his mother declines a proposal of marriage from Roger Gilmore. They go for a walk together, and begin to discuss how his father used to hear sounds and see shapes associated with those sounds, as Luke does.

Chapter 20 Luke dreams of his father again, but again is woken by Skin. This time, Skin is throwing stones at his window. As he tries to block out the threat of Skin, he finds himself recalling how he used to listen to his father playing music, like Natalie does with his piano playing. The next morning he finds a new email from his mother to Roger Gilmore – Luke now knows that he has prevented them from being together and he feels guilty, but he must return to The Grange and sends another email to his teachers, disguised as one from his mother.

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Chapter Plot outline

Chapter 21 Luke plays all sorts of music for Natalie. She draws him a star in the dust on the piano. When he starts to play ‘Peace of The Forest’, Natalie tells him that she can see trees and sunlight. He starts to ask her about her previous life and suddenly Natalie starts to hum a tune. He recognizes that the tune is one his father used to play and asks Natalie if that too makes her see things. She replies ‘Barley’ and he assumes she means fields of barley.

Chapter 22 Luke visits Mr Harding. His main reason is to find out what the tune that Natalie was humming is actually called. At the same time, though, he talks to Mr Harding about all the sounds that he is hearing, and Mr Harding explains that his father also had experience of hearing sounds and associating sounds with shapes and colours, including shining five pointed stars. Luke discovers that Natalie was humming a piece of music by Tchaikovsky, called ‘Reverie’.

Chapter 23 Luke’s mother finds out about Luke’s absence from school. She and Luke have to attend a meeting at school. Luke is desperate to avoid Skin and his friends and fortunately, Miranda helps him do so. She, and everyone else, is still unaware of his visits to The Grange.

Chapter 24 Luke returns to The Grange where he finds Mrs Little and Natalie in a terrible state. Neither has slept for days and Natalie is weeping inconsolably. Luke plays ‘Reverie’ and miraculously, Natalie falls into peaceful sleep. When Luke carries Natalie up to sleep in Mrs Little’s bedroom, he finds the precious box. It contains not the jewels or money that Skin imagined but old photographs and letters – Luke uncovers Mrs Little’s past and evidence of her husband that died in The Battle of Britain during the Second World War. He also finds a tiny identify bracelet in the box, which is engraved with the name Barley May Roberts. He takes the bracelet when he goes home that day.

Chapter 25 Luke discovers that Barley May Roberts is actually a missing child. He realizes that Mrs Little’s story about being Natalie’s grandmother may be false, and phones Natalie/Barley’s real parents. He establishes that Mrs Little is no relation at all of Barley, and that, as a baby in the womb, Barley loved the tune ‘Reverie’. Indeed, Mrs Roberts had once attended a concert where the pianist, Matthew Stanton, played that very piece of music.

Chapter 26 Making careful arrangements with Mr and Mrs Roberts, Luke returns to The Grange, with the intention of removing Barley so that she can be returned to her real parents. While Mrs Little is making hot chocolate, Luke makes his escape and takes Barley to the Buckland Forest.

Chapter 27 Luke and Barley listen to the sounds made by the trees. Luke hums the tune of ‘Reverie’ and this keeps her happy. He follows the arrangements he has made with Mr and Mrs Roberts who arrive in the forest to collect Barley without Luke being seen by them. Luke is deeply content when he sees the child and parents re-united.

Chapter 28 However Skin has finally tracked down Luke. Luke seeks refuge in his old oak tree but Skin sets fire to it. Luke tries to escape the choking flames and fumes by climbing to the end of a branch, but falls.

Chapter 29 Luke recovers in hospital to find out that Roger Gilmore has saved his life. Luke now feels differently about Roger’s relationship with his mother. Luke is also anxious that the musical concert should go ahead as planned.

Chapter 30 Luke, his mother and Roger are reconciled. Luke finds out that the gang have been taken into custody and that Skin will face serious charges for attempted murder. Luke, however, fears for Mrs Little whom he knows will have been deeply troubled by his removal of her little Natalie.

Chapter 31 Bravely, Luke returns to The Grange to make his peace with Mrs Little. The true story of Natalie is told, and Luke and Mrs Little have a frank discussion about her actions. She asks Luke to play for her once more – this time a piece by Scriabin that her husband loved. Luke refuses to play the music at The Grange, telling her that she must attend the concert if she wishes to hear it. She feels unable to attend such a public event and it looks as though Luke will play the piece without her. Luke goes home to practise for the concert, and memories of Barley, mixed with memories of his father and that recurring melody he has been developing in his imagination result in the composition of a new piece of music.

Chapter 32 The concert takes place. Miranda’s flute piece is perfect. Just as Luke is to begin the Scriabin piece, Mrs Little does arrive and he dedicates to her. She is deeply moved and his piano playing is so excellent that the audience ask for an encore. Luke plays his new composition, at the end of which the audience are stunned with admiration before they begin to clap. Everyone gathers round Luke. All his family and friends gather round to congratulate him, and he introduces Mrs Little to them all. As everyone makes their way home, Luke and Miranda take a walk to the forest.

Chapter 33 Luke takes Miranda to the old oak tree. He senses the spirit of his father so strongly that he actually sees him by the tree, but Luke recognizes that his father is now satisfied that Luke is fulfilling his potential as a musician. Luke feels deeply satisfied. He can live his life to the full. He and Miranda kiss – it is the future that now matters and Luke knows the direction he needs to take.

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LESSON 1

, ‘you want to be part of this gang’ and Sub-strands: 5.1; 5.2; 5.3 inference, he is the only one without a nickname); Luke plays the piano, p3 ‘clear off Focus: Chapters 1–2 back to your piano playing’; Luke’s dad has died, Response to character page 8 ‘since Dad died’. Once points are collected, model selecting and writing key details Learning outcomes onto sticky notes to stick on the appropriate Students will be able to: outline. Look for short, pertinent quotations to  Use relevant textual evidence to make prove a point. Draw out that we are seeing judgements about characters events through Luke’s eyes, even though the  Make predictions about plot based on novel is written in the third person. You may initial responses to character wish to question why the author chose not to write in the first person. Engage As students enter the classroom, play ‘Peace of What questions do the class have at the end of the Forest by Grieg’, available at this chapter? What predictions do they have www.timbowler.co.uk/media-hi.html. Ask about how the plot will develop? students to jot down anything the music makes them imagine or visualize, or any emotions or Transform memories that are stimulated. Briefly, share and Students read Chapter 2 independently, using explore initial thoughts before moving on, WS1b to collect points, to note inferences about indicating that the novel they are about to start characters, to look for answers, and to record reading makes several references to music and more questions. When they have finished that how it can stimulate ideas. reading, ask them to use the Reading Guide (Can you depend on your friends? pages 4/5) to Distribute Starseeker and the Reading Guide. prompt further thoughts. Ask them to prepare Using the Pathways (page 16) explain to key points and to select evidence about each students that they are expected to read at least character on sticky notes, as previously one of these book titles while they are studying modelled. Remind them to use short, relevant Starseeker. quotations as proof.

Explore Review and reflect Using the Reading Guide, page 4 (First Voices), Students post up their notes and share answers explore one of Tim Bowler’s inspirations for to the Reading Guide questions. Point out how Starseeker – a little girl from one of his school Skin’s physical power over Luke is shown by visits, whose tiny voice becomes so crucial in his muscular verbs, e.g. ‘pounded’, ‘jerked’, novel. Focus on the novel’s opening words, as ‘dragged’ and by his abusive language: ‘chicken printed in the Reading Guide, using the bastard’ (page 16). questions that follow. Ask the class how helpful they have found the Then, setting aside the Reading Guide, pin up method of recording key points as a way of four character outlines on a prepared space on developing their sense of character? Suggest the wall. These outlines represent Luke, Skin, they continue to use the method as they meet Speed and Daz. Start reading Starseeker, further characters. What questions do they still asking students to focus on these named have? What predictions have they to make? characters. As you read with the class, use a display version of WS1a to model picking out Homework key character points, e.g. Speed has ‘fat stubby Students will need their novels for this fingers’ page 1 and prompting inferences based homework. Tell them it focuses on setting. on specific words, e.g. Luke is afraid of Skin’s Firstly, they must try to draw a very rough ‘face as fierce as fire’ page 2. diagram/sketch of The Grange as Luke sees it in chapter 1 – outside and inside. Then, reading Continue to read to the end of chapter, Chapter 3, see if they can visualize the prompting students’ selection and inference, geography of Luke’s village, noting down the e.g. Luke is the outsider in this group (evidence specific places mentioned and who lives there.

Worksheet 1a Chapter 1

Use this sheet to record some key points as you read. Some examples have been given to help you.

What we are told about characters: Speed is overweight, ‘his fat stubby fingers’ (page 1) Luke is afraid of Skin, ‘Skin flashed an angry glance at him’ (page 2) Mrs Little has lived at The Grange for two years (page 2)

What else we can infer or deduce about characters: Skin seems to be the ringleader of the group of boys (pages 1 and 2)

Questions that are suggested by the story: Whose voice is Luke hearing? Why is she weeping (page 1)

Questions that are answered in this chapter: OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 1

Worksheet 1b Chapter 2

Use this sheet to record some key points as you read. Some examples have been given to help you.

What we are told about characters: Luke loves the old oak tree because he associates it with his Dad (page 12) ‘the place Dad had loved’. Skin is violent and aggressive – he beats Luke up (page 16) ‘the fist simply pounded into him again’.

What else we can infer or deduce about characters: Luke is unhappy with himself (page 14) ‘he just wasn’t a very nice person any more’.

