1. An Introduction to the Story
When the Wasps Drowned
An Introduction to the Story

2. What was in the box?
Discuss with your shoulder partner, what was in the box? How did it make you feel?
Stuffed glove in a box as pupils enter class. They have a feel in the box and try to guess what’s in there.

3. Learning Objectives
To consider the key themes, issues and ideas of the story

4. Inside-Outside Circle
What do you think is going to happen in this story?
Use the Inside-Outside circle to get partners to discuss their predictions.

5. That was the summer Therese stepped on the wasps’ nest and brought an end to our barefoot wanderings.

6. We heard her screams from inside.

7. She came back a moment later and we angled the light
She came back a moment later and we angled the light. At the end of the tunnel…
Feedback by asking students what their partners said.

8. Read lines 1-20
Underline any words or phrases which give you a clue about WHEN this story happened.

9. Read lines 21-34 Underline the VERBS used in this section.
What do you notice? Why do you think the writer has done this?

10. Read lines 35-56
Underline THREE quotations which show us something about the narrator.
Label your quotation with an explanation about what this shows us about the narrator.

11. Read lines
Find an example of each of the following techniques and annotate your copy of the story.
Speech
A short sentence
A complex sentence
Careful use of adjectives (describing words)
Appeal to the senses (see/hear/touch/smell/taste)

12. Read lines 85 - 129 How old is the narrator?
What makes you think this?
Re-read line 20. Now you know the ending, what does this line suggest?

13. What would you do?
DECIDE WITH YOUR SHOULDER PARTNER WHETHER YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE STATEMENTS ON THE CARDS. BE PREPARED TO GIVE REASONS FOR YOUR VIEWS.
In my opinion…
I agree with you because…
I’m in two minds about this one. On the one hand…
I disagree with this statement as…
I don’t agree with what you said about… because…
Another reason I think that is...

14. In the UK, the age of criminal responsibility is 10 years old.
Rights and Wrongs
Some psychologists say that babies as young as 15 months know the difference between right and wrong.
In the UK, the age of criminal responsibility is 10 years old.

15. Which sentence do you agree with the most and why?
Statement
QUOTE
In the story ‘When the Wasps Drowned’ the children behave in a shocking, evil way. The narrator is only interested in keeping the diamond ring. She doesn’t care what happens to the body in the garden.
In the story ‘When the Wasps Drowned’ the children behave in an understandable way. They don’t know what to do so they pretend nothing has happened.
In the story ‘When the Wasps Drowned’ the children are old enough to take responsibility and do the right thing.
In the story ‘When the Wasps Drowned’ the children don’t know what is the right thing to do. How would they? They’re just children after all.
Life is not about right and wrong, good and bad; it’s a lot more complicated than that. I don’t think the children in ‘When the Wasps Drowned’ should be judged in these terms.

16. Learning Objectives
To explore

17. Blind Sequencing One person should deals the cards out face down.
Mark the back of your cards with your initials.
You have a few minutes to look at and memorise your cards then put them face down on the table.
Describe your cards as well as possible to your teammates without looking!
After all the cards have been described, the team works together to sequence your cards (face down) on the table. (No looking!)
Once you think you have properly sequenced the cards, flip over the cards and check to see how you did.

18. Exploring Symbolism
Denotes – the literal meaning. The word is used to name the object or thing.
Connotes – (connotation) the things that we think about that is associated with that word.

19. WASP
DENOTES
Pain
CONNOTATIONS
Danger

20. Carousel Consider the symbolism of the following from the story:
The wasps
The dead body
The diamond ring
Therese’s dream
The garden
USE THE THINKING QUESTIONS AT THE SIDE TO HELP YOU COMPLETE YOUR BUBBLE MAPS.

21. Pathetic Fallacy
Pathetic fallacy n. when human emotions or characteristics are given to objects, nature or the weather (especially in art or literature).
This is a type of symbolism that a writer can use to show the mood or atmosphere of a scene.
Pathetic fallacy is when the weather or seasons is used symbolically to suggest a certain tone or mood.

22. Rally Robin adjectives to describe the mood of this picture.

23. Rally Robin adjectives to describe the mood of this picture.

24. Rally Robin 3 adjectives to describe the mood of this picture.

25. Choose the best word to describe the mood of this extract.
Charles Dickens, Great Expectations And the sky was just a row of long angry red lines and black lines intermixed…
Troubled
Excited
Fearsome
Ominous
Pleased

26. Pathetic Fallacy in the Story
Example of weather from the story
What mood or feeling is coming across in the story?

27. Structure Reminder!
Unscramble the following terms to do with structure…
T R O T I I N D C U N O
I O N E C S T
F L I C C T O N
L O T P
M B O L Y S