Whole School Story
The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Rauf
Chapter 1 The Empty Chair - Click Here
Chapter 1 | |
Vocabulary |
What is stationery? What does it mean if someone is ‘willing’ to do something? Define ‘ingenious’ and ‘insightful’. |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
Why does the narrator like stationery? Find evidence that Josie is kind. Why might the knock at the door have worried the class? Why did the children all fall silent? Why doesn’t anyone want to sit next to Clarissa? |
Predict | Predict how Ahmet will change life for the friends. |
Explain |
Why do you think the author chose to point out it wasn’t a special chair? Why did the author include a picture of the chair? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
What type of stationery does the narrator buy? What subject does the narrator not like? Who are the narrator’s three friends? Who is the narrator’s teacher? What does Mrs Sanders point at? Why is the chair empty? Who sits in the chair? How does the narrator plan to befriend Ahmet? |
Summarise | Summarise the narrator in one word and explain your choice of word. |
Chapter 2 The Boy with the Lion Eyes - Click Here
Chapter 2
Vocabulary |
What does it mean to ‘sneak glances’? What’s the difference between a whisper and a mutter? What is a submarine? What does it mean if you motion to someone? |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
Why do you think Tom thought there was something wrong with her? Why do people think there’s something wrong with Ahmet? Do you think Jenny’s story is trustworthy? Why? Why do you think Ahmet took a step back from her? |
Predict | Predict whether Ahmet will become friends with the children. |
Explain | How does the chapter get its title? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
What does the boy hold during PE? Draw the rucksack from the description? How did they know Ahmet knew they were taking about him? Why does Clarissa assume Ahmet isn’t very good at writing? What does the narrator offer Ahmet? |
Summarise | Summarise your initial thoughts of Ahmet in fewer than 100 words. |
Chapter 3 Forty Winks
Vocabulary |
What does ‘forty winks’ generally mean? What does it mean to narrow your eyes? Define ‘rascal’. What are ‘rumours’? |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
Why did she look like she needed a doctor? Why do you think Ahmet’s plant made him happy? Why do you think Mrs Khan smiled at the note? |
Predict |
Predict what seclusion is. |
Explain |
Do you think Mrs Khan is a good teacher? Why? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
What did the narrator do to the new boy every day? What was Mrs Khan teaching the children about? Who is the school bully? What rumours spread about Ahmet? |
Summarise |
Summarise the events of this chapter in fewer than thirty words. |
Chapter 4 What Mr Brown and Mrs Grimsby said
Chapter 5 The Refugee Kid
Chapter 6 The Woman in the Silver Scarf
Chapter 7 Mr Irons' nose
Chapter 8 The Unexpected Adventure
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Chapter 8 |
Vocabulary |
What does it mean to be patient? What are dimples? What does it mean to be ‘kept on your toes’? What is the ‘paaaaan’ referred to in this chapter? |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
Why can’t they ring Aunty Selma? Why does the girl want a pomegranate? Why do you think Mum endorses the pomegranate hunt? What is the adventure referred to in the title? Why was Mum nice to Frank? What does this tell you about her? Why do you think the man went and got the older pomegranates? |
Predict |
Predict what the unexpected adventure will be. |
Explain |
How did the author build tension in this chapter? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
Why is she asking her mum some of the questions? Which day did she ask? How does mum show her where Syria is? Why doesn’t mum want to buy a pomegranate? Why didn’t the man make them pay for the pomegranates? |
Summarise |
Summarise why the narrator wanted to find pomegranates in fewer than 40 words. |
Chapter 9 The Big Fight
Detective Thinking - Retrieval
Chapter 10 War and Missing Pieces
Click on 10.1 first and then listen to 10.2 second (there was a bit of a technological issue during recording!!)
