Inspired by: Weslandia - Week 6

Inspired by the novel "Weslandia" by Paul Fleischman, the learning activities for Week 6 in August focus on the nuanced use of past verb tenses and the exploration of themes within writing. Pupils delve into the grammatical intricacies of the past perfect form, learning how it marks the relationship of time and cause, and the importance of maintaining consistent tense usage. The activities centre around the book's protagonist, Wesley, who during the languid August heat, engages in leisurely pursuits within his own creation, Weslandia. The students examine the past simple tense, as seen in actions that are completed in the past, and the past perfect, which is used to discuss an event that occurred before another past event. They also look at the past perfect progressive, highlighting actions that started in the past and continued up to another past point.

The literary journey continues with an exploration of themes and conventions across various genres. "Weslandia" serves as a rich source for discussion, with themes such as individuality leading to innovation, the celebration of non-conformity, and the importance of environmentalism, self-sufficiency, and sustainability. Students are encouraged to extract the main ideas from the text, providing evidence and explanations to support these themes. They are also prompted to compare these themes with other literary works, such as the social satire found in "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift and "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens. The culminating task is to write 'The History of the Weslandian Civilisation', incorporating one or more of the identified themes, thereby synthesising their understanding of the novel's message and its broader literary context.