When the Sky Falls – Full SOW

Bring Phil Earle’s When the Sky Falls - Winner of the British Book Award for Children’s Fiction Book of the Year - to life in your classroom with this fully resourced, ready-to-teach scheme of work.

Aimed at Year 7, but can be easily adapted for Year 6 or Year 8.

Resource Includes:

• 189-slide PowerPoint covering the entire novel
• 15 fully planned lessons with extension ideas
• 8 additional activities to consolidate key skills, understanding, and reflection
• Tier 2 vocabulary for every section of the text, plus overarching Tier 3 vocabulary
• WW2 context slides integrated throughout, including:
  • Rationing
  • The Blitz
  • Home front life
• Comprehension and discussion questions for each lesson to develop inference and analytical skills
• Analysis-focused lessons exploring:
  • Structure and narrative perspective
  • Symbolism
  • Metaphor, simile, and imagery
  • Personification
  • Writing analytical paragraphs and responses
  • Understanding the writer’s craft and purpose

Also Included:

• Detailed Scheme of Work (SOW) document with:
• Lesson overviews
• National Curriculum links and justification
• Teacher notes

Assessment:

• Students apply their knowledge and understanding by creating their own original piece of creative writing, inspired by the novel’s themes, language, and structure.
• Mark scheme provided to support consistent and clear assessment.
• 28 page assessment revision booklet for students

Cross-Curricular Links:

• History: Life in Britain during WWII, The Blitz, rationing, and civilian experiences
• PSHE: Empathy, grief, neurodiversity, trust, resilience, and emotional wellbeing
• Art: Wartime posters and visual symbolism
• Drama: Role-play and monologue work to explore character emotions and relationships
• Critical Thinking: Moral decision-making, compassion, and courage under pressure
• Science: Animal behaviour, conservation, and habitats
• Geography: Urban and natural environments, human geography, and protecting wildlife

An ideal scheme for teachers seeking an engaging, context-rich unit that combines literary analysis, creative writing, and historical understanding.

FREE SAMPLE: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13345347