Fighting Back By Catherine MacPhail

Transcription

1 New Windmills 2004 Resource sheets Fighting Back By Catherine MacPhail Activities Alan Pearce, 2004 The following pages consist of teacher s notes and classroom support sheets for Fighting Back by Catherine MacPhail. These pages can be downloaded and printed out as required. This material may be freely copied for institutional use. However, this material is copyright and under no circumstances can copies be offered for sale. The publishers gratefully acknowledge permission to reproduce copyright material.

2 Fighting Back by Catherine MacPhail Synopsis Kerry Graham and her mother have been deserted by Mr Graham, and have had to sell the family home and move into a council tower block, in an area of town that frightens them. They initially feel isolated from the local community, and then an infamous family tries to intimidate them. Mrs Graham is a determined person, and stands up to the intimidation. Although she upsets many in the community by standing up to the bullies, eventually the community galvanises itself to join her side against the family. Prior learning Catherine MacPhail was inspired to write this novel because of stories in the local newspaper in Greenock, in Scotland. She was horrified about the conditions that some people lived in, and was moved to write this uplifting novel. However, many readers will not have experienced living in a community with tower blocks. A search on for images of tower blocks provides photographs of a range of different tower blocks, including blocks of flats similar to the block that Kerry and Mrs Graham moved into. However, a more complimentary view of Greenock can also be found by searching for images of Greenock. Study areas This novel is tightly focused on the problems Kerry and Mrs Graham have moving into a new area. However, bullying is a key issue for the couple. Other issues raised in the novel are related to poverty and loan sharks. Finally, the role of the police in community issues is considered. Possible areas for study include: Author s craft: Consider the advantages and disadvantages of writing in the first person. (Author s craft: Yr7 R12; Yr8 R10; Yr9 R9) Reading for meaning: Is Ming a character who can be admired? (Reading for meaning: Yr7 R9; Yr8 R7; Yr9 R6) Writing to persuade: Write a letter from Mrs Graham to the Housing Department, asking to be rehoused. (Writing to persuade: Yr7 Wr15; Yr8 Wr13; Yr9 Wr13) Writing to analyse, review, comment: Would the community have been happier if they had reported Ma Lafferty to the police earlier? (Write to analyse, review, comment: Yr7 Wr19; Yr8 Wr18; Yr9 Wr17) Collaborative drama: Dramatise significant scenes from the novel, other than those where physical fighting takes place. For example, any conversation between Kerry and Ming or between Mrs Graham and the police. (Collaborative drama: Yr7 S&L16; Yr8 S&L16; Yr9 S&L14) 2 Teacher s Notes

3 Group discussion: Take specific moments in the novel and decide whether the characters acted appropriately. For example, Mrs Graham reporting the neighbours for the volume of their TV; Kerry fighting back against Tess Lafferty; Sandra not reporting Ma Lafferty for beating her up. (Group discussion: Yr7 S&L12; Yr8 S&L10; Yr9 S&L10) Teacher guidance Resource Sheet 1 This resource sheet asks the students to put themselves in Kerry s position, and to write a series of letters to her father. These letters should extend Kerry s feelings about key events in the novel. Literacy Framework Objectives Year 7: R2 Use appropriate reading strategies; R4 Make brief notes; R8 Infer and deduce meaning; R9 Distinguish between the views of author and character; Wr6 Portray character through writing; Wr11 Select and organise information; Wr12 Develop ideas and lines of thinking in continuous text. Year 8: R7 Identify implied and explicit meaning; R16 Recognise how texts reflect the culture within which they were written; Wr11 Explain complex ideas and information clearly. Year 9: R1 Review and extend reading strategies; R6 Comment on authorial perspective; R11 Analyse author s standpoint; Wr16 Present a balanced analysis of a situation. Guided Reading Opportunities The students are asked to read a series of extracts from the novel, and to select appropriate information to include in letters from Kerry to her father. This will require the selection of relevant information. It will also require empathy with the character. The following page references are offered: Event Page references The first impressions of the flat 1 8 Meeting Ming 9 11 Meeting Tess 2 4 The neighbours Ma Lafferty s visit 25 8 Sandra 43 4 The fight with Tess Lafferty The fire 61 5, 84 6 Fighting back Choose a group of students, and read pages 1 8 together. Tell them that Kerry would like to write a letter to her father that puts a very positive gloss on the flat. Ask them to choose the appropriate information. Afterwards, tell them that Kerry would like to tell the truth about the way she and her mother feel about the flat. What information would the students choose for this letter? Teacher s Notes

