Journey to the source of the Nile - Christopher Ondaatje

Where was Christopher Ondaatje born?

What does a 'philanthropist' do?

When Ondaatje went to Canada, he had virtually no money or savings.  True or false?

Which event did Ondaatje take part in during the 1964 Olympics?

What does the word 'urban' mean in the context of our extract?  Select the correct definition.

Considering the writer's perspective

﻿Welcome to today's English lesson. I'm Mrs. Crompton. Our focus today is approaching unseen non-fiction texts. You will need a pen and paper. Take a moment to make sure you've cleared any distractions away and have everything you need to hand. To begin with, a reminder of the areas of focus we adopt when we are looking at unseen reading material. Summarising, considering thoughts and feelings, thinking about the writer's perspective, considering the writer's method, and then expanding our thinking to consider big picture ideas. To begin with today, I would like you to have a look at the following image of a 19th century bazaar, so a marketplace. And what I would like you to do is to pause your video at this point, and to respond to the two prompts on the screen. Five details you notice from this image, and then also to consider what you think the atmosphere would be like there. Pause the video, resume when you're ready. So today, we're going to be looking at an extract titled "The Bazaars of Baghdad," and it's written by Isabella Bird. She was a famous 19th century traveller who wrote about her experiences. In this extract, she describes the markets in Baghdad, which was then a city in Persia. Now, it's the capital of Iraq. Okay, let's begin. So the extract has been split into three sections. You will see prompt questions running along the bottom of the screen, and they will be picked out in green, and they will help you to activate your ideas, give you a focus. I would like you to record your responses on lined paper. When you record your responses, try and include evidence to support your ideas and, wherever possible, to write in full sentences and develop a more extended piece of writing. When we've done that, we'll pause. Then, we will have a look at a review together. As we look at the review, you will have the opportunity to look over your work, refine your work, improve, and also assess your progress, okay? If we're ready to begin, I'll just show you the first screen so that you know exactly what we're doing. Track the key events and reactions in the opening section. So what we need to do is to track what's happening and how Bird is feeling, and select the evidence to support your ideas. Control is over with you. Pause at the end of each screen so that you can take down your details, then pause entirely to review your ideas and write up your response. I'll be waiting for you when you're ready. Off you go. Welcome back. So let's have a look at a review together. In this review, you will see that I have picked out my evidence in pink to show you how it can be embedded. I will read through it once with you, and then you will have the opportunity to take control and to really slow down the review process against your own piece of writing. Okay, Isabella Bird is in the bazaars of Baghdad and writes as if she's still walking around them, giving us a detailed description of what she sees. Did anybody else notice that? I felt like I was walking with her. She differentiates between the different types of bazaar and comments on the conditions, with some being "ramshackle" and "of splendour there is none anywhere." However, she does not suggest she doesn't want to be there. So she's not uncomfortable. She's interested, curious. "The old, narrow, and filthy bazaars "in which the gold and silversmiths ply their trade "are of all the most interesting." She seems to be fascinated by what she is seeing and makes a note of all the details, "the trades have their separate localities." Bird is a curious observer and seems to want to see more. So I've tried to capture her feeling. I didn't feel that she was disgusted, or frightened, or anxious, but very much interested in recording information quite faithfully as to what she is seeing, and certainly very interested in certain areas of the market. Okay, so control is now over to you. You can review the response, add to your own. What we're aiming for is a comprehensive model answer. Okay, over to you. And welcome back. So next step, next extract section, we are going to look at what we learn next. As we do this, link back to what you've just read. So she seemed quite happy in her environment, interested, intrigued. Now, we're going to look at what's happening now. How is she feeling? And, again, select evidence to support your ideas. Control is over to you. Make sure that you review all of your ideas, write up as comprehensive a response as you can, ready for us to actually monitor that progress together in our review section. Okay, I'll be waiting for you to do the review. And welcome back, again. So let's have a look at what happened next. Bird continues to note the sights and sounds of the bazaars, but her attention is particularly taken by the women and their appearance. She seems fascinated by what they wear and notices differences in social class and status based on where she sees them and what they are doing. In the bazaars themselves, there are the poorest women, "shapeless, badly-made-up bundles, "carried mysteriously along, rather by high, loose, "canary-yellow leather boots than by feet." Her description suggests she is intrigued by them as they are mysterious to her. She describes several coverings that are worn by different women, but the detail that really seems to fascinate her is the tattooing