Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

Overall aims of this teaching sequence.

• To understand the genre of ‘quest stories; • To explore dilemmas, empathising with characters; • To consider differing viewpoints; • To build an imaginative picture of a different world; • To explore themes of bravery and loyalty though a fictional text.

This teaching sequence is designed for a Year 5 or Year 6 class. Overview of this teaching sequence

This teaching sequence is approximately 4 weeks long if spread out over 20 sessions. You will need to allocate time outside of the teaching sequence to read the book. Wolf Brother is an exciting adventure set 6,000 years ago during the time of the hunter gatherers. Torak, of wolf clan is the main character. His father’s death, at the hands of a gigantic bear inhabited by an evil spirit, triggers Torak’s quest - to save the forest from destruction. His loyal guide is a wolf cub and the story is told from both human and animal perspectives. There are strong themes in this story, including bravery, loyalty and a deep respect for the forest and its inhabitants.

Before beginning this teaching sequence it would be helpful for children to have an insight into life at the time of the Stone Age and the life of the hunter gatherers.

National Curriculum objectives covered by this sequence

Reading: (Word reading / Comprehension) Writing: (Transcription / Composition) . Increase familiarity with a range of books; . Plan writing by identifying the audience for . Identify themes and conventions and and purpose of the writing, selecting the compare these across books they have read; appropriate form . Show understanding through intonation, . Note and develop initial ideas, drawing on tone, volume and action; reading . Discuss words and phrases that capture . Draft and write by selecting appropriate readers’ interest and imagination; grammar and vocabulary . Draw inferences about characters’ feelings, . In narratives, describe settings, characters thoughts, emotions and actions. and atmosphere, integrate dialogue to . Apply their growing knowledge of root convey character and advance action words, prefixes and suffixes, both to read . Use a range of devices to build cohesion aloud and to understand the meaning of within and across paragraphs new words that they meet. . Evaluate and edit by proposing changes to . Ask questions to improve their vocabulary, grammar and punctuation understanding . Proof-read for spelling and punctuation

©The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education. You may use this teaching sequence freely in your school but it cannot be commercially published or reproduced or used for anything other than educational purposes without the express permission of CLPE.

. identifying how language, structure and errors presentation contribute to meaning . Perform their own compositions, using . Predict what might happen from details appropriate intonation, volume, movement stated and implied. so that meaning is clear . Prepare play scripts to read aloud. . select appropriate grammar and vocabulary, and understand how such choices can change and enhance meaning

Speaking and Listening: . Maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, responding to texts . Ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and build vocabulary and knowledge . Articulate and justify answers and opinions . Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, imagining and exploring ideas . Participate in discussions, presentations, performances and debates . Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to the contributions of others . Select and use appropriate registers for effective communication . Use spoken language to develop understanding through imagining and exploring ideas in discussion, role-play and . drama . Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others.

Cross Curricular Links:

. It would be really good to have a selection of items around the class that ‘magnify, illuminate and focus’ and a Viewmaster if you can get one, to allow the children to see and handle these items.

History . Researching hunter gatherers http://www.michellepaver.com/creating-a-stone-age-world

Art . The descriptive language and strong setting provide opportunities for Art work many of which have been included in the teaching sequence eg Chalk pastel images of wolves. Forest images in oil pastel or paint Collage of the Walker

Science . Living things – Wolves(see session three) http://www.all-about- wolves.com/free_wolf_photos.aspx

PSHE& Citizenship . Man as hunter and the notion of respect for the forest provides an opportunity for discussion. Children could also research hunter gatherers today or consider issues around deforestation, survival skills and animals loss of habitats.

DT . Children could design and create model shelters using twigs or even on a larger scale if possible!

Dance . Based on the scene under the river has been included in the sequence other opportunities include movement based on hunting and tracking in the forest.

Music . children could work in groups to create sounds of the forest

Teaching Approaches Writing Outcomes . Reading aloud and rereading . Script marking . Reader’s theatre . Letter in role . ‘Tell me’ . Note making . Writing in role . Character description . Visualising . Storyboard . Shared writing . Eyewitness account . Role on the wall . Poster . Poetry . Journal . Descriptive writing

Links to other texts:

. Finding out about Torak’s world http://www.michellepaver.com/creating-a-stone-age-world . Find out more about the author Michelle Paver and how she researched the book www.michellepaver.com . Other books in the Chronicles of the Ancient Darkness series: Spirit Walker Soul Eater Outcast Oath Breaker Ghost Hunter

Tell me grid . Look at teaching approaches for explanations and examples of some of the terms used.

