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RSRT Y6 L4 Digging for Victory

Literacy Counts

Created on August 5, 2025

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Transcript

Ready Steady Read Together

Digging for Victory: Poetry Lesson 4

What do you think you know?

What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?

Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.

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What do you know and think?

Like a cuckoo, he’s taken over the nest that Ralph has only just flown…and like put-upon birds, we are expected to feed him and show him kindness…

How might this extract link to the illustration?

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From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Today's Question(s)

A) How does the author create a sense of tension or discomfort in the passage?

B) What expectations are placed on Bonnie due to Mr Fisher’s arrival?

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Let me read today's text

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Mr Fisher’s cold expression doesn’t thaw as he stands

s t i f f l y by the fire.

Friday 3rd January 1941

But when I open the door the very next morningand see the scrawny RAF officer standing ankle-deep in snow, I know it’s for real. Not a conchie, but a man, all the same.

He has a faraway look in his ice-blue eyes and when he stares into his tea without drinking, it’s clear he’d rather be somewhere else; doing something different, with people who aren’t us.

And everything inside turns cold.

Mr Fisher? Mother asks, untying her apron. He holds out his hand and gives a quick nod but his face looks as frosty as the frozen fields behind him.

Mother chatters and fusses like she does around Father when he comes in out of the snow. But, unlike Father, he simply nods, and barely opens his mouth to speak.

Come in, come in! Mother shuts the door, hurriedly puts another log on the fire and the kettle on the stove.

But the cold has come in now.

And when he does, his crotchety voice seems to speak from

And, somehow, I think it’s here to stay.

miles away.

From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

How can that horrible old man just arrive in our house and expect us to make it his home?

I really don’t like this Mr Fisher. And I wish he were somewhere else too, doing something different, with people who aren’t us.

Like a cuckoo, he’s taken over the nest that Ralph has only just flown.

And what on earth is he doing here anyway?

And like put-upon birds, we are expected to feed him and show him kindness so that he can get on with whatever it is that he does.

Bonnie, says Mother, later in the day, you’re to be polite to Mr Fisher and show him respect.

When Mother takes the tea tray back to the kitchen, I try to be polite and tell him about Ralph: how he’s going to be a hero of the skies at just nineteen (I think it might be of interest, him being RAF and all), but the way he says Is that so, doesn’t sound like a question at all. He stops listening altogether, and just looks out of the window.

We’ve got to make him feel at home – he’ll be eating with us at our table. You’re to keep quiet outside his room and give him no reason to grumble.

You’re to offer him food before you take yours and accept if it means having less. You’re to keep your belongings up in your room and refrain from making a mess.

From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

From now on, his is the chair by the fire and he’s to read any books of his choosing. You’re to make tea on Saturdays at half past ten and polish his shoes every evening.

Oh, and under absolutely no circumstances whatsoever are you to ask him ANY questions. Is that understood?

Not understood. Not understood. Not understood in the slightest.

And what is that anyway? Why is he here? Why isn’t he playing his part?

There’s nothing for an officer to do on this farm.

Especially not an unsmiling one.

Not understood. Not understood. Not understood in the slightest.

From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Vocabulary

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Hover for definitions!

scrawny

faraway look

conchie

crochety

refrain

absolutely no circumstances whatsoever

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From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

I will model the first.

Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner

scrawny

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Find Read Talk

Friday 3rd January 1941

But when I open the door the very next morningand see the scrawny RAF officer standing ankle-deep in snow, I know it’s for real. Not a conchie, but a man, all the same.

Reveal Vocabulary

From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

scrawny

Your turn

conchie

Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner

faraway look

crochety

refrain

absolutely no circumstances whatsoever

Use your text

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Vocabulary Check & Re-read

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Reveal Vocabulary

Mr Fisher’s cold expression doesn’t thaw as he stands

s t i f f l y by the fire.

