Enjoying Irish Literature At Key Stage 2: Charlie Harte & His Two-wheeled Tiger (y5)

‘Ireland in Schools’

Delivering the NLS through Ireland

QLS, Staffordshire

Scheme of Work Literacy Hour & Beyond

‘Irish literature has created a magical learning environment for our children, its range and quality enabling all of them to participate in our Ireland project and to produce work of fantastic quality.’

Rebecca Brookes Gorsemoor Primary School

Contents Gorsemoor’s Ireland project

3

The story of Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger

4

The author

5

Lesson plans

6

WORKSHEETS O’Brien activity sheets 1 - 13

8

Personification

21

Exploring sentences

22

Investigating clauses

23

Asking questions

24

Gorsemoor’s Ireland project Gorsemoor Primary School lies on a large new housing estate on the outskirts of Cannock in Staffordshire. A 5-11 school with an Early Years unit, it has 460 pupils on roll. For three years the school has made a special study of the island of Ireland in Years 5 and 6, particularly by using Irish texts in the Literacy Hour. The school re-inforces this learning experience with visits by Irish authors and by forging links with children in a primary school in Belfast and another in County Dublin. The project is led by Barbara Heath and Jo Robinson. In Years 5 and 6 there are some very gifted children, but there is also a significant minority of children on the Special Education Needs register - 18 in the school year 2002-3, including 15 boys. The range and quality of Irish children’s literature suits such a mix of children, allowing all the children to participate in a common project. They can all enjoy reading books which are suited to their individual interests and abilities.

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 3

The story of Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger , a ‘tale of determined ambition and reward’, is written by Frank Murphy, illustrated by Celine Kieran, and published by the O’Brien Press, ISBN 0-86278 -532-4, 96 pages. Charlie Harte really wanted a bike. His family could not afford to buy one, so when he found a bike frame lying between two bins, he brought it home and visited the scrapyard until he had all the makings of a functioning bike. When the bike was finished, he named it Tiger and then discovered that he and his bike cold communicate with each other. With Tiger’s help, Charlie set up his own courier service, and all went well until bicycle thieves moved into the area. In the end, though, The Hair and his accomplice were not match for Charlie Harte and his talking Tiger!

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 4

The author A former teacher, Frank Murphy lives in Cork and has been a writer for over twenty years, though he did not begin to write novels until he had retired from teaching. In addition to Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger, Frank Murphy has written The Big Fight and Lockie and Dadge. This book won the Eilís Dillon Memorial Award for the best emerging writer at the annual Bisto Awards in 1995. When asked by children at one primary school in Co. Cork, how he came up with the idea of a talking bike, Frank Murphy replied: ‘This was something that developed as I was writing the story. When I had got Charlie a home-made bike, and realised how delighted he was to have a bike of his very own - and that he had become very fond of it, talking to it in the morning, and so on - I felt that the bike should be able to communicate with him. I spent a long time trying to work out how this could be done. I dismissed the idea of the bike being able to make sounds that could be heard through the air, and decided that the sounds would have to travel in some other way. Eventually I came up with the idea of the sounds coming through a wire, like a telephone, and it was an easy step from there to the walkman.’

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 5

NATIONAL LITERACY KS2 PLANNING SHEET Class: Week:

5 4/11/02

Text Used : Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger Range: Fictional Text

SPELLING PATTERNS

HOMEWORK

See spelling folder.

Pupils are to construct a poem about Charlie Harte.

* Indicates opportunities for Speaking and Listening WK

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

WHOLE CLASS SHARED TEXT WORK

WHOLE CLASS, WORD/SENTC WORK

INDEPENDENT WORK

GLIDED GROUP READING/WRITING’ [Y3/4] PLENARY

M

To identify character description in story (T1, T3). To identify story setting and understand its importance (T1, T1). To use speech marks (T1, S7).

Introduce Charlie Harte. Recap the characters and setting. Discuss Activity 1 w/sheet which asks the pupils about the story beginning and who the characters are and how they have been introduced. Discuss the effectiveness of the story start in enhancing readers interest.