of the Arab women. Bird zooms in to describe how she saw several ladies "tattooed with two wreaths of blue flowers on their bosoms "linked by a blue chain, palm fronds on the throat, "stars on the brow and chin, "and bands round the wrists and ankles." Although Bird implies that she considers the tattoos to be "disfigurements," she's captivated by the detail. The tattoos and the attention they bring seem to be in juxtaposition to the wearing of the coverings, suggesting that Bird's expectations of the women have been subverted. So within this response again, tracking through, and there's definitely a focus on the women, which makes sense. Bird is looking as a female traveller at the women of Baghdad. When she notices the tattoos, I thought it was interesting that it seems to take her by surprise. I don't think Bird was expecting to see this, and that's why I've put in my suggestion at the end that it subverts her expectations. Okay, control is back over with you. You can now add to your response, refine your response, pause, and take down any additional details. I'll be waiting for you to look at the final section. And welcome back. So before we begin our final part of the extract, we're going to just pause and remind ourselves that, as we read, we're not just going to track the literal meaning of the text. We're actually just going to think a little bit more deeply about what else this text is suggesting to us. What are we learning about mankind and society? So on the screen is a reminder of four types of conflict that we can look at when we look at texts. We know that this isn't an exhaustive list, but it's a starting point, and really quite helpful to get us thinking. Are we seeing man versus man, man versus nature, man versus himself, or man versus society? What does it tell us about what Bird is learning or what we are learning as readers? Okay. How does the extract conclude? Track the events and consider how the end of the extract concludes. What is Bird's feeling now? So how is she feeling now? And what conflicts can you identify? Now within this idea of what is Bird feeling now, think about how she started. Always notice if there are any changes. Also, in terms of the conflict aspect, I have picked out, you can see it on this first screen, certain details I've highlighted for you to try and help you think about what the conflict might be. Okay? So I've given you a little bit of extra support. Okay, over to you. Same practise. Read through, take your notes, write it up, and then we will review together. I'll see you very soon. And welcome back. So let's have a look at our final review. Bird moves beyond the bazaars and gives an overview of Baghdad. She takes us to the wealthy district "the best parts of the city" with "picturesque" windows and courtyards filled with orange trees and palms. She then describes how the streets grow meaner as we almost physically travel with her to the outskirts filled with "holes, heaps, rubbish, "the slaughter of animals, and in some favoured spots "to the production of vegetables." So I've noticed at the end, we've still got that sense that we're travelling with her, but now we've gone beyond the bazaar, and we're looking outside the streets, and we can start to see some real differences in society in terms of wealth. Bird creates a contrast between rich and poor. So there's my conflict. This could be a man versus society conflict, but it feels more like a man versus man separation where one group ignores the needs of the other. So I've differentiated there. Poverty is often a social issue. However, it almost feels like the two communities are really separate, so I wanted to put man versus man. Finally, at the close of the passage, there's a further conflict presented as man is presented in contrast to nature. Man, including the rich who are within the walls of Baghdad, is described as being part of "every element of decay and meanness," whereas nature offers the only real glimpse of "grandeur." Now, this last part, a little bit more subtle as a point. I've thought quite hard about this, but there's a really interesting detail where Bird stops at the end and makes a comment about everything that's within the walls of Baghdad, and the beauty that's actually on the outside, and I felt that that was an indication of man versus nature. So I've managed to put two or three ideas in that final paragraph. Okay, so it's over to you for your final review, refine, and create that model of excellence. I'll be waiting for you when you've finished. Well done. So all that remains for me to say is please don't forget to complete the exit quiz. Thank you for your focus today and enjoy the rest of your learning.

The Bazaars of Baghdad - Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan - Isabella Bird

What is a bazaar?

What fascinated Isabella Bird the most about the Arab women?

All of the bazaars are indoors - true or false?

Which word is the best synonym for 'squalid'?

What is a 'labyrinth'?  Select the most appropriate definition.

Approaching pre-1900 unseen non-fiction texts

In this lesson, we will be looking at how to approach pre-1900 unseen non-fiction texts by reading Isabella Bird's 'The Bazaars of Baghdad - Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan' . We will be using a strategy to work through the text systematically, tracing what we are told (events) and how the writer feels about them (attitude / thoughts). We will also be moving from a 'literal' understanding of the text to thinking about the 'big picture' meanings that a text has to offer - what does it tell us about mankind or human nature?

Lesson overview:Approaching pre-1900 unseen fiction texts

Language Skills - Non-Fiction - Reading: