This term we will be doing a novel study of Goodnight Mister Tom. As part of our novel study we will be working in groups to create news reports announcing the outbreak of World War 2. In the novel the main character Willie is evacuated to the countryside to escape the danger of being bombed in London. It is here that he hears Neville Chamberlain announcing that Britain has declared war on Germany after Germany refused to stop war with Poland.
We will also use the novel as a stimulus to write letters from Willie back to his mother in London and keep a diary of the events that happen in his life whilst being an evacuee.
In addition to this
•We will continue to extend the use of VCOP strategies to improve the quality of our writing across a variety of genres
•The class will use Book Detectives cards to take on the role of Word Finder, Summariser, Question Master or Illustrator to carry out comprehension work based on our class novel
•Continue to work on increasing our fluency and expression when reading aloud

P7r have been doing a lot of work on story openers and trying to create a ‘hook’ to catch the readers attention and encourage them to read the rest of their story. We have been looking at different ways to open stories and have been experimenting using nouns, adjectives, similies, metaphors, feelings, adverbs and connectives as openers.
Some examples of our openers will be uploaded on here.

Primary 7 have been reading Goodnight Mister Tom, by Michelle Magorian, in Literacy.

Goodnight Mister Tom is the story of young Willie Beech, evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of the Second World War. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakley – but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London. As time goes by Tom begins to worry when Willie doesn’t answer his letters, so he goes to London to find him, and there makes a terrible discovery.

Primary 7r will be having a visit from ‘Max in the Middle’ on week beginning Monday February the 15th. We require a parent volunteer to help on Tuesday 16th of February from 10.45-12.30 and Friday 19th February from 10-11.30. If you are available on these days to help could you please contact the school or send a note in with your child.
Thanks