Overview and Outcomes:

This is a three-week Writing Root using The Crown by Emily Kapff in which children begin by making inferences about a character from the story. Responding to an urgent request for help, they use natural and craft materials to create ‘glorious crowns’ which they then go on to describe using the present perfect tense and expanded noun phrases using prepositions. They consider the emotions of the main character through the form of diaries and build on emotive and figurative vocabulary through writing descriptive poems. Speech (and speech punctuation) is taught explicitly as part of an interviewing task.  This Writing Root builds to the children writing individual information texts about some of the natural wonders of nature we can find in our world and how we can look after them.  It culminates in the children putting their outcomes together to create a class ‘Book of Wonder’ information book.

Synopsis of Text:

Speaking from the future, a girl wears a crown made from the rubbish passed down to her by previous generations. Her Earth is covered by waste, but beneath the landfill she discovers a book of pictures that show her the past – our world as it is now – and she is filled with joy by the beautiful sky, land, sea and creatures that she sees. Alongside her companion horse, she experiences the beauty of our Earth and imagines a world where her crown is no longer made from rubbish, but from an abundance of life. This is a lyrical, stunningly illustrated debut that expresses our need to act now to save the environment, while weaving a positive message about protecting the world we live in.

Text rationale:

The Crown by Emily Kapff is a beautifully illustrated story taking readers on a journey through the eyes of a girl living in a future Earth buried in waste and wearing a crown made of rubbish inherited from past generations. She discovers a hidden book filled with images of our world today — the blue skies, vibrant seas, and living creatures. With a horse as her companion, she imagines a future where her crown is no longer made from rubbish but from nature’s beauty. This touching tale encourages children to appreciate the planet and understand the importance of caring for it, offering a hopeful message about protecting our environment.  

Links and themes:

Darkness and light, hope, truth, teamwork, aspiration, courage, nature and the environment.

Date written: October 2024