Hello Year 7! This term you will be reading Frankenstein!

The aim of this is for you to develop an

understanding about how authors write and to become familiar with gothic literature. It will also
develop your reading, writing, language and structural techniques! So question question question! All
your questions are valid even if it is as silly as 'why has Shelly used a simile to describe the monster's
actions.' This is your opportunity to pause and think through your learning using all your English skills.
This booklet is set out for you to complete 3 times a week over an hour as if a classroom lesson! I want
to congratulate you in advance for taking on this challenge! Well done and good luck! Over these
weeks, you will not have your teacher's to assist you as if in lesson (sorry!) however, you have been in
countless hours of lessons with teachers so use this as an opportunity to recall as much as possible - we
certainly hope to see you back in school soon! If there is anything you really do not understand look it
up on Google within a 2 min time frame. #Stay safe!

Frankenstein by Mary Shelly

Your activities will have a time frame, e.g. 2 minutes. Try to stick to this it is to keep you active and
engaged in the lesson.

Date:
Title: Introduction to Frankenstein
Lo: To predict what the novel will be about and learn about the author.

DO NOW:

Self-study is one of the greatest ways you can get to know how you learn best. Based on all of your
learning so far, list 3 ways you learn most effectively. E.g. I learn effectively by looking up keywords
or putting the main ideas into a picture with an explanation. Time: 2 mins.
1.
2.
3.

Extension: Look at these words: Scientist, family, creator and monster. What are the connotations of
these words? Connotations are other ideas that are associated to a Brainstorm each word. Time: 3
mins.

Task 1: A paragraph can be as small as 4 sentences. A paragraph explores a related idea or a theme.
Write a paragraph about what you think Frankenstein could be about. The aim of this task is prediction.
Make sure you use ambitious vocabulary. E.g. Instead of using the commonly overused word 'bad' use
a thesaurus to find a more ambitious synonym! 5 mins.
 Use the
vocabulary and
pictures to help
you.

Sentence starters:
The novel Frankenstein could be about...
I predict Frankenstein will be based on _______________ characters that explore...

Well done!

About the author

Read the information about the author. Take notes about her personal life. 8 mins.

Who Was Mary Shelley?

Writer Mary Shelley published her most famous novel, Frankenstein, in 1818. She wrote several other
books, including Valperga (1823), The Last Man (1826), the autobiographical Lodore(1835).

Early Life

Shelley was born Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin on August 30, 1797, in London, England. She was the
daughter of philosopher and political writer William Godwin and famed feminist Mary Wollstonecraft
— the author of The Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792). Sadly for Shelley, she never really
knew her mother who died shortly after her birth. Her father William Godwin was left to care for
Shelley and her older half-sister Fanny Imlay. Imlay was Wollstonecraft's daughter from an affair she
had with a soldier.

The family dynamics soon changed with Godwin's marriage to Mary Jane Clairmont in 1801.
Clairmont brought her own two children into the union, and she and Godwin later had a son together.
Shelley never got along with her stepmother. Her stepmother decided that her stepsister Jane (later
Claire) should be sent away to school, but she saw no need to educate Shelley.

The Godwin household had a number of distinguished guests during Shelley's childhood, including
Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. While she didn't have a formal education, she did
make great use of her father's extensive library. Shelley could often be found reading, sometimes by
her mother's grave. She also liked to daydream, escaping from her often challenging home life into her
imagination.

Shelley also found a creative outlet in writing. According to The Life and Letters of Mary
Wollstonecraft, she once explained that "As a child, I scribbled; and my favourite pastime, during the
hours given me for recreation, was to 'write stories.'" She published her first poem, "Mounseer
Nongtongpaw," in 1807, through her father's company.

Husband

In 1814, Mary began a relationship with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Percy Shelley was a devoted
student of her father, but he soon focused his attentions on Mary. He was still married to his first wife
when he and the teenaged Mary fled England together that same year. The couple was accompanied by
Mary's stepsister Jane. Mary's actions alienated her from her father who did not speak to her for some
time.

Writing 'Frankenstein' and Other Works

Mary and Percy traveled about Europe for a time. They struggled financially and faced the loss of their
first child in 1815. Mary delivered a baby girl who only lived for a few days. The following summer,
the Shelleys were in Switzerland with Jane Clairmont, Lord Byron and John Polidori. The group
entertained themselves one rainy day by reading a book of ghost stories. Lord Byron suggested that
they all should try their hand at writing their own horror story. It was at this time that Mary Shelley
began work on what would become her most famous novel, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus.

Later that year, Mary suffered the loss of her half-sister Fanny who committed suicide. Another
suicide, this time by Percy's wife, occurred a short time later. Mary and Percy Shelley were finally able
to wed in December 1816. She published a travelogue of their escape to Europe, History of a Six
Weeks' Tour (1817), while continuing to work on her soon-to-famous monster tale. In
1818, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus debuted as a new novel from an anonymous author.
Many thought that Percy Bysshe Shelley had written it since he penned its introduction. The book
proved to be a huge success. That same year, the Shelleys moved to Italy.

While Mary seemed devoted to her husband, she did not have the easiest marriage. Their union was
riddled with adultery and heartache, including the death of two more of their children. Born in 1819,
their son, Percy Florence, was the only child to live to adulthood. Mary's life was rocked by another
tragedy in 1822 when her husband drowned. He had been out sailing with a friend in the Gulf of
Spezia.

