Reading the climax of 'The Firework Maker's Daughter'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can summarise the climax of 'The Firework Maker's Daughter’.
Key learning points
- The climax of a story is the point in the narrative where the suspense and excitement reaches its highest point.
- ‘The Firework-Maker’s Daughter’ reaches climax when Lila meets Razvani and faces the biggest challenge of her quest.
- Moments of suspense lead the reader to question whether Lila will succeed or survive.
- It is important to focus on key moments of suspense when summarising the climax of a story.
Keywords
Climax - the point in the narrative where the suspense and excitement reaches its highest point
Suspense - a state of feeling excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen
Summarise - to pull out the key events and ideas from a text
Common misconception
Children may have questions or misconceptions around the 'illusion' element of the special ingredient and how Lila was still successful in completing her quest.
Do not delve too deeply into the 'illusion' element as it is not key for the writing of the climax. We can summarise that the true quest was to show no fear in facing fire in order to pursue her dreams which Lila demonstrated.
Teacher tip
Highlight the importance of including Lila's emotions in each point of the summary as her shifting emotions are a key element of the suspense. Encourage children to include at least one emotion in each part of their retelling.
Equipment
You will need a copy of the 2018 Penguin Random House UK edition of ‘The Firework Maker's Daughter' by Philip Pullman for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Order the following parts of a narrative.
Q2.What did Lila have to overcome during the build-up in Chapter 4 of 'The Firework-Maker's Daughter'?
Q3.What did Lila uncover the entrance to at the end of Chapter 4?
Q4.What did Lila want to retrieve from the Grotto?
Q5.What was Lila missing in order to protect her from the flames inside the Grotto?
Q6.Who retrieved the magical water in an attempt to save Lila?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the climax of a story?
Q2.What should you focus on when summarising the climax?
Q3.What did Lila hear and see when she entered the Grotto?
Q4.What lit the cave up?
Q5.Why did Razvani mock Lila for coming to the Grotto?
Q6.What happened when Lila entered the flames?
To help you plan your 3 English lesson on: Reading the climax of 'The Firework Maker's Daughter', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 3 English lesson on: Reading the climax of 'The Firework Maker's Daughter', 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 'The Firework Maker's Daughter': reading and narrative writing unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.