Considering alternative perspectives of war in non-fiction texts
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify and summarise alternative perspectives in a text.
Key learning points
- Many texts about war and conflict are presented from the perspective of male soldiers or men.
- Seacole and Nightingale offer an alternative perspective of conflict.
- Athough writing about similar events, Seacole and Nightingale have different experiences and use different forms.
- Both writers use first person accounts to reveal the shocking realities of war and life as a nurse on the front line.
Keywords
Dominant - the most widely accepted or prevailing (idea or concept)
Alternative - something that is different from what is usual or commonly chosen, offering another option or possibility
Tenacious - to be determined and persistent, not giving up easily
Advocate - to support or argue in favor of something or someone
Common misconception
Only soldiers on the front line had direct experiences of conflict.
Who does war impact? Besides being a soldier, what other roles do people have in war?
Teacher tip
It may be useful to ask pupils to consider their experiences of other texts you have studied dealing with war - who was the writer? Whose perspective did you hear?
Equipment
You will need copies of the extracts from Mary Seacole's autobiography and Florence Nightingale's 'Letter to The Time' found in the additional materials.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the title of Mary Seacole's autobiography?
Q2.An autobiography is ...
Q3.In her autobiography, Mary Seacole uses the pronoun "I" to narrate her story. This means it is written in a person perspective.
Q4.In her autobiography, Mary Seacole states: "I attended to the wounds of many French and Sardinians." What tense is this sentence written in?
Q5.In her autobiography, Mary Seacole describes how "It was a fearful scene." What word type is the word "fearful" in this sentence?
Q6.What is the purpose of this text: a scientific paper discussing the effects of climate change on marine life?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In which country was Mary Seacole born?
Q2.During which war did Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale gain fame for their nursing efforts?
Q3.What is the primary purpose of Florence Nightingale's 'Letter to The Times'?
Q4.Which of these answers is true with regards to Mary Seacole's autobiography and Florence Nightingale's 'Letter to The Times'?
Q5.Which word beginning with 'a' can be described as: 'to support or argue in favour of something or someone'?
Q6.Which adjective could be used to describe Seacole and Nightingale and their approaches to nursing?
To help you plan your 9 English lesson on: Considering alternative perspectives of war in non-fiction texts, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 English lesson on: Considering alternative perspectives of war in non-fiction texts, 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 3 English lessons from the Women's rights across the ages: non-fiction reading and writing unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.