Later Years

Made a widow at age 24, Shelley worked hard to support herself and her son. She wrote several more
novels, including Valperga and the science fiction tale The Last Man (1826). She also devoted herself
to promoting her husband's poetry and preserving his place in literary history. For several years,
Shelley faced some opposition from her late husband's father who had always disapproved his son's
bohemian lifestyle.

Death

Shelley died of brain cancer on February 1, 1851, at age 53, in London, England. She was buried at St.
Peter's Church in Bournemouth, laid to rest with the cremated remains of her late husband's heart.
After her death, her son Percy and daughter-in-law Jane had Mary Shelley’s parents exhumed from St.
Pancras Cemetery in London (which had fallen into neglect over time) and had them reinterred beside
Mary at the family’s tomb in St. Peter’s in Bournemouth.

Legacy

It was roughly a century after her passing that one of her novels, Mathilde, was finally released in the
1950s. Her lasting legacy, however, remains the classic tale of Frankenstein. This struggle between a
monster and its creator has been an enduring part of popular culture. In 1994, Kenneth Branagh
directed and starred in a film adaptation of Shelley's novel. The film also starred Robert De Niro, Tom
Hulce and Helena Bonham Carter. Her work has also inspired some spoofs, such as Young
Frankenstein starring Gene Wilder. Shelley's monster lives on in such modern thrillers as I,
Frankenstein (2013) as well.
Answer these questions about what feminism means to you:

Task 2: Create a Facebook profile on the history of Mary Shelly's life. You can use the subheadings in
the text to structure your work. 30 mins. You need to draw a Facebook style page on plain paper, fill it
with details, images and colour. It should look like an enticing Facebook page that grabs the readers
attention!! Essential preparation: Choose 9 ambitious nouns, adjectives and verbs to describe Shelly.

About me

Likes and interests

Dreams

Wall

Recent activity
Photos

Friends

Groups

Timeline

Plenary 2 mins.

How do you think Mary Shelly's life influenced her writing? E.g. Her travel experience may have
inspired ideas to write.

Great work today Yr 7. See you soon for the next lesson! Have a great day! #STAY SAFE!

Date:
Title: Gothic Literature
LO: To develop an understanding about gothic literature.
DO NOW:
Read the following book titles and guess which ones are gothic. Say why. E.g. 'Beyond the Graveyard' is
gothic because it mentions an eerie space - a graveyard! 4 mins.
Book titles:
1. At 1pm
2. Lakes of Darkness
3. The Golden Fig
4. House of Shadows
5. Yesterday's Evil
Extension: 6 mins.
(1) Out of these book titles which one would you want to read? Say why.
(2) Create your own gothic book title using an ambitious noun and an adjective and/ or verb. A noun is a
person, place or thing. A verb is an action word. An adjective describes a noun.
(3) Identify all the nouns and adjectives in the book titles.
(4) Change the nouns and adjectives in 2 of the book titles to make them scarier!! E.g. The gothic girl
becomes Scarlet kiss.
Well done!

Task 1: Look at the picture. Without judging it as ancient write a paragraph to suggest what it shows. Look
at the people's emotions and actions. Does it look like a positive time? If yes/ no mention why. 5 mins.
Well done! Now you know what the picture is really about. Use Google to search up the Georgian era. For
homework make a poster on the Georgian era. Mention how you think this era links to gothic literature.
Task 2: Brainstorm what you think of gothic horror? How does your body respond when you watch a gothic
film? E.g. Racing heart. 3 mins.
Task 3: Gothic Literature and Romanticism. Read the text. What is gothic Romanticism? 4 mins.
Question: From the text we can see that Romanticism does not refer to romance as we typically know if it.
What does Romanticism mean here? 2 mins.
Task 4: Before reading the following text, look up these words: gallows, contortions and corpse. 3 mins.
Well done!!!
Answer the questions related to the text. 8 mins.
1) What is the name of the murderer?
2) What is the name of the prison?
3) Where was the body taken?
4) What is the name of the character that aimed to bring the corpse back to life?
5) What did Aldini use of Forster's dead body to bring it to life?
6) Of all Aldini's experiments, which vital life organ could he not restart?
7) Apart from humans what else was experimented on to bring back to life?
After reading this text, how do you think it relates to Frankenstein? What do you think will happen in
Frankenstein?
Task 5: Getting into character. Write an account of what you saw as part of the audience. You need to
imagine you watched the Scientists attempt to bring dead corpses back to life. Write in the first person
perspective (I) and use a good dose of hyperbole (exaggeration). You must use the language features
suggested in the text below. First plan, next write, last check your SPaG (spelling, punctuation a, grammar)
15 mins. It is like a diary entry.
Sentence starters: My eyes popped out of their sockets as the scientist... How could he have completed this
so quickly? As a feminist, I am wondering where the female scientists are?!
Plenary: What are the main elements of great gothic literature? List at least 3. A super student would list at
least 5! E.g. An element of death.
Great work for today!!! A big pat on the back!! #STAY SAFE

Date:
Title: DEAR and general SPaG check
LO: To maintain a reading book and SPaG review.
1) DEAR: Drop everything and read for 30 mins. If you don’t have your own book read the following
chapters from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. [Link]
[Link]

