Lesson suggestions for using the Powerpoint and resources on: Imaginary Worlds

The resources used in the ‘Imaginary Worlds’ unit include: 1. The ‘Imaginary World’ Powerpoint. 2. ‘Imaginary World’ Smart Notebook -also in PDF & ACTIVstudio2 format. 3. 2 Chocolate Cottage writing sheets for 2 levels of ability. 4. ‘Narnia’ video clip in ‘Quicktime movie’ format. 5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory video clip in ‘Quicktime movie’ format. 6. The Phantom Menace video clip in ‘Quicktime movie’ format. 7. ‘Imaginary world Zigalog’ video clip – Windows Media Player file and a sound recording created by Y5 pupils to inspire Y4 children to use the senses in their sentences when describing their imaginary world. It proved extremely useful to the staff and children using the materials as it featured children from their own school. I do suggest that you consider compiling exemplar materials, including sound files.

Ideas for Teaching

 Use to inspire writing about an imaginary world – at the beginning and end of the unit.  Use music as an aid to drama and dance: ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ talk to the children about what world the music might be about and what might be happening. In groups they create a short piece of drama about the imaginary world and the action.  Use the film clip (1 minute) about ‘The World of Zigalog’ as a model created by Y6 children, to inspire them to create their own clip.  Watch film trailers e.g. Narnia, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and use these to help focus on senses and atmosphere that are used to bring a world to life. Take screen shots with the screen capture tool in your interactive whiteboard software so that you can annotate, review, discuss etc.  Dress up day as a character from an imaginary world.  Use the Powerpoint file to support discussion on methods of reaching an imaginary world, different worlds and what they are like, adventures that could happen there, creatures they might meet, how the stories end i.e. do the main characters come back.  Use ‘sound recorder’, MP3 recorder, Audacity to record the children using descriptive language when talking about their world.  Use the resources to motivate children to: a) Become a character from a world and write a diary. b) Add an object or character to their imaginary world, that the children describe and write about. c) Give the children a starting line or title e.g. The Forbidden Forest and inspire a written description or opening paragraph which hooks the reader. d) Describe their imaginary world to camera to promote focus on the skills which would further engage the reader using this medium. e) Write an adventure for characters from one of the worlds seen on video. f) List ‘sense’ facts for each world. g) Write about their favourite world explaining their choices. h) Describe one of the characters from different worlds e.g. a sympathetic and unsympathetic character. i) Make up their own character to go in one of the worlds seen.  Write poems on imaginary worlds using the Jabberwocky as an example and songs from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Use the Photostory 3 file to show them images of imaginary worlds and use this to stimulate the writing of a poem about imaginary worlds or to focus on one aspect e.g. where does the path go – you make up the story, or drama and act out what happens when you go down the path.  Use Smart Notebook to support the unit of work on Imaginary Worlds.