Primary reading – How will the book end?

My favourite author of all time is Michael Morpurgo and I was fortunate enough to meet him when he opened the new KS1 building in our school.  Last year we did a week of work on Morpurgo.  This was one of our favourite activities (but it could probably work for any author).

Ask the class to select a Michael Morpurgo book and read up to halfway through it. Can they predict how the book will continue and how it will end? This helps children to see the structure in stories, the complications and the resolutions of them. It also enables them to consider other scenarios and endings and many are pleased when on completing the book they find they were correct.

I would also ask older children to consider a change in the chain of events and how that could affect the main character of the book. Some will be able to arrive and their own alternatives but others may need you to say ‘What would have happened if…..?’

Dave Lewis
Portsmouth High School Junior Dept

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