2) For those who would like the challenge of reading the full Frankenstein text please find it here:
[Link]

3) Complete the following SPaG activities:

Insert the capital letters and punctuate these sentences FULLY (i.e. commas, apostrophes, full stops.
Underline any repetition that you find)

 Copy out in full, neatly, into your English books

Beginning of text

i hope to go on holiday to spain next year although

it depends upon my parents wishes

my dog goldie had four pups last november ben polly rover and fido what imaginative names you have
chosen i exclaimed to my mum and dad

glasgow is situated on the river clyde fifteen miles away from the village where my aunty pauline lives with
her five cats three dogs budgerigar and seventeen pet goldfish

our superb entertaining english teacher mr hodgkins read to us from treasure island by robert louis
stevenson it was exciting entertaining thrilling and daring for the boys however all the girls said oh no !
when they were told that they were going to have to read it

last Sunday we visited our cousins in newcastle the city was a mixture of things old new pretty and ugly all
dominated by a massive bridge which crossed the river tyne
the rosewell youth club meets every Monday and Friday, except in the holiday months of july and august

in 1980, the olympic games were held in moscow britain won several medals some of them gold some said
we were lucky others said that we deserved our success i was very young at the time only three and a half

when I was on holiday in new york last september I was able to visit the united nations building tall
beautiful and impressive it dominated the skyline some people say that the statue of liberty is more
impressive

hank fielding’s song golden corn appeared in the top twenty three weeks running away from me was his
second hit reaching number three last november im going to buy that said my sister you are so uncool I
replied sticking my tongue out at her

the queen mother narrowly missed injury when her official car skidded into a lamp-post on waterloo bridge
this morning she was shaken but unhurt a royal aide from buckingham palace said this afternoon during a
press conference

End of text

Creative writing – write twenty complete sentences connected with this picture of New York City

Use similes and adjectives to make your picture of the city striking and entertaining
Perhaps imagine that you are wandering down the street. What sights, sounds, and smells might you
experience ?
Date:

Title: Initial reading of Frankenstein: The structure of a story.

LO: To understand how Shelly structured Frankenstein using a story arc.
DO NOW: Do you think 'Frankenstein' is the name of the 'mad doctor' or the monster? Why? 2 mins.
Task 1: Today, you are going to read the opening of the story. Most writers use a story arc as a tool to
structure their writing. Below is a diagram of a story arc. Look at the story arc. There are 2 versions so see
which one suits you. The story arc moves from the beginning of the story where you have an introduction to
the characters and setting, to a complication (rising action), a climax (a dramatic incident that changes and
pushes the story towards the end), falling action, resolution (end). Roughly draw the story arc onto paper and
plot the story arc according to Romeo and Juliet. This activity will help you to see how a story arc works and
help you to see how you can use the structure of a story arc when writing. 5 mins.

The story arc put simply...

Below is a story arc for Cinderella. Look at it. It terms of dramatic action I hope it helps you to see how
accurately you have plotted your story arc for Romeo and Juliet. As you can see for both stories, no two
stories are the same! Cinderella ends happily in marriage whereas, Romeo and Juliet ends sadly in death :(
Self assess your story arc. In green pen mark your own story arc. Make the relevant changes! Mistakes are
great they help us to be better!!!! 2 mins.

Well done for your fantastic efforts to understand the story arc independently! Now you will read the
beginning of Frankenstein. The main things to look out for are: how the author begins the story. What is the
setting? A haunted house? A humid busy cultured market? Who are the characters? What are the
relationships - family? What are the characters distinctive features? E.g. Captain Hook had a menacing hook
as one of his hands that he used to intimidate characters and readers (authorial intention). How does the
beginning make you feel as a reader? Has Shelly (Mary Shelly the author) used short sentences to create
tension? Or has she used long sentences to show a burst of emotion? What figurative language does she use?
10 mins.
Interestingly, this book gives the reader information in the form of letters.
Answer the following questions refer back to the text if you need to:
(1) Who are the 2 characters introduced so far?
(2) Who is rescued and brought onto the ship?
(3) Comment on the developing relationship between the 2 men.
(4) At any point does the text foreshadow (point towards) to the creation of a monster or an obsession with
Science? How does this make you feel as a reader? 6 mins.
Task 2: The letters end on a cliffhanger. What do you think Walton's new friend will tell the reader about his
life and love for Science? Using the skill of predicting write a letter to the sister informing her about what
Walton's new friend is like. Write in the first person, as if you are Walton. Be imaginative, descriptive (paint
a vivid picture in words) and appeal to the senses (touch, taste, smell, hear, see). 20 mins.
Sentence starters: Dear sister, my beloved friend is nothing less than me. I can smell his ambition. Feeling
deeply his obsession with Science he dreams of...
Plenary: Draw a rough diagram of a story arc. Based on what you know about Frankenstein from the letters
predict what you think the entire text will be about by labelling your story arc. E.g. Rising action: in a
Science laboratory there is the creation of the monster using....5 mins.
Well done for today Y7! In a reasonable voice growl like a monster and enjoy the rest of your day! Wait in
anticipation for what is to come in this text and #STAYSAFE!!
Date:
Title: Identifying language and structural techniques in fictional texts.
LO: To become more familiar with language and structural techniques. To begin to commit the definitions
to memory and to develop identification of techniques in reading.
DO NOW:
Recall: (1) What is a story arc? Recall the 5 stages of a story arc. (2) Choose one response to answer the
questions on language. 5 mins.
In English, you will be learning language and structural techniques. Below is a mnemonic for structural
techniques. A 'mnemonic' can be a word, funny word or phrase that is made up to remember a group of
terms easily. You should have a mnemonic for language and structural techniques. You should also know
the definitions so when you read you can easily identify techniques as the following image shows.
Knowing your language techniques is an essential part of GCSE exam success in English. This is a
mnemonic for language techniques: SOAPMAPS - Simile, Onomatopoeia, Alliteration, Personification,
Metaphor, Adjectives/adverbs, Powerful Verbs, Senses - for analysis and creative writing.

