Skellig Lesson 15: Hot Seating - PowerPoint

Lesson fifteen in the 'Skellig' series by David Almond takes an interactive approach to deepen students' understanding of the novel's characters and themes. The lesson, titled 'Hot Seating', invites students to engage actively with the text by assuming the roles of the characters. Objectives for the lesson include developing a nuanced comprehension of the characters and themes, discussing research findings related to angels and their potential connections to the novel, and reading up to the end of Chapter 29. Students are encouraged to think critically about the plot, character development, imagery, and overarching themes presented in the text.

During the hot seating activity, students split into groups of four, with each member taking on the persona of either Michael, Mina, Leaky, or Coot, or acting as a questioner. The questioners are tasked with probing the characters about the events leading up to Chapter 30, helping to evoke detailed responses that demonstrate a deep understanding of each character's thoughts and feelings. This role-play exercise is designed to facilitate a lively and insightful discussion that allows students to explore the characters' motivations and relationships. The lesson concludes with a plenary where groups can perform their hot seating to the class, and audience members are given the opportunity to ask further questions, thereby consolidating their learning about the characters through detailed discussion.