Exploring Themes with The Present – KS2 Video-Based Literacy Lesson

Bring storytelling to life with this engaging, ready-to-teach lesson using The Present, a powerful animated short film about a boy named Jake whose life changes through an unexpected gift. Perfect for developing pupils’ understanding of themes, this resource guides learners through discovering the moral, message, or life lessons embedded in the story and justifying their ideas with evidence.

What’s Included:

• Editable ActivInspire flipchart with learning objective, introduction of the concept of theme and structured tasks (PDF included).
• An introductory video explaining what a theme is and why it matters
• Guided viewing of The Present with prompts to encourage deep thinking about character and plot
• Group discussion activity to explore the story’s messages and morals
• Writing task asking pupils to identify main themes and support their ideas with evidence
• Plenary slide designed to promote sharing and reflection with partners

Key Features:

• Fully editable ActivInspire flipchart for easy adaptation
• Supports critical thinking, comprehension, and emotional literacy
• Encourages evidence-based interpretation of texts
• Aligned with UK National Curriculum (KS2) and adaptable for other curricular such as Common Core

Perfect For:

• English / Literacy / Guided Reading lessons in KS2 (Years 4–6)
• Whole-class teaching, small group discussions, enrichments or cover lessons
• Developing inference and theme-identification skills
• Cross-curricular links to PSHE and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) themes