Mini mammoth task

First, spend some reading the information below on language and structural techniques. Take notes to
develop understanding and attempt the reading tasks to identify the techniques. First you will look at
language then structure. Then, create a leaflet for your fellow classmates to help them understand how to use
language and structural techniques when reading in English. For GCSE success you must also attempt to
develop a mnemonic for language and structure to help remember the techniques. Throughout this term
you should continue to refer to these definitions and commit to memory the meaning of each term. When
you get back to school you will be expected to have a confident understanding of these terms.
(1) Read the information 10 mins; (2) Complete the reading tasks 8 mins; (3) Create a leaflet on the
techniques 20 mins; (4) Make a list of the language and structural techniques on a table. Now they are in 2
separate lists make up your own mnemonics for language and structure 8 mins.

Language (words and phrases) and structure (the order of ideas in a text) are the methods used by writers to
create effective characters, setting, narratives and themes.
Part of
English Language
Analysing fiction
 When talking about language in prose fiction, there are a number of things you could look for:

 literary techniques, for example similes and metaphors

 other language techniques, for example emotive language, hyperbole or terms of address
 connotations of particular word choices
 language choices within dialogue, for instance if dialect is used to reveal more about a character
 types of words used in the text, for example adjectives , nouns, verbs, adverbs
Many words can be understood in different ways:

 denotations - their dictionary meaning

 connotations - the ideas they link to
For example, the word 'desk' literally denotes a table, but it has connotations of work and study.

Words can reveal a theme, such as death, or love, or create a particular mood in a section of the narrative.

Patterns in language

It’s useful to look for any patterns in the language chosen by the writer, as these patterns may suggest
important themes or deeper meanings beyond the obvious. For example:

 Is there a particular semantic field used by the writer? (For example words linked to the military or
hospitals.)
 Does the writer repeat any ideas or images? (These could act as a motif in the text.)
 Does the writer favour a particular type of word? (For example using lots of abstract nouns like dream,
love, peace, friendship.)
 Can words or phrases from different parts of the text be linked in some way?

Literary techniques

Writers might include literary techniques to add depth and colour to their writing.

Here are some literary techniques a writer might choose to use in a text:

Device Definition Example Effect

A comparison made His home is presented

Metaphor without using 'like' or "His home was his castle." as a secure and safe
'as'. place to be.
 Device Definition Example Effect

A comparison made
"She had a smile like the Her smile seems bright
Simile using ‘like’ or ‘as’ to
sunrise." and full of hope.
create a vivid image.

A type of imagery in The wind is given the

which non-human human characteristic
"The wind screamed through
Personification objects, animals or ideas of "screaming." This
the trees."
are given human creates an uneasy
characteristics. atmosphere.

The repeated
Any repeated idea,
“rotten apple…feverish references to illness
theme or image that has
Motif heat… plague of could symbolise the
a symbolic significance
flies…sickened trees…” moral sickness within
in the text.
the narrative.

The repetition
emphasises the effort
Words, phrases or ideas "Stephen tried and tried and
Repetition exerted and Stephen’s
are repeated for effect. tried to get the ball in the net."
desperation at his
failed attempts.

“Phoebe saw that the garden

The listing gives a
A number of connected was over-flowing with
vivid sense of the
Listing items written one after foxgloves, lupins, daisies,
garden’s abundance
the other. sun-flowers and pretty weeds
and beauty.
of all shapes and heights.”

The repetition of the The repetition of the

same sounds (mainly "The suffocating steam filled ‘s’ sound adds to the
Alliteration
consonants) usually at the room." discomfort of the
the beginning of words. room.

We get a sense of the

The sounds of words to
"Howling, the cat ran through cat’s terror from the
Onomatopoeia express or underline
the house." sound of the word
their meaning.
"howling."

When you identify a literary technique or other language devices in a text, think about how they
might be linked to a theme, setting or character.
Example

In this opening from Margaret Atwood’s novel Alias Grace, the main character Grace describes a dream-like
vision.

What is the effect of the language choices in this extract?

 Out of the gravel there are peonies growing. They come up through the loose grey pebbles, their buds
testing the air like snails’ eyes, then swelling and opening, huge dark-red flowers all shining and glossy like
satin. Then they burst and fall to the ground.

