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Big book

Learning episode 1Learning goals

To be able to show an understanding of our text ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy RussellI think I can

To be on our way to extending, in this learning episode we need to be able to say yes to the following

What am I learning today?

AO1: Inference and interpretation

Can I identify three things I have learnt about Willy Russell?Can I make predictions about the text based upon what I have learnt about Willy Russell?Can I make inferences about the key events, key characters and key settings?Can I draw upon well-chosen quotations to support my inferences about events, characters and settings?

Do it now

Challenge question: if you could just choose one quality, what would it be and why?

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What makes a good teacher?

Willy Russell is considered to be one of the greatest playwrights of his generation. Born in 1947 he grew up in a working-class family just outside of Liverpool and left school at just 15 with no academic qualifications and went to work as a hairdresser. Aged 20, Willy Russell returned to education and trained as a teacher at St Katherine’s College. Whilst studying he began to write with a collection of his work being performed in 1972 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

After graduating Willy Russell began teaching at a local comprehensive school in his home city. Whilst working as a teacher he continued to write for the theatre and for television, producing several television dramas for the BBC.

Our Day Out, the play we are studying this term, only took five days to write in 1977. It is set in inner-city of Liverpool during the 1970s and is based on Russell’s own experiences at Shorefields Comprehensive School where he taught from 1973-4. In that year, he accompanied the teacher of the remedial department on a trip she ran to Conway Castle.

The original television version, which was broadcast in 1976, was developed into a play for the stage with songs by Willy Russell, Chris Mellor and Bob Eaton. This production, directed by Bob Eaton, was first performed at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool in 1983.

New knowledge: who is Willy Russell?This half term we will be reading the play ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy Russell. Read the information below and then answer the key questions that follow.

Key questions:

1. In what year was Willy Russell born?

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2. What type of family was Willy Russell born into?

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3. How do you know Willy Russell didn’t perform well at school?

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4. What did Willy Russell train to become at the age of 20?

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5. What type of school did Willy Russell teach in?

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6. How many days did it take Willy Russell to write Our Day Out?

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7. What predictions can you make about the play based upon what you have learnt about Willy Russell?

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New knowledgeIn this learning episode, we are going to begin reading the play ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy Russell, completing our class reading of pages 5-34. In this section of the play, the Progress Kids get ready to go on a school trip organised by Mrs Kay.

We will need people to read the parts of

The teachers: Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs, Mark and Katie

Les the lollipop man

The kids: Amy, Eunice, Kelly, Chloe, Zoe, Reilly, Carly, Dennis, Digga, Jackie, Sean, Gonzo, Stack, Brit, Sophie, Steph, Caitlin, Georgia, Moler, Abi. Kath, Milton, Taylor, Oliver, Maurice, Andrews, Kevin, Ronson

The Driver whose name is Ronny

Pen to paper: tracking the text

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What impression do you form of the setting based upon the stage directions?

What do the kids think of Mrs Kay?

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How do people react to the kids in the Progress class?

How do the Progress class feel about themselves?

What impression do you form of Mrs Kay?

How does Mr Briggs compare?

How does Mrs Kay persuade Reilly to let the pupils have sweets on the bus?

Reflection At the start of the lesson, we reflected upon what makes a good teacher. If you were to look back at your list of qualities, do you think Mrs Kay or Mr Briggs is more like your ideal? Why is this?

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Identify five adjectives you would use to describe the Progress class kids and explain your choices.

Learning episode 2Learning goals

To be able to show an understanding of our text ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy RussellI think I can

To be on our way to extending, in this learning episode we need to be able to say yes to the following

What am I learning today?

AO1: Inference and interpretation

Can I comment upon what I have read and explain the story?Can I make inferences about the key events, key characters and key settings?Can I draw upon well-chosen quotations to support my inferences about events, characters and settings?

Do it nowRecap questions:

1. What impression is created of Liverpool through the stage directions?

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2. What are the progress class?

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3. How do the progress class view themselves?

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4. How do other people view the progress class?

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5. How does Mrs Kay deal with the children who are being rude about the Progress class?

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6. What does Mrs Kay confiscate from the pupils? Why do you think she does this?

