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English Lessons
Weslandia by Paul Fleischman
Overview and outcomes
This is a three-week planning sequence based around the book
Weslandia by Paul Fleischman (the first 5 lessons are below).
It begins with children creating a shelter for their own civilization! The
first part then continues with children making predictions, describing
Wesley’s character and eventually retelling the story in their own
words.
In the second part, children begin by creating a non-chronological
report, published as a brochure for Weslandia itself, using planning
models and information from and inferred from the text.
In the final part, children create their own civilization, based on
Weslandia.
Click on the link below to listen to the story.
Lesson 1 This is English and DT and will probably take all day!
WALT: Write statements in the simple future tense (will/going
to), using adverbial clauses.
ACTIVITY 1: Look at the cover and read or listen to the first few
pages of the book up to “Fleeing them was the only sport he was good
at.”
ACTIVITY 2: Build a shelter!
Your first activity is to make a shelter for a doll, teddy or maybe a pet
- you have at home, using any resources you can find and are allowed
to use, remember to ask first. Be creative!
Give your shelter a name and think about its qualities:
Is it waterproof?
How have you made it warm inside?
Are there different spaces inside?
Where’s the entrance/exit?
Where does the light come from?
Take a photograph or draw a picture of it and ask someone to help you
upload it, I’m looking forward to seeing what they look like!
ACTIVITY 3: Write sentences about your shelter
Structuring your sentence carefully:
Start with a noun phrase e.g. The strong canopy
Next a verb in the simple future tense (will/going to) e.g. will provide
Then use an abstract noun e.g. shelter
Finally an adverbial e.g. by keeping them dry.
The strong canopy will provide shelter by keeping them dry.
Now write 6 sentences of your own.
ACTIVITY 4: Word of the day
civilization
Write down and look up the word civilization in the dictionary.
Write down its definition.
Write down 2 reasons for why we need civilizations.
It would be great if you could take a photo of your finished work or
attach it and email it to me on
Lesson 2
WALT: Predict the key events in a story and justify
observations using causal conjunctions
ACTIVITY 1: Read or listen to the story up to “offered myriad
opportunities for pockets.”
ACTIVITY 2: Word of the day myriad What does it mean? (Use a dictionary) Find a synonym for it. (Use a thesaurus)
Think of an antonym for it. (What is the opposite to it?) Write a sentence with it in. What are causal conjunctions? These explain how something works or why it has happened. They link cause and effect e.g. It was raining, therefore I brought my umbrella. The children follow Wesley, so I predict that he will make friends with them. We will use an ‘Observation, conjunction, prediction grid’ to make sentences.
Observation (What have you noticed?)
Conjunction Prediction (What do you think will happen?)
The children follow Wesley
so I predict that he will make friends with them.
Wesley writes using unfamiliar words
therefore I think he will make his own language.
ACTIVITY 3: In your book, carefully copy the two examples above and add six more
sentences of your own. WILF: (What I am looking for) 1. Use conjunctions, adverbs and adverbials that join ideas: so,
therefore, consequently, as a result, as a consequence, for this reason.
2. You do not need to set yours out in a grid, just start a new line for
each sentence. 3. When you have written the sentence, check the punctuation and
‘pink’ (if you have a pink highlighter) the causal conjunction you’ve used - just like we would in school.
Lesson 3
WALT: Discuss new vocabulary used by an author and predict
meaning
ACTIVITY 1: Read or listen up to “to invite the new and
unknown.”
Have you identified some WOW words or unknown words?
tormentors fleeing civilization ploughed seedlings bedlam crop
What strategies could you use to work them out?
Think about where they are in the rest of the sentence.
You could look them up in a dictionary.
Where would they be on the “Grammar Splat” poster below?
ACTIVITY 2: Copy and complete the table into your book.
Word Word class –
why?
Predicted
definition –
why?
Dictionary
definition
crop noun – has an
article
a collection of
things
plants grown on
a farm
tormentors
fleeing
civilization
ploughed
seedlings
bedlam
ACTIVITY 3: Word of the day
tormentors
How many other words can you make out of it?
WILF:
1. You can identify the word classes (Is it a
noun/verb/adverb/adjective?)
2. You can predict meanings of words using a variety of strategies.
Lesson 4
WALT: Think about opinions about a book
ACTIVITY 1: Read or listen to the book to the end.
ACTIVITY 2: Copy and complete a Likes, Dislikes, Puzzles and
Themes chart.
ACTIVITY 3: Create a “Book Review” using your ideas from the
chart.
You could use your computer’s search engine and type in book reviews
KS2, to find some examples and choose a style you like, but make it
your own.
ACTIVITY 4: It would be great if you could send me your “Book
Reviews” and I’ll put some really good ones on our Puffins webpage!
Lesson 5
WALT: Use adjectives to describe a character and how they
change
ACTIVITY 1: Words that end in ous
humorous courageous serious poisonous dangerous famous
tremendous enormous jealous glamorous vigorous outrageous
curious hideous spontaneous courteous
Choose 10 words from the list above. Copy them into your book and
use them as your spellings for today and tomorrow - using a Look,
Say, Copy, Write strategy to help you learn them.
ACTIVITY 2: Create a character description of Wesley and how
he changes.
Write 2 paragraphs.
The first is a description of Wesley at the beginning of the story.
The second is a description of Wesley at the end.
Here is a plan to help you, fill the characters with your ideas.
WILF:
1. Use good conjunctions such as although, despite, whilst, even
though – if you use them pink them with a highlighter.
2. Use the ous ending adjectives – pink these too!