In the one instant before they come apart they are like the peonies in the front garden at Mr. Kinnear’s, that
first day, only those were white. Nancy is cutting them. She wore a pale dress with pink rosebuds and a
triple-flounced skirt, and a straw bonnet that hid her face. She carried a flat basket, to put the flower in; she
bent from the hips like a lady, holding her waist straight. When she heard us and turned to look, she put her
hand up to her throat as if startled.

Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood

Analysis notes

 The frequent use of ‘ing’ verbs in the opening paragraph gives the flowers a sinister energy and
movement: “…growing…testing…swelling…opening…shining…”.
 The writer’s choice of language to describe the flowers gives the setting a dream-like appearance.
 The strange simile “...testing the air like snails’ eyes…” adds to the dream-like feel.
 The motif of the peonies seems particularly important and the writer gives them a symbolic significance.
For example, the peonies at the start are "dark-red", but in the next paragraph "…those were white."
 The white peonies, perhaps symbolising innocence, are linked to the character of Nancy. This image of
innocence is reinforced by the "pale dress with pink rosebuds."
 The character of Nancy has her clothes described in detail: “..triple-flounced skirt, and a straw bonnet…”
This links to the simile “…like a lady…” and suggests that the character of Nancy is elegant and well-
dressed.
 The flowers are linked to the feminine here, but there is also a sinister mood linked to the red peonies.
This sinister mood is reinforced by the phrase “…as if startled.”
 The calm image of a woman cutting flowers is contrasted with the disturbing image of the red peonies.
The effect may unsettle the reader.

Structure of fiction texts

Structure can refer to the order of words and ideas within:

 a sentence
 a paragraph
 an extract
 a whole text
Think about the effect the structure creates; remember to focus on how the reader responds to the structure
of the text. Consider how the writer is using structure to manipulate the reader’s response.

Questions to consider:

 Where does this extract fit into the longer text – is it an opening or ending?
 Why are the paragraphs ordered in the way they are?
 How does the focus of each paragraph change?
 Is it important for the reader to know certain bits of information before they get to the next part of the
text?
 Are there any links between the beginning and the end of the text?
 Are there any repeated images?
 Is there a significant change in an attitude, character or setting?
 Is there a change of perspective?
Some structural devices within prose fiction

Repetition – of words, phrases or whole sentences.

Connectives – eg meanwhile, finally, although. These could be used to shift the reader’s focus.

Sentence types – eg multi-clause or single clause. For example, a multi-clause sentence could be used to
build up layers of description to create a vivid setting.

Sentence length – eg short to show tension.

Paragraph length – eg single line paragraphs to focus the reader.

Change of tense – eg from present to past.

Narrative structure

Fictional narratives may also follow an overall structure, which may fit broadly into typical stages.

Exposition – the setting of the scene for the reader, this could be a description of setting or the backstory of
a character.

Crisis point or climax – an exciting or tense part of the text.

Resolution – the conclusion of the narrative, where conflicts are resolved or meaning is revealed.

In a short extract, only one or two of these of these stages might be evident. For example, if the extract is
from the opening of a short story there may only be an exposition stage.

These stages are not always in this order; a writer may choose to begin with a climax or crisis point.

Example

This extract is taken from a short story called Through the Tunnel by Doris Lessing. In this section the
character of Jerry, an 11-year-old boy, attempts to swim through a long underwater tunnel.

How has the writer structured this text to increase the sense of tension?

A hundred, a hundred and one…The water paled. Victory filled him. His lungs were beginning to hurt. A few
more strokes and he would be out. He was counting wildly; he said a hundred and fifteen, and then a long
time later, a hundred and fifteen again. The water was a clear jewel-green all around him. Then he saw,
above his head, a crack running up through the rock. Sunlight was falling through it, showing the clean,
dark rock of the tunnel, a single mussel shell, and darkness ahead.

He was at the end of what he could do. He looked up at the crack as if it were filled with air and not water,
as if he could put his mouth to it to draw in air. A hundred and fifteen, he heard himself say inside his head--
-but he had said that long ago. He must go on into the blackness ahead, or he would drown. His head was
swelling, his lungs cracking. A hundred and fifteen, a hundred and fifteen pounded through his head, and he
feebly clutched at rocks in the dark, pulling himself forward, leaving the brief space of sunlit water behind.
He felt he was dying. He was no longer conscious. He struggled on in the darkness between lapses into
unconsciousness. An immense, swelling pain filled his head, and then darkness cracked with an explosion of
green light. His hands, groping forward, met nothing; and his feet, kicking back, propelled him out into the
open sea. He drifted to the surface, his face turned up to the air. He was gasping like a fish. He felt he would
 sink now and drown; he could not swim the few feet back to the rock. Then he was clutching it and pulling
himself up on to it. He lay face down, gasping.

