to behave according to expectations and usual standards

where a speaker talks directly to the audience

a scene that is set earlier than the main story

'Small Island': reading the start of Act 1 Scene 1

English

Exploring 'Small Island' and the Windrush context

Helen Edmundson on adapting 'Small Island' for the stage

'Small Island': from page to stage

'Small Island': exploring the theme of power through Little Hortense

'Small Island': tracking the events of Act 1 Scene 1

'Small Island': the significance of the hurricane

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 1 Scene 1 with director Rufus Norris

'Small Island': reading Act 1 Scene 2

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 1 Scene 2 with director Rufus Norris

'Small Island': reading the beginning of Act 1 Scene 3

'Small Island': reading the end of Act 1 Scene 3

Watching 'Small Island' Act 1 Scene 3 with Rufus Norris and Helen Edmundson

'Small Island': reading Act 1, Scenes 4-6

'Small Island': reading Act 1, Scenes 7 and 8

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 1 Scenes 4-8 with Rufus Norris

'Small Island': exploring Act 1 through the context of Windrush

Exploring and evaluating the importance of Act 1

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scene 1

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 2 Scene 1 with Helen Edmundson

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 2 to 4

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 5 to 6

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 2 Scenes 2 to 6 with Rufus Norris

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 7 and 8

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 9 to 11

Watching 'Small Island' Act 2 Scenes 7-11 with Rufus Norris and Helen Edmundson

Rufus Norris on directing and adapting 'Small Island'

Tracking characters and tension in 'Small Island'

Helen Edmundson on the context, characters and themes of 'Small Island'

Understanding questions and writing thesis statements on ‘Small Island’

'Small Island': creating topic sentences and using quotes in essays

Essay writing: using context in responses to ‘Small Island’

Introductions and conclusions in a 'Small Island' essay

Planning and writing a 'Small Island' essay

Refining and improving an essay on 'Small Island'

In 'Small Island', pupils explore the ways in which transferring Levy's novel onto the stage enables both the playwright and the director to powerfully evoke its ideas about race, identity and belonging. In 'Leave Taking', pupils build on their learning about the Windrush Generation to explore the cultural and generational conflicts, that can arise as a result of migration. 

In 'The Tempest', pupils examine the roles of Caliban and Ariel and how they are treated as outsiders, questioning who has a rightful claim to the island. In 'Small Island', pupils look at the play in the context of the Windrush generation and through the lens of key themes, including identity and belonging.  

In this unit, pupils explore the playtext adaptation of Andrea Levy's novel 'Small Island'. They first explore the transition from novel to stage, before reading the playtext in full and exploring key scenes in detail. They then plan and write an essay on the theme of 'hope' in the text.

'Small Island'

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

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction or discussion of famine, disease, natural disasters.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Depiction or discussion of distress or humiliation e.g. bullying.

Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

In 'Small Island', when Hortense stops and speaks to the audience, this is an example of ...

In 'Small Island' the stage directions describe 'Jamaica bracing itself'. This is an example of ...

film and image production particularly for news.

Openly and honestly, sharing information transparently.

Anxiously, reflecting a state of nervous anticipation.

Secretly or covertly, often implying collaboration in a plot or scheme.

 Nonchalantly, indicating a casual or indifferent attitude

In 'Small Island', Hortense addresses the audience "conspiratorially". What does this mean?

In 'Small Island' how does Mr. Philip describe his house?

Complete this quote from 'Small Island'. Little Hortense says "I wa a {{}} life".

Where are the locations that 'Small Island' is set?

an idea that is explored in a text in a number of different ways

When exploring literary texts we need to consider themes. What is a theme?

What are the historical events that are most prominent in 'Small Island'?

a transformation of a literary work into a different medium

the process of modifying a story line to fit a specific historical context

the evolution of characters in a novel to better suit a diverse audience

the act of condensing a lengthy literary work into a shorter version

'Small Island' is an adaptation of the novel with the same name. What does the word 'adaptation' mean?

'Small Island' is told through different stories and multiple voices. What word describes this literary technique?

Starter Quiz

Where are the locations that 'Small Island' is set?