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7. Identify three adjectives to describe Mr Briggs and explain your choices.

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8. How does Mrs Kay convince the bus driver to let the kids have their sweets on the bus?

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New knowledgeIn this learning episode, we are going to begin reading the play ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy Russell, completing our class reading of pages 34-42. In this section, we learn that Mr Briggs will be accompanying Mrs Kay on the trip.

We will need people to read the parts of

The teachers: Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs and Mark and Katie

The kids: Reilly, Digga, Maurice, Carly, Eunice, Jackie, Chloe, Zoe, Andrews, Milton, Ronny, Amy,

The Driver

Pen to paper: tracking the text

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How does Mr Briggs interact with Carly?

What news does Mr Briggs deliver about the

trip to Alton Towers?

What happened the last time Mrs Kay took the Progress class to Alton

Towers?

How do we know Mrs Kay’s words have had an impact on the bus driver?

Reflection To what extent would you describe the Progress class as delinquents? Weigh up your opinion using evidence from the text we have read so far.

Pupils are delinquents Pupils are not delinquents

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Identify three reasons why Mr Briggs thinks a trip to Wales is more beneficial.

How does Mrs Kay convince the pupils about a trip to Wales?

Overall, I think the pupils are ___________________________________________

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Learning episode 3Learning goals

To be able to show an understanding of our text ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy RussellI think I can

To be on our way to extending, in this learning episode we need to be able to say yes to the following

What am I learning today?

AO1: Inference and interpretation

Can I comment upon what I have read and explain the story?Can I make inferences about the key events, key characters and key settings?Can I draw upon well-chosen quotations to support my inferences about events, characters and settings?

Do it nowRecap questions:

1. Who is accompanying Mrs Kay’s trip?

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2. How would you describe the way in which the kids talk to each other and what does this reveal about their characters?

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3. Identify an example where Mrs Kay employs sarcasm when talking to Mr Briggs.

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4. How does Mr Briggs treat Carly?

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5. Why is the trip to Alton Towers cancelled?

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6. How does Mrs Kay try to convince the pupils that a trip to Wales will be good for them?

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Identify a textual reference that might see the progress kids being deemed as rude.

7. How has Mrs Kay transformed the driver’s attitude?

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8. How do Mark and Katie try to deal with the teasing?

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New knowledgeIn this learning episode, we are going to begin reading the play ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy Russell, completing our class reading of pages 42-53 In this section, we join the pupils on their journey, taking in the sights and learning a little bit more about them.

We will need people to read the parts of

The teachers: Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs and Mark and Katie

The kids: Chloe, Zoe, Sean, Kevin, Eunice, Milton, Jackie, Ronson, Andrews, Carly

The driver

Pen to paper: tracking the text

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What do we learn about life in Liverpool as the coach makes its way to Wales?

What does Mr Briggs think of Mrs Kay’s educational approach?

Reflection Let’s continue to reflect upon the two teachers: Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs. Who is the better teacher do you think and why? List your reasons why both are good teachers below before explaining who you think makes the better teacher.

Evidence to suggest Mrs Kay is a brilliantteacher

Evidence to suggestMr Briggs is a brilliant teacher

I think the progress pupils would do best to be with

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Identify three ways in which Mark tries to stick up for Mrs Kay

Learning episode 4Learning goals

To be able to show an understanding of our text ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy RussellI think I can

To be on our way to extending, in this learning episode we need to be able to say yes to the following

What am I learning today?

AO1: Inference and interpretation

Can I comment upon what I have read and explain the story?Can I make inferences about the key events, key characters and key settings?Can I draw upon well-chosen quotations to support my inferences about events, characters and settings?

Do it nowRecap questions:

1. How do we know the Progress pupils are simply happy to leave Liverpool behind?

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2. How do the girls view the coach journey?

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3. Why do the boys want to leave the bus?

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4. How do we know this stop makes Mr Briggs uncomfortable?

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5. What is Mr Briggs’ attitude towards Mrs Kay’s style of teaching?

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6. How does Mark attempt to stick up for Mrs Kay?