4 Resource Sheet 2 This resource sheet asks the students to consider a number of extracts involving Mrs Graham. The students have to say how different characters in the novel might feel about Mrs Graham. This task requires a great deal of inferential reading, as we are rarely told how the characters feel about Mrs Graham. The students will also need to think about events from Mrs Graham s perspective, as in this way they might feel some sympathy for her. Literacy Framework Objectives Year 7: R2 Use appropriate reading strategies; R4 Make brief notes; R8 Infer and deduce meaning; R9 Distinguish between the views of author and character; Wr18 Identify criteria for evaluating a situation; Wr19 Write reflectively about a text; S&L12 Use exploratory talk; S&L14 Acknowledge other people s views. Year 8: R4 Review active reading strategies; R7 Identify implied and explicit meaning; Wr10 Organise and present information; Wr11 Explain complex ideas and information clearly; Wr14 Develop and signpost arguments; Wr16 Weigh different viewpoints. Year 9: R5 Evaluate their writing about texts; R6 Comment on authorial perspective; Wr13 Present a case persuasively; Wr16 Present a balanced analysis of a situation. Guided Reading Opportunities This task often requires the students to infer from their reading. The students should also be encouraged to empathise with Mrs Graham. The following page references are suggested: Character Page references Tess Lafferty 3, 16, Ma Lafferty 25 8, 70 2, 76, 95 7 Sandra Ramsay 43 4, 59, 70 2, 98 9 Ming Ramsay 10, 29 31, 35 6, 56, 81 2 Alistair McFadyen (Ali) 16 Mr McCurley 62 3, 98 Choose a small group of students who need help to read inferentially. Read pages 25 8 together. Talk to the students about the difference between what Ma Lafferty says and what she actually means. Help the students to infer meaning. Afterwards, read pages together. What would Ming s opinion be of Mrs Graham? Resouce Sheet 3 This resource sheet asks the students to write a police report on the residents of the Greenhill Housing Estate. An outline for the report is provided. Page references are also provided to draw the students attention to key scenes in the novel. Literacy Framework Objectives Year 7: S13 Revise the conventions of non-fiction; S17 Use Standard English; R2 Use appropriate reading strategies; R4 Make brief notes; R8 Infer and deduce meaning; R9 Distinguish between the views of author and character; Wr10 Organise texts appropriately; Wr11 Select and organise information; Wr14 Describe an object, person or setting. 4 Teacher s Notes

5 Year 8: S9 Adapt the stylistic conventions of non-fiction; S12 Explore and use different degrees of formality; R4 Review active reading strategies; R7 Identify implied and explicit meaning; Wr10 Organise and present information; Wr11 Explain complex ideas and information clearly; Wr12 Use formal language; Wr16 Weigh different viewpoints. Year 9: S3 Write with differing degrees of formality; S9 Write in Standard English; R1 Review and extend reading strategies; R5 Evaluate their writing about texts; Wr9 Integrate diverse information into a coherent account; Wr16 present a balanced analysis of a situation. Guided Reading Opportunities This task requires the students to read selected extracts of text and judge the behaviour of characters from the perspective of police officers. These judgements are likely to be more balanced than the characters views, or even more balanced than the students own initial reactions. Students should be encouraged to use evidence to support any assertions in their police report. The following page references are offered to the students to help them locate the key areas of the novel relevant to this task: Character Page references Tess Lafferty 3, 16, Ma Lafferty 25 8, 70 2, 76, 95 7 Ming Ramsay 10, 29, 30, 35 6, 56, 81 2 Sandra Ramsay 43 4, 59, 70 2, 98 9 Mrs Graham 13, 17 Alistair McFadyen (Ali) 16 Mr McCurley 62 3, 98 With a small group of students, read pages Ask the students to judge the behaviour of Tess Lafferty. At all times encourage the students to select evidence to support their assertions or judgements. Ask them whether there could be an alternative interpretation of events. Afterwards, ask the students to read pages and judge the behaviour of Mrs Ramsay, and ask them to come to a group consensus about her. 5 Teacher s Notes

