Teacher’s note

Print slide 9,10 and 11

 Sequencing to create a mystery ending with a cliff hanger.

L.O.
1. To recap repetition for effect.
2. To analyse how the writer uses sequencing deliberately to create suspense and mystery;
to then create your own.
3. To identify the four key moments in the story.
ROCK
Read the short extract.
What is the impact of the writer’s use of repetition? How do you know this? Highlight the
repetition that shows this.
The lack of sleep hangs on my eyes like a newly born chimp, clutching tight to the face as if time had
abandoned all reality. Sleep… one hour, two hours, three… wide awake. Sleep deprivation has to be the
biggest nightmare! Sleep deprived madness is used as they say as a war tactic against the enemy, as a
common form of torture. What I would do for a good night of the stuff! They should bottle sleep and
sell it; they sell everything else why not sleep? Madness again for the third day running, madness for all
around me too no doubt, still time to get up…
 Sequencing to create a mystery ending with a cliff hanger.

L.O.
1. To recap repetition for effect.
2. To analyse how the writer uses sequencing deliberately to create suspense and mystery;
to then create your own.
3. To identify the four key moments in the story.
ROCK
Read the short extract.
What is the impact of the writer’s use of repetition? How do you know this? Highlight the
repetition that shows this.
The lack of sleep hangs on my eyes like a newly born chimp, clutching tight to the face as if time had
abandoned all reality. Sleep… one hour, two hours, three… wide awake. Sleep deprivation has to be the
biggest nightmare! Sleep deprived madness is used as they say as a war tactic against the enemy, as a
common form of torture. What I would do for a good night of the stuff! They should bottle sleep and
sell it; they sell everything else why not sleep? Madness again for the third day running, madness for all
around me too no doubt, still time to get up…
 What is repetition for effect?
 What is the impact of the writer’s use of repetition? -It effectively reinforces the overall
message the writer wants to give the reader and in this instance about the
devastating consequences resulting from a lack of sleep. It can also create a sense of
tension, atmosphere and emotion that garners sympathy for those unfortunate sleep
deprived individuals. It also creates rhythmic patterns – rather like poetry that drums
up much empathy.
 How do you know this? The continuous repetition of the noun “sleep” emphasises just how
damaging a lack of sleep can be on the human psyche as well as the depleting toll on the
human body.
 Highlight the repetition that shows this. E.g. – “Sleep deprivation has to be the biggest
nightmare!”
The lack of sleep hangs on my eyes like a newly born chimp, clutching tight to the face as if time
had abandoned all reality. Sleep… one hour, two hours, three… wide awake. Sleep deprivation
has to be the biggest nightmare! Sleep deprived madness is used as they say as a war tactic
against the enemy, as a common form of torture. What I would do for a good night of the stuff!
They should bottle sleep and sell it; they sell everything else why not sleep? Madness again for
the third day running, madness for all around me too no doubt, still time to get up…
Connector:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18065372
Fugu: The fish is more poisonous than cyanide

Answer the following:

1. What are the effects of

eating the fish?
2. What fish did the mother in
‘A family supper’ eat and
why?
3. How does this link to
honour?
Time to be a detective and try to solve the mystery of what
happened to the family at the end of the story.
With your sugar paper write down all the clues you have found in the
story about what happened.
Group A Group B
• Pages 14 - 16 • Pages 17- 19
• Identify the two key moments at the • Identify the two key
start of the story. moments at the end of the
• Points for discussion on the following story.
slide.
• Points for discussion on the
following slide.
 Discussion clues
• Each group will have their own clues.
• Discuss and investigate each one.
• Each group will say what they feel the mystery of the story
is at each key moment.

Group A will investigate the mystery from the start of the

story.
Group B will investigate the final two key moments and what
the cliff hanger could suggest.
 Present to the class.
Group A will present their investigation of the mysteries from the start
of the story.
Group B will present their investigations from the final two key
moments and what the cliff hanger could suggest.

TOGETHER
Discuss what the four key moments were and how it created a mystery.
 Your turn: write a mystery story that ends
with a cliff hanger
• There are three objects; choose
one of the objects to base your
mystery story around.

• We will look at the model plan.

• We will look at my model and

highlight clues of a mystery I have
included as well as the cliff hanger.
 My Mystery short story
My object: piano/torch/cap Answer the following
questions:
Characters Setting Beginning Middle End with cliff
What is the
hanger mystery?
Who Where How it starts How it develops How it concludes
_______________
(whilst withholding
_______________
How they are Indoors/outdoors: some information)
related: • Home What will be
• Family • Street repeated in the
• Friends • Park story as a clue?
• Strangers • School
• From work • Work _______________
• From • Shops _______________
school • Holiday _______________
When: Day/night What information
will I withhold?
_______________
_______________
_______________
 My Mystery short story
My object: piano/torch/cap Answer the following
questions:
Characters Setting Beginning Middle End with cliff
What is the
hanger mystery?
Who Where How it starts How it develops How it concludes
_______________
(whilst withholding
_______________
How they are Indoors/outdoors: some information)
related: • Home What will be
• Family • Street repeated in the
• Friends • Park story as a clue?
• Strangers • School
• From work • Work _______________
• From • Shops _______________
school • Holiday _______________
When: Day/night What information
will I withhold?
_______________
_______________
_______________
 Task: Use your plan to write the
middle and end of a mystery story

