The Secret of Platform 13 - Session 5 - Worksheet

Session 5 of "The Secret of Platform 13" offers an engaging mix of activities for KS2 students to deepen their understanding of the story's seventh chapter. The session begins with thought-provoking discussion questions that encourage pupils to consider the rescuers' genuine feelings about Raymond and the implications of Odge's actions. Students are also prompted to think about the characters' varied reactions to the mistmaker, fostering critical analysis of character motivations and preferences.

Reading activities are designed to develop students' comprehension and analytical skills, with tasks such as continuing a timeline to track the events of the story and conducting a detailed character analysis of Raymond. Creativity is encouraged through drawing exercises, where students must illustrate a mistmaker based on descriptions from the text. Additionally, a reading comprehension exercise and a grammar hunt focusing on direct speech, noun phrases, and adverbs help to reinforce language skills. The 'Words to Workshop' section offers a rich vocabulary list for students to explore and understand within the context of the story.

Writing opportunities are varied and imaginative, including creating a leaflet guide to The Island, compiling a fact file on mistmakers, writing instructions on mistmaker care, and penning diary entries from the perspectives of Raymond or Ben. Cross-curricular links are abundant, with suggested activities in science, computing, geography, art, design and technology, music, and personal, social, health, and economic (PSHE) education. These activities span a range of topics such as plant life cycles, habitats, states of matter, and sound in science; creating 3D models in computing; and exploring UK geography. Artistic expression is fostered through painting and sculpture, while music lessons could involve creating sounds for a mistmaker. PSHE discussions focus on values such as integrity, respect, difference, tolerance, and self-control, making the session a holistic educational experience.