Questions that are suggested by the story: What will Skin do to Luke when he catches him? (page 11) Why does Luke think he is losing his mother? (page 14) What will Skin do next time? (page 17) Why does Luke dislike Roger Gilmore? (page 20)

Questions that are answered in this chapter: Luke’s mother has a boyfriend – Roger Gilmore. OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 2

LESSON 2

or very short quotations will suffice, as in the Sub-strands: 4.1; 5.1; 5.2 examples on WS2a – model doing this for students at first. Focus: Chapters 4–5 Setting and relationships Read Chapters 4 and 5. Draw out the relationship between Luke and other characters Learning outcomes as a shared focus. Students will be able to:  Develop mental picture of a key setting in Transform the novel based on text Dwell on two key moments:  Use a diagram to represent the initial 1. Page 28 ‘Luke, some time or other state of relationships in the novel you’ve got to bring yourself to talk to me about Dad’. Ask one student to sculpt Engage two other students into position as Luke Ask students to compare outlines of the house in and Mum when this is said. Ask other pairs, before distributing the Reading Guide to students to name the space between the compare their idea of the outside with the two characters at this point, i.e. use an drawing on page 6. Emphasize that this is no appropriate descriptive word, such as more ‘correct’ than their version – both are love, distrust, betrayal, disappointment, based on what we are told. Share words that the etc. class think apply to The Grange. Then, ask 2. Do the same with Roger Gilmore and students, working in pairs, to follow the task on Luke when Luke says to him, on page page 6. Use ‘Peace of The Forest’ by Grieg as 49 ‘I can’t help the way you feel.’ background music, again, using the music supplied on Tim Bowler’s website. Distribute WS2b. Model the use of this sheet to place characters in relation to Luke, annotating Explore to elaborate on relationships, as in the sculpting Ask individuals to mention the other places that exercise. The Reading Guide also supports this matter in Luke’s village (mentioned in Chapter activity. The drama activity can be repeated at 3). Then, using the Reading Guide pages 6 and any stage in the novel for a new character or for 7 review what the reader already knows about a change in the relationship. Luke and the characters that live around him. Draw out the tensions that surround Luke, Review and reflect pointing out Luke’s own view of himself as he Ask the students what has been learnt about thinks about helping the little girl he sees in the Luke’s relationships with others, so far. How did Grange: ‘it was a long time since he had done the sculpting exercise help? something good, or so it felt. He didn’t know why this was. Maybe he just wasn’t a very nice How does Luke feel about himself? Read for person any more… he found it hard even to talk them again page 32 from ‘He closed the door to people nowadays’ (page 14). behind him and this time… as dry and barren as the rest of his life’. Tell students that as they read on, they must track some key themes through the whole novel Homework – all things that are important to Luke and his Students try mapping out relationships with a set future. Distribute WS2a that identifies the five number of characters – according to student key things: needs. This is a continuation of work done in 1. The oak tree class. 2. Stars 3. The girl’s voice A wall display copy of the relationships chart, 4. Other sounds heard by Luke enlarged, could be added to as students 5. Any reference to a piece of music – title progress through the novel, including new and composer. characters as they emerge.

Give suitable groups of students one of the above five key themes to track. Page references

Worksheet 2a Tracking key themes

Track one of the following: 1. The oak tree 2. Stars 3. The girl’s voice 4. Other sounds heard by Luke but not by others 5. Any reference to a piece of music with title and/or composer.

Tracking of ______by ______

Page Word, phrase, fact – relevant to your focus

Continue on a fresh sheet.

Worksheet 2b Luke’s relationships – family and friends

Cut out the character profiles below. Arrange them on a sheet of A3 paper to show the characters’ relationships with each other at the start of the novel.

When you have placed the characters, draw lines between them, adding labels which describe how the characters feel about each other, e.g. ‘uneasy’, ‘distant’, ‘detached’. Add further short comment that you think is important:

Skin Kirsti Stanton Matthew Stanton Miranda Davis Luke Stanton

Mr Harding Mrs Little Roger Gilmore Speed Daz

For example:

Mum tries to help him but he pushes her away.

uneasy distrust

Kirsti Stanton fear

Luke Stanton Skin Luke has not come to terms with the death of his father, and is uneasy with his mother.

You can record these relationship patterns on a wall chart, adding more patterns as you meet more characters, or as their relationships change.

LESSON 3

consolidate inference and questioning. WS3a Sub-strands: 4.1, 5.1, 5.2 builds on skills practised in Lessons 1 and 2, so remind the rest of the class to use inferring, Focus: Chapters 6–7 deducing and questioning as key strategies. Character Remind students to continue their particular Learning outcomes tracking exercise with the five key things (started Students will be able to: in Lesson 2).  Trace and collate points on writer’s presentation of Luke’s musical talents  Establish the function of Mr Harding in the Review and reflect novel Share ideas about: a) Luke’s musical talent, e.g. he’s ultra-sensitive to sound, page 53; music ‘consumes’ him, like Engage his father, ‘you have your father’s touch’, page Students peer review their character charts from 58, he’s so good that Mr Harding has no more to homework. A class, shared version can reflect teach him. the consensus or show a variety of views. b) Mr Harding’s function in the novel, e.g. Is Mr Harding a father figure? Is he the only trusted Draw out key points about Luke’s relationships male? Note that he speaks his mind and Luke before moving on, asking particular students to accepts it. He knows that Luke is a genius but explain their charts in more detail. that Luke’s current mood prevents real inspiration. Explore How would students feel if they were Luke, given Students decide what details about Mr Harding what we know of his situation and the characters and Roger Gilmore can be added to their around him? Briefly, hot-seat one or more of the character relationship charts. These can be class as Luke and ask other students to question added to the displayed chart – the guided group him about the people around him. Remind them could take responsibility for this. of Luke’s reflections at the end of Chapter 4. End by asking Luke – what is it that you really What further questions arise? For example, will want? Some students may feel more empathy Luke’s mother marry Roger Gilmore? How does for Luke than others. Allow responses to be Miranda feel about Luke and vice-versa? Is the discussed. little girl’s voice some sort of inspiration to Luke, like it was to Tim Bowler? Record the questions Move on to ask, why does Luke keep hearing so that students look for answers. the girl crying? (Ask the group tracking the voice to comment on the number of times this has If there is time, play another piece of music happened so far.) Why does he keep mentioned in the text and model the homework associating her with other important things in his task. (‘The Dance of the Blessed Spirits’ by life – music, his father, the forest? Is it Gluck would be appropriate as Miranda chooses associations with his childhood? Or is there this to play on her flute.) some mysterious link between Luke and this girl? Use the Reading Guide page 8 to stimulate Homework thinking. Re-read the dream sequence on pages Give students a particular piece of music or 32–34 with students and invite them to interpret musician mentioned in Starseeker to research, the dream. as appropriate to ability/need. They can continue this research as they read the whole novel. Transform WS3c supports this task. Give students WS3a to focus their reading (independent or group reading, as you prefer) of www.timbowler.co.uk/media-hi.html This website Chapters 6 and 7. Use guided work and WS3b offers the key pieces of music used in the novel. with the group that have been collecting music references. As this is the most straightforward of the collecting tasks, this may be a lower- attaining group, and their guided work seeks to

Worksheet 3a Group task for Chapters 6 and 7

 Luke has a special musical talent. What do these chapters tell us about his talent? How might it help Luke, as well as others, as Mr Harding suggests on page 55?

 What do we learn about Mr Harding? How and why is this character important to Luke and to the story?

 What words and quotations could you add to your relationships charts? Any more on Roger Gilmore, for example?

 What further questions do these chapters suggest? OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 3

Worksheet 3b Guided reading plan

Introduction Teaching intention: to consolidate inference and deduction, to focus attention on key points about a new and important character, to stimulate questioning as a strategy to increase engagement.

Strategy check What reading strategies, that students have already used in reading Starseeker, will help to complete WS3a? (Infer and deduce about Mr Harding, Luke and Roger Gilmore; pick out points about Mr Harding or Roger Gilmore that will answer questions 2 and 3, ask questions.)

Example:  Infer – Mr Harding understands Luke and manages Luke’s grumpiness, page 51, ‘Come and sit down… I am sitting down… I mean away from the piano’.  Pick out – Mr Harding seems to read Luke’s mind, page 52, ‘the old man seemed to catch his thought’.  Questions – Does Mr Harding act as a father figure? Why can’t Luke accept Roger Gilmore?

Independent reading Students read the two chapters with the focus questions in their minds.

Sharing responses Teaching intention: to identify that each student can:  Pick out a detail from the text in answer to WS3a  Make an inference based on the text in answer to WS3a – especially points about Luke’s musical talents and feelings about others  Frame a question based on these two chapters.

Review Ask students to rate their confidence in the three strategies by holding thumbs upwards, sideways or downwards for each skill. OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 3

Worksheet 3c Composer research

My musician is:

Date of birth and death:

Where he lived and worked:

Special things about him:

Piece of music mentioned in Starseeker:

When I listened to this piece of music I imagined:

Other things he is famous for:

A picture of your composer: OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 4

LESSON 4

ask the class to suggest what sort of music Sub-strands: 6.2, 6.3, 10.2 would be suitable to accompany Luke for his second break into The Grange, drawing together Focus: Chapters 8–10 the musical theme and the building of tension in (11 and 12 for homework) narrative. Students could also consider, if this Tension and fear episode was filmed, how would the camera be positioned? This would consolidate ideas about Learning outcomes Luke as focaliser as the camera would most Students will be able to: likely be positioned from his viewpoint.  Analyse how a writer builds tension in narrative Transform Ask students to read Chapters 9 and 10, looking Engage for and noting levels of tension, using another Ask the class to recall what they know of Skin copy of WS4a. For example, tension remains and to check the role-on-the-wall for him. This low once Mrs Little admits she has not contacted display needs to be developed during the police, but rises steeply once Luke faces subsequent reading. Ensure students focus on Skin’s threats again. Encourage students to note his association with fire through his eyes, his particular words, phrases and techniques that violent actions (expressed in muscular verbs), help create tension. aggressive language and his police record (page 41 gives examples of all these). Draw attention Guided work can be done here, using WS4b to to his threats and prompt students to notice how support a group of suitable students. This these increase in intensity as Luke fails to meet worksheet could also be adapted to support his demands. independent work.

What does the reader fear Skin might do to Luke Review and reflect and why? Students compare their ideas of tension. What words, phrases or techniques have the most Explore effect on the reader? The focus for reading in this lesson is on how Tim Bowler builds narrative tension in chapters What is Luke’s greatest worry now? This can be 8, 9 and 10. debated – is it Roger Gilmore? The little girl? Skin? Ask students to justify their ideas with While reading Chapter 8, model to students the textual evidence from Chapters 8, 9 and 10. identification of points that create tension. For example, the opening sentence, Skin’s voice, What is the reader’s greatest concern at this knowledge that the house is occupied and Luke stage in the novel (i.e. what creates the greatest must break in, the delay in action as Luke asks tension for the reader)? If it does not arise, draw questions, his thumping heart, the moonlight, the attention to the reader’s sympathy for Luke: the silence that meets him in the house (‘the house receptive reader shares Luke’s fears. ached with silence’). As the description develops, tension drops when Luke does not Homework find the girl in her room, but then suddenly Read Chapters 11 and 12. Ask students to increases when Mrs Little corners him at the end consider whether Luke’s relationships with of a chapter. Mark the levels of tension on a a) his mother scale of 1 to 5 on a tension graph (WS4a) – 5 b) Miranda being highest and o being the lowest. improve or get worse in these two chapters. Explain to students that they should be prepared Suggest to the class that tension is usually to talk about their views in the next lesson. greatest when the reader is anticipating an event, or has a question that is not being answered. Writers create and build that tension in the reader by using particular words, phrases or techniques, as well as withholding information and suggesting threats and dangers. You could

Worksheet 4a Tension graph

Mark a scale 1 to 5 vertically and put appropriate page numbers on the horizontal line. Then complete your graph showing the rise and fall of tension.

