Reading the opening of 'The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark' | English

Starter quiz

Match the keyword to the correct definition.
- narrative
  
  ⇔
  
  writing that tells a story ✓
- non-fiction
  
  ⇔
  
  a text that contains facts and true information ✓
- fiction
  
  ⇔
  
  a story that is made up or imagined ✓
Based on the front cover, what type of text do you think this is?
- fiction ✓
- non-fiction
- dictionary
Based on the front cover, what type of text is this?
- fiction
- non-fiction ✓
- dictionary
What is a character in a fiction text?
- a picture in a book
- where a story takes place
- a person or animal in a story ✓
What is the plot in a fiction story?
- where the story takes place
- what happens in the story ✓
- the pictures in the story
Order these parts of a story structure.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  opening
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  build-up
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  climax
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  resolution

What type of text is 'The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark'?
- fiction ✓
- non-fiction
- poem
Who is the author of 'The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark'?
- Plop
- Jill Tomlinson ✓
- Julia Donaldson
What does nocturnal mean?
- being active in the day
- being active at night ✓
- being active in night and day
Put these parts of a story structure in order.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  opening
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  build-up
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  climax
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  resolution
What does the opening of a story usually do?
- solves the problem
- introduces the characters and setting ✓
- tells you everything that happens
- hooks the reader in ✓
What does Plop's mother want to do?
- help Plop learn to hunt
- help Plop to not be scared of the night time ✓
- help Plop to fly well

Children may not know or understand that owls are nocturnal and therefore not find it unusual or funny for an owl to be scared of the dark.

Allow the children to research owls ahead of the lesson, using non-fiction texts and the internet.

Title - the name or label given to a piece of writing, such as a book, story, or poem, often representing its main idea or theme
Fiction - a story which is made up or imagined
Opening - the opening is the beginning of a story which establishes the setting and introduces key characters
Nocturnal - being active or happening at night rather than during the day