TP-14.4

62 | www.teachwire.net Book topic QUEST-THEMED ZINE Zines are booklets inspired by graphic novels in which words and pictures work together to tell stories and jokes, communicate facts or share an autobiography. They’re often self-published using photocopiers. Inviting children to design, make and distribute a quest-themed zine will give them a taste of the skills and techniques involved in creating graphic novels. Kickstart mini enterprises by allocating a budget for materials and asking children to charge a small amount to cover costs. STORYTELLING GAMES Magical quest-themed games are great for developing literacy and numeracy. Dungeons and Dragons relies on a leader to prepare andmap the story in advance, then narrate andmanage the action by asking players to make decisions at key points. Outcomes are determined via polyhedral dice, which offer many possibilities for work around 3D shapes and probability, as well Take it further How to share the book Which books, films and other media do children know that feature quests? They may suggest Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, TheWizard of Oz, Finding Nemo, Frozen; stories about Beowulf, Hercules, Mulan; The Legend of Zelda. What sort of characters, objects and events would pupils expect to find in a quest story? Gather ideas on a whiteboard. Who or what is a hero? Describe them. Show children the cover. What can they see?What kind of story does this suggest? Read the whole book for enjoyment and impact. Then re-read, drawing attention to details and inviting responses. What do pupils like about this book, and why?What does it remind themof? Did it surprise them? How? Practical activities Find the drama Working together, create a ‘bare bones’ plot summary. What’s been added to bring this story to life? Think rhyme, rhythm, exciting vocabulary, gestures, dramatic viewpoints, close-ups, colour and contrast, blank spaces, variations in scale. Recreate these spreads as freeze frames, paying attention to body posture and gestures. What do they tell us about each character? Read the text aloud (independently and as a class), exploring changes of pace, dynamics and expression. Record your best version, then play back as you present your freeze frames. If this bookwere a film, what soundtrackwould it have? Investigate sound effects using your voices or found objects andmusical instruments, then weave themtogether to produce a soundscape for one of the pictures.What are the characters thinking and saying in each spread? In groups, write thoughts and dialogue on sticky notes and add to pictures. Use themto help youwrite a script. Whose story? Group children and allocate a character-type to each: dragons, elves, dwarves, gods, kings and queens, creatures of magic, wolves, fate. Who are these characters? Interrogate the book to discover everything you can. What is happening in the picture showing each group’s interaction with the hero? What do these characters want fromhim/ her?What don’t they want? Howwould the elves (and other characters) tell the story of their picture? How did events appear to them? Allow groups to practise telling their part in the narrative, then visit each group in role as the hero and listen to their stories. Feed back and discuss, then build on the experience through creative writing. Alternatively, playing the role of a TV news reporter, interview each group to discover what happened and present their point of view. Mapping the quest Follow the hero’s journey through the book’s locations. Which landscapes must be navigated? Present this journey as a sketchedmap, diagramor infographic. Howmany ideas have you come up with? What works best?Write travel adverts for each location.