To explore the problem from different characters' perspectives

Key Stage 1

English

The Eagle Who Thought He Was A Chicken: characters and problems

﻿Hello super storytellers, and welcome to this English lesson. My name is Ms. Cashin and this is our third lesson where we are learning the story, "The Eagle Who Thought He Was a Chicken." We know that story so well now. So today we're going to think really carefully about the problem in this story. It's really important in a great story, that the problem really matters. And the problem in this story, is when the eagle realises that he might not be a chicken, after all. He feels really upset. He doesn't know who he is, he feels really confused and that is a real problem for our character. So today we are going to explore that problem from some different perspectives. We are going to talk to the farmer, we are going to talk to Mother Hen and we're going to talk to the owl to find out what they think about the problem in this story. Today, we're going to start today's lesson with some spellings. Then you're going to listen to an interview with the farmer to find out what he thinks about the problem in this story. Then you are going to interview Mother Hen and ask her what she thinks about the problem in this story, then I am going to interview you as the owl. You don't need a piece of paper or a pencil for today's lesson. All you need is your brilliant, brilliant brain which I am sure you have already. So let's get started with our spellings. We are looking at the sound that we learned about in Lesson One of this unit. We are looking at the il sound. il, il, il, fantastic. And we're looking at at it when it's spelt I-L at the end a word. So we learned the word, can you remember? I remember pencil. That's got I-L at the end. We also learned the word fossil. Fantastic. Oh, I remember the other one, we learnt the word, nostril. Point to your nostrils, fantastic, okay. I have got a new word here that ends in il spelt I-L and it starts with an E or it might be an e sound. What word could it be? E-il, e-il. Let's have a look at the next letter. E V. So ev or ev, ev, ev, do know what that word is? Can you tell me? I heard some people say it. There it is, evil. Evil, fantastic. In this word, we have got the il sound spelt I-L at the end. Let's look at our next word. It begins with a P. What could it be? Oh, there's a bit more of the word it says P-U-P pup but I know that's not how it's pronounced this word , is actually something that is in your eye is a part of your eye. And it begins pu, pu, pu Does anyone know what that word is? Can you tell me? I heard some amazing learners say it there it is, pupil, pupil, pupil, pupil. My pupils are black. I have two pupils. Fantastic, sometimes we use the word pupil for students as well when we're talking about school. I might say I have 30 pupils in my class so pupil has the il sound I-L at the end as well. Okay, our next word begins with a st, st. Okay. Let's see if we can add anything else. Oh, sten, sten, Sten-il, sten-il. Now I can give you a clue. This word is something that we might use for art or something we might use for drawing. Sten. Does anyone know what this word is? Can you tell me? I had some superstar say it stencil, stencil. Let's have a look at it. There it is stencil, and the il sound is spelt I-L. It's also got a C for the sound. So there's two rules we need to remember with word stencil. Well done superstars. Here is your activity for today. I have got our three new words all jumbled up evil, pupil and stencil. Pause the video and see if you can unscramble these words so that you spell them right. Well done super spellers. Let's have a look. There they are, evil, pupil, stencil. Pause the video again, and see if you have spelt these words right and you can give yourself three big ticks. Or if you've made a mistake, cross it out and write it out correctly. Well done super spellers. Now you're going to listen to an interview with the farmer to find out what he thinks about the problem. I am all ready to interview the farmer now. So here I go. What did you think about Mother Hen raising the Eagles like chickens?

I think Mother Hen did a wonderful thing. She raised those eaglets as if they were her own chicks. And she loved them just the same. I know that the eaglets weren't really chickens, but they were so happy being chickens that it really, really didn't matter. They loved their life on the farm, and they loved Mother Hen. So I think she did a wonderful, wonderful thing. Also their parents were shot dead. I had no choice but to give them to the kindest and most loving bird that I knew.

What did you think about the eagles' clucking like chickens, scratching like chickens, eating like chickens and even hiding from eagle.

As I said, I really don't think that it matters. The eaglets had such a lovely upbringing. And they really, really enjoyed acting like chickens. And they really, really fitted in. The only thing I regret is that they thought that they couldn't fly for a very, very, very long time. So I do feel a little bit sad that we didn't tell them that they were eagles and they could fly. But they were just so happy and having such a lovely time. I don't think it matters that they were scratching like chickens and clucking like chickens and eating like chickens because they were in a family that loved them.