Introduction Teaching intention: to consolidate the effective use of textual evidence to support a tension graph (WS4a).

Strategy check Check that students have understood how to use the tension graph to chart how a writer structures a reader’s response. In particular, check the use of textual evidence to support decisions, emphasizing the need to select just a few key words at key moments.

Example:  How Chapter 8 starts with some tension (6/10) at The Grange at midnight ‘a scarier place than it had been before’.  How the threat from Skin remains, ‘eyes smouldering’, page 68.  How tension increases as Luke sets off on his own, ‘no way out of this’ (7/10), and rises as he climbs in ‘there were no sounds of movement’ (8/10).  How the chapter ends with a climax when he sees Mrs Little, ‘Mrs Little standing in the doorway’ (10/10).

Independent reading Students read Chapters 9 and 10 looking for the rise or fall of suspense, noting key words and phrases that they attach to those rises and falls.

Example:  How Chapter 9 begins with suspense (10/10). Mrs Little has caught him, ‘a cordless phone in one hand and a stick in the other’, page 75.  How the tension stays high as she challenges him, ‘he felt only fear, fear of the consequences of all this’, page 76.

Sharing responses Teaching intention: to check progress and confirm that responses are backed up with relevant short and pertinent textual references.

Review Students peer review their use of textual evidence to back up their judgment of tension levels. How effective is the use of a tension graph in helping them to notice how the writer is shaping their response to a situation? OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 5

LESSON 5

Sub-strands: 5.2, 6.2, 10.2

Focus: Chapters 13–15 Narrative interest

Learning outcome Students will be able to:  Analyse how a writer chooses character, ideas and language to maintain narrative interest

Engage Ask pairs to tell each other what they felt about Chapters 10 and 11. Share a few opinions as a class, seeking ideas about how Luke’s mother and Miranda add interest to the plot. Ask students to identify where Miranda fits into the relationships chart. Suggest also that Mum and Miranda have particular functions in the plot, e.g. Luke’s Mum allows Tim Bowler to reveal Luke’s past, Miranda is the kind girl-friend that Luke really needs, and she’s the love interest!

Before moving on, dwell on the end of Chapter 10 – what was that final paragraph about? Read it through again to show how the language appeals to the senses: the contrasts in colour; the many sound effects (onomatopoeia); the way Tim Bowler conveys strong feelings through sentence structures.

Explore Read the opening two paragraphs of Chapter 13. Ask a student to sculpt Skin into position for his words ‘Half an hour late…’. Ask another student to sculpt Luke into position. Before reading any further text, ask other students to suggest: a) what Skin is thinking – what he might say if he said what he really felt b) what Luke is thinking and feeling.

Ask a few students to stand behind a sculpted character and voice their inner thoughts. Sculpt Daz and Speed into the scene. What are their inner voices saying? What does all this reveal? What sort of conflict emerges? Is Luke’s conflict just with Skin? Are Daz and Speed thinking similar or different things? Is their a conflict inside Luke – his good and bad angel, as it were?

Then read Chapters 13 and 15 with the class, Ask students what interests them the most in focusing on why Luke is telling lies. Is he their reading so far: character, ideas or changing? Is he changing for the worse or for language? All of these have been the focus of the better? Ask students to note textual evidence work on the novel so far. Advise all students to for their view. For example, ‘he knew he had to continue their WS2a tracking. protect them somehow, especially the little girl’, Page 121. End the lesson by showing students the computer images that are generated by music Transform on Windows media player screensaver, using Use WS5a to carry out a short guided session the piece ‘The Snow Is Dancing’. Music on pages 130–32 to analyse the language. The available at: www.timbowler.co.uk/media-hi.html group that have been collecting star references Or, if you prefer, use Powerpoint to show a will run the review session, drawing on their slideshow of forest scenes as visual stimuli to WS2a collection of points and displaying the accompany the music. explanations they have composed. WS5b can be used with the guided group and adapted for Homework the rest of the class, as required. Ask students to write up their language analyses. Set some students to write their Review and reflect explanations as full paragraphs, while others just Following feedback, focus discussion on what complete a neat version of WS5a. sense the star/music/father theme is making currently. Are these ideas stimulating reader curiosity, or are they just baffling? Draw attention to how often light andHe darklay back are used on asthe contrasts bed and stared up at the in the novel and askceiling. students Darkness what they had think not smothered it this might represent (e.g. good and evil). completely; moonlight was breaking through a Worksheetgap 5a in the curtains and throwing a limpid glow Language analysisover the surface. He closed his eyes and saw under his brow the deep blue that had appeared Draw an arrow to indicate an appropriate place in the text for the techniquethere before,used. Add and your the own splashes comment of gold against it, on its effect. forming slowly into a circle; and now, in the Sentence length to add impact middle, something new: a tiny white speck. The sounds he had heard earlier started to pour Appeal to senses e.g. the word ‘limpid’ through him again. He heard the bell sound and to describe the glow the flute sound and the harp sound and the of the moonlight suggests a buzzing sound and the sound of rushing water, transparent frost- like shine which all playing together in a weird, ethereal appeals to the symphony, then somehow, as he listened, it was reader’s sense of sight, and creates a as though the different sounds all merged into Vivid adjective(s) ghost-like one: the deep oceanic roar that seemed to Use of contrast, including light and dark pervade everything. He stared through the golden circle at the white speck in the middle and saw at last what it was. Repetition

A five-pointed star.

Oxford Rollercoasters: Starseeker © OUP 2009. This may be reproduced solely within the purchaser’s school or college. 22 Starseeker pages 130–131 OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 5

Worksheet 5b Guided work on language analysis

Introduction Teaching intention: to develop students’ explanation of specific features of language.

Strategy check Ask students to identify features of language that are used for effect, drawing on their previous work on language use in Starseeker.

Use WS5a to check student level of understanding of the key features.

Independent reading (only two or three minutes for this) Students’ re-reading enables them to pick out examples of each of the features required. If this is an able group of students, it can be completed swiftly.

Sharing responses (the bulk of the available time) Teaching intention: to develop detailed explanation of the EFFECT of the use of the language features.  Student picks out a detail from the text in answer to WS5a.  Student is prompted to explain the effect of that feature.  Teacher prompts further detail from that student.  Teacher prompts another student to develop further detail.  Teacher models composing a complete comment to fill one of the boxes, to suit the level of the students in the guided group.  Students write in the provided boxes or add additional sticky notes to facilitate expanded comments.

Review Students pick out their best explanation. All students view those best explanations and decide what makes them effective (i.e. the success criteria for explanation of a writer’s language choices). Depending on the nature of the guided group, these can be shared and explained in the review/reflect part of the whole lesson with the class. If this is an able group, the models could be very helpful for the homework task, scaffolding the attempts of lower attainers.

If some students need more scaffolding with the homework task, fill in further boxes for them, or identify more examples of features for them. Set some students to write their explanations as full paragraphs, while others just complete WS5a.

LESSON 6

that are used to describe her, e.g. she begins by Sub-strands: 5.1, 5.2 being ‘frosty and hard’, her voice becomes ‘a little softer’. Pause at the end of the chapter to Focus: Chapters 16–17 consider the story of Natalie’s arrival at The Character Grange. If we had been Luke, would we have questions we’d ask her? Record these questions Learning outcome for future reference. Students will be able to:  Comment on the writer’s presentation of Transform Mrs Little and the little girl, using textual The class read Chapter 17 by themselves, evidence focusing on how the reader feels about Natalie, noting how she is presented by the writer. Engage Suggest they look for the way Tim Bowler uses Remind students of their wider reading and allow language to describe the little girl, and the way pairs to discuss what they are currently reading she and Luke respond to each other. Encourage before a brief class sharing of titles and students to draw on their previous work on responses. Draw any comparisons with identifying language that appeals to the senses Starseeker that have been noted, allowing and the way sentences can be ordered to build students to consolidate ideas on character emotion. presentation, for example, even if only on a very basic level at this stage. Following the reading, ask the class to note down what they have learnt about Natalie from Review the story of Starseeker so far. Make these two chapters. some predictions about Luke’s next actions. How will he manage Skin? And Roger Gilmore? Review and reflect Will he return to see the little girl? Share ideas about Natalie, e.g. how her smallness makes her intriguing; how Luke is Explore drawn by her eyes and her shyness; how he is For a quick paired and note-making activity, ask attracted by her love of his music; how she students what is already known about Mrs Little. creeps up to him in stages; how they share their Use WS6a to support the task. This worksheet ‘funny ears’; how Tim Bowler makes Luke’s can be differentiated by adding to or reducing sensitivity to Natalie something that is shared by the examples given. With the class, start the reader. drawing up a verbal portrait of Mrs Little from what we have encountered of her so far in the Reflect on these two chapters. Question what novel. Pick out points and supporting quotations effect Mrs Little and Natalie are having on Luke (reminding the class of the process used with (he is softening and being more open to others, Skin and others). Some of the class can he’s caring about his playing because he has a continue working on her profile in pairs, while receptive audience in Natalie). Where would others do the same for the little girl whose voice students place Natalie and Mrs Little in Luke’s is heard (Natalie, as we told in Chapter 16). The relationship chart (completed in Lesson 2)? group that have been tracking the voice, should work on Natalie to consolidate their special Homework knowledge of this character. Using existing notes (continuing WS6a), add to the profiles of Natalie and Mrs Little drawing on Then focus on the shifting presentation of Mrs Chapters 16 and 17. Be prepared to add words Little as you read Chapter 16 with the class. Ask: to the display copy of the character relationships what does Tim Bowler want the reader to think chart for Mrs Little and Natalie. of Mrs Little in this chapter? Prompt the class to track changes in Mrs Little’s tone of voice, noting adjectives, adverbs and phrases

Worksheet 6a Character analysis

Use this worksheet to collect notes about what we know about Mrs Little and the little girl. Back up your notes with quotations. Mrs Little

Use the following to get started: ‘She snaps if anyone goes near her house’ (page 2). She is thought to be ugly: ‘That is one seriously ugly old woman’ (page 2). She knows who Luke is (page 75) and that his father has died (page 81). She wants Luke to do something to help the girl (page 82).

