the willingness to do something or a reason to act or behave in a specific way

an idea that is explored in a text in different ways, to fully explore the complexity of that idea

a cast that comprises of many different main actors- there is not a single protagonist

means to stir up or encourage an action, usually in a forceful, urgent way

the establishing of key information, characters and setting in a text

Exploring and evaluating the importance of Act 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': reading the start of Act 1 Scene 1

'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

'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'

Discriminatory behaviour or images, whether on the grounds of race, gender, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation, or otherwise.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Historic or outdated representations of people that may portray inequality or injustice.

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

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Which term best describes a cast that comprises many different main characters, rather than a single protagonist?

Which character in 'Small Island' exhibits optimism about opportunities presented by the RAF?

Who among the characters in 'Small Island' longs for a passionate, exciting life away from their life of "drudgery"?

This introduces the characters and their relationships to each other. 

The character whose motivation and goals drive the story.

An important part of the story that develops and furthers the plot.

Appears at the end of Act 1. It can push the story in a new direction.

Match the component from an Act 1 structure to its correct definition.

Which word beginning with "I", means to stir up or encourage an action, usually in a forceful, urgent way?

What term describes the part of the story that pushes the narrative in a new direction and often marks a major escalation, appearing at the end of Act 1?

In what year was 'Small Island' first performed at the National Theatre?

In 'Small Island' what are the play's primary locations?

Hortense witnesses Michael and Mrs Ryder's affair

Queenie and Bernard are married. He then signs up for the RAF

We hear Gilbert's story about signing up for the RAF

Gilbert is involved in a violent racist incident in the cinema. Arthur is shot

Queenie discovers Bernard is alive,  but decided not to come home after the war

Hortense and Gilbert marry in order to migrate in the Empire Windrush

Queenie discovers she is pregnant with Michael's baby

Starting with the first, put the plot events from 'Small Island' Act 1 in to chronological order.

In 'Small Island' which character says, "I'm done with this small island. I seen too much of the world now."

Complete this quote from Act 1 Scene 7 of 'Small Island'. Hortense states "England is my ..."

1939; Pathé-style news footage of Jamaica preparing for a hurricane

In the opening stage directions of 'Small Island' Act 1 Scene 8, what year is mentioned, and what event is highlighted?

Exploring and evaluating the importance of Act 1

Lesson outcome

Content guidance