Friday 3rd January 1941

But when I open the door the very next morningand see the scrawny RAF officer standing ankle-deep in snow, I know it’s for real. Not a conchie, but a man, all the same.

He has a faraway look in his ice-blue eyes and when he stares into his tea without drinking, it’s clear he’d rather be somewhere else; doing something different, with people who aren’t us.

And everything inside turns cold.

Mr Fisher? Mother asks, untying her apron. He holds out his hand and gives a quick nod but his face looks as frosty as the frozen fields behind him.

Mother chatters and fusses like she does around Father when he comes in out of the snow. But, unlike Father, he simply nods, and barely opens his mouth to speak.

Come in, come in! Mother shuts the door, hurriedly puts another log on the fire and the kettle on the stove.

But the cold has come in now.

And when he does, his crotchety voice seems to speak from

And, somehow, I think it’s here to stay.

miles away.

Explore

From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Reveal Vocabulary

How can that horrible old man just arrive in our house and expect us to make it his home?

I really don’t like this Mr Fisher. And I wish he were somewhere else too, doing something different, with people who aren’t us.

Like a cuckoo, he’s taken over the nest that Ralph has only just flown.

And what on earth is he doing here anyway?

And like put-upon birds, we are expected to feed him and show him kindness so that he can get on with whatever it is that he does.

Bonnie, says Mother, later in the day, you’re to be polite to Mr Fisher and show him respect.

When Mother takes the tea tray back to the kitchen, I try to be polite and tell him about Ralph: how he’s going to be a hero of the skies at just nineteen (I think it might be of interest, him being RAF and all), but the way he says Is that so, doesn’t sound like a question at all. He stops listening altogether, and just looks out of the window.

We’ve got to make him feel at home – he’ll be eating with us at our table. You’re to keep quiet outside his room and give him no reason to grumble.

You’re to offer him food before you take yours and accept if it means having less. You’re to keep your belongings up in your room and refrain from making a mess.

Explore

From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Reveal Vocabulary

From now on, his is the chair by the fire and he’s to read any books of his choosing. You’re to make tea on Saturdays at half past ten and polish his shoes every evening.

Oh, and under absolutely no circumstances whatsoever are you to ask him ANY questions. Is that understood?

Not understood. Not understood. Not understood in the slightest.

And what is that anyway? Why is he here? Why isn’t he playing his part?

There’s nothing for an officer to do on this farm.

Especially not an unsmiling one.

Not understood. Not understood. Not understood in the slightest.

Explore

From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Fluency

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Let me use my reader's voice...

He holds out his hand and gives a quick nod but his face looks as frosty as the frozen fields behind him. Come in, come in! Mother shuts the door, hurriedly puts another log on the fire and the kettle on the stove. But the cold has come in now. And, somehow, I think it’s here to stay.

What did you notice?

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From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

My Turn
Your Turn

Echo Read

He holds out his hand and gives a quick nod

but his face looks as frosty as the frozen fields behind him.

Come in, come in!

Mother shuts the door, hurriedly puts another log on the fire and the kettle on the stove.

But the cold has come in now.

And, somehow, I think it’s here to stay.

Explore

From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Sound like a reader!
Stand up!

Choral Read

He holds out his hand and gives a quick nod but his face looks as frosty as the frozen fields behind him. Come in, come in! Mother shuts the door, hurriedly puts another log on the fire and the kettle on the stove. But the cold has come in now. And, somehow, I think it’s here to stay.

Explore

From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Strategy Focus

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Strategy: Read Between the Lines

A) How does the author create a sense of tension or discomfort in the passage?

Be a detective and look for clues!

Teach

Let me show you

Reveal Text Marks

But when I open the door the very next morningand see the scrawny RAF officer standing ankle-deep in snow, I know it’s for real. Not a conchie, but a man, all the same.

A) How does the author create a sense of tension or discomfort in the passage?