Through the Tunnel, Doris Lessing

Analysis

 The structure of the text allows the reader to share the boy’s journey through the tunnel and follow his
physical and emotional conflict.
 In the first paragraph the boy thinks that he has made it to the end of the tunnel: “Victory filled him.” This
short, single clause sentence has a dramatic effect and shows the reader his excitement.
 When the reader realises that he has not reached the end, the tension is increased and the reader reaches
the crisis point in the text.
 The boy seems to have run out of strength: “He was at the end of what he could do.”
 The writer includes the character’s counting to increase the tension at different points in the text.
 The counting shows the boy’s different states of mind, at first the number goes up to show his control.
 Then he is "counting wildly" when he thinks he is at the end of the tunnel.
 The counting stops to show the reader that he is starting to lose focus and strength: “A hundred and
fifteen, a hundred and fifteen…” The repetition of a hundred and fifteen shows the boy’s confusion and
increases the tension.
 Dramatic single clause sentences in the last paragraph add to the suspense: “He felt he was dying. He was
no longer conscious.”
 The repetition of “…darkness ahead…blackness ahead…darkness cracked…” makes the reader feel like
the dark represents death and the light symbolises life.
 The whole extract is structured around the physical effects of not having enough air:
“…swelling…cracking…gasping.”
 The position of the verb "gasping" at the end of the final sentence has the effect of releasing the tension as
the reader realises the boy will survive.
Plenary
Recall 3 language and structural techniques. Why do you think they are effective in writing? E.g. Do they
show tension or exaggeration? 2 mins.

Date:
Title: (AO3) Context and Effect on the Reader.
LO: To identify how people from different eras (time periods) lived (compared to us) and observe the effect
of this on modern readers.
DO NOW: What are the definitions for the following terms? Cyclical narrative, onomatopoeia,
juxtaposition, motif and sentence types. 4 mins.
If at any point you do not understand a word Google it within the time frame of 1 minute.
Task 1: Read chapter 1 of Frankenstein. 6mins.
Quick recap questions: Answer in full sentences! Use evidence from the text to support your questions. 10
mins.
1. What is Frankenstein's first name?
2. What happens to his father's friend?
3. Surprisingly, who does his father end up marrying? How does this make you feel as a modern day
reader?
4. How does Elizabeth become Victor's sister?
5. Who is Henry?
6. On page 14 Victor says, 'We were like three parts of one person. Elizabeth was the soul, Henry was the
heart, and I was the mind.' What does this mean and what does it foreshadow to?
7. On page 15, Victor's father disregards Science as 'black magic' how does this suggest the society at the
time was superstitious? What does black magic mean?
8. Why does Victor become more interested in Science at the end of the chapter? Does his love for Science
change during the chapter or is it the same throughout?
9. Victor mentions 'signs' on page 16 (Is that a sign I should...?!) This is a spiritual or religious tendency. Do
you think Victor lives in a religious society? If yes, what kind of faith do you think they follow?
10. Victor says, 'Science would someday destroy my life and all that I loved'. What technique is used in this
quotation? What does this suggest?
Task 2: Context explores how society lived and behaved during the time the book was written. It will
usually refer to people’s daily lives or values collectively. Read the about the context of Frankenstein and
make notes under 3 subheadings. The Enlightenment and Romanticism period; Mary Shelly's life -
influences and relationships; and Science. Next to the points you need to understand more clearly draw
simple sketches to support your learning. 15mins.
Task 3: Keeping up with good SPaG (Spelling, punctuation and grammar) bowl! Below are a few reminders
of rules we forget as we use text speech and are so far away from school! Read the rules and be honest with
the ones you need to remember more often! Then complete the quotation marks activity. Write the rules you
need to remember more often onto a post it. You will be using quotation marks (“ ”)to show what the author
said in your writing (Peter paragraphs).The quotation marks will support your points and create a distinction
between what you said and the author said. The use of quotation marks is super important so it does not look

like you are “stealing” the authors words and pretending they are yours!10 mins.
Plenary: How does Shelly show Victor's keen interest in Science at the beginning of the novel? Use a
quotation to support your point. Also mention context when giving your answer. Make sure you use correct
SPaG. 5 mins.

Good job today! Until next time - don't create a monster!

Date:
Title: Using peter paragraphs to structure writing.
LO: To revisit the meaning and structure of peter paragraphs and apply this to an extract from Frankenstein.

DO NOW: Recall what PETER stands for in the context of writing a paragraph. 2 mins.
Extension: Mark the following statements as true or false. 2mins.
Peter paragraphs help me to structure my answers.
Peter paragraphs are meaningless.
The second 'e' in peter stands for evidence.
The second 'e' in peter stands for explanation.
The techniques mentioned can be either language or structural.
You can change the order of peter, E.g. Start with a technique or end with evidence.
The 'p' (point) is easy to formulate because I can rephrase the question. E.g. If the question is, 'How does
Shelly use language to show Victor's destruction?' I can rephrase this into a point and say: Shelly uses
language to show Victor's destruction.
Well done!!
Task one: Put the following terms in order to state what a peter paragraph stands for.
Reader response, Evidence, Explanation, Point, Technique. 1 min.
Now you know the terms for sure can you create a small revision note explaining how to use a peter
paragraph for an 8 year old. 4 mins.
Below is an example of how to use a peter paragraph in poetry. Read it to gather a general understanding
about how to create an effective peter paragraph. 2 mins.

Task 2: Read the extract on Frankenstein and then write one peter paragraph to answer the following
question: 'How does Shelly use Frankenstein's perspective to show the monster has life?' Adapt the sentence
starters in the peter paragraph to assist you. You must look for language and structural techniques in the
extract and zoom in on language to explain Shelly's description. 10 mins.

Extra support identified evidence and techniques:

Repetition of the word 'beautiful'.
Alliteration of 'a': 'With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony.'
A long sentence at the beginning: From 'It was a dreary night............that lay at my feet.'