Teaching Sessions Session 1: ‘Tell me’, discussion and note making

. Talk with children about the cover of the book, encouraging them to share their predictions and ideas. Read the first chapter. . Allow children to respond to this powerful opening holding a ‘Tell me’ discussion; sharing anything they liked or disliked, anything that puzzled them or reminded them of something. . Children could complete a ‘Tell Me’ grid to help them organise their thoughts. . Children’s comments could then be written on post it notes and kept in a whole class ‘Wolf Brother ‘journal or placed on a display board to be referred to later in the sequence. . What do we know so far? Ask children to work with a partner and brainstorm what they have found out, making notes in their journals. Share some of their comments and record them in the class journal. . Before the next session read chapters 2 and 3. . Ongoing work . Word collections . Before the start of session 2 list two or three words and phrases from the book: ‘Daywalks’, ‘Fast Wet’ ‘Not Breath’ . Discuss with the class what these might mean. Use this discussion as a starting point for a word collection in the class journal. Individual children can also record them in their Wolf Brother journals. Invite children to add to this collection as you continue to explore the book together.

Session 2: Freeze frame, drawing and annotation

. Ask children to work with a partner to freeze frame one scene from the first encounter between Torak and the wolf cub. . What are Torak and Wolf thinking? . Discuss this with children as they look at each other’s freeze frames. . Then ask children to work individually to create annotated drawings of their scene, these could be kept in their journals, with some in the class journal or displayed on the wall. . Read chapters 4 and 5 before the next session

Session 3: Visualisation, drawing and discussion

. Show the children images of wolves on the IWB. There some excellent images here http://www.all-about-wolves.com/free_wolf_photos.aspx . Then re read pages 34-35 aloud starting from ‘Once again Fa’s voice echoed in his memory.’ . Ask children to close their eyes as they listen to the description of the wolf. Have some of these audios playing in the background to add to atmosphere http://www.all-about- wolves.com/wolves_howl.aspx . Give children charcoal, chalk or pastels and sugar paper to create their own monochrome images of wolves.

. Display children’s art work on the wall. . At the end of the session discuss with the children what they have found out about wolves from the chapter displaying this section on the board: ‘More than any other hunters in the forest…. wolves are like us. They hunt in packs. They enjoy talking and playing. They have a fierce love for their mates and their cubs. And each wolf works hard for the good of the pack. . Discuss with them whether they think a wolf could make a suitable guide for Torak in his quest. . For homework children could research information about wolves. Allow time for them to share what they have found with the class. This website is a useful starting point: http://www.all-about- wolves.com/default.aspx . Read up to the end of chapter seven before the next session.

Session 4: Storyboarding and storytelling

. What has happened in the story so far? . List the key points in the narrative together as a class. . Ask children to work with a partner and create a storyboard of the events so far, with illustrations and captions. . Ask children to use their storyboards to retell the story, as if Torak is telling it to his captors. . End the session with a whole class storytelling circle, with each child contributing a small section of the story.

Session 5: Role play

. Read the beginning of chapter eight which describes the scene in the Raven camp. . Using a hall if possible divide the class into small groups and ask them to re-enact the activities taking place in the camp. . Allow time for the children to see each other’s role plays. . Then with the teacher in role as Torak ask each group what they are doing, with children responding by describing their activities. . Photograph each group in role. Give children speech or thought bubbles and ask them to write in role as their character explaining what they were doing / thinking. This can then be added to the class display.

Read to the end of chapter 8 and read chapter 9 before the next session.

Session 6: Role play and writing in role

. Ask children to work in pairs imagining they are members of the camp and that one of them had witnessed the fight between Torak and Hord.

. Ask them to describe what they had seen to their partner who should respond by asking questions in role. . Ask the children to write in role as a member of Raven clan describing the event in their reading journals.

Continue reading to chapter 12 before the next session.

Session 7: Readers theatre

. Divide the class into groups of three or four and ask them to prepare a readers theatre script of pages 76-78. . Allow time for children to read and mark up the text. . When they have marked up the scripts allow time to rehearse and then share some of the performances, asking the rest of the class to give feedback on the performances.

Read chapter 13 before the next session

Session 8: Discussion, drawing and annotation

. Divide the class into groups of about 4-6. . Give each group the name of one of the main characters: Torak ,Wolf, Renn and Hord. . Ask each group to discuss what their character thinks about each of the other characters giving reasons for their views and making notes on a large piece of paper. . Copies of sections of the text would help children with this task for example in chapter 13 Renn’s view of Torak, Torak’s of Renn and Wolf’s view of Renn are described. . Gather the class together and collate their ideas on a grid on a flipchart or the IWB showing what each character thinks of the others:

Torak Renn Wolf Hord Torak

Renn

Wolf

Hord

Read to the end of chapter 14

Session 9: Discussion, shared and collaborative writing

. What do we know about the The Listener, the Nanauk and the riddle? . Ask children to discuss the prophecy with a partner and then as a class make notes and begin a

piece of shared writing combining their contributions. . Ask children to work in groups or pairs to depict all or part of the prophecy as a poster or scroll in their journals or on larger paper for display.

. Read chapter 15 before the next session

Session 10: Dance

. Arrange to use a hall space for this session. . Re read pages 109- 11. Ask children to spread out and in their space create the shapes, movements and facial expressions of ‘The Hidden People’. . Choose one child (or group of children) to represent Torak moving between the children who should come to life as Torak approaches. . Talk with children in role as Torak about their feelings as they moved between the Hidden People.

