Inspired by: My Secret War Diary - Week 3

Inspired by the emotionally charged narrative from "My Secret War Diary," students delve into the art of prediction, focusing on the character Flossie's turmoil as she grapples with her father's absence during the dramatic events of World War II. As the Germans overpower the resistance, Flossie's sense of vulnerability peaks, culminating in a mix of hope and despair when she learns of the Dunkirk evacuation, yet finds her father's name missing from the lists of returning soldiers. The learning activity encourages students to empathise with Flossie's situation and imagine her feelings of anxiety and anticipation. They are tasked with writing a diary entry from Flossie's perspective, capturing her emotional state as she waits for any news of her father on Tuesday, 4th June.

The second learning activity introduces students to the nuances of English grammar, particularly the importance of subject-verb agreement and the distinction between spoken and written language registers. Through analysing a message from Frankie, Flossie's cousin, students explore his colloquial language choices such as 'coz' for 'cousin' and 'we's' for 'we are'. They are prompted to correct a sentence from Frankie's letter that exemplifies informal speech patterns. Additionally, the lesson plan addresses the use of hyphens to avoid ambiguity in writing. Students discuss the impact of hyphenation in phrases like 'good-night kiss' and 'end-of-term dance' and are encouraged to generalise a rule for using hyphens, considering the position of the hyphenated word in relation to the noun it describes. This activity not only sharpens their grammatical skills but also enhances their understanding of how punctuation can alter meaning.