This unit of work has been designed for high ability year 9 students to introduce them to gothic conventions (in preparation for the Nineteenth Century Novel at GCSE) and to develop specific writing skills through a range of engaging and creative activities. Writing models and prompts are used through a range of gothic texts such as The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Raven and The Woman in Black. Lesson 1: introduction to gothic conventions Lesson 2: gothic vocabulary and imagery Lesson 3: gothic semantic fields Lesson 4: gothic figurative language Lesson 5: gothic micro description Lesson 6: effective openings Lesson 7: gothic sound effects Lesson 8: gothic sentences and tension Lesson 9 and 10: narrative structures - monster transformation

This unit has been designed for lower ability year 10 students to introduce them to the four questions in section A of AQA Language paper 1. This unit was previously delivered to a class with low literacy levels, as well as individuals with dyslexia, so the approach taken focuses on key skills needed to tackle an unseen text, as well as spotlighting the requirements of each question through simple, visual tasks, with retrieval starters and scaffolded writing frames. The unit uses the AQA November 2018 extract from The Sound of Thunder, and also makes use of exemplar material from the AQA markscheme for this paper. These give students the chance to see model answers and to provide them with guidance when peer and self assessing. Lesson 1: introduction to paper and question 1 skills (1 lesson) Lesson 2: question 2 - language analysis skills (2 lessons) Lesson 3: question 3 - structural analysis skills (2 lessons) Lesson 4: question 4 - evaluation - oracy skills practiced through ‘popcorn’ discussion and use of evidence and analysis in evaulation (2-3 lessons)

This unit of work has been designed and delivered to high ability GCSE students. It begins by introducing students to contextual factors that influenced the creation and ideas of the novel, before taking a chronological approach to exploring each chapter. This exploration is completed through a variety of activities which highlight key parts needed for the exam, while also broadening students’ ability to analyse language and syntactic choices made by Stevenson. The unit ends with a lesson in which students create a visual tension graph of the novel to explore the ways ideas and tension are built across the text. There are also assessments provided throughout the unit, with the AQA mark scheme adapted into student friendly feedback sheets, as well as feedback stickers which can be used by students for peer and self assessment. An analysis support and challenge scaffold is provided with the writing opportunities of the unit. Finally, the final two lessons are based around revision of the context and novel which can be delivered at a later time after the completion of the unit.

The lesson begins with students identifying and justifying which event of the novel is most important, as well as the ideas of causes and consequences to develop their ideas. The students then move on to explore the structure of the novel through a graph task. Part 1: students cut out and glue events of novel and place them in the correct order along their graph. Part 2: students then plot the tension of each chapter along their graph to identify where tension reaches its peak, and where Stevenson deliberately misleads the reader. A supportive analysis task is then provided to allow students to explore where the novel is most calm and most tense, and choices Stevenson has made at these points. Students then return to the question posed at the beginning of the lesson to see whether their position has changed.

Students begin the lesson by exploring the importance of the chapter title. This is a long and complex chapter, so while reading the chapter, students have a range of questions to find the answers to in order to demonstrate and consolidate their understanding. The students then consider the question: How does Stevenson want the reader to feel towards Jekyll? There are two options for them to do this: option 1 - provide them with extracts to explore; option 2 - students identify and explore their own quotes in the chapter. Then consider the end of the novel through the extract and guide questions to analyse Stevenson’s language and syntax choices. In the plenary, students read a short opinion on the novel and consider their own response to this opinion, using their knowledge of the text to justify their position (good practice for Language paper 1 question 4).

The lesson begins by considering students’ responses to the question: How would Victorian society feel about somebody doing ‘God’s work’ at this time? A range of follow up questions are provided on slide one to help you and the students develop this discussion. Students then read chapter 9 with some prompt questions to guide their thinking. Students explore two extracts from the chapter - the Letter and Lanyon’s description of how the potion takes over Jekyll. Students then consolidate their work on the extracts by completing a table on which they collect the key parts of their discussion (a useful resource to return to in later revision). The lesson then ends with students discussing the question: How does Stevenson present Jekyll in Chapter 9? A range of follow up question are provided to develop this discussion.

The lesson begins with a retrieval starter: students review language terminology by matching them to their definitions before adding examples of these techniques used in the novel. Read Chapter 8 and then have students work in groups of 4 on an aspect of the chapter (see slide 4 for clear instructions on this carousel task). Students create their own notes page for this chapter where their collect their own work and other students’ ideas during feedback. The students then complete close readings of Poole’s description of Hyde and the description of Hyde’s body, using the prompts questions on the slides to guide their analysis. the lesson ends by considering the way Jekyll signs off his letter, with a selection of questions for students to choose from.

