Cloud Busting: Puffin Poetry

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This penultimate Cloud Busting KS2 lesson pack comes with a detailed plan, a slideshow including comprehension questions, differentiated activity ideas and printable resources. One day a serious incident at school causes Sam to realise just how important Davey really is to him as a friend. Children further explore this in their independent activities, where they identify what they have personally learnt from these themes in the story.

Perhaps children could create mini-dramas in which they portray how Sam might have responded to Alex. The only thing I can possibly say I dislike about this book is the fact that I will never get to experience reading it for the first time again. It was a shock for me when I found out that Sam was the one who was bulling davey or even fizzy feet. In conclusion… Cloud Busting describes a life-changing experience, and could be a life-changing book. Told in verse, in first person, this is the touching story of an extraordinary friendship that changes two boys' lives for ever.As a class, children will read chapters 20-26 of 'Cloud Busting' by Malorie Blackman, and then discuss the questions on the slides about the outcome of the boys' friendship. In their independent activities, children are challenged to predict what will happen next in the story, based on their knowledge and understanding of both the characters and the events so far.

Could be coupled along with 'Love my dog' by Sharon Creech which is another story told through poetry, albeit structured on specific poems. Have children generate their own questions, and explore them independently and with adult facilitation. Piecing together all clues from the cover and blurb, children are likely to infer the meaning of the phrase in physical terms, and may also be able to offer an hypothesis as to its metaphorical meaning – its hint at the opposing themes of conformity and imagination; friendship versus bullying.The book touches on many important topics, bullying at it’s forefront, something children need to learn about. In 2005, Malorie was honoured with the Eleanor Farjeon Award in recognition of her distinguished contribution to the world of children's books. Should Philosophy for Children be encouraged in your school, Cloud Busting offers plenty upon which to ponder. It is hard to define as a poem / novel but it covers issues of bullying, being new in school and many aspects of friendship and trust.

Malorie Blackman tells the story of a young boy, Sam who finds it hard to admit his friendship with the new boy Davey in his class. There are few books you can read in less than an hour that have the emotional, literary impact of Malorie Blackman’s Cloud Busting. The choice to use non-standard verse was effective in displaying the feelings and emotions the protagonist moves through throughout the story and appreciate the perspective Blackman chose to tell it from. This ready-to-teach Cloud Busting KS2 lesson pack comes with a detailed plan, an engaging set of slides, differentiated activity ideas and printable resources.What makes it even more unusual is that it is told out of the mind of the boy who brought about the destruction.