Task 3: Reading chapter 2 and 3. 7 mins.

Reading questions: Use evidence to support your points. 5 mins.
What has changed in Victor and Elizabeth's life?
Loss is a theme in Frankenstein. A theme is a recurring idea. Comment on how grown teenagers would
feel during the loss of a mother. Use emotive language.
Victor moves to university. What are his opinions of his professors? How do they differ?
In chapter 3, Victor begins to carry out actions common to gothic horror fiction. What are his criminal acts?
For these criminal acts, do you think Victor will face a jail sentence towards the end of the novel?
Task 4: Write a secret letter to Elizabeth as Victor detailing how busy you have been practising Science.
Since it is a secret letter you can reveal exactly what you have been up to and how it is making you feel
emotionally. Use the emotive language related to fear to support your answer. 10 mins.

Plenary: Write a paragraph as a diary entry by Victor on the night he digs graves for body parts. Reveal a
secret in this paragraph that you have told no one else so far (also not mentioned in the book so far!) As this
is a creative piece it is not structured into a peter paragraph. 5 mins.

Date:

Title: The structure of a text and how it effects the reader.

LO: To become more familiar with how to answer GCSE style assessments.

DO NOW: Look back at your predictions about Frankenstein on your story arc. Mark an X on the arc to
suggest where we are now we have read up to chapter 3. What makes you think we are at this point in the
novel? 2 mins. E.g. Are we at the Climax? How do you know this?
Good job! Deciphering where we might be in the text is a great skill. You aired a guess. You might be
correct or you were a bit off. Either way you thought about it and had a look over the story arc again - you
are using vital thinking skills and revising the story arc!

Task 1: You may have noticed that the chapters in the text are quite short. That is because you are reading an
abridged version of Frankenstein. Today we are going to focus on structure.

It is very important that you logically adhere to the "formula" of peter paragraphs because the examiner will
expect to see a structured response from you to reading questions. Reading questions are when you are given
an extract (text) and have to answer questions based on them. You have already completed 2 GCSE style
assessments with your teachers. The last one you did was on Romeo and Juliet. To help you answer the
questions in these ambitious papers better, the next few lessons are going to focus on the key skills you need
to develop in order to pass those papers with merit/distinction (Grade 7-9) or at least a grade 4 (the old grade
C).

In preparation to answer a structure question successfully recall what FINDSCRIPTS stands for and know
the definitions for these terms. In simpler terms, what are structural techniques? Recall at least 6. Put an
example next to each term. I.e. Cyclical narrative is when a story begins and ends in the same place. The
story begins and ends at a church. 6 mins.

Task 2: As you are home and love to commit to knowing things, just for your information GCSE Language
paper one is set out in the following way (1 hour 45 mins - 80 marks): Question one - the recall implicit or
explicit information (5 mins - 4 marks); Question two - Language question (10 mins - 8 marks); Question
three - Structure question (15 mins - 8 marks); Question four - (Agree with the) Statement Question (20
mins - 20 marks) and; Question Five - Creative writing question (50 mins - 40 marks).

Before we move onto the structure question (Question 3) we will have a look at Question 1 (Identifying
implicit and explicit information) I will adapt this to Frankenstein. At the end of this lesson you will have
answered Questions 1 and 3 of Language Paper 1.

Language Paper 1 Question 1.

What you need to know:

Q1: List four things (5 mins - 4 marks)

How to respond

 You are given a section from the text. Read it.

 The ‘things’ you are looking for may be explicit (obvious) or implicit (hidden, hinted at)
 You have to list four things you learn about it based on a given subject.
 You should write your response in very short sentences.

An example of question one:

Your turn! Read the following mini extract from Letter 1 and answer the question that follows. In this
extract, Captain Walton writes to his sister about his voyage to the Arctic.

List four things from this part of the text about the weather. (Answer in complete short sentences.)

1.

2.

3.

4.

Great job! Now you know what question 1 is about in full detail you should have no problem answering it
next time!
Task 3: Structure

Structure looks at why/how the writer tells the story. We all know the story of Goldilocks and the three
bears (1837). Below are the main points of the fairy-tale.

(1) A badly-behaved old woman who enters the forest home of three bachelor bears whilst they are away.

(2) She sits in their chairs, eats some of their porridge, and sleeps in one of their beds.

(3) The bears return home to find their house has been broken into and follow the trails throughout their
house until they find Goldilocks!

This is the typical order of the fairy-tale as we know it. Your task is to re-order the fairy-tale for effect.
Think a bit like a film Director here, would it be better to start at the end when the bears find Goldilocks and
then use the technique of flashback?

Task: Re-order the main points (1-3) of the traditional fairy-tale for effect.

Well done. You have just arranged a story for effect which is exactly what authors and directors do.
Therefore, when we look at how the author has structured the text we are looking for the order of events and
identifying the techniques (FINDSCRIPTS) for effect.

Task: Create your own definition for structure and how you understand it.

Task 4: Look at the extract based on Frankenstein and answer the question on structure in peter paragraphs.
Since it is an 10 min - 8 mark question the minimum you are required to write is 2 peter paragraphs.

Extract:
Plenary: What does implicit and explicit mean? How are they different?

