The Butterfly Lion: Michael Morpurgo

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Well, you've probably never seen a lion live in a house before, but that's what he ends up doing. He even sleeps at the end of Bertie's bed. When Michael Morpurgo was asked to name his favourite of the books he’s written, he named The Butterfly Lion (along with Kensuke’s Kingdom, War Horse and Private Peaceful). Sitting high up in a tree, or looking out of his window, Bertie watches the beautiful elephants, giraffes and zebras come down to the water hole. But it's the lions, Bertie likes best of all. And when, one morning, he sees a baby lion cub trying to escape from some hungry hyenas, Bertie rushes out to rescue it. That was when the shot rang out. The hyenas bolted into the long grass and were gone. When Bertie turned around, he saw his mother in her night gown, rifle in hand, running towards him down the hill. He had never seen her run before. Between them, they gathered up the mud-matted cub and brought him home." I created this for a high ability guided reading group for Year 4. Please notice the pictures example I added at the end.

The Butterfly Lion KS1 and KS2 teaching resources - BBC Teach

Roger McGough’s poems based on the Carnival of the Animals will provide a starting point for children’s own writing, whilst in art, works by Chagall, Miro and Seurat referencing the circus will support discussion of style and developing mixed media work. Natalie Cassidy named The Butterfly Lion as her favourite book on the BBC Bringing Books to Life feature. Invite into school a representative from a local animal rescue centre to talk his/her work on returning animals to the wild.After five baths, he was finally clean, and completely white. Have you ever seen a white lion before? No? Clare Pearson is deputy headteacher at Summerbank Primary School in Stoke. Previously, Clare was the Primary Advisory English Teacher for Stoke-on-Trent. Share your best topic The children use this plot outline in a new setting (safari park, school, park etc.) ‘stealing’ some of the language features from the model to retell their own story, initially orally and then in writing.

LKS2 Michael Morpurgo Reading Comprehension - Twinkl LKS2 Michael Morpurgo Reading Comprehension - Twinkl

Some books make you laugh, don't they? And other books make you hold your breath, because you can't believe what's about to happen next. Other books make you feel sad, because, the writer has made you care for the characters so much. Well, I have to tell you, that this book has all of that. I'm never going to forget reading this book. Emotion/Emoji Word Bank: Create a word bank of emotion-related words (e.g., joyful, worried, excited) on the board, linking them to corresponding emojis. Ask children to rate the books they read based on their emotions.How different would life be if your best friend ware a lion? This is just one of the questions explored by Michael Morpurgo in The Butterfly Lion. Told through recollections of a childhood friend, we are plunged into the past to learn about Bertie’s time growing up in South Africa, his transferral to an English boarding school and subsequently his role as a soldier in the First World War. However it is the themes of friendship, loyalty and overcoming the odds that children will identify with most in this wide-ranging tale. Key Stage 1 1. Introducing the text and between the lion cub and the hyenas, shouting at them to go away. They didn't. They stood and watched, uncertain for a while, then they began to circle again. Closer. Closer. Before he leaves South Africa, Bertie promises, that one day, no matter what it takes, he will find his lion again. Do you think he does? Well... Many years later, a school-boy discovers the answer, when he sees another lion, on the side of a hill in England.

The Butterfly Lion | Hamilton Brookes The Butterfly Lion | Hamilton Brookes

He threw open the gate, and charged down the hill towards the water hole, yelling and screaming, and waving his arms like a wild thing. Startled at this sudden intrusion, the hyenas turned-tail and ran. But not far. Once within range, Bertie hurled a broadside of pebbles at them, and they ran off again. But again, not far. Then he was at the water hole, Bertie and Millie first meet when a kite becomes caught in a tree. Design and build simple kites using dowelling, plastic bags (or paper) and string. This will support work on 2D/3D shape, measuring and properties of materials. For many children this may be their first experience of flying a kite and their feelings from this could be captured through diary or poetry writing. There was impala meat, whenever he wanted it. And as he grew, and he grew fast, he wanted more and more of it. For the first time in his life, Bertie was totally happy." But... it doesn't last. Soon, Bertie is sent away to a school in England, and the lion cub is sold, to a circus in France. Wales - Progression Step 2/3 Languages, Literacy and Communication: Literature fires imagination and inspires creativity.

A helpful way to introduce children to the human impact of the war would be to use One Boy’s War by Lynn Huggins-Cooper. This picture book tells the story of 16-year-old Sydney’s decision to join-up in 1914 and the effect it has on him and his family. The children could create a scrapbook for Bertie (or Sydney from this story) as they research the War further and learn about recruitment, training and life in the trenches. 5. Roll-up roll-up! Why not involve the children in making ‘afternoon tea’ as served by Millie? As part of this mini project, design and build a cake stand (cardboard versions available online could be used as part of research); write and send invites; make sandwiches and bake scones. You could extend this further by charging people to attend and getting the children to work out the costs involved and therefore how much to charge to break even or make a profit.

The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo, Christian Birmingham The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo, Christian Birmingham

The Butterfly Lion is not the only one of Michael Morpurgo’s books to feature a cat. Kaspar – Prince of Cats, Tom’s Sausage Lion, Mossop’s Last Chance, Adolphus Tips and The Nine Lives of Montezuma are also about cats. Michael Morpurgo was unhappy at boarding school, and, when he was seven, he ran away. These experiences made it into The Butterfly Lion. I’m the English Coordinator at a small little school and I took on the task last year of developing a guided reading programme for KS2 as I noticed this was missing from the school. We are kept wondering about the fate of the lion, whilst following Bertie’s journey from boyhood to life as a soldier in the French trenches during WWI. It is in this foreign land that Bertie discovers what has become of the lion cub or ‘Le Prince Blanc’ as he is also known. 3. Writing opportunities The story begins in the present, with a boy running away from school. As readers, we never learn the name of this boy, whose main role is to be our advocate inside the narrative, asking the questions we would like to ask and delving further into Bertie’s life.England - KS1/KS2 English: Develop positive attitudes to reading and understanding of what they read. Actress Natalie Cassidy reads extracts from 'The Butterfly Lion' by Michael Morpurgo, and illustrated by Christian Birmingham. As the plot begins to unfold, our young runaway meetsa mysterious, but kindly old lady who (over tea and scones) draws him and the reader into the story of another child, Bertie. We learn he grew up on a remote farm in South Africa living in a closed compound with little company. One day, looking beyond the walls, he is entranced at the sight of a white lion cub and his mother drinking at the waterhole. This book, The Butterfly Lion, is such a wonderful story. It's about a boy called Bertie. He lives with his parents, on a remote farm in the wild countryside of South Africa. Northern, Ireland - KS1/KS2 Language and Literacy: Extend the range of their reading and develop their own preferences.