Topaz Class English Day One

This week’s theme is: The World of Walliams! Enjoy a week of exploring a variety of books by David Walliams, comparing characters, watching clips of the screen adaptations, reviewing his work and lots more! I have set this for all children as I think they will all love it. Some children may need more help from their parents or might need to pick and choose, a little over, which tasks they will attempt and adapt to suit.

• Below are various opening extracts of David Walliams’ books. Read through the extracts and think about the characters that are introduced.
• Make a table like the one below and note down what you find out about the characters in: Bad Dad, Awful Auntie, Gangsta Granny and Grandma’s Great Escape.

Topaz Class English Day Two

• Look back at your table from yesterday. Think about the characters and their relationship. You are going to help David Walliams write his next book by helping him invent a child and adult character.
• Draw your characters and label them. Think about:

• Is your child a boy or a girl?
• Is the adult a man or a woman?
• What will their relationship be? (Uncle, Auntie, Grandma, Mum, Step Mum, Dad, Step Dad, Cousin, Sister, Half Sister etc.)
• What do they look like?
• Do they have any unusual features?

• Label your new characters. Try to use some expanded noun phrases for your labels, e.g. On top of her head she wore a ruby red beret with a large ostrich feather attached to the side.
• Write a short paragraph to introduce your characters. Include a description of what they look like and some interaction between the characters. Do your characters like each other, admire each other, trust each other, dislike each other or despise each other? Use what they say and do to show this in your writing, e.g. As Auntie Ada entered the room, Isla froze. Immediately, her eyes darted to the floor to avoid any eye contact. “Look up girl when I walk in to the room!” demanded Auntie Ada. From this we can tell that Isla is scared of Auntie Ada and that Auntie Ada is authoritative.
• When you have finished, read through your writing and check your spelling and punctuation.

Topaz Class English Day Three

Today we look at Mr Stink!

• Read the extract below. Find these words in the text: stench, justice, residence, luxuriated, elaborate, impatiently, vagabond, authoritatively
• Can you work out what they mean? Read the sentence they are in, the sentence before and the sentence after to help you work out the meaning.
• Write down what you think each word means, then look up the definition of the word using a dictionary or https://www.wordhippo.com/. See this table to help create your own.

Now answer these questions:

• What are your first impressions of Mr Stink? Use evidence from the text to support your answer, like this: I think Mr Stink is …. I think this because in the text it says … Try and write more than one impression.
• What are your first impressions of Chloe? Use evidence from the text to support your answer, like this: I think Chloe is … I think this because in the text it says … Try and write more than one impression.

Topaz Class English Day Four

• The Midnight Gang Watch/listen to the first two chapters – up to 13:15 mins at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCMN8ym0oiA  
• How is the start of this book similar to the others that we have looked at this week? How is it different?
• Look back at all the extracts that you have read this week. Look at the way David Walliams presents his writing, e.g.

Aaaaaaarrrggghhh

B

A

N

G

!

• Why do you think he does this? What effect does this have on you, the reader?
• Now watch The Midnight Gang Film at https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bxc4t4/the-midnight-gang  (Note: PG certificate) Watch from 2:40 mins until 6:20 mins.
• You are going to write the scene that you have watched in your own words. Think about the events that have happened since Tom entered the children’s ward.

• Things to think about:

• Write in 3rd person( he, she, they)
• Write in the past tense
• Include speech and remember to use speech punctuation properly
• Use some of the David Walliams style of writing, e.g. larger words for effect.

• After you have finished, read your writing out loud and check for spelling and punctuation.

Topaz Class English Day Five

• You have looked at some extracts this week from books by David Walliams. You might have already read some or all of his books. Do you have a favourite? Why is it your favourite? If you haven’t read any before, which was your favourite extract from this week? Which one made you want to read more?
• Write a short ‘emoji’ review for three of David Walliams’ books, or for three of the extracts read this week. Choose some emojis to help with your review. You can find some emojis here: https://emojipedia.org/people/  
• E.g. One of my favourite books by David Walliams is Gangsta Granny. I like this book because it is so funny. There are lots of parts that make me laugh, for example when Ben and Granny meet the queen! This part made me (insert emoji here!)
• Check your writing for spelling and punctuation. You could share the reviews with family members or your friends.