The little girl

Use the following to get started: She is ‘nine or ten years old… with short black hair’ (page 10). She is easily frightened and she cries frequently (page 10). She’s blind (page 79). She’s Mrs Little’s granddaughter (page 82).

LESSON 7

the class have about Miranda and Luke and Sub-strands: 5.1, 6.2, 10.2 what makes them think this? Draw on previous discussions of her role. Focus: Chapters 18–20 The title Then read Chapter 19 with the class – does this help to explain the title? Is the meaning of this Learning outcome clear to the students? What still needs Students will be able to: explaining? Have dictionaries available for  Consider the choice of Starseeker as a checking the meaning of some of the more title for the novel challenging vocabulary in this chapter.

Engage Transform Students peer review language analysis of Use the Reading Guide pages 9 and 10 to pull pages 130–2 (set as a homework task after together ideas about the title that have already Lesson 5). As a class, note what makes a good been suggested to the reader and to open the explanation of the effect of language (i.e. topic of synaesthesia. This could be done as a detailed, relevant exploration of why the writer whole class or group activity. The Reading has selected particular words and phrases, NOT Guide suggests several questions to explore that paraphrase. Comments like ‘this word has the can be followed through into the review session. effect of…’ are helpful). You may wish to use an ICT suite for this lesson to allow students to access the websites on Does that section explain the title? On the basis synaesthesia as they are introduced to it or this of this description, what are the students’ theme can be pursued later. feelings about the cover design? Would they want to change it in any way? Use WS7a to Follow up this study with the reading of Chapter show some alternative covers that have been 20 with the class, focusing on the problems that used for Starseeker. More covers for different Luke still has to overcome. Draw attention to the editions can be found on the internet, including way Luke describes himself as a child lingering some playscript versions. at his father’s music room doorway rather as Natalie did. Are there links between the two as Encourage students to discuss the pros and children? cons of the alternative covers. Ask them for their own ideas about a new cover for Starseeker, Review and reflect encouraging them to justify their choices. What problems does Luke still have to resolve? Roger Gilmore seems to have gone from his list, Some students may feel that the cover, most of but Skin is very much present and still threatens all, needs to be a contrast of light and dark. If with his stone throwing: ‘he found Skin’s menace this point does not arise, suggest, and ask for terrifying’ (page 175). If Luke is the starseeker of comments. This can be picked up later to the title, has he found his star, yet? What is his explore the novel as a struggle for Luke between star, do the class think? good and evil. Maybe students who have been collecting references to one of the five key things Homework are biased in a particular direction – allow them Musical research – find out if your composer is to justify their bias. known to have experienced synaesthesia. Or give the option of researching synaesthesia Suggest that the next few chapters will provide itself. Two books which explore this concept are: more exploration of the ideas that gave Tim Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens: How Bowler his title. But point out that ‘Starseeker’ Synesthetes Color Their Worlds by Patricia was NOT his original choice, as they will soon Lynne Duffy, and The Frog Who Croaked Blue: discover. synesthesia and the mixing of the senses by Jamie Ward. Explore But first, the reader needs to think again about Earlier musical research should also be Miranda. Ask the class to read Chapter 18. Is completed before the next lesson, and students Miranda a help or a hindrance to Luke? Justify should continue to keep a record of the five key opinions before moving on. What predictions do themes that they started to trace in Lesson 2.

Worksheet 7a Alternative covers

LESSON 8

gives to Luke (page 200). What journey does Mr Sub-strands: 5.1; 5.2, 6.2, 10.2 Harding mean? Pull together thoughts on tree, music, star – returning to the Reading Guide Focus: Chapters 21–22 and/or seeking group comments (drawing on Theme of music their WS2a task) to support this, to suit the class. Learning outcomes Students will be able to: Transform  Recognize the importance of the musical With the class, read Tim Bowler’s own theme in the novel in relation to Tim comments on music, using WS8a. Then, skim Bowler’s interest in music Tim Bowler’s list of the pieces of music that he  Analyse language used to convey this mentions in Starseeker, on WS8b. Have the theme group collecting musical references spotted anything that has not been mentioned? Discuss Engage the questions on WS8a before moving on. Select another of the pieces of music mentioned in Starseeker and stored on Tim Bowler’s Then, give students guided, group or website to play as students enter. Pictures to independent work on the novel’s musical theme. accompany the music also could be projected – Explain that they need to analyse a short section natural scenes related to those mentioned in the of text from the novel, printed on WS8c, about novel would be appropriate. music (apportion the three alternatives to different groups in the class). This builds on the Remind the class of Luke’s special hearing: previous skill of language analysis practised in have this on the board: ‘You hear lots of things, Lesson 5, and for homework for Lesson 7. If the way your father did’ (page 101) and ‘Funny necessary, remind students of the features of ears’ (page 156). language analysis that they decided were most effective. If you wish, pick out a detail of one of What other factors have told the reader that the passages to model good exploration of Luke has extraordinary hearing? language use. WS8d structures this task for all and can be used or adapted to guide a selected Address this question before moving on, drawing group of students. particularly on the group that have been collecting all references to Luke’s powerful Review and reflect hearing. For detailed review, display a copy of each text on a whiteboard or OHT so that students can Explore present their ideas to each other. Encourage Start with the students’ research findings on their students to articulate their ideas fully to build a musicians – they could present their findings in wide range of ideas to meet the challenge of the groups of students who have researched homework task. different musicians, or individuals could share their research with the whole class. Then, using Students should now be more aware of the way the Reading Guide pages 9 to 11, explore the a writer’s interests feed into the themes of a musical theme in the novel a little further. Start novel and influence how that theme is handled. with the music quiz and test how much the class have learnt from each other about the Homework musicians. Students redraft or complete their language analysis from this lesson as short written Before moving on, ask the class, now they know paragraphs. For some students, you may wish to about synaesthesia, if any of them respond to encourage a more detailed analysis than for music in colour? Or in shapes, as Luke does? others, according to ability level.

Read Chapters 21–22 and relate the content to the discussion on the title. Pause, in particular, to question the class about Mr Harding’s comment on the sheet music of ‘Reverie’ that he

Worksheet 8a Musical theme

Read the following explanation from Tim Bowler. How does it increase your appreciation of the musical theme in Starseeker? Does it illuminate any other aspect of the novel?

I come from a very musical family. My mother and father play the piano, I play the piano and my brother Graham (two years older than me) plays the piano. (I have no other brothers or sisters.) On my father’s side, my great grandfather was a self-taught musician who ended up playing the organ in church and my great aunt was a concert pianist. On my mother’s side, my grandmother (called Nan, to whom Starseeker is dedicated) was also a brilliant pianist. Like my great aunt, she could play anything. If you put a piece of music in front of her, she’d just play it straight off. If it was a song and the key was too high or too low for you to sing, she’d transpose it from the printed score. If she didn’t have the music but knew the tune, she’d just play it by ear. She died at the age of 98 and was playing the piano well into her 90s. During the First World War she used to entertain the troops. She sometimes went to prisoner of war camps and played to the inmates. She had an extraordinary musical gift and was a massive influence on me.

My brother Graham has inherited a similar gift. He’s not a professional musician but he can play pretty much anything. Like Nan and my great aunt, he is omnivorous in his musical tastes. He likes to play classical, jazz, anything. It was through Graham that I first heard about colour in music. I remember when he was a boy that some notes made him see particular colours. For example, he had a certain note that he said gave him what he called a ‘luxurious blue colour’ and another note that gave him a ‘pillar-box red colour’. He doesn’t now remember what these notes were and he no longer experiences colour with sounds. He also has one-directional perfect pitch, i.e. if you play a note on the piano, he will tell you what it is but if you ask him to sing a B, for example, he may find that difficult. He is extremely sensitive to the temperament of an instrument. If a piano is out of tune, he can still tell what the correct note should be.

I am also very musical. I do not have my brother’s technical ability at the piano, nor do I possess perfect pitch, but I am extremely sensitive to sound and music has always had a profound effect on me. I started studying the lives of the great composers seriously from the age of about twelve. I was interested to find that some of them also experienced colour in music. Sibelius was a particular example. His biographer recorded how he saw colours with all notes. He had absolute pitch and could both recognise and sing any note he chose. He also experienced other senses in relation to sound. For example, he sometimes had gustatory experiences with music. An unpleasant sound would give him not just a corresponding colour but also sometimes a metallic taste in his mouth. Other composers who apparently saw colour in music include Messiaen, Scriabin, Liszt and Rimsky-Korsakov. The technical term for this crossing over of two or more senses is synaesthesia and some of the things experienced by synaesthetes are extraordinary.

On Worksheet 8b, you will find Tim Bowler’s list of the music that he uses in Starseeker. He adds quotations from the novel about those pieces of music. What do they all suggest about Tim Bowler’s interest in music? OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 8

Worksheet 8b Ten key pieces of music in Starseeker

1. Gluck: ‘Dance of the Blessed Spirits’ (from Orpheus and Eurydice) “ ‘The Dance of the Blessed Spirits’ turned out to be exactly that. As the notes cut through the air, he felt as though all the dancing spirits he had sensed in that magic world of light and sound were here again, moving endlessly around them.” (page 306)

2. Grieg: ‘Peace of the Forest’ (also called’ Peace of the Woods/Woodland Peace’), Opus 71 No. 4 of The Lyric Pieces “The first two chords reminded him of distant bells, then came the soft singing melody, the left hand running up and down with a slow rhythmic bass while the right hand picked out the tune; and suddenly it was all bells, bells ringing in a forest. He saw pictures flooding his mind as she played, pictures of Buckland Forest, of lush green canopies, of leaves dripping with dew, of light pouring through treetops.” (page 32)

3. Debussy: ‘The Snow is Dancing’ (from The Children's Corner Suite) “Luke started to play ‘The Snow is Dancing’. He hadn't expected to know the piece but the moment he started it, he recognized it. Dad had played it several times. It wasn’t the wistful tune that even now was singing in his head like a cross-current of melody, but it was beautiful in itself and he played on, gradually settling into the music; and before long the snow was dancing in pictures before him.” (page 58)

4. Grieg: ‘I Love Thee’ (also called Ich Liebe Dich) “She was humming the tune of ‘I Love Thee’ by Grieg, the piece Dad used to play for her. She wasn’t humming boisterously, just very quietly to herself, almost as though she didn’t want him to hear her. Perhaps she didn’t realize that he could… He sat down at the piano, propped open the music in the holder and started to play.” (page 137)

