The Last Bear - Learning Sequence

The learning sequence for 'The Last Bear' is a comprehensive unit overview spanning six weeks, designed to engage students with the text on multiple levels. In the first week, students examine the front cover, make predictions about the story, and begin reading the initial chapters, responding to questions to deepen their comprehension. As they progress through chapters two to four, they analyse vocabulary and the portrayal of characters such as April and Tor. The atmosphere of Bear Island is explored through descriptive language, and students are encouraged to record their impressions and complete activities like 'single bubble' to articulate their thoughts.

From week two onwards, the sequence invites students to delve further into the narrative by reading subsequent chapters and participating in various activities to empathise with April's experiences. These include 'put yourself in April's shoes', creating thought bubbles and emotion hearts, and writing diary entries from April's perspective. The unit also incorporates analysis of April's character traits and encourages predictions about the story's development. As the weeks unfold, students consider April's relationship with Bear, the author's writing style, and themes such as global warming. They engage in creative writing, persuasive writing, and even craft a newspaper article, incorporating information from their Geography lessons to enrich their understanding of the book's environmental messages.