Look at the use of speech and dialogue in the text. Discuss the use of speech and its effect on the reader. Recap use of speech marks, and the rule that a new speaker should start on a new line.

Pupils are to think about something that they would really love to have. They should write a conversation containing speech marks. Lower/ Middle - Conversation between 2 people. Higher-Conversation between 3 or more people. * Work with higher group.

Pupils to recap learning objective. Do they feel that they have met the objectives for the lesson? What would they like further support in?

T

To identify developments in story line (T1, T2). To identify main and subordinate clauses (T3, S6).

Skim read pp 15-23. Discuss how the story has developed. Use Activity Sheet 2 to promote discussion about the text.

Discuss the meaning of a main and subordinate clause. Give pupils examples of both on the board. They should identify which is a main and which is a subordinate clause. Identify the two types of clauses from the text.

Children are to work on writing their own sentences which contain an example of amain and subordinate clause. Lower /Middle -‘Clauses’ w/sheet. Higher - Create their own sentences. * Work with lower group

On board will be a selection of both main and subordinate clauses. Pupilss are to come out and identify which the main clause and which is the subordinate clause. Who feels they have met the lesson objective?

W

To identify the features of personification (Y6, T1, T10). To use description to form a visual image (T2, T10).

Read description of Charlie’s Bike. Using the description given the pupils are to create a visual image in their heads and colour in the bike as they think it should look. Use Activity Sheet 5.

In text children should identify key words which make us feel that the bike is alive. Introduce personification. Talk about how the bike is personified in the story. Discuss the fact that we personify inanimate objects eg cars/ boats/ frost/ winds.

Get the pupils to write a description of an object and personify the object. Middle - Give them an object to personify. Higher - Think of their own object to personify.

Pupils to read out descriptions. Vote on best object personified. What words have pupils used to give the object human qualities. List on board. Recap objectives. * Work with lower - personify object as a group

T

To identify features of informative writing (T1, T21). To identify a preposition and understand its use (T3, S3).

Redcap pupils memory and talk about the business Charlie ran. Discuss the poster advertising Charlie’s work. Talk about how font and information is used in the poster. If you were to design the poster how could it be improved?

From the text identify the use of prepositions. List them on the board and discuss their use. Can the pupils think of any others.

Pupils are to design a poster for our own enterprise in Y5 ‘The Stationery Shop’. Higher - Work independently. Middle - Discuss info need to include, and discuss effective ways to present the information.

Pupils are to show their posters and explain which features they have used to make their poster informative and appealing and why? * Work with lower group- draft a poster together. Each pupil has a job.

F

To comprehend a story line, and be able to discuss developments (T3, T8). To answer questions in full detailed answers (T1, S1-3).

Recap main developments in story. Track them as a flow diagram. List the main characters.

On board list key words from the text. Read through the questions on Activity Sheets 8/9. Pupils are to give model answers. They must answer in full coherent sentences.

Pupils are to work through the comprehension questions. Higher - Work independently Middle - List of key words to support.

Mark answers together. Pupils are mark own work and amend errors. Do they know where they went wrong? * Work with lower group - model answers. Record individually.

Extended writing: See Wednesday

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 6

NATIONAL LITERACY KS2 PLANNING SHEET Class: Week:

5 11/11/02

Text Used : Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger Range: Fictional Text

SPELLING PATTERNS

HOMEWORK

See spelling folder.

Pupils to summarise Charlie Harte. Middle - 50 words Higher - 100 words

* Indicates opportunities for Speaking and Listening WK

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

WHOLE CLASS SHARED TEXT WORK

WHOLE CLASS, WORD/SENTC WORK

INDEPENDENT WORK

GLIDED GROUP READING/WRITING’ [Y3/4] PLENARY

M

To identity conjunctions and Read pp 67 - 75. Discuss the comprehension connectives (T3, S6). questions on Activity Sheet 11. To know that connectives and conjunctions link sentences (T3, S6).