The use of the word scrawny makes the officer appear weak or unhealthy while ‘ankle-deep in snow’ shows the harsh, uncomfortable setting. The words ‘not a conchie but a man all the same’ adds tension as during WW2, some people were suspicious of those who didn’t fight. Although he is a soldier, it’s unclear why he isn’t at war, creating a sense of mystery and unease.

Reveal Explainer

Teach

From: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Strategy Stop

What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?

Teach

Your Turn

A) How does the author create a sense of tension or discomfort in the passage?

B) What expectations are placed on Bonnie due to Mr Fisher’s arrival?

Find the answers
Text mark

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Acceptable Answers

Text Mark Evidence - everything inside turns cold - his face looks as frosty as the frozen fields behind him - but the cold has come in now…and, somehow, I think it’s here to stay - he has a faraway look in his ice-blue eyes - Mr Fisher’s cold expression doesn’t thaw as he stands stiffly by the fire

use of cold imagery

A) How does the author create a sense of tension or discomfort in the passage?

Text Mark Evidence - he stares into his tea without drinking… it’s clear he’d rather be somewhere else…doing something different with people who aren’t us - unlike Father, he simply nods, and barely opens his mouth to speak - his crotchety voice seems to speak from miles away - he stops listening altogether, and just looks out of the window

unfriendly, distracted and impolite behaviour

Go to the next slide for more....

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Practise & Apply

Acceptable Answers

Text Mark Evidence - I really don’t like this Mr Fisher - I wish he were somewhere else too, doing something different, with people who aren’t us

Bonnie’s impression of Mr Fisher

A) How does the author create a sense of tension or discomfort in the passage?

Text Mark Evidence - what on earth is he doing here anyway - why is he here…why isn’t he playing his part - there’s nothing for an officer to do on this farm…especially not an unsmiling one

suspicion about why he isn’t fighting in the war

Text Mark Evidence - how can that horrible man just arrive in our house and expect us to make it his home - like put-upon birds, we are expected to feed him and show him kindness - like a cuckoo, he’s taken over the nest that Ralph has only just flown

resentment at the house being invaded

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Practise & Apply

Text Mark Evidence - you’re to be polite to Mr Fisher and show him respect - we’ve got to make him feel at home

Acceptable Answers

be courteous

Text Mark Evidence you’re to offer him food before you take yours and accept if it means having less

share food at a time when food is rationed

B) What expectations are placed on Bonnie due to Mr Fisher’s arrival?

Text Mark Evidence - you’re to keep quiet outside his room and give him no reason to grumble - under absolutely no circumstances whatsoever are you to ask him ANY questions

don’t disturb him/respect his privacy

Text Mark Evidence - he’ll be eating with us at our table - you’re to keep your belongings up in your room and refrain from making a mess - his is the chair by the fire and he’s to read any books of his choosing

sacrifice or share her own personal space, freedoms and belongings

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Text Mark Evidence - you’re to make tea on Saturdays - you’re to…polish his shoes every evening

extra chores

Practise & Apply

Quiz Time

Start

Picture Me

Which image is the best match for ‘scrawny’?

True or False?

Mr Fisher was billeted to Bonnie’s house because he objects to fighting in the war.

True
False

Match Me

Match each person with the correct actions:

3 Bonnie's mother

4 Ralph

1 Mr Fisher

2 Bonnie

C stands stiffly with a faraway look

B has just flown the nest

A chatters and fusses

D tries to be polite

Click if correct
Check

Tick Me

What has the author included in this poem to emphasise Bonnie’s confusion?

Tick two

A rhetorical questions

B rhyming lines

Check

C imagery of the winter scenes

Click if correct

D repetition of phrases

Feedback: Who did what well?

FindRead Talk

EchoRead

ChoralRead

ReadingStrategy

Answers & Text Marks

Other...

To be a book lover, you could...

read aloud.

Reveal

Hear the rhythm and sound of the poem by reading it aloud.

Copyright Notice

This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: Digging for Victory by Cathy Faulkner © 2023 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.