A Writing Root for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

This is a 15-session Literary Leaf for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Michael Morpurgo which covers all aspects of the Upper Key Stage 2 content domains.  Children will begin by exploring the similarities and differences between myths, legends, fables and folktales, identifying common characteristics and examples for each.  They will move on to discover the moral code of a medieval knight and use this to make predictions for this particular Arthurian tale.  Through the series of lessons children will define new vocabulary within context, use evidence to draw inferences and consider impressions of characters.  There will be opportunities for children to practise answering retrieval and summarising questions as well as to discuss the motivations behind certain events of the story and identify the symbolism used throughout important sections.

Synopsis of Text:

We chose this text as a Literary Leaf as it presents children with an opportunity to study the writing of an influential British author. This sequence will therefore work well if studied alongside Beowulf.  Of all the tales of the Knights of the Round Table, the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the most magical. Children will experience thrills and enchantment, chivalry and courage, a challenge and a quest. Its hero is the greatest of all King Arthur’s knights, Sir Gawain. His adversary is the fearsome Green Knight, who rides into Camelot one New Year’s Eve with a challenge that strikes dread into Arthur’s court. For Gawain, it is the start of an extraordinary adventure.