Learning to fly

Learning to fly

A trip to adulthood

Task

Can you see the story behind the images? Work in 3 groups and click on the link here to develop the story.

We can further develop our story by using some narrative techniques eg. flashback, storyline, monologue e.t.c.Some examples are provided for you.

Backgroung information

Desription

Zooming in on the story

Storyline

A flock of birds was flying in formation.

it looked up

One day, as it was singing

It plunged into thinking.

Flashback

Monologue

There was a blackbird once, which was very solitary. It perched on the branches of its favourite tree and never flew away.

It had never seen anything so beautiful before!

‘Perhaps I should try to fly, at least once’.

When you talk about the steps in the storyline, you use ............................................................................ When you pause the storyline and introduce a description, you use ...................................................

Past Perfect and Past Simple

Past Simple vs Past Progressive

Past Perfect and Past Perfect Progressive

The screenshots are based on a song Paul McCartney wrote called "Blackbird".If you don't know who Paul McCartney is, click on his name below to find out.

Paul McCartney

HERE are Paul McCartney's words about the "Blackbird" song the screenshots were based on. Are these words related to our story? If yes, how? If no, explain why.

HERE

Now, listen to the Beatles song ("Paul McCartney - Blackbird (Live)") on YouTube and make a note of words or phrases expressing positive or negative ideas.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night Take these broken wings and learn to fly All your life You were only waiting for this moment to arise Blackbird singing in the dead of night Take these sunken eyes and learn to see All your life You were only waiting for this moment to be free Blackbird, fly, Blackbird, fly, Into the light of the dark black night (2)

singing

dead of night

broken wings

learn to fly

arise

sunken eyes

learn to see

to be free

Words/phrases expressing negative ideas

Words/phrases expressing positive ideas

fly

dark black night

Richard Bach,Jonathan Livingston Seagull

To the realJonathan Seagull, who lives within us all.

PART ONE It was morning, and the new sun sparkled gold across the ripples of a gentle sea. A mile from the shore a fishing boat chummed the water and the word for Breakfast Flock flashed through the air, till a crowd of a thousand seagulls came to dodge and fight for bits of food. It was another busy day beginning. But way off alone, out by himself beyond boat and shore, Jonathan Livingston Seagull was practising.

ripples

chummed

dodge

click HERE to check for new words

After reading the text, do the following vocabulary quiz.

Reflect on Jonathan's portrait. Choose the adjectives that match his portrait from the list below .

headstrong

solitary

chicken-hearted

bold

flexible

daring

arrogant

revolutionary

decisive

submissive

dynamic

risky

resourceful

single-minded

cowardly

a non-conformist

You can read more about the ideas presented in the book from the following book blurb beside.

Can you guess the symbolism of "flying" in Jonathan Livingston Seagull? Click here to check your answers.

here

bravery

freedom

dreams come true

perfection

Click on the link below to join a live discussion and create a post interpreting one of the themes of JOnathan Livingston Seagull

live discussion wall

You have seen an announcement in an international magazine asking young people to submit their articles for publication in the forthcoming issue. Read the brief summary of the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach and write an article (120-150 words) in order to a) describe the personality of the protagonist in the story and b) elaborate on any of the issues it raises, relating it to young people and you.

an article

describe the personality of the protagonist

elaborate on any of the issues it raises, relating it to young

people and you.

who is going to read your article?

what will the content be?

who are you?

what are you going to write?

readers of the international magazine

a student/young person

You may use any chatbot for extra help and ideas. Yet, do not forget to use your own ideas, or modify any idea offered by the chatbot, too. The questions that follow in the next slides will give you helpful tips on how to write your article.

Now that you have learned about Jonathan Livingston Seagull and what he designates, it's time to find out more about Richard Bach, the author of the book. Study the pictures below and make guesses about him.

Richard David Bach (born June 23, 1936)[1] is an American writer. He has written numerous flight-related works of fiction and non-fiction.

In 1970, Bach In 1970, Bach participated in Roger Corman's production Von Richthofen and Brown, in Ireland

Most of Bach's books have been semi-autobiographical, using actual or fictionalized events from his life to illustrate his philosophy. His books espouse his philosophy that our apparent physical limits and mortality are merely appearance.

His books related to flying in a metaphorical context

Bach is noted for his love of

Read the text on the right and click on the link below to do a comprehension quiz.

Then click on the button below to watch the trailer of the film. Comment on the feelings aroused.

Now do the vocabulary quiz that follows

Now do the assessment quiz and assess yourself and the activities

“I had in mind a black woman, rather than a bird. Those were the days of the civil rights movement, which all of us cared passionately about, so this was really a song from me to a black woman, experiencing these problems in the States: 'Let me encourage you to keep trying, to keep your faith, there is hope.' As is often the case with my things, a veiling took place so, rather than say 'Black woman living in Little Rock*' and be very specific, she became a bird, became symbolic, so you could apply it to your particular problem”.

“I had in mind a black woman, rather than a bird. Those were the days of the civil rights movement, which all of us cared passionately about, so this was really a song from me to a black woman, experiencing these problems in the States: 'Let me encourage you to keep trying, to keep your faith, there is hope.' As is often the case with my things, a veiling took place so, rather than say 'Black woman living in Little Rock*' and be very specific, she became a bird, became symbolic, so you could apply it to your particular problem”.

In the end, it ...

It was night. A blackbird ...

“I had in mind a black woman, rather than a bird. Those were the days of the civil rights movement, which all of us cared passionately about, so this was really a song from me to a black woman, experiencing these problems in the States: 'Let me encourage you to keep trying, to keep your faith, there is hope.' As is often the case with my things, a veiling took place so, rather than say 'Black woman living in Little Rock*' and be very specific, she became a bird, became symbolic, so you could apply it to your particular problem”.

At some point the blackbird ...

We can further develop our story to include a background, monologue, description as well as a flashback. Some examples are provided for you. What verb forms are used?