KS: Lower KS2
Year Group: Year 4
Literary Theme: Darkness & Light
Author(s): Angela McAllister & Grahame Baker-Smith
This is a Vocabulary Vine for Winter's Child by Angela McAllister & Grahame Baker-Smith
A Vocabulary Vine is designed to be a sister resource to a Writing Root and Spelling Seed. It sits within our wider Teach Through a Text approach by explicitly identifying vocabulary from the book and providing additional opportunities for paired, small group and whole class experimentation with this vocabulary in context. Vocabulary Vines further complement spelling development too through exploration of the morphology (word structure) and etymology (origins) of words. They also provide oracy opportunities through a focus on talk tasks and on oral sentence construction. They are designed for short burst oral and vocabulary development.
A Writing Root is available for A Vocabulary Vine for Winter's Child.
Descriptive poems, postcards (recount), dialogue, setting descriptions as a letter, retellings
Fantasy story sequel
15 sessions, 3 weeks
This is a three-week Writing Root for Winter’s Child by Angela McAllister, in which children explore and are immersed in the theme of the story, making predictions about what might happen if you are not careful what you wish for. Children continue to explore the themes and language of the text, particularly identifying noun phrases and prepositional phrases and how they are used to create images. Children go on to predict what might happen after the story, as it becomes spring, and write their own simple sequel, applying the grammatical skills learnt.
When Tom wishes winter would never end, he meets another boy who shares his love of snow and ice. Playing together every day, Tom hardly notices that spring doesn't come - until he realises the terrible effect of unending winter is having on the countryside and his sick grandma. His friend is Winter's child, and for the seasons to go on the friends must say goodbye until next year.
Created by award-winning author-illustrator due Angela McAllister and Grahame Baker-Smith, Winter’s Child is an enchanting story filled with rich language and dilemmas to ponder. The magical, wintry illustrations will pique children’s imaginations and generate many questions around the influences of natural vs. human nature. The cyclical nature of the story provides the perfect opportunity to think beyond the ending and also creates links with the science, geography and art curriculums.
Winter, snow, Christmas, friendship, compassion, being careful what you wish for, making sacrifices
Date written: August 2016 Updated: September 2019
View A Vocabulary Vine for Winter's Child Writing Root
KS: Lower KS2, R & KS1, Upper KS2
Year Group: Reception, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