5. Ravel: ‘Pavane’ (also called Pavane for a Dead Infanta/Pavane pour une Infante Défunte’) “He started to play again, Ravel’s ‘Pavane’ this time, a piece he hadn’t played since he was Natalie’s age, but he remembered it well enough. It was perhaps a little mournful and he wasn’t sure he should be playing something that had once been written in memory of a dead child, but in a strange way the music seemed to mirror the mood he felt.” (page 152)

6. Grieg: ‘Nocturne’, Opus 54 No. 4 of The Lyric Pieces He played on, Grieg’s ‘Nocturne’ this time, and very quietly. The girl was barely a few feet from him. She had made her way towards him with lots of stops and starts but now she was almost within touching range. He glanced at her as he played, feeling slightly nervous at her closeness, and anxious in case he frightened her again. He took the lively section of the piece much more slowly than it was meant to go, and with no crescendos at all. Too much sound and movement and he felt certain he would lose her again.” (page 153) OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 8

Worksheet 8b (continued)

7. MacDowell: ‘To a Wild Rose’ “He chose ‘To a Wild Rose’ by MacDowell. It was nice and simple and it seemed a good piece to play for Natalie right now. He glanced down at her. She had turned back towards him and her eyes were darting about the room as though the notes were flashes of light and she was trying to catch them.” (page 155)

8. Tchaikovsky: ‘Reverie/Douce Reverie’ (also called ‘Daydream/Sweet Dreams’) from Album for the Young, Opus 39 “Luke played; and as the notes moved, so the presence of his father – still close by – seemed to move, too, through his fingers, through the music, through all his emotions. He played on, fighting hard to keep his composure, but the poignancy of the piece, and the thought of his father playing it all those years ago, mastered him… He stood up and let Mr Harding take his place on the piano seat. The old man’s hands stretched out and he started to play, at the point where Luke had left off. Luke closed his eyes as the melody ran through him.” (page 198)

9. Scriabin: Etude, Opus 2, No 1 “He played on and tried to lose himself in the music. At least the Scriabin étude was a beautiful piece. He hadn’t heard it before but he was glad to now. There was a yearning to it, a beseeching quality, especially in the opening phrases. He played it again and again, each time a different way, and each time growing to love it more… Strange to think that this piece had been composed by a boy about his own age.” (page 298)

10. Luke's own composition: the piece he plays at the concert at the end of the book.

Worksheet 8c Musical analysis

Choose one of the following short passages. How does Tim Bowler use language to suggest Luke’s (and his own) interest in and love of music? (Use Worksheet 8d for further guidance.)

Passage A: page 32

It was the sound of the piano down in the music room. He listened, his eyes closed. It was so long since Mum had played but he knew this piece at once. He’d played it himself enough times, though not for a couple of years: ‘Peace of The Forest’ by Grieg, Mum’s favourite composer. It was good to hear it again. The first two chords reminded him of distant bells, then came the soft singing melody, the left hand running up and down with a slow rhythmic bass while the right hand picked out the tune; and suddenly it was all bells, bells ringing in a forest. He saw pictures flooding through his mind as she played, pictures of Buckland Forest, of lush green canopies, of leaves dripping dew, of light through treetops, and then – to his surprise – the girl’s face, her black hair brightened by the sun; and she wasn’t frightened: she was laughing, singing even, and he was with her, in the forest, in the music.

Passage B: page 183

He thought for a moment of what to play, then remembered ‘Peace of The Forest’. He hadn’t played it for ages but his fingers found the notes at once, the two opening chords that made him think of distant bells, and suddenly the music was flowing out of him like running water, the song of the forest speaking through the notes… He played on to where the bell-like chords came back, his mind running ahead as he tried to remember how the music went; but his fingers knew the path… The bell sounds returned, more softly, the slow final chords opening like petals. He felt the rustling of leaves, the movement of treetops, the stillness of hidden glades; then silence. The forest slept.

Passage C: page 198

And Luke played; and as the notes moved, so the presence of his father – still close by – seemed to move, too, through his fingers, through the music, through all his emotions. He played on, fighting hard to keep his composure, but the poignancy of the piece, and the thought of his father playing it all those years ago, mastered him. He stopped, halfway through. Before him on the page, the printed notes awaited his attention; yet he could not play them. He felt Mr Harding’s hand on his shoulder.

“Stand up, Luke. Let an old man have a try.”

He stood up and let Mr Harding take his place on the piano seat. The old man’s hands stretched out and he started to play, at the point where Luke had left off. Luke closed his eyes as the melody ran through him. OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 8

Worksheet 8d Guidance on language analysis

Select one of the three passages for close comment using the skills of language analysis. Remember, it is the effect of the language choices, not just spotting the language feature that really counts.

In your group, you could explore:  How the writer appeals to the reader’s senses (including sound effects in the actual language, like alliteration or onomatopoeia; visual effects like similes and metaphors; words that suggest textures or touch) and what effect these have on the reader.  The effect of the use of repetition (both words and phrases).  The effect of the use of contrast (light/shade, loud noise/soft noise)  The effect of the use of vivid vocabulary (adjectives, verbs, nouns).  The effect of the length of sentences and the order of the words in the sentences – do they create feelings or suggest the musical melody?  Anything else that you think contributes to the impact of the writing to suggest Luke’s and Tim Bowler’s interest in and love of music?

Annotate your copy of your passage to provide prepared comments to feed back to the class. OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 9

LESSON 9

must compose a short monologue for Mrs Little, Sub-strands: 4.1, 5.1; 5.2 based on what she might think or remember as she holds that item in her hands and looks at it. Focus: Chapters 23–26 (25 and 26 for Each group must write two copies of their homework) monologue, one of which they keep and one Character and mystery which they give to Mrs Little. In the presentation of this work, the student sculpted as Mrs Little Learning outcomes must pick up each item in turn. As she handles Students will be able to: it, the group who have written her thoughts  Synthesize points from across the about this item must read the words aloud. narrative Finally, the teacher reads out the letter about Mr  Explain reasons for changing the reader’s Little’s death as it appears in the novel. One of response to Mrs Little the pieces of music featured in the novel can be used as background music to this whole activity Engage to give it greater impact. With the teacher in role as Mrs Little, students should be encouraged to address questions to Review and reflect her, trying to uncover more about her. The Ask the class how their perceptions of Mrs Little teacher must keep up Mrs Little’s cold façade, have changed. Did the sculpting exercise softening only at the mention of Natalie and the increase their sympathy? Why or why not? How soothing potential of Luke’s piano playing. She do they think Luke feels about her when he must remain absolutely closed on certain looks through her box? subjects, only revealing as much as is known currently. However, hints that she has more to Students may wish to add to their notes on Mrs her past than has yet been revealed are Little or change the words that name the space allowed. between Luke and Mrs Little on the displayed relationships chart. Use this activity to summarize how the class, as readers, feel about Mrs Little. Consider how Tim Before concluding, dwell on very last part of Bowler has shaped our response by presenting Chapter 24. What is the bracelet that Luke her from the outset from the outside, and at first, finds? What would any member of the class through Skin whose judgements are not perfect! have done with the bracelet if they had found it? Why does Luke take it? What will it prove to be? Explore Before reading on, ask the class to consider how Homework the reader’s response to Mrs Little develops as Read Chapters 25 and 26 to find out how Luke they read further. Chapter 23 deals with Luke’s responds to finding the bracelet. Without reading problems at school first, but Chapter 24 takes us further, ask students to predict what he might do back to Mrs Little. Read and trace shifting next. empathies. Then distribute the Reading Guide and ask students to read page 14 of the Reading Guide to begin to uncover some important contextual details about Mrs Little’s life and misfortune.

Transform Ask one student to sculpt another as Mrs Little as she might be when she looks through the contents of her precious box – what does each photograph and item in the box mean to her?

Divide the class into groups of five or six. Each group should take responsibility for one of Mrs Little’s precious things (these are listed on WS9a which supports this task). Each group

Worksheet 9a Mrs Little’s precious things

Cut into separate cards for student groups.

A photograph of several young A photograph of a young man by a RAF pilots all in flying gear at the Spitfire. On the back are the words airfield, playing cards with planes – ‘Bill at Biggin Hill August 1940’. in the background – many of them smoking.

A photograph of Bill (dressed in A photograph of a group of young RAF uniform), sitting on wild grass RAF pilots playing football. near an airfield, alone, whittling a stick.

A photograph of Bill with a young woman standing outside a pub – A folded piece of paper and a smiling and arm in arm – words on tangle of brown hair. the back say ‘Bill and me outside the Black Horse August 1940’.

LESSON 10

As they finish the chapter, and after taking initial Sub-strands: 6.1, 6.2, 10.2 responses, return to the Reading Guide page 12 from ‘Now The Bullies’. Look in more detail at Focus: Chapters 27–28 their response to the climax in Chapter 28? How The escape does the writer make them feel? They must begin to analyse their response to Skin’s final Learning outcomes act of cruelty, and how the writer has prepared Students will be able to: the reader for this act from the outset. This work  Analyse and evaluate the writer’s builds on both their sense of narrative language choices to build to a climax tension/structure and their skill in language  Trace the development of the threat of analysis. Skin to Luke’s safety A group of students could be guided through this Engage work using WS10a and b, which can also be Discuss what did Luke did when he found the used or adapted to supplement pair or bracelet and why. independent work based on the Reading Guide.

Using the Reading Guide page 12, consider Review and reflect Luke’s secretiveness. Is it acceptable that he Ask all students to keep full notes from this lies? Then ask pairs to discuss what they think feedback session as it will be the basis of their about Luke taking Natalie? What questions homework. would they like to ask him at this stage? Agree the stages in Skin’s threat to Luke, Organize a brief hot-seating exercise to reflect plotting on a flow diagram as prompted on page on his action. Was it the right thing to do? 13 of the Reading Guide. Explore how Skin’s threat to Luke provides effective narrative Explore tension in the novel, drawing out student Recall how narrative tension is built by a writer, responses and recording key points. Mention, for listing the key features. What level of tension did example, Tim Bowler’s initial presentation of students feel at the end of Chapter 26? him, the imagery of fire suggested from the outset, his association with violent and muscular Read Chapter 27 with the class. Trace how Tim verbs, Skin’s own violent language of threat, Bowler tackles this climax in the plot strand how his presence often cuts across a moment of involving Natalie/Barley. Pick out a few peace for Luke (page 92, page 132), Luke’s examples of language that creates narrative constant concern about the threat expressed in tension, building on skills developed in Lessons desperate questions, Skin’s escalating 4 and 5. Suggest that the use of contrast, in punishment of Luke feeding the readers’ sense particular, becomes crucial at the end of the on impending danger. chapter. Briefly explain the homework task which draws As on previous occasions, chart events and heavily on the discussion in the review section. tension strategies (including words, phrases or key passages) on a copy of WS4a (the tension Homework graph used previously). What is the students’ Ask students to answer the question: How does response to events at the end of Chapter 27? Do Tim Bowler use the character of Skin to provide they find what has happened unexpected? Or narrative tension in Starseeker? predictable? Or, ask them to complete the flow diagram which Transform shows the progress of Skin’s threat to Luke from Ask students read Chapter 28 for themselves, or Chapter 1 to Chapter 28. if you prefer in small groups, and use another copy of WS4a to continue charting events, tension strategies and key words or phrases or key passages.