Session 11: Text marking and poetry

. Discuss with the class what we did in session 10. . Re Read pages 109 – 111. . Discuss the Hidden People. Who do the children think they are? Where did they come from? . In pairs ask the children to brainstorm words and phrases that they think help to describe the Hidden People and their behaviour. . Ask children to find words and phrases that the Hidden People say to Torak and mark these. . In shared writing demonstrate writing a list poem using some of the phrases the children have found and words that they think help describe what is happening to Torak. . Children go on to write their own list poem independently. . Share some of these poems at the end of the session. ** In a separate art session children can use black sugar paper and pastels to illustrate the scene of the Hidden People, these can then be displayed with the children’s poems.

. Read Chapter 16 before the next session.

Session 12: Role on the wall and writing in role

. Ask children to work with a partner and choose one of the three main characters: Torak, Wolf and Renn. . How do they feel inside? What do the others think about them? . Ask children to record their character’s inner feelings inside a drawing of their silhouette with the views of other characters recorded outside their image. . Children could look back at the charts they created in session eight. . Children can then write in role as the character they have depicted in their journals about events at this point in the story.

. Continue reading to chapter eighteen.

Session 13: Drawing (or collage) and annotation

. Discuss what they have found out about ‘The Walker’ from chapter eighteen. . Ask children to share words or phrases that they found most helpful to give them the ‘picture of the Walket’ in their head. . Ask children to create annotated drawings of the Walker, if time these could be created in pen and ink or collage to create the impression of decay.

Session 14: Text marking, word and phrase collection

. Organise the class into small groups and give each group a section of the text which describe the forest (eg chapter 14 p 103, chapter 17 p119 and chapter 14 p103). . Ask them to highlight words and phrases describing the forest which they like. . Collect some of these together in the class journal, discussing why children like them and what makes them effective. . Give each group an image of a forest stuck in the centre of a large piece of paper ask children to discuss and write phrases to describe what they see and words to describe the mood of the picture around the outside of the image.

. Read to Chapter 20 before the next session.

Session 15 & 16 : Shared and individual poetry writing

. Read chapter 21 and 22 . Ask children to look at the words and phrases they prepared in the previous session and choose two of each to share with the rest of the class. . Demonstrate on a flipchart or the IWB how these can be combined to create a poem. Words and phrases from the story listed in the class journal can also be included. . Choose a ‘favourite phrase’ to repeat through the poem, discuss effect. . Then ask children to work individually and make their own selections of words and phrases to write their own forest poems in their journals. . Encourage children to work with a response partner to develop their poems. **In a subsequent session children could write up and decorate their poetry with forest images to display on the wall or combine in a class poetry book.

. Read to chapter twenty five before the next session

Session 17: Conscience alley and writing in role

. Re read the Chapter 25 from ...He had all three pieces of the Nanuak to ... Wolf tilted his head to one side, waiting to see what Torak would do. . What should Torak do? Safeguard the Nanuak or search for his friend Renn? . Discuss Torak’s dilemma with the class. . Then divide children into two lines, to form a conscience alley with one child in role as Torak. . Ask children to voice their views on what Torak should do: eg ‘Find your friend you will never forgive yourself for abandoning her’ or ‘You are the Listener- only you can save the forest!’ . Ask children to write in role as Torak in their journals describing his predicament. . Read chapters twenty six and seven before the next session.

Session 18: Debate and decree writing

. Read chapter 28 to the bottom of page 199. . Ask children to consider the decision Raven clan might make about who should take the Nanuak to the Mountain of the World Spirit. . Have a whole class debate about this with some children in role as the clan elders. . Ask children to write a formal decree, giving the Raven clan’s judgement and their reason for it. . These can be presented on a scroll to be performed at the end of the session. . Read to chapter thirty before the next session.

Session 19: Hot seating and writing a letter in role as a character

. Ask children to work in pairs and imagine a conversation between Fa and Torak which he might have in his dreams the night before leaving for the Mountain of the World Spirit. . What would Torak ask him? How would Fa explain what had happened and what advice would he give his son? . Gather the class together and with several children in the hot seat in role as Fa invite the class to ask questions in role as Torak. . Ask children to write a letter in role as Fa in their journals, telling Torak his story and encouraging him in his dangerous quest.

. Read to the end of the book before the next session.

Session 20: Drawing and Tell me discussion

. Finish reading the book

Tell me…was there anything you liked about this book

. Allow children time to share their responses after hearing the whole story as class. . Give children copies of the ‘Tell Me’ grid and ask them to complete these to help organise their

thoughts.

Tell me - Was there anything you liked about this book - Was there anything you particularly disliked? - Was there anything that puzzled you? - Were there any patterns… any connections that you noticed?

. Discuss these with the children. Were there any other reactions to the book? . Children can record their Individual responses in their journals and then draw the scene suggested at the end of the book of Wolf joining the wolf pack beyond the mountain.