Exploring and engaging with themes in 'Escape from Pompeii'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify and engage with the key themes in ‘Escape from Pompeii’.
Key learning points
- A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story.
- Themes can leave us with ideas and questions that we reflect on after reading the text.
- The theme of remembrance is conveyed through Tranio and Livia’s return to the mountain in the resolution.
- Fluent readers can process text swiftly and efficiently.
Keywords
Remembrance - Remembrance is thinking about and honouring people or events from the past.
Fluency - Reading fluency refers to the ability to read a text accurately, smoothly and with appropriate expression.
Expression - Reading with expression means reading with feelings and emotion to bring the words to life.
Convey - To convey means to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly.
Theme - A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story.
Common misconception
Less confident readers may find reading aloud challenging in a whole class context.
More confident readers could be partnered up with lesser-confident pupils, with a copy of the two double page spreads to refer to.
Teacher tip
Adults may wish to highlight specific literary devices if they are discussed during the analysis of pages 19-22. Pupils could research the answers to their questions in Task B after the lesson.
Equipment
You need a copy of the 2005 Frances Lincoln Children's Books edition of ‘Escape from Pompeii’ written and illustrated by Christina Balit, for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the details from the text.
Tranio and Livia
the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79
Pompeii
Q2.What form is 'Escape from Pompeii' presented in?
Q3.What genre best fits 'Escape from Pompeii'?
Q4.Which of the following best describes a theme within a text?
Q5.True or False? Tranio and Livia return to the mountain to pay their respects.
Q6.Order the following story structure elements.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the keywords to their definitions.
thinking about and honouring people or events from the past
the ability to read a text accurately, smoothly and with expression
means to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly
Q2.Reading with expression means...
Q3.Reading fluency refers to being able to read...
Q4.Which of the following are some of the important features of reading fluency?
Q5.True or false? Themes are explicitly stated within a text.
Q6.Select the themes that might be found in 'Escape from Pompeii'.
To help you plan your 4 English lesson on: Exploring and engaging with themes in 'Escape from Pompeii', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 4 English lesson on: Exploring and engaging with themes in 'Escape from Pompeii', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 English lessons from the 'Escape from Pompeii': reading unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.