ABSTRACT
Begin by doing a ‘guided meditation’ on memories of Bonfire Night – ask students to close their eyes and think about their recollections of Bonfire Night. Use questions to prompt their mental visualisation e.g. What colours do you see? What do people’s faces look like? What do the fireworks smell like? How warm or cold do you feel? Can you smell or taste any food? Individually, students jot down words and images they associate with Bonfire Night. Read the Diwali extract from A Village by the Sea. In pairs, students complete the gridsheet, using their reading of the extract and their own memories of Bonfire Night to list the ways in which the two celebrations are similar. If necessary, support younger or less able students by asking them to write the key elements of Diwali in one column and then encouraging them to think about the parallels on Bonfire Night.