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Chapter 10 |
Vocabulary |
What is ‘ransom money’? Define ‘scowl’. |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
Why does Brendan scowl more than ever? Who do the children suspect is doing nasty things to Ahmet? Why couldn’t they prove it was Brendan? Why do you think Ahmet likes his bag so much? Why do Ahmet’s eyes become watery? Why do you think the children didn’t clap as loudly as normal? Why doesn’t Mrs Khan want the children to ask Ahmet questions about the war? |
Predict |
Predict whether any of the attitudes of Brendan and his friends will now change towards Ahmet. |
Explain |
What do Ahmet’s drawings tell you about him? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
What do people start to call Ahmet? Why did Ahmet get a golden star? What happened to Ahmet’s pot? What was in Ahmet’s tray? What were in Ahmet’s backpack? Who was missing from the boat picture? Where was the first place that the boat took Ahmet? |
Gist |
Summarise Ahmet’s story in fewer than 70 words. |
Chapter 11 The Game of Scrabble
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Chapter 11 |
Vocabulary |
Define ‘blustery’. What does the word ‘tyke’ mean? |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
Find evidence that the two of them don’t want Jacob and the aunt to come to the house? Why does the narrator hide her toys when Jacob comes over? What makes her smile? Why do Mum and Uncle Lenny look up sharply? Why does Uncle Lenny say ‘all yours’? |
Predict |
Predict if the narrator will tell her friends about her grandmother. |
Explain |
Why does the author italicise ‘immediately’? What is the twist in this chapter? Why do you think it was included? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
What does Josie suggest doing with the questions? How many questions does she have now? What has Uncle Lenny cooked? What is Uncle Lenny’s job? What does Uncle Lenny call Ahmet? Where did the grandma run away from? |
Gist |
Summarise the story of the grandma in fewer than sixty words. |
RJS · Chapter 11
Chapter 12 Syrah and the Sea
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Chapter 12 |
Vocabulary |
What is a raft? |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
Why do you think nobody kept their promise to Mrs Khan? Why didn’t Mr Irons say anything to Victor? Why was she surprised that Ahmet recognised Tintin? What happened to Syrah? |
Predict |
Predict why she was forced to break her promise? |
Explain |
How did this chapter make you feel? Why? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
What was Ahmet now famous for? What are Messengers? How did Brendan react to Ahmet’s story? Why isn’t Ahmet’s dad with him? |
Gist |
Choose one word to sum up this chapter and explain your choice of word. |
Chapter 13 - The Something That Changed Everything
Chapter 14 - The Three Plans
Chapter 15 - The Greatest Idea in the World
Chapter 16 - The Royal Letter
Chapter 17 - The Emergency Plan
Welcome back after half - term are you ready for......
Chapter 18 - Stan the Taxi Man
Chapter 19 - The Queen's Palace
Chapter 20 The Cold Stream Guards
Chapter 21 The Neighbours and the News
Chapter 22 World Wide Whisper
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Chapter 22 |
Vocabulary |
Define ‘scruples’. What does ‘huddled’ mean? Define ‘passionate’. Define ‘winced’. |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
Why did Mum walk her to the bus stop? |
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Why don’t the parents want the children to look at any newspapers? Why do you think Mrs Khan was upset? Why do you think Mr Irons didn’t meet the children? |
Predict |
Predict if anyone will find Ahmet’s family. |
Explain |
Why do you believe no one was angry at the children? Do you think it was ok that they broke Mum’s promise? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
When’s the only other time Tom’s dad cheered? What are the children instructed to say if anyone asks them questions? How does Mrs Sanders react to the reporters? Who is teaching first period? What has the newspaper done? |
Summarise |
Summarise the newspaper article in fewer than twenty words. |
Chapter 23 Brendan the Bully and the Breaking News
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Chapter 23 |
Vocabulary |
What is a ‘radar’? What is ‘clenching your fists’. |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
What is a Rollercoaster Day? Why do you think Brendan came up with the song? How did Brendan get caught? What do you think happened to Mr Irons and why? How did school improve for the children? |
Predict |
Predict how Brendan will feature in this chapter. |
Explain |
Do you think Brendan and Mr Irons got what they deserved? Why? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
Why did everyone have to leave everything on their desks? What was the assembly for? What ways did the children think they should get Brendan back? |
Summarise |
Summarise what happened to Brendan in fewer than forty words. |
Chapter 24 The Interview
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Chapter 24 |
Vocabulary |
What is a rung? What’s the difference between fewer and less? |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
Why was the girl worried? Why do they start to say ‘maybe’ to Ahmet? Why did Mr Fry lie about Ahmet? Why does Mum want her to do an interview? Why do you think Mum was proud of her? |
Predict |
Predict how the interview will affect the story. |
Explain |
Do you think the interview was a good thing to do? Why? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
What man do the children get asked about? What food does Mum make her? Who is Mr Fry? What is the name of Ahmet’s case worker? How long was the interview? |
Summarise |
Summarise the interview by writing it on less than a side of A4. |
Chapter 25 The Queen's Message
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Chapter 25 |
Vocabulary |
What’s a headline? What is ‘EIIR’? What does it mean to do something on someone’s behalf? Define ‘plight’? |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
Why do you think the children assume they are in trouble? Why was there a wax blob on the letter? |
Predict |
Predict what the Queen’s message will be. Predict if the children will go for tea with the Queen. |
Explain |
Did you like this chapter? Why? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
On which day could they not find Ahmet? Who is teaching first period? Who was in Mrs Sanders’ office? What does the Queen invite the children to do? |
Summarise |
Summarise the events of this chapter in fewer than thirty words. |
Chapter 26 The Present
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Chapter 26 |
Vocabulary |
Define ‘possession, depression and objection’. Define ‘asylum’. |
Detective Thinking - Infer |
Why is Ahmet teaching her Kurdish words? Why does Aunt Christina make more of an effort now? Why doesn’t she make a big deal out of her birthday? Why does Ahmet want to take his rucksack? |
Predict |
Predict who the special guests are. If there was a sequel to this book, predict what it would be about. |
Explain |
Did you like this book? Why? |
Detective Thinking - Retrieval |
How long has it been since they got the letter from the Queen? What present does she buy for the Queen? Who were the special guests? What was in the envelope? |
Summarise |
Summarise the whole story in fewer than 100 words. |