Upper Key Stage 2 Early Islamic Civilisation - NEW LOOK
Scheherazade

Legendary queen Scheherazade, who told the tales of 1001 Arabian Nights, needs your help! Can you write and illustrate a magical story to enthral King Shahryar for the 1002nd night? You will need to investigate the themes and structures of the original 1001 Arabian Nights stories, as well as including authentic details of early Islamic civilisation, in order to write an authentic story ready to re-tell to Scheherazade and an invited audience.

Session 1 Scheherazade

Objectives

English

  • Listen to and discuss a wide range of fiction.
  • Increase familiarity with a wide range of books including myths and legends and retell some of these orally.

History

  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods studied.
  • Select and organise relevant historical information.
  • Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.

Lesson Planning

Revisit elements of Baghdad life through a role play, meeting legendary queen Scheherazade.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To explore the story of Scheherazade through drama; practise letter writing, using characterisation to write ‘in-role’.
  • To recognise elements of everyday life in Baghdad and the wider early Islamic civilisation through fiction

Children will:

  • Be reminded of elements of Baghdad life through a role play, meeting queen Scheherazade.
  • Write a letter to the king, in-role as a researcher or scribe.

You Will Need

  • One Thousand and One Arabian Nights by Geraldine McCaughrean

Session 2 1001 Arabian Nights - Ali Baba and Aladdin

Objectives

English

  • Listen to and discuss a wide range of fiction; Increase familiarity with a wide range of books including myths and legends and retell some of these orally.

Lesson Planning

Get ready to write your own Arabian Nights story by investigating the themes and structures of the original ‘1001 Arabian Nights’ stories.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To identify themes and structures within traditional fiction.

Children will:

  • Become familiar with the ‘Ali Baba’ and ‘Aladdin’ stories.
  • Discuss the themes within and structure of the stories.

Provided Resources

  • Teacher checklist for common themes in ‘1001 Nights’ stories

You Will Need

  • Tales from the Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights) by William Harvey
  • 1001 Arabian Nights Complete

Session 3 1001 Arabian Nights - Sinbad the Sailor

Objectives

English

  • Listen to and discuss a wide range of fiction; Increase familiarity with a wide range of books including myths and legends and retell some of these orally.

Lesson Planning

Learn more about the magical ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ stories.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To identify common themes and structures within traditional fiction.

Children will:

  • Become familiar with the ‘Sinbad’ stories.
  • Discuss common themes and the structure of the Arabian Nights stories.

Provided Resources

  • ‘Recurring themes’ activity sheet
  • Examples of other stories of moralistic/allegorical nature
  • Teacher checklist for common themes in ‘1001 Nights’ stories

You Will Need

  • Sinbad the Sailor by Marcia Williams
  • The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor by Quentin Blake
  • Tales from the Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights) by William Harvey
  • 1001 Arabian Nights Complete

Session 4 The 1002nd Arabian Night - storyboard

Objectives

History

  • Create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses.

English

  • Note and develop initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary.
  • In writing narratives, considering how authors have developed characters and settings in what they have read, listened to or seen performed.

Art

  • Create sketches to record observations and use them to review and revisit ideas.

Lesson Planning

Can you write a ‘1001 Arabian Nights’ story with convincing early Islamic civilisation elements?

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To plan a story board incorporating factual aspects of life in the early Islamic civilization.
  • To plan to write an ‘Arabian Nights’ story using a story board.
  • To draw a storyboard.

Children will:

  • Plan a story using a storyboard
  • Apply knowledge of Baghdad/ Early Islamic civilisation to aspects of the story
  • Make sketches in a sketchbook based on other artists' work

You Will Need

You do not need any particular resources for this session.

Weblinks

  • Pobble An on-line writing website which showcases over 100,000 pieces of writing, including examples based on Hamilton plans, where you could upload examples of your children’s writing.

Session 5 The 1002nd Arabian Night - narrative writing

Objectives

History

  • Create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses.

English

  • Select appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning.
  • In narratives, describe settings, characters and atmosphere.

Art

  • Use sketches to review and revisit ideas.

Lesson Planning

Write and illustrate your story for the 1002nd Arabian Night.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To incorporate factual aspects of life in the early Islamic civilization.
  • To write an ‘Arabian Nights’ story using a story board.
  • To illustrate a story based on previous drafts and sketches.

Children will:

  • Write a story based on previous drafts.
  • Include historical information in a narrative.
  • Illustrate a story based on previous drafts and sketches.

You Will Need

You do not need any particular resources for this session.

Weblinks

Pobble An on-line writing website which showcases over 100,000 pieces of writing, including examples based on Hamilton plans, where you could upload examples of your children’s writing.

Session 6 1002 Arabian Nights - storytellers

Objectives

English

  • Listen to and discuss a wide range of fiction; Increase familiarity with a wide range of books including myths and legends and retell some of these orally.

Lesson Planning

Revisit Scheherazade and retell your Arabian Night stories.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To use oral storytelling techniques.

Children will:

Revisit Scheherazade; choose a favourite story to retell to another group of children

Provided Resources

  • A letter from Caliph Shahryar
  • Teacher checklist for oral storytelling

You Will Need

You do not need any particular resources for this session.