Lesson video

Hi, I'm Miss Mia.

Thank you so much for joining me in this lesson today.

Let's get started.

In this lesson, you'll be able to identify and compare all the major plot points of The Twisted Tree and write a clear summary.

Your keywords are on the screen now.

You can write them down if you'd like to.

So we've got chronological, summary, connective, plot.

Let's find out what these keywords mean.

Chronological, arranged in the order that events happen over time, from earliest to latest.

Summary, a concise version of a longer text, capturing the most important information and main ideas.

Connective, a word or phrase that connects other words or sentences.

Plot, the main events of a story.

Let's move on.

So this lesson is all about The Twisted Tree, and we're gonna be consolidating knowledge of the plot.

We've got three lesson cycles today, and in our first lesson cycle, we will be getting the plot in order.

We're then gonna be comparing the significance of key moments.

And then lastly, we will be creating an effective summary of the plot.

I'm really excited about this lesson.

I hope you are too.

Let's get started.

With a partner, I'd like you to discuss how might these images link to the plot of The Twisted Tree?

Over to you.

True or false, Martha kills the draugr with an axe that she brands with a symbol from a rune.

Is this true or is this false?

You can pause the video here, and click Play once you've completed the first part of this check for understanding.

So what did you get?

If you got true, well done.

Now I'd like you to justify your answer.

Is it because A, Martha gives a message from Odin who tells her how to kill the draugr, or B, Hel tells Martha how to kill the draugr when she is in the underworld?

What do you think?

You can pause the video here, and click Play once you've got the answer.

So what did you get?

If you got B, you are correct.

Hel tells Martha how to kill the draugr when she's in the underworld.

Brilliant.

Let's move on.

Task A, I'd like you to find the plot points in the additional materials.

So this ranges from A to M.

Let's quickly read these together.

A, the draugr comes to the house whilst Martha and Stig wait terrified in the dark.

The Norns and apparitions scare the draugr off.

B, Stig and Gandalf are alive again.

C, Hel reveals how to kill the draugr, sever its head with a clean blow.

She also gives Martha a rope to link to the tree and return the restless dead back to the underworld.

D, Martha starts to see faces in the shadows so she focuses on the doll.

Karina appears and warns her not to be afraid of the dark and to tend to the trees as the dead are trapped there.

E, Martha runs away from home to Norway to visit her grandmother.

F, Martha, asked to be taken to Hel so she can save Stig, as it is only Hel who can return alive.

The Norns take her to a dark chamber in the tree.

G, Martha finds a letter from Mormor revealing that their gift of reading clothes runs in the family.

H, Martha discovers Stig living in Mormor's cabin.

He reveals Mormor is dead.

I, Martha and set for Olav and Yrsa's house, but discover that they have been cruelly murdered in the woods.

J, Martha kisses Stig.

K, the draugr appears outside the cabin and attacks Stig.

He appears to be dead.

L, with the help of the ravens and her mother, Martha kills the draugr.

M, Martha and her mother make plans to tend to the tree and stay in Norway.

So those are the plot points that you'll be working with.

Put them in the correct order, using the letters to complete the tables.

The first one has been done for you.

You can pause the video here, and click Play once you've completed this task.

So how did that go?

Well, this is what you should have got.

I'd like you to check your answers and correct any that are not in the right order.

So you shoulda got 1E, 2H, 3G, 4I, 5D, 6A, 7J, 8K, 9F, 10C, 11L, 12B, and 13M.

Let's move on.

Lesson cycle two, comparing the significance of key moments.

Let's begin.

Using comparative connectives can help you to compare the significance of key moments in a novel in more depth.

For example, whereas X is, Y is, whilst X is, Y is, despite X being, Y is, contrastingly, similarly.

So these are all comparative connectives that we can use.

Whereas X is, Y is, and here's an example.

Whereas the draugr coming to the house is good for suspense and shows the danger they face, Stig and Gandalf being alive is hopeful and creates relief.

This shift from fear to hope is significant for the plot's tension and relief.

Can you see here how using the comparative connectives has allowed us to compare this significant key moment in more depth?

Let's have a look at whilst X is, Y is.