The lesson (to be complete across two lessons) begins by considering the motif of the door which has been previously been used as a tool for creating mystery and suspense in the novel. After reading the chapter, students then complete a carousel activity where they take responsibility for exploring either unanswered questions, powerful verbs and adjectives, sibilance and gothic imagery in the chapter (they work on these in pairs before moving into groups to feedback on their findings). Students then work in pairs to explore the use of syntax to build tension. The lesson ends with students with students writing two analytical paragraphs (one on language choices and one on syntax) answering the question: How does Stevenson create tension and suspense at the end of chapter 7? A writing scaffold is included to provide students with both support and challenging in their analytical writing, as well as a feedback sticker for peer or self assessment.

The lesson begins by considering an image to introduce / review the term ‘dramatic irony’, with a challenge questions asking students to explain how this technique is used by writers to build tension. Students then read chapter 6 ‘The Remarkable Incident of Dr Lanyon’, looking out for the following: When the reader knows something the characters do not When something happens that the reader doesn’t know about When the reader has unanswered questions Students then complete a short task which exemplifies the technique of ‘foreshadowing’ before analysing an extract from chapter 6 where they consider how dramatic irony and foreshadowing have been used by Stevenson to build tension. Finally, students identify key quotes from the chapter which have been used to create tension.

This lesson (across 2 lessons) returns to Chapter 4 in light of reading chapter 5. Students glue in extract describing Mr Hyde’s attack of Carrew and use the following prompts to guide their independent analysis before annotating together as a class: Negative language to describe Mr Hyde Dramatic verb (doing words) choices Language to describe Mr Hyde as out of control Language to describe Mr Hyde as animal-like (animalistic imagery) Students then write an analytical paragraph to answer the question: How is Mr Hyde presented as frightening in Chapter 4? Slide 7 provides suggestions of how students can challenge themselves with this piece of analysis. Students then use self-assessment sticker to mark and set targets for their own work. Finally, the lesson then focuses on the idea of manipulation, and the ways Stevenson has manipulated the reader in chapter 4: students complete partially filled in table with evidence of manipulation, and the effects this creates for the reader.

Present students with extract from Chapter 5 and ask them to identify the gothic features used by Stevenson, as well as the atmosphere they create at this point in the novel. Students then move on to closely analyse the following phrase: ‘for even in the houses the fog began to lie thickly’. Present students with extract about the two signatures and ask them to consider what the two signatures may have looked like, as well as what they might reveal about their owners. End lesson with paired discussion of the phrase: ‘“What!” he thought. “Henry Jekyll forge for a murderer!” And his blood ran cold in his veins.’

The starter provides students with a range of facts which connect to one historic event: The Whitechapel Murders. They are asked how this might be linked to the novel. Students then consider how Jack the Ripper was linked to the novel by public imagination through the ‘The Illustrated Law Courts and Weekly Record’, with a challenge question which asks them to think about what this might reveal about Victorian reading habits. As a class, then read chapter 4, giving students responsibility for thinking about and finding evidence for one of the following 4 areas: Gothic Imagery Foreshadowing Moon Imagery and Mythology Duality Once reading of chapter 4 is complete, students explore two extracts from the chapter to consider the presentation of Mr Hyde and the description of Jekyll’s ransacked rooms. To consolidate, students write an analytical response to the following question: “a fog rolled over the city in the small hours…”: How does Stevenson create a dark / mysterious atmosphere in chapter 4?

Students start by defining the term ‘irony’ using the two literary examples on slide 1. Before reading chapter 3, students consider the importance of the title, our expectations and how this might create irony within the story. After reading the chapter, students then explore this key quote, using prompt questions to guide their discussion and notes: “The moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr Hyde… this is a private matter, and I beg of you let it sleep.” Students can then complete a creative writing task (with reminders to support their writing for Language Paper 1 Section B) from the perspective of either Mr Utterson or Dr Jekyll. Students then peer assess one another’s pieces, using the guide on the final slide, before explaining how Chapter 3 is ironic.

Students need to have read chapter 2 prior to this lesson - the lesson starts with some retrieval questions around their reading of chapter 2. The lesson then moves on to discussing students’ prior knowledge about science and discovery in the Victorian era and social impact of these before analyising two extracts from chapter 2 link to these themes. The PowerPoint supports students in picking out key language and phrases to explore, as well as questions to guide their analysis. After analysis, students have a range of consolidation questions to answer around the presentation of science and technology and the way gothic conventions are used in the chapter. The lesson then moves on to explore animalistic imagery used to describe Mr Hyde, then linking to duality. Finally, the plenary asks students to consolidate their learning about Mr Hyde in Chapter 2 by considering how he is frightening.