Date:
Title: Narrative techniques
LO: To become familiar with identifying writers techniques in language.

DO NOW: SOAPMAPS is the mnemonic given to you to recall language techniques. Can you recall all the
SOAPMAPS LANGUAGE techniques?
Extension: For 3 of the techniques give an example, e.g. Personification: The tree branches waved in the
blustery wind as I rode through the forest on my brand new Brompton bike.
7 mins. Well done!

Task 1: Read chapter 4 and answer the reading questions. 12 mins.

Reading questions:
1. A plot twist is a change of event from the expected outcome. E.g. We typically expect heroes
live happily ever after and villains to repent however, this does not always happen. Plot twists
 usually occur at the end of a book but you can use 'mini plot twists' throughout your story to
build up a dramatic ending. As you read chapter 4, you would have naturally expected the
monster to attack Frankenstein however, there was a change in events - What shift occurred?

2. Think of a different plot twist for this chapter. Write it in one paragraph. In a different
coloured pen label your paragraph and identify why you think your mini plot twist is more
effective. Remember, the aim in story writing (or script writing) is to draw the reader/ viewer
in and give them dramatic satisfaction.

Task 2: Answer the language question on Frankenstein according to the guidelines. 25 mins.

Guidelines:
Extract:
Question: Look in detail at the extract.
How does Shelly use language to convey how Frankenstein neglects his family and friends while
creating his monster? (10 minutes - 8 marks - 2 peter paragraphs - SOAPMAPS)

Self assessment: Re-read your peter paragraphs. In green pen label P.E.T.E.R at each point where you
answer according to the peter structure. E.g. Your opening sentence should be a point so label it P and
so on. Do this for both paragraphs. Where you have missed out any part of PETER go back and put it in
using green pen. Now, mark your work for correct SPaG. Use a dictionary or thesaurus for more
ambitious vocabulary.

Plenary: Compare the character traits of Frankenstein to Henry. Draw a table and list how they are both
different. Show 3 differences.
E.g. Frankenstein has a passion for Science whereas Henry is more passionate about History.
The Spooky House of Death!
Once upon a time there was a big spooky house and there was a ghost that was dead
scary and it was windy. Two friends called Harry and Billy went into the house and
were very scared. It was dead dark inside the house and there is lots of cobwebs and
a dead head on a stick. Wooo! Wooo! Wooooooo! Harry says, “I can hear a ghost.”
Woooo! Wooooooooooooo! Woooooooooooooooooooooo! Billy says “I can hear a
ghost too.” Harry says “we must go home in case the ghost catches us and eats us.”
Billy says “all right, we will go home but we must be careful in case we are eaten by
ghosts. Harry says, “all right we will go home very carefully.” And Hermione says,
“hello it is my birthday and I have got a torch. It is very dark in here. I have brought
my torch. Would you like me to turn my torch on? My torch is very bright.” Hermione
turns on her torch and points it at Billy, but Billy is disappeared. Billy is gone. She
points her torch at Harry but Harry is disappeared. Harry is disappeared as well. They
have
both been eaten by the ghost. So Harry’s ghost says, “that is a good torch,
Hermione.” And Billy’s ghost says, “it is very bright, we can go home now.” So Billy
picks up the torch that Hermione has dropped because she has just fainted. But he
cannot pick up the torch because he is a ghost. He says, “Brill, I am a ghost.” And Billy
says, “Brill, I am a ghost too. We must both be ghosts. Cool, we must both be dead.”
Hermione wakes up and says, Hello, am I awake?” “Woooo, Woooo,
Woooooooooooo. I killed both of you.” says the ghost that Billy and Harry had heard.
Billy and Harry jamp up and screamed and Hermione dies herself in surprise. “Drat,”
says Hermione. “I am a ghost too.” And then they all wake up. It was all a dream – or
was it?
The End
Date:
Title: Reading chapters 5 and 6.
LO: To annotate the text for effect on the reader.
DO NOW: Summarise what has happened in Frankenstein so far.
Task 1: Read the chapters.
Task 2: Make up 8 reading questions to ask your friends in these chapters when you get back to school. E.g.
1) Find a quotation to show how the monster is intimidating Frankenstein.
Task 3: Create a character profile for Frankenstein and his monster.

Plenary: (1) Write a short summary of your favourite character in the book so far. (2) Write a short
paragraph to predict how you think the relationship between Frankenstein and his monster will end. (3) Go
back to your story arc and mark and (X) on where we are in the text.

Date:
Title: DEAR and SPaG development.
LO: To keep reading a book as part of the school reading program and review SPaG skills.
DEAR: Drop everything and read for 30 mins. If you don’t have your own book read the following chapters
from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. [Link]
[Link]

For those who would like the challenge of reading the full Frankenstein text please find if here:
[Link]

Task 1: Open the weblink and read the article about Mary Shelly from the Mail Online.

[Link]
[Link]

Using the article as inspiration and everything you know from chapters 1-6 list 8 ways Shelly was inspired
by her life and surroundings to write Frankenstein. E.g. It was a bet that lead her to write the ghost story or
the gothic style building influenced her to….
You are aiming to make links between the text and Shelly’s life. (Text and Context).
Plenary: On a scale from 1 to 10 rate how terrifying this ghost story is. Give a reason for your answer.