Whilst Hel revealing how to kill the draugr is crucial knowledge for their final battle, Martha running away to Norway is the beginning of her quest for understanding.

Hel's guidance is pivotal for the climax, whereas Martha's journey marks the start of her personal growth and discovery.

Back to you.

Which of the below connectives could be useful for comparing difference?

Is it A, similarly, B, contrastingly, C, whilst?

What do you think?

You can pause the video here, and click Play once you've completed this check for understanding.

So what did you get?

If you got B and C, you are correct.

These are really good comparative connectives.

Let's move on.

Task B, I'd like you to look at the key plot points in the additional materials.

I'd then like you to discuss which do you consider to be the most important plot points?

Use comparative connectives to help develop your ideas.

You may wish to consider which events are most significant to develop our understanding of the characterization of Martha, help our understanding of Norse mythology, help move the plot forward, the plot needs in order for it to make logical sense.

You can pause the video here, and click Play once you've completed this task.

So how did that go?

Well, Aisha should said the following.

"Whilst the killing of Gandalf is shocking, for me, the most shocking plot point is when Stig and Martha discover that Olav and Yrsa have been murdered.

" I'd like to discuss what connective does Aisha use here?

She's used whilst and is.

Here's the task.

How could Aisha make this stronger by justifying her statement?

Here we have an example.

"Whilst the killing of Gandalf is shocking, for me, the most shocking plot point is when Stig and Martha discover that Olav and Yrsa have been murdered.

This is where the action shifts, and we start to realize the seriousness of the situation that they are both in.

Lesson cycle three, creating an effective summary of the plot.

in English, an important skill is to be able to write summaries of the things we read.

In particular, summaries will do the following.

It will help us understand the plot, be concise, chronological, and only include the most important moments, use time connectives.

Discuss.

What do you think we mean by time connectives?

Can you think of any examples?

Time connectives are words that join phrases or sentences together to help us understand when something is happening.

They can be particularly helpful when writing summaries, as they ensure that they are chronological.

So here are some examples: first, then, later, after that, finally, before, as soon as, while.

So these are all examples of time connectives, and you may have used them before.

Back to you.

Which of the following time connectives would be suitable for the plot points at the end of the summary?

Is it A, finally, B, before, C, in the end, or D, after?

What do you think?

You can pause the video here, and click Play once you've got the answers.

So what did you get?

If you got A and C, you are correct.

These are really good connectives to use for the end of the summary.

Task C, I'd like you to write a summary of the main plot events of of the Twisted Tree by Rachel Burge.

Ensure that you use time connectives within your summary.

Remember, some connectives work better at different points.

So here we have a table to illustrate the different time connectives.

So we've got to begin with, firstly, initially, it all began with.

To move time on, we've got next, after that, then.

And then lastly, we've got to end with, at last, finally, eventually.

You can pause the video here, and click Play once you've completed this task.

So how did that go?

Well, here is a part of a summary that uses time connectives.

Let's read this together.

So firstly, Martha discovers a letter from Mormor revealing that their gift of reading clothes runs in the family; she realizes the depth of her abilities.

After that, Martha discovers Stig living in Mormor's cabin, and he reveals that Mormor is dead.

They set off for Olav and Yrsa's house, but discover that they have been cruelly murdered in the woods.

Then they wait in the dark, terrified.

The draugr comes to the house, but the Norns and apparitions scare it off.

Discuss.

What time connectives have been used in this paragraph?

You can pause the video here, and click Play once you've identified these.

So what did you get?

Well, we can see here that the time connectives firstly, after that, and then have been used.

Could any alternative time connectives go in their place?

What do you think?

You can pause the video here, and click Play once you're ready.

So what did you get?

Well, yes, we can change them.

So now we've changed firstly to initially, then we've got next, and after that, and it still reads the same.

We've now reached the end of our lesson.

Let's summarize our learning.

So this lesson was about The Twisted Tree.

We were consolidating knowledge of the plot.

You now understand that summaries are important revision tools for understanding the plot.

A summary should be concise, chronological, and only include the most important moments.

Using time connectors allows you to write a clear chronological summary.

Using comparative connectives allows you to compare the significance of key moments.

Thank you so much for joining me in this lesson and I hope you really enjoyed it.

Bye.