Year 8 Private Peaceful Homework Project - Summer term

Year 8 Independent Homework Project – War Literature

To be completed and ready for display by Tuesday 7^th July

Instructions: This task needs you to work on your organisational skills. You must be self-disciplined and not leave everything until the last minute. You have 5 whole weeks to complete this. I expect that you would spend at least 3-4 hours on this project over the 5 weeks. You should aim to collect between 5 and 10 stars (5 stars minimum) but it is up to you how much work you want to put in. Work will be assessed on effort, writing skills, and engagement with the novel.  You will be rewarded with positive credits, and those who have shown outstanding effort will receive a postcard home. If you have an idea for an activity that you would like to do that is not listed here, see me and I will tell you how many stars your idea is worth.

Tasks worth 5 stars

·         Read another Michael Morpurgo book on the subject of war (War Horse, Kensuke’s Kingdom) or a book by another author who has written about WW1. Write a review of one of the books. http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/jun/30/best-first-world-war-ww1-books-for-children-and-teens See example of book review mrsdesai.blogspot.co.uk

·         A review of PP said “… a deeply moving portrayal of camararderie and courage, innocence and brutality.” To what extent do you agree with this statement as a description of PP?

·         Do the activity on this webpage: http://www.filmeducation.org/privatepeaceful/authors-questions.html WARNING: this contains a spoiler about how the book ends. Do this once you have finished reading, or if you already know the ending.

·         Imagine you have been asked to compose a piece of music to play in the background of the film version of the novel. Choose one scene from the novel and compose a piece of music to go with the scene OR choose an existing song / piece of music and write why you think the music is appropriate for the scene you have chosen.

·         Do the activities and answer the questions on this website http://www.filmeducation.org/privatepeaceful/obeying-orders.html

·         Dramatise a scene from the novel and film it, either with your friends, or using animation… jelly babies / lego? Note: if this is done as a group task, you can all use it towards your credits.

 

Tasks worth 4 stars

·         Write your own poem about WW1 based on what you have learnt in this unit. Use some of the poetic techniques that you studied when you read the war poetry.

·         Create a photo album (with renal photos) showing Tommo’s life in Devon before the war. If he had a camera, what would he have chosen to photograph?

 

Tasks worth 3 stars

·         Design a board game based on the novel.

·         Create a Treasure box for one of the characters in the novel. What would have been precious to them? What would they have chosen to keep in their treasure boxes?

·         Make a model of a trench based on what you have read in the novel.

 

Tasks worth 2 stars

·         Write the page of a textbook for KS3 students explaining what life was like in the trenches for soldiers. Look at other textbooks for ideas about layout and language. You are writing to inform.

·         Imagine that Charlie has written a letter for his family that is to be read upon his death. Write the letter you think he would leave.

·         What would Tommo’s facebook page have looked like? Draw it.

·         Create a Private Peaceful ‘playlist’. Choose ten songs that match some of the themes we have discussed, or that would match some of the scenes in the book. Write a brief description of why each one has been chosen.

·         Create a quiz about WW1. You should know the answers!

·         You are the casting director for a new film version of Private Peaceful. Write a job advert describing the type of actor you need and a description of the character they will play. Choose Charlie, Tommo or Molly.

·         Draw a comic strip called ‘A day in the trenches’.

·         Research one area of life in the years 1914- 1918 and produce a poster showing what you have discovered. Choose from: education, employment, family life or childhood.

·         Produce a WW1 mini fact sheet aimed at year 6 pupils, explaining to them what WW1 was about. You should do some research first.

·         Imagine that the publishers wish to design a new book cover for Private Peaceful for 2016. Sketch some designs that you think represent the novel.

·         Create a collage which represents the themes of the novel, to be used for display in the classroom.

Tasks worth 1 star

·         Create a map of France / Devon? Label it with places of significance and, if possible, quotations – there is a copy of Private Peaceful in the library that you can use.

·         Create a character profile for one of the characters. Draw a picture of them as you imagine them to be, and label it with adjectives.

·         Imagine that Michael Morpurgo wishes to release a new illustrated version of his novel. Choose three important events and draw the illustrations you would include to show these three events.

·         Imagine that Twitter existed during WW1. Write a selection of tweets that Tommo or Charlie would have tweeted from the front line. 

·         Write a diary entry imaging you are Tommo right after the accident in the forest with his father. Describe his thoughts and feelings.