6 1 Fighting Back Kerry s letters to her father Introduction Early in the novel we learn that Kerry s father has left the family home to live in America. It is clear that Kerry s mother is extremely upset about this. However, we do not learn very much about Kerry s feelings. Perhaps she misses her father as much as her mother does. Imagine that Kerry writes letters to her father, in order to share her feelings about key events in her new life. Your task is to write some of the letters that she might have written. You need to write them in the first person, as though you were her. Planning In the table on page 7 there is a list of some of the key events in Kerry s life. The relevant page references have been provided. First of all, choose which of the letters you are going to start with. Re-read the relevant pages, and then make notes about: a b the events how Kerry might have felt. In the novel we are often told how Kerry feels about events. However, there are other times that you will have to imagine how Kerry might have felt. Remember: You are writing as though you are Kerry, so write in the first person. The events have happened, so write in the past tense. You are writing a letter to someone you know very well, so you are unlikely to write in a formal style. 6 Student Sheet

7 1 Kerry s letters to her father Key event Pages Notes about events How Kerry might have felt The first impressions 1 8 of the flat Meeting Ming 9 11 Meeting Tess 2 4 The neighbours Ma Lafferty s visit 25 8 Sandra Ramsay 43 4 The fight with Tess Lafferty The fire 61 5, 84 6 Fighting back Student Sheet Harcourt Eduction Limited, 2004

8 2 Mrs Graham Introduction Although the story is told by Kerry Graham, it seems that the most significant character in the story is her mother, Mrs Graham. But do you like Mrs Graham? Imagine that the characters in the novel were asked their opinions of Mrs Graham. Would they all like or dislike her? Would their opinions change as they got to know her better? Your task is to choose two people from the novel and write what you imagine would be their opinions of Mrs Graham. Planning A number of the characters in the novel appear in the table below. Page references are provided so that you can re-read about their involvement with Mrs Graham. First of all, choose the two characters who you want to write about. Read the relevant pages for each of the characters you choose. Afterwards, make notes about each of the characters, and about what you think each of the characters might have thought about Mrs Graham. Character Page references Tess Lafferty 3, 16, Ma Lafferty 25 8, 70 2, 76, 95 7 Sandra Ramsay 43 4, 59, 70 2, 98 9 Ming Ramsay 10, 29 30, 35 6, 56, 81 2 Alistair McFadyen (Ali) 16 Mr McCurley 62 3, 98 Remember: When you select two of the characters, think about selecting one character who might not have liked Mrs Graham, and one who might have liked her. Use your notes to write a piece about each of the characters you have chosen. Explain how they have become involved with Mrs Graham. Also, say whether you think the characters you have chosen might have liked or disliked Mrs Graham. Explain your opinion clearly, giving evidence from the novel. 8 Student Sheet

9 3 A police report Introduction In Fighting Back we get a range of views about a housing estate in a town in Scotland. At the beginning of the novel Mrs Graham obviously dislikes the estate. However, the policemen she meets say that only a small number of people give the estate a bad reputation. Imagine that the Chief Constable of the Inverclyde Police Force has asked for a report on the housing estate. Your task is to collect all of the necessary information, and then to write the report. Planning The Chief Constable has asked for the report to include sections on: Housing Amenities Problem individuals/families Thoughtful individuals/families. The following page references will provide you with important information for the report. Subject Page references Housing 2 7 Amenities 10, 15 Tess Lafferty 3, 16, Ma Lafferty 25 8, 70 2, 76, 95 7 Ming Ramsay 10, 29 30, 35 6, 56, 81 2 Sandra Ramsay 43 4, 59, 70 2, 98 9 Mrs Graham 13, 17 Alistair McFadyen (Ali) 16 Mr McCurley 62 3, 98 The official police documentation for reports of this nature has been printed on page 10 for you. Once you have finished your notes, write up your report using this form. 9 Student Sheet

10 3 A police report Inverclyde Constabulary Residential Area Report Area: Date: This is a report on the Greenhill Housing Estate. Sections include: housing, amenities, residents. All observations offered in this report are supported with evidence. 10 Student Sheet Harcourt Eduction Limited, 2004