The Demon Headmaster - Lesson 8 - PowerPoint

Lesson Eight in the series on 'The Demon Headmaster' by Gillian Cross delves into the intricacies of the characters and the control exerted by the ominous Headmaster. Students are tasked with a sentence matching activity titled 'Heads and Tails', where they must connect the beginnings and endings of sentences to understand the relationships and characteristics within the story. The Headmaster's obsession with order and the use of hypnotism to control the school's inhabitants are key themes. Students explore the dynamics between characters such as the intelligent yet secretive Dinah, the friendly Harvey, and the hostile Lloyd, all of whom have distinct personalities that contribute to the unfolding narrative.

Further into the lesson, students engage in a close study of the characters, particularly focusing on Dinah. They are prompted to read and discuss Chapter Nine, aptly named 'Dinah’s Secret', and speculate on the possible implications of her concealed aspect. A Venn diagram activity encourages students to describe the main characters, identifying shared traits where the characters intersect. The lesson culminates in a detailed analysis of Dinah's character development from the beginning of the book to the end of Chapter Nine. Students must consider changes in her actions, behaviour, feelings, and motivations, providing textual evidence to support their observations. Finally, they share and critique each other's responses, offering constructive feedback, which enhances their analytical skills and deepens their understanding of character development.