Inspired by: Blodin The Beast - Week 1

In the educational resource inspired by "Blodin the Beast" by Michael Morpurgo, students are encouraged to delve into the narrative and illustrations to enhance their comprehension and critical thinking skills. The learning objective is to ask questions that improve their understanding of the text. The activity prompts students to observe the front cover and the first double-page illustrations, stimulating curiosity about the setting and characters. They are asked to consider the visual contrasts and symbolism used by the illustrator, Christina Balit, and to read the description of the antagonist, Blodin the Beast, reflecting on his characteristics and potential metaphoric significance. Additionally, students are invited to empathise with the villagers by imagining an interview scenario, offering insight into the villagers' perspective on the beast.

Another activity, "Moving Mountains", aims to develop the students' ability to discuss and record ideas. It focuses on the harsh life of the villagers who labour for Blodin, encouraging students to imagine the working conditions and environment. Pairs of students brainstorm descriptive words and phrases to vividly convey the setting and the plight of the workers. They then use these expressions to craft sentences that bring the oppressive atmosphere to life. The activity also involves analysing the use of colour in the book's illustrations to understand how it creates different moods. The resource further extends the learning by challenging students to construct complex sentences using conjunctions such as 'when', 'if', 'because', and 'although', in response to Morpurgo's depiction of Blodin's fearsome nature. Finally, the "Magical Carpets" activity encourages students to explore the theme of magic in storytelling, prompting them to consider the significance of a woven carpet in the story and to compare it with other cultural stories involving magical carpets, potentially integrating this with mathematics through carpet weaving activities.