thursday 5 june year 4 english harry potter setting ... · harry potter has become a worldwide...

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Thursday 5th June

Year 4 English – Harry Potter setting descriptions

Harry Potter has become a worldwide success and J.K. Rowling

one of the most famous authors this century. Today's learning

uses some of the locations from the Harry Potter books for your

own descriptive writing.

Today you will be writing a description of a setting/location from

the Harry Potter novels/films, focusing on the following: using the

senses (as you did on Monday), prepositions, weather, time, noun

phrases and similes. (The definitions of each are on pages 9-11)

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Task 1 – starter - Prepositions

1) Follow this link to the BBC website:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zh8nscw

2) Watch the 1st video on prepositions, then scroll down to watch the 2nd

video to find out more

3) Scroll down to the activities section and complete Activity 1

4) If you have time, you could try the other activities

Task 2 – Identify key features of a setting description

Title: Setting Description Words you might not know Turrets – small towers on a castle Vast – big Clambered – climbed Ivy – a plant Look at the following description of Hogwarts from ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’. Highlighted are the use of the senses, prepositions, weather, time, noun phrases, and similes.

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black

lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows

sparkling like diamonds in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many

turrets and towers.

"No more 'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats

sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed into their

boat by Nevlille and Hermione.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zh8nscw

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And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake,

which was as smooth as glass in the warm September evening.

Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered

over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boat reached the cliff; they all

bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy

which hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark

tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until

they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out

on to the rocks and pebbles.

Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp,

coming out at last on to smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the

castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak

front door.

Task 3 - Main activity – setting description

Title: Setting description

Now you are going to choose one of the settings from the pictures below and

write a description.

Choose from Supported (if you want to make it easier), Main activity or

Challenge+.

Look at the pictures of Harry Potter locations below. Choose one to focus

on.

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The Great Hall

Professor Dumbledore

The Forbidden Forest

Inside Hogwarts

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Quidditch World Cup

The Burrow

Diagon Alley

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Answer the questions below focusing on your setting:

a. What could the characters see?

b. What could the characters hear?

c. What could the characters smell?

d. How do you think the characters might be feeling?

e. What time of day is it?

f. What is the weather like?

g. How could you describe the position of the main places/objects

within the location using prepositions?

h. Could you include a simile or a metaphor? E.g. It was as cold as the

Arctic in the middle of winter.

There are some simile and metaphor ideas on page 11 if you need them.

Definitions of noun phrases, similes, metaphors and prepositions can be

found on pages 9-11 if you need them.

Supported

In your description, you are going to use:

noun phrases for detail

similes to compare

Below is a description of Diagon Alley. Use this for ideas when you write your

own description. Use the structure below to help you get started.

Description of Hogwarts

Title: Description of_(setting)

1. Time of day – describe something

which tells you the time e.g. the

sun, moon, stars

2. What you can see

3. What you can hear

4. What you can smell

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Main Activity

Choose a setting from one of the Harry Potter books/films (you can choose

from the pictures above or choose another setting). Look at your answers from

the earlier task to help you to describe your setting. You can also use the

examples given to help you to structure your writing.

In your description, you are going to use:

senses (see, hear, smell, feelings) to help the reader ‘feel’ the setting

prepositions to help the reader locate different parts of the setting

weather/time to help the reader imagine how or when

noun phrases for detail

similes to compare

Refer back to the description of Hogwarts for ideas.

The narrow path had opened

suddenly onto the edge of a great

black lake. Perched atop a high

mountain on the other side, its

windows sparkling like diamonds

in the starry sky, was a vast castle

with many turrets and towers.

5. The weather

6. How the character is feeling

*Remember to include noun phrases

and a simile as well

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Challenge +

Choose a location from the Harry Potter books/films (you can choose from the

pictures above or choose another character). Look at your answers from the earlier

task to help you to describe your setting. You can also use the examples given to

help you to structure your writing.

In your description, try to also build atmosphere by linking the character’s

mood with the setting description.

For example:

Mood Weather General

Miserable The rain

wept…

Grey

Dull

Happy The sun

smiled down

upon…

Bright, cheerful colours (orange, yellow)

‘Happy’ sounds – children laughing

Angry Storm Thunder

Crack of lightning

Frightened The wind

screamed

through the…

Shadows

Strange noises

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Definitions

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Metaphor

A metaphor is a word or a phrase used to describe something as if it were

something else:

For example, "A wave of terror washed over him."

The terror isn't actually a wave, but a wave is a good way of describing the feeling.

"Jess is dynamite."

She's not made of dynamite, but it's a way to explain how exciting she is.

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Show-not-tell

Show how the character is feeling or their personality traits by their actions,

rather than telling the reader:

He glared, clenched his fists and stamped his foot.

This shows that the character is angry, rather than writing, ‘He was angry.’

Screeching loudly, Bellatrix sneered and pointed her wand at the cowering

wizard.

This shows that Bellatrix is a ‘bad’ character, rather than writing, ‘Bellatrix was

evil.’

thursday 5 june year 4 english harry potter setting ... · harry potter has become a worldwide...

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