You will have 20 minutes

Success criteria:

• Ends on a cliff hanger

• Examples of repetition
• Build suspense by withholding information

First look at the model example, can you label where I have met the
success criteria?
 Success criteria:

Model ending: Ends on a cliff hanger

Examples of repetition
Build suspense by withholding information

The rain pounded down on the flimsy roof. There was no space. No air to breathe. Not with
the police squad, the inspector, my mother and I squashed into the attic. No one normally
went up there; my mother only used the attic to store her Christmas decorations. We
almost decided against celebrating Christmas this year after the murder. Would that have
been disrespectful? I’d already bought the presents though; the one I was particularly
proud of was a new blue cap for my brother. He hadn’t said anything, but I’d noticed that
the one he usually wore went missing two weeks ago. My mother and I couldn’t get to the
Christmas tree because it was kept in a cupboard, which to our surprise would not open. No
one normally locked it! That was when we saw the red splash. The inspector was currently
crouched down beside the newly discovered evidence, squinting and scrunching his nose. It
was chilly. My mother had a stash of Gran’s old winter coats on top of the cupboard. No one
normally wore them, but as I went to grab the closest one, a flash of blue caught my eye.
There, slightly pinched in the hinge of the cupboard door was a piece of fabric. The
inspector broke the door to analyse the contents. My mother gasped. There in the
cupboard – under the Christmas tree – was my brother’s blue cap, stained the same sticky
substance currently clinging to our carpet.
 Repetition: Used to draw attention to certain phrases so that the reader knows these details are

Model ending: important. “No one normally…” creates tension as the reader understands that what has taken
place is unusual for the characters, which increases the reader’s curiosity. The “blue cap” is
mentioned twice. This use of repetition implies that the object is significant to the story.

The rain pounded down on the flimsy roof. There was no space. No air to breathe. Not with
the police squad, the inspector, my mother and I squashed into the attic. No one normally
went up there; my mother only used the attic to store her Christmas decorations. We
almost decided against celebrating Christmas this year after the murder. Would that have
been disrespectful? I’d already bought the presents though; the one I was particularly
proud of was a new blue cap for my brother. He hadn’t said anything, but I’d noticed that
the one he usually wore went missing two weeks ago. My mother and I couldn’t get to the
Christmas tree because it was kept in a cupboard, which to our surprise would not open.
No one normally locked it! That was when we saw the red splash. The inspector was
currently crouched down beside the newly discovered evidence, squinting and scrunching
his nose. It was chilly. My mother had a stash of Gran’s old winter coats on top of the
cupboard. No one normally wore them, but as I went to grab the closest one, a flash of
blue caught my eye. There, slightly pinched in the hinge of the cupboard door was a piece
of fabric. The inspector broke the door to analyse the contents. My mother gasped. There
in the cupboard – under the Christmas tree – was my brother’s blue cap, stained the same
sticky substance currently clinging to our carpet.
 Repetition: Used to draw attention to certain phrases so that the reader knows these details are

Model ending: important. “No one normally…” creates tension as the reader understands that what has taken
place is unusual for the characters, which increases the reader’s curiosity. The “blue cap” is
mentioned twice. This use of repetition implies that the object is significant to the story.

The rain pounded down on the flimsy roof. There was no space. No air to breathe. Not with
the police squad, the inspector, my mother and I squashed into the attic. No one normally
went up there; my mother only used the attic to store her Christmas decorations. We almost
decided against celebrating Christmas this year after the murder. Would that have been
disrespectful? I’d already bought the presents though; the one I was particularly proud of
was a new blue cap for my brother. He hadn’t said anything, but I’d noticed that the one he
usually wore went missing two weeks ago. My mother and I couldn’t get to the Christmas
tree because it was kept in a cupboard, which to our surprise would not open. No one
normally locked it! That was when we saw the red splash. The inspector was currently
crouched down beside the newly discovered evidence, squinting and scrunching his nose. It
was chilly. My mother had a stash of Gran’s old winter coats on top of the cupboard. No one
normally wore them, but as I went to grab the closest one, a flash of blue caught my eye.
There, slightly pinched in the hinge of the cupboard door was a piece of fabric. The
inspector broke the door to analyse the contents. My mother gasped. There in the cupboard
– under the Christmas tree – was my brother’s blue cap, stained the same sticky
substance currently clinging to our carpet.
 Your turn: use your plan to write the
middle and end of a mystery story
You will have 20 minutes

Success criteria:

• Ends on a cliff hanger

• Examples of repetition
• Build suspense by withholding information

Suggested opening:
The door creaked open. I thought I had locked it, but that was not the
case. The visitor crept into the room. I could not believe my eyes…
 Self- assessment

Highlight where you have included the following:

• Ends on a cliff hanger

• Examples of repetition
• Build suspense by withholding information

Share your stories!