King of the sky by Nicola Davis

Raising awareness of immigration: Year 6 lesson plan

Text: King of the sky- Nicola Davis

Lesson plan by Andrew Moffat / equalitiesprimary.com

Learning Intention: To consider responses to immigration

Success Criteria: I know what immigration means / I know what empathy means / I can empathise with a person in a different situation to me.

Starter: What does immigration mean? Why might a person immigrate? How can immigration affect a person? What do think it feels like to start a new life in a new town with a different language and culture?

Main: Read “King of the sky” Stop as you go through the book to ask questions and discuss: -       In the first 3 pages (up to Rome) what do we find out about the boy? -       How are Mr Evans and the boy different, how are they similar? -       What do we find out about Mr Evans as the story unfolds? -       Why do you think Mr Evans has such faith in the pigeon with the milk-white head? -       Why do you think Mr Evans enters the milk-white pigeon in to a race from Rome? -       “A part of me was going with him. I wasn’t sure it would come back” what is the boy thinking? -       Why do you think the author chose to create a storm for racing day? -       “Get out there boy AND WELCOME HIM” what is the boy learning? -       “The boy knew at last that he was home” does the author mean the pigeon or the boy?

Activity 1:  Consider how the boy feels throughout the story and what events affect his emotions. Create a story line showing the main events in the text and show how each event impacts on the boy.

Activity 2:  Write a character description for the boy and for Mr Evans. Compare and contrast their characters, experiences and their roles in the story.

Activity 3: Write diary entries for the boy using the major events in the story- his arrival in wales, meeting Mr Evans, learning about pigeons, building up for the bog race, waiting for the pigeon to return, the return of the pigeon. Show the boy developing in confidence through his diary.

Plenary: The boy is an immigrant; he comes from Rome to live in Wales. Why is this difficult for him at first? Why does the description of the town make the boy think, “This is not where you belong”? Why do you think Mr Evans helps the boy? Why doesn’t Mr Evans tell the boy to go away? What was Mr Evans trying to show the boy? What can we learn from Mr Evans? What can we learn from the boy?

AFL questions: What is the message in this story? Why is this story about No Outsiders?

For 35 "No Outsiders" lesson plans EYFS- Y6 based on picture books see "No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools" by Andrew Moffat

For parent / child 'No Outsiders' workshops for schools see "Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: preparing young children for life in modern Britain" by Andrew Moffat