Exploring and engaging with themes in 'Greenling’ | English

Starter quiz

Who is the publisher of 'Greenling'?
- 'Templar Publishing' ✓
A personal response to a text is...
- a reader’s opinions, ideas or feelings about a text ✓
- the ability to understand other people's feelings and points of view
- the way an author describes and develops the traits of a character in a text
True or False? The Greenling has a positive effect on the Barleycorns and their local community.
- True ✓
- False
Which of the following examples demonstrate sustainability?
- Alex throws recyclables in the garbage.
- Lucas reuses water bottles to reduce waste ✓
- Aisha buys second-hand clothes to reduce consumption ✓
- Andeep uses solar panels for renewable energy ✓
- Izzy left the lights on when not needed
Based on their front covers and titles, which of the following texts could link to 'Greenling's themes around the environment?
- Fourteen Wolves: A rewilding story ✓
- Oliver Twist
- Dara McAnulty: A Wild Child's Book of Birds ✓
- Matilda: The Musical
What is a moral?
- the point in the narrative where the excitement reaches its highest point
- the way an author and illustrator describe and develop character traits
- a lesson that can be learnt from a story or experience ✓

Match the following keywords to their definitions.
- fable
  
  ⇔
  
  a short story, typically with animals as characters conveying a moral ✓
- theme
  
  ⇔
  
  a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story. ✓
- convey
  
  ⇔
  
  to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly ✓
What is meant by the term community?
- the point-of-view or position from which the reader reads
- a group of people who come together and share in common goals or interests ✓
- the way people communicate their thoughts, feelings & emotions through movement
Which of the following are possible themes within 'Greenling'?
- life and death
- change and transformation ✓
- sustainability ✓
- betrayal
True or False? Taking greater care of the environment could be a moral message a reader gets from the text, ‘Greenling’.
- True ✓
- False
How might the theme of change and transformation be conveyed in the text?
- through Mrs. Barleycorn's atttude and opinion ✓
- by the setting staying the same
- through the rewilding of the Barleycorn's local environment ✓
- through Mr. Barleycorn's attitude and opinion
How might the theme of the wild be conveyed in the text?
- The train passengers and local people learn to work together.
- The Greenling reintroduces creatures and plants from the natural world. ✓
- The local community learn to accept the Greenling.

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‘Greenling’ can be considered a fable, its moral might link to the conservation & preservation of the environment.
A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story.
Some of the themes of 'Greenling' are sustainability, acceptance and the power of nature.
Revisiting a text can allow readers to discuss questions that focus on themes that are not explicitly stated in the text

Pupils may find identifying a moral message from the text challenging.

You could support identification by drawing pupils' attention to moral messages they might have gained from previous texts shared with the class.

Fable - A fable is a short story, typically with animals as characters conveying a moral.
Theme - A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story.
Convey - To convey means to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly.
Community - A community is a group of people who come together, support each other, and share common interests or goals.