These KS2 educational resources explore the novel Windrush Child by the late Benjamin Zephaniah. The book explores themes of identity, belonging and resilience.
Main character Leonard has to navigate the challenges of growing up in a society that often treats him as an outsider.
Windrush Child Writing Root
This download contains a stand-alone lesson plan from Literacy Tree’s Windrush Child Writing Root planning resource. You only need access to the front cover and prologue of Windrush Child to teach this lesson, which focuses on making predictions about a text and covers modal verbs and linking clauses.
The full Windrush Child Writing Root is filled with opportunities for emotive and purposeful writing. It culminates in children crafting a persuasive pitch to their local council for a monument to honour this inspiring generation.
The 15-session sequence leads to children producing thought-provoking outcomes such as thought bubbles, informal letters, poems, diary entries and advice pieces.
Five KS2 reading lessons
Designed to facilitate a deep understanding of Windrush Child over five weeks, this download also contains a resource by Ashley Booth that breaks the book into manageable chapter segments for detailed study.
Use the slides to delve into the themes, characters and literary devices used by Zephaniah in Windrush Child. To reinforce learning and encourage critical thinking, the resource includes a variety of interactive activities.
Weekly quizzes test students’ recall and comprehension. Individual thinking tasks challenge them to reflect on the story and its meaning. Partnered talk activities encourage collaborative learning, allowing students to discuss their ideas and interpretations with their peers.
For deeper reflection, solo work assignments prompt students to connect the novel’s themes with their own experiences or the wider world.
Ashley Booth is a Year 6 teacher and phase, maths and reading lead. He is passionate about improving reading. Visit his website.
What is Windrush Child about?
Windrush Child by Benjamin Zephaniah is a poignant and insightful novel that is part of the Scholastic Voices series. This aims to highlight underrepresented histories through personal and powerful narratives.
Published in 2020, Windrush Child tells the story of Leonard, a young boy who is part of the Windrush generation. This refers to the Caribbean people who migrated to the UK between 1948 and 1971. They were invited by the British government to help rebuild the country after World War II.
Harsh realities
Windrush Child provides a deeply personal account of Leonard’s experiences. It begins with his life in Jamaica and his anticipation of moving to England. It’s a place that he has been led to believe is a kind of promised land.
However, upon arrival, Leonard and his family face the harsh realities of racism, discrimination and the struggle to belong. They have to make a new life in a country that is far different from the paradise they were promised.
Benjamin Zephaniah’s storytelling in Windrush Child captures the historical context of the Windrush generation’s experience, shedding light on a significant yet often overlooked chapter of British history.
Through Leonard’s journey in Windrush Child, readers gain insight into the complexities of migration, the search for identity and the impact of systemic racism.
The book not only tells a compelling story but also serves as a tribute to the resilience and contributions of the Windrush generation to British society.
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