Worksheet 10a Skin’s acts of violence

Skin’s eyes… it was like watching a black fire reaching out to choke him p37

Next time you’ll do the job properly… don’t try and avoid us… well find you p17

The flames in his eyes now seemed darker, deeper, hotter p6

Skin’s eyes … like looking at two black flames p4

Introduction Explain to the students that they are learning to recognize how Tim Bowler has structured the development of Skin’s treatment of Luke to create narrative tension.

Read through page 12 in the Reading Guide with students, following the questions and drawing attention to the idea of Skin’s violence against Luke gradually increasing to create narrative tension. Tell the students that their task will be to collect references to Skin’s violence against Luke to see if this is correct.

Strategy check Check that students recall how to skim a text to look for references to a particular character. They will need to look at the chapters in which Skin appears – if necessary use the navigator to identify the appropriate chapters to support some pupils. Take them through some early examples to model how to use Worksheet 10a. Three references are already given in the Reading Guide.

Independent reading Students use Worksheet 10a to fill in short references to the escalating violence, together with page numbers. Students may work in pairs.

Sharing responses Check progress and share the collected references. Ask the students how far they think the reader has been prepared for the climax in Chapter 28. If they did anticipate the climax, did it create narrative tension for them?

Review Conclude the guided group work by asking them what they have learnt about how a writer can use character and events to create tension.

Oxford Rollercoasters: Starseeker © OUP 2009. This may be reproduced solely within the purchaser’s school or college 39 OXFORD ROLLERCOASTERS Starseeker Lesson 11

LESSON 11

more underneath those, and so on, until they Sub-strands: 4.1, 5.2, 6.3 have a diamond shape. Tell students that they may add other themes and remove any not Focus: Chapters 29–30 wanted, but they must keep to the nine choices. Resolution Before moving on, ask students to justify their choice of theme. Suggest that some of the Learning outcomes themes may have contrasting counterparts, e.g. Students will be able to: if ‘belonging’ is a theme, then is ‘not belonging’  Express responses to a writer’s structural also important to consider? If ‘love’ is a theme choices, drawing on textual details then ‘hate’ is also crucial, thinking of Skin and  Trace the importance of the theme of even Luke with his hatred of Roger Gilmore. bullying through the novel, and consider Allow students a few minutes to reflect on other themes illuminating opposites to the themes on the cards. Engage Follow up previous homework by an initial peer Ask students what is still left unresolved in the review of their work on Skin’s role in the novel. novel. Even though Skin is no longer a threat, You might like to tell the class that Tim Bowler Natalie is safely at home with her parents, Luke did base the character of Luke on someone he still has some problems to overcome. What are actually knew, but that he is certain that the real they? person would not recognize himself! Transform Set homework for this lesson – to write a Explain that WS11c contains a chart tracking newspaper report about Luke’s accident. Model different strands of the plot. You can adapt this the use of WS11a to support this writing task, chart to meet particular needs of the students, reminding students that a newspaper report but use it in a form that enables you to model must focus on who, what, where, when and why how it works, i.e. a cross is placed when a and use language economically to pack in the chapter tackles an aspect of the plot. Leave interesting facts. The worksheet can be adapted blank the last few chapters so students can fill in to suit individual students. the crosses for the end of the novel.

Explore As groups or individuals, read Chapters 29–30. Return to the Reading Guide to reflect on the Ask students to complete the filling in of the theme of bullying and lies in the novel – set up chart and to reflect on how the different strands the conscience corridor for Luke as suggested have worked together so far. on page 13. How does this make the students feel about Luke and the decisions he had to Review and reflect make? Briefly review the content of Chapters 29 and 30. Having filled in the chart on WS11c, students Then ask the students what they think needs to should be able to see what has been resolved be resolved in relation to the theme of bullying (Luke’s relationship with his mother and, in and lies before the end of the novel. (For particular, Roger Gilmore taking a turn for the example, Mrs Little’s lies. Will they be forgotten better. Roger’s bravery in rescuing Luke is a key and forgiven?) factor. The fate of the other boys in the gang is addressed – justice has been done). They can What other themes can the students identify in also see what is left to be resolved in the the novel? Pairs or trios of students should use remaining three chapters. the diamond ranking exercise on WS11b to prompt ideas and lead to discussion. Ask the Homework students to rank the given themes into a Write the newspaper report of Luke’s accident diamond shape – the most important one at the which was explained earlier. WS11a supports top, then two more underneath that, and three this task.

Worksheet 11a Luke Stanton – Forest Fire

Use the following prompts to plan your newspaper article:

1. Compose an attention-grabbing, descriptive and short headline. 2. Answer all the questions below in as few words as possible, packed with facts to inform and entertain your local readers. Make it sound interesting by using lively vocabulary and short, clear sentences.  When did the event occur and where?  What happened?  Who was hurt and how? Who was responsible? Why was it done?  How was he saved and by whom?

In between your answers to the questions, add any suitable eye-witness quotations, saying who said them, and who they are. Use characters from the novel.

End with a concluding comment – was there any lasting damage? How is Luke, now?

You could begin:

Local boy, Luke, son of the famous pianist, Matthew Stanton, had a narrow escape in the Buckland Forest last week…

Worksheet 11b Some themes

Choose nine of the themes below (or identify your own) and rank them in order of priority in a diamond shape, with the most important at the top.

Be prepared to justify your choices.

Belongin Love g Hope

Grief Anger Healing

Friendshi p Music Trust

Rebellion Genius

Redempti on

Worksheet 11c Strand tracker

Main plot strands Chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Mrs X X X X X X X X X X X X X Little and Natalie

Luke X X X X X X X X X and the gang

Luke X X X X X X X X X X and his father

Luke’s X X X X X musical growth and Mr Harding Luke, X X X X X X X X X X X X X his mother & Roger Gilmore Luke X X X X X and Miranda

Adapt this chart to include different headings or plot strands. Blank out XXXs to suit needs and level of challenge required.

LESSON 12

same section). When the groups have had Sub-strands: 5.2, 6.3 sufficient time to become familiar with their section, each group performs in order. The Focus: Chapter 31 performance must begin with a still image and Resolution end with a still image. Learning outcomes In between each group’s performance, use the Students will be able to: Scriabin Etude as link music until the very last  Consider the overall effect of the writer’s scene when it must change to Reverie. That last presentation of Mrs Little on the reader scene in the rolling theatre will be Luke reflecting  Interpret the role of Natalie and Mrs Little on Natalie at the point where Luke sees how his in the plot and themes of the novel life has been transformed by his connections with her – ‘lost and found…’, page 300. Engage Point out to the class that Luke’s last meeting Following the performance, ask if the rolling with Mrs Little was when he took Natalie. Can he theatre has altered their response to or thinking return to see her again? Must he do so? Why? about this strand of the plot which involves Mrs Why not? Ask the class what Mrs Little and Luke Little, Natalie and Luke. Explore responses. might have to say to each other when they next meet, if they do. What might make the meeting Review and reflect really tricky? Encourage pairs to discuss ideas Ask how these three characters contribute to and try out some possible conversations. Ask any of the themes identified in the last lesson. one or two pairs to show their conversations to Recall how Natalie’s voice is the first topic to be the class. Agree how difficult such a meeting mentioned at the start of the novel. What did her might be for both parties. voice set in motion for Luke?

Explore Finally, ask what’s still left to be resolved. Use Read Chapter 31 to uncover what actually WS11c to mark up the completed strands of plot happens and explore the feelings that emerge. and identify the final piece of the jigsaw. Do all Who do they think is being most responsible and plot strands HAVE to be tied up in a novel? Will mature here? Ask them to recall Luke’s first they be in this novel? This question leads into meeting with Mrs Little when she criticises his the homework task. behaviour. What has happened in Chapter 31? (role reversal) Homework Students make notes on how they would like Explain that the class are now going to reflect on Starseeker to end, and reconsider the suitability the whole strand of the plot that involves Luke, of the title. Mrs Little and Natalie. They must also ensure they have completed the Transform reading of at least one other book on the Using the series of meetings with Mrs Little as Pathways list, ready for discussion in Lessons the basis for a rolling theatre, give small groups 14 and 15. Some students could be asked to of students different sections of the novel to find and bring in a website review of the novel dramatize. WS12a sets out six mini-scenes and they have been reading to assist Lesson 14. a very short seventh scene. Students rehearse their section of the text (two groups can do the

Worksheet 12a Stages in the relationship between Luke and Mrs Little

Scene 1

Luke creeps across a room where he has seen the precious box that Skin wants. He hears a small, delicate cough and turns round. Mrs Little stands in the doorway. She has a mobile phone in one hand and a stick in the other.

Mrs Little: (Contemptuous and critical) Don’t you even think of running. I know exactly who you are. You’re Luke Stanton. You hang around with those louts from the village. I’ve phoned the police. (In a softer tone) You can come out now. He’s not going to hurt you.

Natalie: Nana, Nana.

Mrs Little: Here darling. (She comforts the girl and strokes her hair) Don’t you want to say hello to him? (The girl hides behind Mrs Little)

Luke: Hello …

Mrs Little: (Looking crossly at Luke) She’s terrified of you.

Luke: I’m not going to hurt her.

Mrs Little: I know you’re not. You’re not like the boys you’re stupid enough to hang around with. And you play the piano. Like your father – Matthew Stanton. I read about the cancer.

Luke: I don’t want to talk about this. Do what you like about the police! I’m going home.

Mrs Little: You’re going to help her

Luke: How can I help her?

