to consider something carefully and make a judgement about it

in literature, the type of text a writer uses; short story, memoir, poem are all examples

the narrator is a person in the story, using pronouns like 'I', 'we', 'me'

the narrator is not a person in the story, using pronouns like 'she', 'he', 'they'

the tools a writer uses to create their work; structure, form and language are perhaps the most significant examples.

Comparing texts about World War One using comparative topic sentences

English

Understanding why people write about war

World War One: propaganda and trench warfare

Reading 'Propping Up the Line', a short story about World War One by Ian Beck

Analysing the presentation of the gas attack: Ian Beck's 'Propping Up the Line'

Ian Beck's ‘Propping Up The Line’: Alice’s experiences on the Home Front

The presentation of trauma in Ian Beck's short story, 'Propping Up the Line'

Symbolism and motif in Ian Beck's short story, ‘Propping Up The Line’

Vivid descriptive writing using Ian Beck's ‘Propping Up The Line’ as stimulus

Using sentence structure to create rhythm in writing about World War One

Reading Katherine Mansfield’s short story, ‘The Fly’ (1922)

Katherine Mansfield's 'The Fly' (1922): exploring character foils and symbolism

Exploring the presentation of the boss in 'The Fly' by Katherine Mansfield

Debating different interpretations of Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’

Creative writing in the third person inspired by Katherine Mansfield's 'The Fly'

Skim reading and close reading: Wilfred Owen’s 1917 letter to his mother

Letter writing: planning, using Wilfred Owen’s 1917 letter as stimulus

Writing a letter as a soldier in the trenches of World War One

Improving the style of a letter: sentence structure and rhythm

Skim reading and close reading: 'Testament of Youth' by Vera Brittain

Letter writing: planning, using Vera Brittain’s ‘Testament of Youth’ as stimulus

Writing a letter from the British home front: tone, audience and purpose

Improving a letter: deliberate verbs and precise adjectives

Comparing texts about World War One in comparative analytical paragraphs

In 'A World at War: Short Stories', pupils explore the reasons for writing war literature and how it seeks to convey the suffering of soldiers and civilians, in times of conflict. In 'Power and Conflict Poetry', students explore the many types of conflict that arise through war, with themes including patriotism, propaganda, fear, guilt and duty.

In 'The Tempest', pupils are encouraged to write from the viewpoint of Caliban and Ariel, adopting character voices in creative writing. In 'A World at War', pupils emulate the writing styles of the authors that they encounter, to create an authentic voice in their writing. 

In this unit, pupils explore and compare texts written about the First World War. They first read Beck's 'Propping up the line', Mansfield's 'The Fly' and Wilfred Owen's 1917 letter home to his mum. They finally read Brittain's 'Testament of Youth', and then plan and write a comparative response.

Literary perspectives from the First World War

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

When writing an analytical paragraph which compares two texts, you should start with a {{ }} which states the paragraph's main idea.

create a topic sentence stating the paragraph's main idea

develop your topic sentence by stating an idea about Text 1 

Starting with the first, put these sentence ideas in the order for a paragraph which compares two texts.

Which word best completes this sentence comparing 2 texts: "{{ }} Beck and Mansfield create fictitious short stories to explore the long term impacts of war."

Which word best completes this sentence comparing 2 texts: "{{ }} Beck presents trauma of a soldier, Mansfield considers the trauma of a father who has lost a son."

Both Mansfield and Beck explore long term trauma from WW1.

Beck focuses on the physical and psychological trauma of a soldier.

On the other hand, Mansfield considers a father who has lost a son.

Starting with the first, put these sentences in order for a paragraph which starts by comparing two texts.

Owen and Beck share a desire to present the horror of the trenches.

The structure of Owen's poems often controls the pace we experience this horror.

By contrast, Beck creates short episodes in his short story to pace the horror.

how a text is put together e.g. its beginning, middle and end

When analysing a piece of war literature, we might consider the writer's choice of form, language and structure. Match these key terms to their definitions. 

designed to be read in one sitting, written in prose

designed to be read in one sitting, written in stanzas

a written message (often) from one person to another

In the unit 'Literary perspectives from the First World War', we read a number of different text types. Match each text type to its definition.

In 'Literary perspectives from the First World War', we have come across a number of different writers. Match each writer to a text they have written.

best remembered for poetry about realities of trench warfare

the master of the short story, experimental in plot and characters

lost a fiancé, two close friends and her brother in WW1

inspired by the experiences of their grandfather

In 'Literary perspectives from the First World War', we have come across a number of different writers. Match each writer to something we know about them.

Which word best completes this sentence comparing 2 texts: "{{ }} Owen and Beck present the brutal reality of trench warfare."

Which word best completes this sentence comparing 2 texts: "{{ }} Owen experienced the trenches first hand, Beck was inspired by his grandfather’s time in France."

Comparing texts about World War One using comparative topic sentences

Lesson outcome

Content guidance