From the text the pupils are to highlight examples of connectives and conjunctions. Scribe them on board and begin to put them into context. Pupils are to then state sentences which contain a connective/conjunction.

Children are to link phrases and sentences using the appropriate connective/conjunction. Lower/Middle - Conjunctions w/sheet. Higher - Create own sentences in context.

On board will be written some sentences. Pupils are to highlight connective/conjunction. * Work with higher - extending and developing complex sentence structure.

T

To use understanding to infer ending (based on previous events in the story) (T1, T9). To identify adjectives (T1, W1-3). To use description to enhance interest (T1, T17).

Read pp 76-80. Children are to discuss what they think will happen in the ending of the story. Scribe their ideas on board and discuss their validity.

On board pupils are to describe the characters. They are to use adjectives to describe both their personal appearance and personality. Create miniature character profiles as a whole class.

Pupils will begin to draft their own story ending. What do they think will happen? Why? They must use detail and description to enhance interest. Middle - Key words as support. Higher - Work independently.

Pupils to briefly explain their story ending. What will they amend and edit? Recap learning objectives. * Work with lower group - write basis of a story, individuals to develop and extend group story.

W

To compare various endings of a story (T1, T2). To identify features which make a story ending effective (T1, T2). To edit and amend own work (T1, S3).

Read pp 81-92. Discuss and compare the real ending of the story to those inferred by the pupils. List similarities and differences.

From the pupils story endings discuss how they have used description and detail. Pupils to read out their stories whilst others listen for words or phrases which are particularly effective examples of differentiation.

Pupils will edit and amend their work as they wish. They will begin to copy out their amended piece in best (for display). * Work with all groups.

Pupils will read out their final stories. Which parts are effective? What could be improved? Vote for the best story from the selection.

T

To review a book, saying which parts they liked/disliked and why (comment on its effectiveness) (T1, T10).

Read an example of a book review from a critic. Discuss how a critic analyses and reviews a story. OHP- Book Review. Discuss what is expected of the children. Ask for their comments on the story.

Scribe key words on board, which critics use in a review. What do these words mean? Can the pupils come up with other words that may be useful to use when reviewing a story.

Children to complete their own book report/review. They are to say because ... why? They must be able to justify answers and comments with examples taken from the text. Middle - key words to support writing.

Pupils to share ideas on book reviews. Explain and justify reasoning. * Work with lower group - building up sentence detail with justifications and reasoning, model examples.

F

To read and comprehend a short story (T3, T1). To answer questions in full sentences (T1, S1-3).

Read through ‘Mike’s Bike’. Discuss the storyline. What are the pupils opinions on the story.

Discuss the comprehension questions about the text. Pupils are to give examples of model answers. Scribe key words on a flip chart which can be used as support for the less able.

Pupils are to complete the comprehension questions. They are to answer in detailed, full sentences. Lower- Refer to flip chart to help model answers. Higher - Work independently.

Recap learning objectives. Pupils write a brief sentence explaining I they feel that have worked during first week back after half teen. Share thoughts. * Work with middle - share ideas

Extended writing: See Tuesday/Wednesday

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 7

O’Brien activity sheet 1* Read pp 7-14

1.

What did Charlie want his Dad to buy for him?

2.

Why was Charlie envious of many of the children who lived in his street?

3.

It was very important for Charlie to get to the fields early in the morning. Why?

4.

How does the author describe the lines of bins and bags on the street?

5.

Why did he not just take the old rusted bike frame?

6.

What did Charlie forget in his excitement?

7.

Charlie needed parts for his bike but he had a problem. What was it?

8.

What advice was he given by Mr Moone?

9.

Which of the following words best describe Charlie Harte? pessimistic honest

*

poor

unadventurous

impolite

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 8

O’Brien activity sheet 2* Read pp 15-23

1.

From memory, can you name at least five different scrap items that can be found in Flanagan’s scrapyard?

2.

Why does the author compare Miko to a watchdog?

3.

How do you know that Miko Flanagan has a dirty job?

4.

How does he make a living?