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New knowledgeIn this learning episode, we are going to begin reading the play ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy Russell, completing our class reading of pages 53-63. In this section, we see what happens when the Progress class visit the zoo.

We will need people to read the parts of

The teachers: Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs and Mark

The kids: Carly, Reilly, Jackie, Digga, Kevin, Kelly, Ronson, Eunice, Caitlin, Georgia, Milton, Taylor, Olivia, Abi, Kath, Brit, Sophie

Pen to paper: tracking the text

In what way does Mr Briggs complement

Mrs Kay?

In what way does Mr Briggs surprise Mrs

Kay?

How is Mr Briggs’ softer side coming

out?

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What does Carly hope for? What does her friend Jackie think? What does this suggest about the future for the progress kids?

What inferences can we make about Reilly from his conversation with Carly?

Reflection At times the progress kids are very rude – in terms of their behaviour, they way they speak to each other and the way they speak to staff.

Who is most responsible for the progress kids and their behaviour?

The progress pupilsAre they most responsible?They should be able to control themselves after all.

The parentsAre their parents most responsible?They clearly haven’t brought them up well.

SocietyIs society responsible?Society hasn’t helped the progress pupils and their families. The education system has also failed them.

What do you think?

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Learning episode 5Learning goals

To be able to show an understanding of our text ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy RussellI think I can

To be on our way to extending, in this learning episode we need to be able to say yes to the following

What am I learning today?

Can I comment upon what I have read and explain the story?Can I make inferences about the key events, key characters and key settings?Can I draw upon well-chosen quotations to support my inferences about events, characters and settings?

Do it nowRecap questions:

1. How do the pupils react when Mr Briggs nearly misses the bus?

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2. How does Reilly try to strike up conversation with Carly?

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3. When Carly mentions the teacher, Mark, how does Reilly react?

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4. What does Carly tell her teacher, Mark?

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5. How does Jackie respond?

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6. What does this suggest about the future for the progress kids?

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7. What changes are beginning to emerge in Mr Briggs?

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8. Is Mrs Kay softening towards him?

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New knowledgeIn this learning episode, we are going to begin reading the play ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy Russell, completing our class reading of pages 63-77. In this section, we see what happens when the Progress class visit the zoo.

We will need people to read the parts of

The teachers: Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs and Katie

The kids: Steph, Chloe, Zoe, Reilly, Digga, Carly, Eunice, Andrews, Amy, Ronson, Caitlin / Georgia, Kelly, Maurice, Taylor/Oliver, Abi/Kath,

The Keeper

Pen to paper: tracking the text

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What do the progress class think of the zoo?

How does Mr Briggs start to engage with the pupils?

How do we see Mr Briggs’ perspective changing as he chats with Mrs Kay?

What happens whilst Mrs Kay and Mr Briggs are enjoying their tea?

What can we infer about Amy from this scene?

Reflection By the end of Act One, do you think watching events unfold that the Progress group will ever change their ways? Do you think they need to? Will Mr Briggs ever learn to be patient with the kids? Or do you think Mrs Kay needs to develop some discipline? What would you like to see happen in Act Two?

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How has Mr Briggs reverted back to his old self by the end of Act One?

Learning episode 6Learning goals

To be able to show an understanding of our text ‘Our Day Out’ by Willy RussellI think I can

To be on our way to extending, in this learning episode we need to be able to say yes to the following

What am I learning today?

AO1: Inference and interpretation

Can I comment upon what I have read and explain the story?Can I make inferences about the key events, key characters and key settings?Can I draw upon well-chosen quotations to support my inferences about events, characters and settings?

Do it nowRecap questions:

1. How do the girls react to being at the zoo?

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2. What changes do we begin to see in Mr Briggs as he interacts with the pupils?

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3. Do you think Mr Briggs really trusts the pupils? Why? Why not?

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4. What does Mr Briggs ask Mrs Kay over coffee?

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5. What do Mr Briggs and Mrs Kay discover upon their return to the coach?

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6. How does Mr Briggs react?

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Recapping knowledgeIn this learning episode, we are going to review our learning by watching the first Act of Our Day Out.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC94IOtTJrc (0.00-37.00)

Notes page:

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