What do you think about what the owl to Brother Eagle?

I am really upset still about what the owl did. He wasn't part of our family. It wasn't his business and the way he did it was just so unkind laughing and laughing and laughing at poor Brother Eagle. He was confused, he was so upset. And it was a real problem for him because he didn't know what to think about himself. So I really don't like that the way the owl did it because I thought it was quite unkind. However, he did help Brother Eagle to learn that he can fly. And he also helped Brother Eagle to accept that he can be a bit of an eagle, a bit of a chicken. It really, really doesn't matter. But I do think the way he did it was a little bit mean.

Can you please let us know, what are the eagles up to now?

Absolutely. The Eagles are doing really, really, really, really well. They still like to spend some days as eagles and they soar through the sky and they hunt the rats and mice by themselves and they sometimes live up in the mountains. But they still come back to the chicken coop and they see Mother Hen and they see their brothers and sisters and they still enjoy acting like chickens, they still enjoy that side of their personality and being able to scratch at the dirt and eat grubs, and cluck like chicken. So at the moment, we've got a really great situation.

Well done for listening to our interview with the farmer. Now we know his perspective on the problem. Now you are going to be the interviewer and I am going to be Mother Hen and we will find out what she thinks about the problem in this story. Here we go. Here is your first question. What did you think about raising two eaglets? Magnet eyes on the question. Have a practise saying it yourself. What did you think about raising to eaglets? Okay, let's see if you can ask Mother Hen the question now and I will get my microphone. Okay. Can you ask me the question now?

It was a little strange at first because when they hatch, I didn't know that they were eagles because I didn't know that the farmer had slipped them in with the rest of my eggs. But by the time I realised that they weren't chickens, they were eagles, it didn't bother me at all. I just raised them like I raised all of my children. I loved them so much. They fitted into our family so well, and they were really, really happy living their life as chickens.

Here's your next question for Mother Hen. Have a look. How did you feel when the eaglets began to act like chickens? How did you feel when the eaglets began to act like chickens? Have a practise of it yourself. Get it in your head. Okay, ask me the question now.

I really just felt happy that they were clucking and scratching and eating and enjoying themselves. So I didn't really think about whether they should or shouldn't be acting like chickens, because they were so happy. So that's all that I really cared about. I did worry a little bit when they were hiding from other eagles because they thought maybe they should know that they don't need to be scared of the eagles like the other chickens do. But because they were so happy, and because they had such a good time with their brothers and sisters it didn't really bother me, so I didn't really think of it as a problem.

Here's your next question for Mother Hen. Magnet eyes, let's read it together. What do you think of the owl laughing at Brother Eaglet? What do you think of the owl laughing at Brother Eaglet? Have a look. Get it in your head. Okay, ready to ask Mother Hen. Here we go.

Oh, I am still upset about it to be honest with you. Brother Eaglet was right when he said he's an unusual kind of chicken because he had lived his whole life as a chicken. He knows the chicken way of life. So I agree with him, when he said he's a bit of an unusual sort of chicken. And he's just a bit different. I know that his beak was longer and his wings were wider, and his claws were sharper. And maybe it did look a bit silly to other people that he was acting like a chicken, but there's no reason to laugh at him or to poke fun at him or to say to him, you are not a chicken. You are an eagle 'cause it really upset Brother Eaglet. He didn't know what to do. His whole identity, he felt had been ripped apart. So I thought the way he did it was very unkind also, as I'm sure the farmer has said, he's not in our family. So I really didn't feel that he was his place to tell him straightaway, especially when he was laughing at him just for being different.

Well done superstars, you're such good interviewers. Let's have a look at this question. Why didn't you tell them they were eagles? Why didn't you tell them they were eagles. So hear you're going to really be asking Mother Hen, do you think you maybe created this problem? Could you have told them before? So get the question ready in your heads, so you are ready to answer it. Here we go ask me the question.