The lesson starts with retrieval questions around the gothic genre, with a challenge question asking students to link the genre to the theme of duality. Across the lesson, students then analyse 3 extracts about Mr Hyde, with questions provided to prompt students to look for links to duality, as well as using terminology to identify Stevenson’s choices. The lesson then focuses in on two important questions ‘like some damned juggernaut’ and ‘the man trampled calmly over the child’s body’ to closely analyse these. Students then end the lesson by discussing and recording their ideas about how the tree concepts of Mr Hyde, the gothic and Duality are linked together in the chapter.

The lesson (Works across two lessons if the analytical writing task is completed) begins by exploring the term ‘duality’ through an image and range of questions which ask students to link their discussion to their knowledge of the plot and contextual understanding so far. The lesson then moves on to ask students to consider how many ‘sides’ there are to their own personalities and whether we make conscious choices in the sides we choose to show. Students then read chapter 1 with a range of questions to consider around the character of Mr Utterson, the detached narrator and links to duality. Students then complete close textual analysis of the description on Mr Utterson with prompt questions and terminology (my own annotations provided).Introduce students to the question: What do we learn about Mr Utterson and his lifestyle at the beginning of Jekyll and Hyde? and the analytical support sheet. Before students write their own response, explore the example paragraph. Once students have written their response, use the peer assessment sticker to select a ‘WWW’ and ‘EBI’. Students can then be set homework on creating a quote bank from their reading of chapter 1.

The lesson begins by asking students to consider two hypothetical situations and their behaviour in these. This discussion is then used to Freud’s theory of the Id, the Ego and the Superego: students watch a short clip to review this theory and are provided with a range of questions to find the answers to as they watch. Students then consider the questions: What would happen if we all let our ID rule our behaviour? What would society look like? alongside some picture prompts. The lesson then introduces two terms important to the study of behaviour in the novel: ‘civility’ and ‘respectability’ - considering the etymology of these words. Finally, students consider how civility and respectability formed a code of behaviour for men and women in Victorian society, and then as a challenge how this is threatened by Freud’s theory of the Id.

This lesson contains resources for both higher and lower ability students to introduce them to the plot of the novel prior to reading. The lesson begins with a retrieval quiz on contextual areas covered in lesson 1 of the unit. Students then move on to explore the connotations and etymology of the title of the novel, with visual prompts. In the next task, students watch a 30 minute summary of the novel while complete a character match task, and making their own notes about key plot points. Finally, students then identify the 8 most important plot points and create a storyboard on the worksheet provided. Challenge is added to the storyboarding task by asking students to identify where they could link their contextual understanding to the plot, and then where cause and effect can be identified in the sequence of events.

This lesson (to be completed over 2-3 lessons) is designed for a high ability GCSE class and introduces students to key contextual areas pertinent to their study of Jekyll and Hyde prior to reading the novel. Part 1:The lesson begins by introducing the unit objectives and asking students to reflect on prior feedback they have received in setting themselves a target for the unit. The second phase of the lesson uses images to aid students in making predictions and sparking discussions around the content and themes of the novel, before viewing a short animated summary. The final part of the lesson asks students to define the concept of ‘context’, with a challenge discussion question which asks students to consider the pros and cons of taking an historicist approach to studying literature. Part 2: The lesson begins by introducing students to key numbers surrounding the production of the novel, and the main activity: to work in groups to create posters on a specific contextual area which then be used to present to their peers, and displayed in the classroom for the duration of the unit. The word documents provided contain information and images for students to explore, and the slides on the PowerPoint provide questions for students to also consider and include their thoughts on in their presentation of their posters. Part 3: During this lesson, students will watch each groups’ context presentations and collect their notes in an A5 booklet. Homework from this lesson is to crunch and consolidate these notes onto a table.

This scheme of work has been designed for low ability students to support their study of A Christmas Carol. The unit begins with contextual study, before moving into close textual analysis of key sections and quotes needed for preparation for the AQA literature exam. Retrieval of prior knowledge is embedded throughout the unit through a variety of starter tasks. Written analysis of extracts is supported through use of the ‘what? how? why?’ approach promoted by AQA in the recent examiner’s comments. There are also mid-point and end of unit assessments with preparation lessons to support students in tackling exam-style tasks.