Skellig Lesson 18: William Blake - PowerPoint

In Lesson Eighteen of the 'Skellig' unit, students delve into the literary connections between David Almond's novel and the works of the iconic poet and artist William Blake. The objectives of this session are twofold: firstly, to examine character motivations within the novel, and secondly, to conduct research on William Blake. The lesson begins with a thought-provoking discussion prompted by a scenario from Chapter 32, where the protagonist Michael tells a lie to his father. Students are encouraged to debate the morality of lying and consider the circumstances that might justify it, as well as ways to improve the situation.

After reading up to the end of Chapter 34, the class transitions to exploring William Blake's life and works. Students are tasked with using library resources to answer specific questions, such as the era Blake lived in, his notable achievements, the themes of his paintings, and the famous hymn he wrote. They are also asked to interpret Blake's poem 'The Schoolboy' and to draw parallels between 'Skellig' and another of Blake’s poems, 'The Angel'. The research extends to discussing Blake's beliefs and how his ideas resonate within the novel 'Skellig'. As a homework assignment, the students will use their findings to create a PowerPoint presentation about William Blake, ready to be shared in the following lesson.