Mrs Little: You want to rage against the world because the world took away your father. But now you’ve got the chance to do some good. I want you to come here again for her…

Worksheet 12b Stages in the relationship between Luke and Mrs Little

Scene 2

Luke calls at The Grange as Mrs Little has asked. She sits with him in her sitting room. He looks around nervously.

Mrs Little: (sharply) You’re not here to get to know me or for me to get to know you. You’re here to help Natalie. Any visits you make to this house will remain secret. I will tell no one. You will tell no one. Is that absolutely clear?

Luke: Okay, but you still haven’t explained how you want me to help her.

Mrs Little: Natalie’s ten years old but she has a mental age of four. Her parents – my daughter and son-in law – died in a car crash. Natalie survived but the impact made her lose her sight. She’s very confused.

Luke: I’ve never seen her round the village.

Mrs Little: One reason is she’s too frightened.

Luke: And the other?

Mrs Little: (pauses) Because I’m not supposed to have her. They put her in a home. I didn’t like it so I took her away. Sneaked out with her.

Luke: So you’ve kept her a secret? But you’re her grandmother…

Mrs Little: They’d argue she needed special care – her blindness, her trauma, her low mental age. An old woman like me can’t provide for her…

Luke: But I still don’t see how I can help Natalie.

Mrs Little: You can play the piano.

Worksheet 12c Stages in the relationship between Luke and Mrs Little

Scene 3

Luke is at the piano with Natalie beside him and she tries to follow his fingers on the keyboard.

Luke: Let’s get you to play something. We’ll do Twinkle, Twinkle, Little star. Do you know it, Natalie? Can you sing it? Do you know what a star is? Natalie? Can you draw me a picture of a star with your finger? You can draw it on the piano if you want. (She traces a star with her finger on the piano top.)

Luke: Well done Natalie. (Speaking to Mrs Little) So she can remember things she’s seen. What about me? Does she know my name?

Mrs Little: I’ve told her but I don’t think she’s taken it in.

Luke: Natalie? Natalie? What’s my name? Do you know? (Natalie reaches for his ears.) Funny ears, I know. What’s my name, Natalie?

Natalie: Funny ears. (Luke grins and starts to play ‘Peace of the Forest’.)

Natalie: Trees.

Luke: Can you see them in the music?

Natalie: Big, green trees.

Luke: And leaves.

Natalie: Lots of leaves.

Luke: What else?

Natalie: Sunlight.

Luke: Can you remember where you used to live? (She starts to hum a tune and Luke vaguely recalls this tune.)

Luke: That’s a nice tune, Natalie. What’s it called? Can you see pictures in it? Like you did with the other piece?

Natalie: Barley.

Luke: Barley?

Worksheet 12d Stages in the relationship between Luke and Mrs Little

Scene 4

Mrs Little has called Luke to help her because Natalie is hysterical and cannot sleep. Luke plays her Reverie and she falls asleep at last. Mrs Little, exhausted herself, allows Luke to carry Natalie upstairs to her room.

Mrs Little: Just pop her in my bed and tuck her up and make sure she’s sleeping all right. I’ll… I’ll…

Luke: Just stay here. You don’t have to do anything. You just rest here for a bit. She’s only light.

Mrs Little: All right. Thank you. I’ll probably fall asleep. Can you stay with her a bit? Make sure she’s all right? While I get some rest down here?

Luke: I can stay till about quarter-past six.

Mrs Little: That’s all right. If I’m asleep, wake me when you leave. And wake me if there’s a problem with Natalie.

Luke: OK.

Luke carries Natalie to Mrs Little’s bedroom and he makes sure she’s comfortable and asleep. He looks round the room to find a chair that he can sit on. What he actually sees is Mrs Little’s box. He sits down and looks at it, peering through the unexpected contents (photos, letters and finally a small bracelet).

Luke: (in a whisper) Barley May Roberts (pause) Barley May Roberts?

Worksheet 12e Stages in the relationship between Luke and Mrs Little

Scene 5

Luke has taken Natalie to Buckland Forest and Luke is on the phone to her parents. Natalie sits happily listening to the sound of the trees in the forest.

Luke: There’s a track that leads into the forest. OK? I want you to pull into the lay-by and wait.

Mrs Roberts: Until you phone us?

Luke: Yes

Mrs Roberts: And you will phone us, won’t you? Please tell us you’re not going to raise our hopes and the…

Luke: It’s OK. It’s OK. I will phone. This is for real, Mrs Roberts, I promise. You’ll have Barley back very soon.

Mrs Roberts: Thank you. Whoever you are. Thank you. (Luke walks over to Barley and kneels down. She has her eyes closed.)

Luke: (very quietly) Only me, Barley. Only me.

Barley: Singing.

Luke: Who’s singing? The birds?

Barley: Tree.

Luke: The tree?

Barley: Tree singing.

Luke: Tree singing. Lots of trees singing now, Barley. Can you hear them?

Barley: All singing. (She reaches for his ears and he laughs.) Funny ears.

Luke: Funny ears. I’ll always think of you. I’ll always love you. And Nana will always love you. And your mummy and daddy will always love you.

Barley: Mummy and daddy.

Luke: They’ll be with you very soon. They’re going to look after you from now on. Keep humming, Barley. Keep humming.

(Quietly he takes out his phone…) Worksheet 12f Stages in the relationship between Luke and Mrs Little

Scene 6

Barley is safely with her parents. Luke calls on Mrs Little. At first she is stiff but then she tells him what really happened when she took Barley.

Mrs Little: I was meant to find her. I was meant to find her.

Luke: But not to keep her! (shaking his head) It was wrong! You know it was!

Mrs Little: I know, I know. And I did think of trying to get her back to her parents, especially after their appeal on television. But the weeks went by, then months… I just got so close to her. Barley didn’t hate me. She loved me.

Luke: It was still wrong. Didn’t you think about what her parents were feeling?

Mrs Little: They let her go! They let her go wandering off. They don’t deserve to keep their daughter. (She slumps back in her chair.) I should have got her back to them. Especially when she started to show signs of distress.

Luke: So I was just a means to an end. Someone who could play the piano for Barley and calm her down so you could keep her locked up here a little bit longer.

Mrs Little: I didn’t just want you to play for Barley. I wanted you to play for me, too. Would you play for me now? (She hands him some music. It’s a Scriabin Etude, Opus 2 No. 1.) Scriabin was about your age when he wrote it. Bill told me. Will you play it for me?

Luke: I’ll play this for you, but not here.

Mrs Little: Where then?

Luke: At the concert in the village hall tonight…

(Scriabin music replaced by Reverie.)

Scene 7

(Luke at his piano, as if playing – music stays in background.)

Luke: Where are you now Barley? Speak to me through music. (music louder at this point, then fades) Lost and found, Barley. You and me both.

LESSON 13

exclusion from the film of the novel. Tim says, Sub-strands: 5.2, 6.3 ‘their final moment in the book is a key part of the story’. How do the class react to this? Does this make them re-evaluate any themes or Focus: Chapters 32–33 characters? Remind them of the diamond Resolution ranking activity from Lesson 11.

Ask the different groups who have been tracking Learning outcomes the five key things if they have additional observations, e.g. the group tracking sounds that Students will be able to: Luke hears may wish to comment on its  Discuss and evaluate the effect of the development into Luke’s first musical ending on the reader composition.  Trace changes in Luke and his Complete WS11c – tracking plot strands – to relationships assist and affirm judgement and allow reflection before moving on. Engage Give students WS13a which suggests possible Transform endings for Starseeker. These endings could be Using the Reading Guide page 15, consider the printed on cards for a card-sort activity or changes in Mrs Little and Luke. Then discuss displayed on an interactive whiteboard for how Luke’s relations with the other characters in manipulation. the novel have changed since the novel began.

Ask pairs to discuss their own ideas and Dwell on that quotation from Tim Bowler about a consider the options. As a class, compare a few teenager being like a ‘child falling asleep and an students’ predictions and ask whether the adult waking up’. Ask the class to consider ending they have predicted is what they’d like to whether this applies to Luke (think back to the happen, or really think will happen. Raise the way he handles Mrs Little in Chapter 31) and topic of what makes a good ending. If students what justification there is for this view. have comparisons with the other books they have been reading, these should be explored. Review and reflect With the whole class, review the picture of Explore relationships drawn up as the story has Read Chapter 32 to the end with the class, unfolded. Discuss how to adjust the words that pausing to note the various resolutions, e.g. Mrs link the characters. Who changes most and Little’s public appearance and reconciliation with why? Who or what is at the heart of all the Luke through his dedication to her when he changes? (Is it Luke? Is it Natalie? Allow plays her Scriabin piece; the success of students to explore possibilities.) Miranda’s performance at the concert; Mr Harding’s possible friendship with Mrs Little; Has Luke been the starseeker? Has he found Luke’s (and his Dad’s) composition (noting the his star? What was it? Or is it several things at language on page 311); Mrs Little giving Luke an once? Allow pairs or small groups to think alibi for his truanting; and into Cchapter 33 through these questions. Luke’s vision of his father who seems to have been watching over him all this time; Miranda Homework and Luke’s closeness at the end; Luke’s If Luke were to have a box of precious items, certainty that old oak tree will recover from following his experience with Natalie as well as the fire. reflecting his life before he meets her, what would we find in it? Do students find the ending satisfying? Mention that the ending with Luke and Miranda was Ask students to choose five things they think crucial to Tim Bowler. He was unhappy about its would be appropriate for Luke to have in his box to preserve precious memories, using WS13b.

Worksheet 13a Endings

Consider what makes a good ending to a story. Does it depend on the type of story it is? What sort of story is Starseeker?

So what sort of ending do you expect? Below are some suggested endings for Starseeker. Which do you find most likely? Which are unlikely?

Possible endings Rank 1 to 9 for likelihood

Mrs Little tells the community the whole truth and the community take pity on her. She and Luke’s family become life-long friends.

Skin and Luke are reconciled and Skin becomes a member of Luke’s music group.

Luke gets a scholarship to university to read music and becomes a famous composer.

Luke and Miranda attend the marriage of Kirsti Stanton to Roger Gilmore. They are all very happy.

Luke leaves home, unable to accept the changes in his life, and goes in search of the only thing that gave his life meaning: Natalie.

Luke suffers a relapse from his injuries and dies. Everyone mourns the lost genius, but in the forest, on quiet nights, the spirits of both Luke and his father can be sensed, creating magical music around the old oak tree. Luke and Miranda take a walk through the woods. They visit the old oak tree, which, though damaged, is still alive. Luke knows this because he hears its singing.

Luke and Miranda, Roger and Kirsti, Mr Harding and Mrs Little hold a joint engagement party.