5.

Why would Charlie have a problem building a bike with the parts he found?

6.

What does Miko think is one of the skills of a good scrapman?

7.

Can you think of at least three other skills that a good scrapman would need?

8.

What did Charlie’s Mam think about the bike parts?

9.

Why did she think that Charlie’s Dad would help him to build his new bike?

*

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 9

O’Brien activity sheet 3* Read pp 15-23

Charlie needed many spare parts for his new bike. He was lucky enough to fi nd all of them in Miko’s scrapyard. Can you help Charlie to unscramble some of the bike parts which can be found in the tyres below? Write your answers in the spaces provided.

*

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 10

O’Brien activity sheet 4* Read pp 24-32

1.

List at least 10 words that the author uses to describe Charlie’s bike.

2.

How did Peter Mills mock Charlie when he was riding his bike?

3.

What names did the other children call Charlie’s bike?

4.

How did Miko know that Charlie was coming?

5.

Who were Charlie’s best friends?

6.

How did his three friends help him?

7.

Why did Kate think that Charlie’s bike looked like a tiger?

8.

Do you think Tiger is a good name for Charlie’s bike? Can you think of another suitable name for his bike?

9.

From memory, can you list the seven events in the school sports? Which of these school sports, if any, would you have entered?

*

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 11

O’Brien activity sheet 5* Charlie painted his bike with black, white and yellow stripes. He was very proud of his bike, which he called Tiger How would you decorate a bike? What would you call it? Decorate and name the bike below.

I would call my bike (

*

) because

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 12

O’Brien activity sheet 6* Read pp 33-45

1.

How did Charlie get on in the bike race?

2.

Can you think of two reasons for his finishing position?

3.

Why didn’t Charlie ride home on Tiger?

4.

Where did Charlie call in every day on his way home from school? (a)

the youth club

(b

the scrapyard

(c)

the library

5.

Miko managed to cheer Charlie up. How did he do it?

6.

Why did Charlie nearly fall off his bike?

7.

Why did the bike want to talk to Charlie?

8.

Tiger wasn’t an ordinary bike. What unusual word does the author use to describe Tiger?

9.

What do you think this means? Check your answer in a dictionary.

*

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 13

O’Brien activity sheet 7* Read pp 40-45

Tiger told Charlie that it was dangerous to ride a bike while listening to music on his walkman. Charlie has also forgotten to wear an important piece of safety equipment. Can you think what it is? Think very carefully about safe cycling. Write a list of rules that will encourage boys and girls to keep safe on the roads.

MY RULES FOR SAFE CYCLING

*

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 14

O’Brien activity sheet 8* Read pp 46-49

1.

Which part did Charlie need to replace on his bike?

2.

Why wasn’t he able to buy the replacement part?

3.

What type of business did Charlie decide to set up? What did he call it ?

4.

Do you think Charlie’s business idea will be a success?

5.

What business would you set up if you needed to raise some money? Give at least two reasons for making your choice.

6.

Who gave Charlie his first business break?

7.

‘A supermarket manager without his mobile phone is like a bird on one wing.’ What do you think the author means by this?

8.

How did Charlie’s new business venture help his family?

*

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 15

O’Brien activity sheet 9* Read pp 50-54

Minnie kept a record of all the telephone calls that came in to the office and put a C or M beside each entry to show whether it was for Charlie or Miko. Look at the following entries in Minnie’s notebook. Decide whether they are for Miko or Charlie and write the correct letter © or M) after each entry.

*

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 16

O’Brien activity sheet 10* Read pp 55-66

1.

Minnie thought that Charlie’s business needed some publicity. What did she suggest?

2.

Design and illustrate a new advertisement for CH Courier Service.

3.

How much did Minnie charge for writing 500 sheets by hand?

4.

Why did Tiger not mind all the extra work?

5.

What did Tiger think was wrong with the new Charlie? Do you agree with Tiger’s comment? Why?

6.

What did Tiger fear would happen to him when he was worn out?

7.

How did Charlie change the way he treated Tiger?

