Blue John
Why choose this book?
Beautifully wrought poetic language and with universal themes to discuss, this is both a challenge and a delight for year 3 readers.
Text potential
This diagram gives an overview of the potential for teaching offered in this text. If you teach the entire sequence, you will cover these aspects. We advise teachers to produce their own text potential diagrams as this helps them to get to know the books well. Our Getting Started with Take One Book course for new schools has a module about Text Potential.
Links to National Curriculum in England
This sequence of work covers the following elements of the English National Curriculum for years 3 and 4:
Reading
- develop positive attitudes to reading, and an understanding of what they read, by:
- listening to and discussing a wide range of fiction, in this instance, a short story by multi-award-winning author, Berlie Doherty
- reading books that are structured in different ways and reading for a range of purposes
- using dictionaries to check the meaning of words that they have read
- increasing their familiarity with a wide range of books, including myths and legends, and retelling some of these orally
- identifying themes and conventions in a wide range of books
- discussing words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination
- understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by:
- checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding, and explaining the meaning of words in context
- asking questions to improve their understanding of a text
- drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence
- predicting what might happen from details stated and implied
- identifying main ideas drawn from more than 1 paragraph and summarising these
- identifying how language, structure, and presentation contribute to meaning
- participate in discussion about both books that are read to them and those they can read for themselves, taking turns and listening to what others say
Writing
Take One Book focuses on develop depth of reading comprehension. However, the writing opportunities in this sequence afford the opportunity to develop elements of the Writing Programme of Study.
Blue John:Half class set
Buy from Best Books for SchoolsBlue John:Class set
Buy from Best Books for SchoolsLessons for this book
Our lessons are organised as meaningful chunks of learning. Most of them will fit a standard 45 minute to 60 minute session. However, some of them are shorter and others will run for a series of linked sessions. It is anticipated that you will not teach all the lessons. Select those that suit the needs of your class and add them to your personalised plans.
Download the full scheme of work
Before Reading
Hook
Deep Down in Blue John’s Cave
Creating an immersive hook to provoke interest in the story.
Orientation
Caves and Caverns
Building background knowledge and introducing vocabulary about the geology of caves.
During Reading
First Encounters
Visualising the World of Ice
Visualising a setting and reflecting on the use of descriptive language.
Required reading: 3
Sounds From the Outside World
Using the text to make inferences about Blue John’s thoughts and feelings.
Required reading: 25
Darkness
Reading closely to find clues that make links across the text.
Required reading: Pages 65-76
Digging Deeper
‘Stalactites grew like twisted coral’
Introducing similes using ‘like’ as a comparison and discussing their effects.
Required reading: Pages 12-21
‘As the sea is drawn by the moon’
Introducing similes using ‘as’ for comparison and discussing their effects.
Required reading: Pages 25-28
The Promise!
Exploring the concept of ‘promise’ using Conscience Alley.
Required reading: Whole book
Wriggling and clambering; dancing and skipping
Exploring contrasting movements and the effect created through verb choice.
Required reading: 20, 46
After Reading
Review and Reflect
Retelling the Story (Blue John)
Ideintifying key moments to prepare to retell the story.
Required reading: Whole book
Light and Dark (Blue John)
Finding patterns of light and dark and considering the positive and negative connotations.
Required reading: Whole book
Writing Opportunities
Class poem from chapter titles
Using the chapter titles to write a poem.
What Happens Next?
Writing an alternative ending using the ‘What if...?’ question.
Dear Blue John, Dear Queen of Darkness
Writing a letter to explain a personal point of view.
Wider Learning Opportunities
Light and Dark in Art
Investigating art techniques for creating light and dark.
Supplementary Books
These books are recommended for wider reading and further research to support this teaching sequence. A supplementary pack is available from our bookselling partner, Best Books for Schools. Books can also be purchased individually.