Skin escapes justice and flees. He returns to take his revenge on Luke and his friends. Starseeker 2 is out next year.

Worksheet 13b Luke’s box

If Luke had a box of precious items, what would be in it? Describe five things that might represent precious memories for Luke. Explain why you have chosen each object.

Object Reason for selection

LESSON 14

readily available on numerous websites. Draw Sub-strands: 5.3, 6.1 up a list of success criteria for a review based on the reviews that have been read, and of the Focus: Whole novel quality and length you wish students to produce at the end of this series of lessons. Learning outcomes Students will be able to: Before they write anything on Starseeker,  Develop personal views on the novel as a though, they will do some further background whole, using comparison with another reading, thinking of questions they would like to novel to highlight distinctive features ask Tim Bowler about Starseeker to focus their  Ask questions about Starseeker to clarify research. Make a class list of questions and their judgements display them for reference.

Engage Transform In groups, students share their ideas about what Drawing on the class list of questions, students Luke might have in his box. This should do independent research (preferably using consolidate responses to his character. computers with internet connection) on Starseeker. Remind them to refer to Tim’s What about the title Starseeker? Consider this website and the Reading Guide, in particular the early quotation, ‘Dad died and the light of his author’s letter on page 3. WS14b offers further existence went out’ (page 26). When does Luke useful comment from Tim Bowler. There are recover his light and find his star? Is Luke really further review comments in their copies of the just like a fantasy hero on a quest, then? Explore novel. tentatively the idea of light being associated with good, dark with evil – Luke chooses good over A guided group could be supported through the evil and redeems himself. Point out that Tim research process, ensuring that they find Bowler considers the spiritual dimension to be suitable websites and explore key questions. very important. Review and reflect Is the book cover, therefore satisfying? For Allow students to share some initial thoughts example, that scene on page 320 when Luke and findings. Are there any unanswered ‘sees’ his father by the oak tree suggests that questions? Explore these together, considering the oak tree in moonlight might make a better the possibility of writing to Tim Bowler for further cover with the star behind its wounded but answers. recovering branches? Or what about Natalie and Luke at the piano with the star traced in the If appropriate, invite students to make an dusty surface? What do the class think? alternative form of review/response to Starseeker. For example, some students might Explore create a visual and auditory response using What other texts have they been reading? Allow music and images, using their ICT skills. students to talk about their reading in pairs and fours and as a whole class, to suit your context. Homework Specifically ask them to make comparisons with Students plan and draft a review of/response to Starseeker, thinking about characters, themes, Starseeker, working with the previously selected language, narrative tension and endings. success criteria.

Then, select a review of at least one other text tackled to study with the class – do those who have read that particular text agree with those views? Does it inspire those who have not read that book to read it? Draw on any reviews students have brought in with them. Good reviews can be found on several different websites. Two sample reviews are given on WS14a – more or less detailed reviews are

Worksheet 14a Two sample reviews

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen Hoot by Carl Hiaasen is a great read. Roy Eberhardt, is new to his Florida town. He’s clever, funny and big-hearted, and he doesn’t yet have any friends, yet. Dana Matherson, the cigarette-smoking school bully, torments him daily on the school bus. Roy misses his old life in Montana where he could go fishing and trek up in the mountains.

One morning, while Dana is pushing Roy’s head into the window of the school bus, Roy spots a running figure beside the bus. Roy is compelled to find out more about the mysterious runner, and follows him right into his fight to protect an endangered settlement of burrowing owls.

An All-American Pancake House is planning to fill in the owls’ habitat and build another restaurant as part of their national chain. The company will stop at nothing to make more money, and the owls’ protector isn’t afraid to keep going forward with daring and ingenious actions that prevent the building.

The story has lots of layers, and contains both humour and realism. The writer conveys the beauty of the Florida Everglades and clearly knows about the species of animals that live in this part of America. In present-day Florida the natural, wild places are disappearing at an alarming rate, and this story tackles that issue head on.

As in many stories written for teenagers, some of the adults in this one are not impressive. They are portrayed as apathetic, ignorant or cruel. But Roy has love and respect for his parents, who eventually support his fight against the destruction of the environment. His efforts bring him adventure, and most importantly, the friends he needed before he can feel at home in Florida.

Storm Catchers by Tim Bowler

Teenager Fin and his family live in a house on the English coast. During a violent storm, when Fin was supposed to be looking after his younger sister, Ella, she is kidnapped. The whole family is shocked and Fin suffers from huge guilt. His worries increase when his little brother starts wandering off to the dangerous cliff edge to ‘catch the storm’, lured by the ghost of a girl. As Fin starts to hunt for his missing sister, awful family secrets are uncovered that will change relationships in the family forever. The kidnapper had his reasons, as Fin discovers. Tim Bowler, known for his award-winning book River Boy, manages the suspense in Storm Catchers with great skill – it’s a real page turner. The dark and threatening tone of the book is beautifully represented by the cover image of a wind-battered lighthouse silhouetted against a stormy sky.

Worksheet 14b To support your review

My sixth novel is called Starseeker. It's quite a long book (about twice the length of all my other books) and it's about lots of different things. It's set in a village situated close to a large forest. One of the trees in the forest plays an important role in the story. There's a big musical theme running through the novel but the story actually starts with a gang of boys trying to break into a house.

I had to write several drafts of this novel before I worked out exactly what it was that I was trying to say. Anyway, it's about a boy called Luke who is desperately mixed up following his father's death two years earlier. He's a brilliant musician but in his distress over the loss of his father he's fallen into bad company and is being steered into terrible danger. To make matters worse, he's becoming increasingly disturbed by strange psychic noises he keeps hearing day and night. It's a novel that works on several levels and covers several themes. It's about hope and healing and light. It's about music and the song of creation. It's about coming through grief and learning to love again. It's about a boy growing into manhood, growing into genius, growing into spirit. And it's about a tiny, unforgettable girl who will change his life forever.

From http://www.timbowler.co.uk/home.html

Tim comes from a very musical family. He and his parents and older brother play the piano. His great grandfather was a church organist and his great aunt was a concert pianist. His grandmother, Nan, to whom Starseeker is dedicated, was also a brilliant pianist. During the First World War she used to entertain the troops, travelling round prisoner of war camps and playing to the inmates.

Tim started studying the lives of the great composers seriously from the age of about twelve. He was fascinated to discover that some of them also experienced colour in music, or synaesthesia (the crossing over of two or more senses). For example, Sibelius’ biographer recorded how he saw colours with all notes and also experienced other senses in relation to sound, e.g. an unpleasant sound would often give him a metallic taste in his mouth.

From the original press release about Starseeker

LESSON 15

Sub-strands: 1.2, 5.3, 7.2 A few possible questions: 1. Is the character of Natalie satisfying to Focus: review of novel the reader? Why make her blind in addition to a mental age below her Learning outcomes physical age? Or is Natalie’s almost Students will be able to: spirit-like quality the point? Is that  Express and share personal responses to sufficiently developed, though? the novel orally and/or in writing 2. Is the ending too neat? Or were some  Respond to others’ views of the novel things left unresolved for you?  Review learning 3. Is the musical theme overplayed for someone not fond of music? Or does Engage this novel actually inspire an interest in Ask students to peer assess their draft reviews music? in pairs, identifying two good features and one 4. How did you feel about the spiritual area for development against the success element (Luke’s strong feeling of his criteria. They may draw in other texts for dead father’s spirit in the tree, for comparison if they wish, but the main focus must example)? be Starseeker. With the whole class, draw out 5. Is Luke’s transformation credible? Or key points for redrafting – in particular, suggest was he never in real danger of going that students ensure that any opinions are well ‘bad’? backed up by textual reference (either from 6. Were the other boys in the gang too Starseeker itself or from secondary sources). stereotypical and underdeveloped? Or Also, encourage students to make comments are they meant to be seen almost as about the language used to create mood and aspects of Luke that he has to atmosphere in Starseeker, especially in relation overcome? to music. Review and reflect Students have ten minutes to redraft their In the remaining time, ask students to complete reviews ready for oral presentation. the unit assessment sheet.

Explore Orally, ask the students to identify at least one Either: new thing they have learnt through reading this  Select three students to present their views text. It could be about themselves or about the to the whole class. Students may draw in novel as a work of fiction or art. It could be about other texts for comparison and to highlight a theme or character or event or piece of music distinctive features. The rest of the class or a composer noted in the novel. listen and prepare to question them, agree or disagree and then open the discussion to all. Share concluding comments.

Or: End by reminding students of further Pathways  Arrange students in groups to present their to a good read. Recommend texts that students oral reviews to each other, before assembling have not already tried, especially additional as a whole class to share and debate views. novels by Tim Bowler, not all of which have been included in Pathways. Transform The teacher encourages detailed debate and Homework useful comparison with other texts. Ensure that Students write their final draft of their review, students are giving reasons for their opinions aiming to incorporate the interesting detail that that are rooted in the text or in the secondary has emerged during discussion, including any sources that they have accessed. If necessary, considered reservations they may have as well ask students to find parts of the text to support as positive comments. Students may like to post views, and re-read small sections of text that can their reviews on one of the many reviewing stimulate debate or more detailed thinking and websites. re-interpretation

Worksheet 15a Self assessment

AF Assessment focus You practised this when: I do I can I need to this do this practise well some- this times AF2 Understand, describe,  you created role-on-the-wall for select or retrieve characters information, events or  you collected titles of pieces of ideas from texts and music use quotation and  you noted references to stars, reference to text voices, sounds and trees.

AF3 Deduce, infer or  you predicted events interpret information,  you interpreted detail of events or ideas from characterisation or event texts  you thought about the title.

AF4 Identify and comment  you thought about Skin’s on the structure and increasing violence organization of texts,  you thought how Luke had including grammatical changed and presentational  you thought about narrative features at text level tension  you thought about how satisfying the end of the novel was. AF5 Explain and comment  you analysed the way Tim Bowler on writer’s uses of writes about Luke’s dream and language, including Luke’s love of music grammatical and  you analysed how language is literary features at used to build tension word and sentence  you noted how language is used level to create character or describe setting or feelings. AF6 Identify and comment  you considered how the reader’s on writer’s purposes feelings about characters change and viewpoints and the during the novel, e.g. Mrs Little overall effect of the text  you thought about the importance on the reader of the musical theme  you considered the title of the novel. AF7 Relate texts to their  you researched the composers social, cultural and that influence Luke historical contexts and  You did this when you read about literary traditions Mr Little and the Battle of Britain. Teacher comment