The Life of Charles Dickens - Lesson 2 - The Purpose PowerPoint

The second lesson in a series exploring the works of Charles Dickens delves into understanding the purpose behind writing. The lesson, titled "The Diabolical World of Charles Dickens 2," aims to teach students how the intention of a text shapes an author's approach and style. A key objective is for students to learn how texts, such as the Horrible Histories series, are crafted to serve multiple purposes for a young audience. The lesson prompts students to consider the reasons why writing exists, introducing them to various purposes including to explain, entertain, describe, argue, advise, inform, and persuade. They are then challenged to analyse different texts and identify their primary and secondary purposes.

As part of the interactive learning experience, students are encouraged to explore the Horrible Histories books, comparing them to traditional history texts. They examine how history is presented in this series, the type of information included, the use of images, and the intended audience. By completing a table with questions and answers, students engage in critical thinking about the authors' techniques for simultaneously informing and entertaining readers. The lesson concludes with a plenary where groups or pairs share their insights, discussing the effectiveness of the Horrible Histories books in conveying historical subjects to young readers in an engaging manner.