8.

Why was Charlie stunned when he came out of Lambe’s supermarket?

9.

How did the theft of Tiger affect Charlie’s business?

*

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 17

O’Brien activity sheet 11* Read pp 67-75

1.

Charlie found two clues at the dump. What were they?

2.

Who did Charlie suspect of stealing his bicycle?

3.

Do you agree with his suspicion?

4.

Why did Miko feel that it would be a waste of time to question the boys?

5.

Why was Miko not worried when they drove away?

6.

Do you think the woman was right to treat Miko the way she did just because of his appearance?

7.

Charlie saw The Hair working on a bike when he peeped through the window. Why did he think that it had been stolen?

8.

The Garda need to know about the theft of Charlie’s Bike. Help them by writing a short description of Tiger.

*

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 18

O’Brien activity sheet 12* Read pp 76-80

The Hair is not only a bicycle thief. He has also stolen some of the words from this story. Read the text below and think of the most suitable word to fill each gap. Make your choice from the following words. Each word can only be used once. talk coat

engraved find

owned duty

ancient painted

It was a huge shed full of old bikes, some not so old and others (

). In

the end they found Tiger. Charlie was sure that it was Tiger, in spite of its new (

) of paint.

Murt McGillicuddy was on (

) when they called to the Garda station.

‘Don’t you know,’ he said, ‘every bike has a number (

) on the frame.

If we knew the number of a stolen bike we could maybe fi nd out who (

) it.’

‘I don’t know anything about a number,’ said Charlie. ‘I never saw a number on Tiger and I (

) every bit of it.’

‘No use,’ Miko said. ‘We’d have to be sure. Is there anything at all you can do, Charlie, to (

) out which of those old bikes it might be?’

Charlie thought for a while. ‘If only I could (

) to it,’ he said without

thinking.

*

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 19

O’Brien activity sheet 13* Read pp 81-92

1.

Why did Tiger describe the other bikes as dummies?

2.

What was the identification number that had originally been engraved on Tiger?

3.

His new number was a palindrome. Can you remember it?

4.

Can you think of at least five different words that are also palindromes?

5.

How did The Hair react when Sergeant Burke walked into the office?

6.

How did The Hair explain the presence of Tiger in his shop?

7.

Do you think Sergeant Burke was fooled? Why?

8.

What punishment do you think The Hair deserves?

9.

How could the theft have been prevented?

*

By John Doherty. Based on Charlie Harte and His Two-Wheeled Tiger by Frank Murphy, ISBN 0-86278-532-4 © Copyright reserved. The O’Brien Press Ltd www.obrien.ie

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 20

Personification

G Object

What is it?

G Name

What is it called?

G Appearance

What does it look like?

G Personality

What is its character like?

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 21

Exploring sentences A complex sentence contains a main clause and a subordinate clause or clauses. What does the word subordinate mean?

Explain what you think a subordinate clause is.

Look at these complex sentences. Cross out the subordinate clauses in each sentence. 1. The robin is different from other birds because it chooses unusual places to build its nest. 2. A kestrel is a bird of prey and lives on mice and beetles. 3. The barn owl used to be a common bird but it has become rare in recent years. 4. Sparrows can be seen in most gardens in rural and city settings. 5. Swallows make their nests out of mud and grass and often build them on the walls of peoples houses. Now answer these questions. Once you have crossed-out the subordinate clauses, does what is left of the sentence make sense?

Does each subordinate clause make sense on its own?

Summarise what you have discovered.

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 22

Investigating clauses Look through the text to find sentences with 5, 4, 3, 2 clauses. Copy the main clause from each sentence. Main clause: 5 Subordinate clauses:

Main clause: 4 Subordinate clauses:

Main clause: 3 Subordinate clauses:

Main clause: 2 Subordinate clauses:

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 23

Asking questions

?

Once you have read the story provided by your teacher, work with a partner to formulate 10 questions about the text. Try to make each question a challenging one!

• • • • • • • • • •

Brookes, Charlie Harte, 24