I didn't tell them they were eagles because I really just didn't think that it mattered. They were so happy as chickens. And still today, I don't think of them as eagles. I think of them as my children, whether they're eagles or chicken and however they act, they can be whoever they want to be, as long as they are true to themselves and they are happy with who they are. So I didn't tell them there that they are eagles. I do think now that I probably did need to tell them at some point that they could fly, and that they could eat things other than grubs and seeds. That they could eat rats and mice but maybe would have done that when they were a little bit older 'cause they were only eaglets at the time.

Well done, you're an amazing interviewer. Okay, last question. How do you feel now they know they are eagles? Have another read? How do you feel now they know they are eagles? Get it ready in your head, have a practise. Okay, ask Mother Hen the question.

I feel like I'm very happy. But I don't really agree with this question, how do you feel now that they know they are eagles? They know that they're themselves. Sometimes they are really proud eagles soaring through the sky, but sometimes they still like to come home and scratch at the dirt and eat grubs and say hello to their wonderful Mother Hen. So I feel happy that they know who they are and that they can fly and that they can eat rats and mice and do things that they really enjoy doing. But they know that they are still special eagles or special chickens. It depends how they feel that day.

Well done for interviewing Mother Hen so brilliantly. Now it is your turn to do some acting. I am going to interview you as the owl. So can you flap your wings? Can you show me your beak? Can you show me your best owl off you go. Oh, I heard some brilliant owls. Right we are all ready to be owls. Okay. I'm going to ask you this question in a moment. Why did you laugh at the eaglets when you saw him walking along, scratching and eating grubs and not flying and clucking? Why did you laugh at the eaglet? Have a think. Maybe you are the owl. Why did you laugh at the eaglet? Okay I'm going to ask you the question now with my microphone. Why did you laugh at the eaglet? I heard some owl say that they laughed at the eaglet 'cause he's just looked so silly. I heard some owls say they didn't mean to laugh at him. It just came out because he was such a big eagle looking so scared and nervous. Next question, brilliant acting. Why didn't you let him think he was a chicken? So why didn't you let him just keep thinking that he was a chicken? Why did you tell him? Get your answer ready? Why didn't you let him think he was a chicken? Okay, here we go. Why didn't you let him think he was a chicken? Very interesting answers owls. I heard one learner say that they didn't let him think that he was a chicken because they thought that was ridiculous. He is an eagle. He needs to be told he's an eagle. It's as simple as that. So I don't think that the owl thinks that this problem needs to be a problem. I think he thinks it can be very easily solved. How do you feel about your choice to fly up and drop the eaglets? Remember, he says "get on my back." He flies up and drops and then he learns that he can fly. Have a think. How do you feel about doing that? Do you think it was a good choice? What happened because you made that choice? Would you do something differently if you did it again? Let's have a think. Okay, here we go. How do you feel about your choice to fly up and drop the eaglet? I've heard some people say that they feel really good about that choice because that really solved the problem. Brother Eaglet didn't feel sad anymore about maybe not being a chicken. He thought, here's some great things about being a chicken and here's some great things about being an eagle as well. So I can do both of those things. I had some learners say that he was being so stubborn and saying, I'm not an eagle. I'm not, I'm not listening to you. I'm just an unusual chicken. That he could prove to him that he could fly like an eagle. What do you think about how the eaglets live now. So we know that now the eaglets well they're eagles now they really enjoy spending some days as an eagle, some days as chickens and they really, really like that. So have a think as the owl. What do you think about how the eaglets live now? Get your answer ready. Okay, here we go. What do you think about how the eaglets live now? Okay, I heard one learner say that they think it's fantastic that because the owl has intervened and has helped them to realise that they're eagles that they can live their life however they want. They can be a bit of an eagle, a bit of a chicken. Well done super storytellers for all of your brilliant thinking in this lesson you have worked really, really hard. Remember, you can always share your work with Oak National. So if you have a video of you being the owl or interviewing Mother Hen I would love to see it. So remember you can always share your work if your parent or carer would like you to. So you can share it on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter tagging @OakNational and #LearnwithOak. Well done superstars. In our next lesson, we're going to be looking at doing some writing all about this story. So I hope to see you then. Bye

To explore the problem from different characters' perspectives

To explore the problem from different characters' perspectives

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UnitEnglish / The Eagle Who Thought He Was A Chicken: characters and problems

English