This Gothic writing KS2 resource introduces students to Gothic fiction through Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse by Chris Riddell.
The resource comprises five units, each of which includes a unit overview, teacher notes and student resources.
- Unit 1 – Features of Gothic novels and relative clauses
- Unit 2 – Adverbs of possibility in a Gothic novel setting
- Unit 3 – Composing characters for Gothic novels
- Unit 4 – Improvising then punctuating dialogue
- Unit 5 – Writing a new chapter in the Gothic style
Gothic writing KS2 starter activities
Day 1: Discuss Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse, introducing the story and recapping events to Chapter 5.
Consider the impact of illustration on the presentation of the book and create a list of Gothic features using the ‘Mysteries to solve’ prompt. Discuss how Riddell uses this genre but makes it funny.
Day 2: Use the relative clauses PowerPoint to introduce relative clauses. Use oral rehearsal to help children hear the relative clause and its position in a sentence. Discuss characters met so far in Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse, enjoying Riddell’s illustration style.
In pairs, discuss and write descriptive sentences about one of the characters, using copies of illustrations for inspiration. Challenge children to insert relative clauses to give extra detail, using a differently coloured pen to indicate the relative clause.
Day 3: Briefly revise relative clauses, using the PowerPoint. Ask children to reread writing from Day 2, looking at their use of relative clauses, including position and punctuation.
Discuss and model how these character descriptions can be developed using further detail and creating atmosphere through language choice. Encourage pupils to insert relative clauses to add atmospheric detail and support with correct punctuation.
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