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RSRT Y6 L4 When the Sky Falls

Literacy Counts

Created on October 17, 2025

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Transcript

Ready Steady Read Together

When the Sky Falls: Fiction 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?

“A zoo in the countryside had space for her. Bigger enclosure, more food, less chance of having a bomb dropped on her.”

How might this extract link to the illustration?

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From: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Today's Question(s)

A) How does Joseph’s opinion of Adonis differ from Syd’s?

B) How has the war impacted upon the animals in Mrs F’s zoo in the city?

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Let me read today's text

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“Others?” She plumped herself up, knowing she had his interest. “That’s right. Adonis had a mate. And a son. Terrible business.” She paused, her voice catching in her throat, leading to a rare pause, before, “I hate this war. All of it. All it does is take.” Joseph frowned. “So where are they now? His family?” “Gone. His mate was rehoused in a zoo out of the city after his son Malachi died. Mrs F reckoned Aphrodite would die too if she stayed here. Thought the grief would kill her.” Aphrodite? he thought. What kind of name was that for a monkey? He didn’t say it though, opting instead for, “Living with Adonis can’t have helped. Irritable beggar.” “Well, that’s where you’re wrong,” Syd replied. “Inseparable, they were, the three of them. Rarely seen without standing in each other’s shadows. That’s why the public loved them. That’s why it changed them both so much when Malachi died.” Joseph listened, but doubted most of it. It was a lot easier to just hate the beast. “So you’re telling me, that that thing in there is grieving?” “You don’t have to be sat crying to be grieving, you know,” she said. “You don’t know him like we do or saw what we did. When the baby got sick, Mrs F tried to tend to him, but it wasn’t easy. She couldn’t get close; Adonis saw to that. Even if Mrs F could’ve got near him, there wasn’t much she could do. Vets are hard to come by, and even if they weren’t, they’re not allowed to ‘waste’ medicine on animals.”

From: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

“So he wouldn’t even let his own son get treated.” “What? He’s an ape, you fool! He couldn’t tell us how he was feeling. He was just trying to protect his son. Like any parent would. From the second Malachi got sick, Adonis didn’t leave his side. Not for a second. The only way Mrs F could even retrieve the body after he died was to sedate Adonis.” “So what actually happened to his missus?” “Same thing that happened to a lot of the other animals here. Shipped out once it became clear the war wasn’t passing quickly. A zoo in the countryside had space for her. Bigger enclosure, more food, less chance of having a bomb dropped on her.” “But they didn’t want Adonis? Not that I’d blame ’em.” Syd’s face looked pained. “No they didn’t, but not for the reasons you think. It was because no one has enough money, have they? Or food. Plus Adonis wasn’t like Aphrodite. He’s older. It was a surprise when he fathered Malachi, but she was still young. The new zoo wanted to pair her with a male already there. There was no point in taking Adonis too.” Joseph shrugged. All this talk of mothers leaving was too close to the bone, so he kept his focus on the ape in the cage.

From: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Vocabulary

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Hover for definitions!

reckoned

inseparable

irritable

retrieve

sedate

enclosure

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From: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021. 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

reckoned

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Find Read Talk

“Gone. His mate was rehoused in a zoo out of the city after his son Malachi died. Mrs F reckoned Aphrodite would die too if she stayed here. Thought the grief would kill her.”

Reveal Vocabulary

From: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

reckoned

Your turn

irritable

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

inseparable

retrieve

sedate

enclosure

Use your text

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Vocabulary Check

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Reveal Vocabulary

Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.

“Others?” She plumped herself up, knowing she had his interest. “That’s right. Adonis had a mate. And a son. Terrible business.” She paused, her voice catching in her throat, leading to a rare pause, before, “I hate this war. All of it. All it does is take.” Joseph frowned. “So where are they now? His family?” “Gone. His mate was rehoused in a zoo out of the city after his son Malachi died. Mrs F reckoned Aphrodite would die too if she stayed here. Thought the grief would kill her.” Aphrodite? he thought. What kind of name was that for a monkey? He didn’t say it though, opting instead for, “Living with Adonis can’t have helped. Irritable beggar.” “Well, that’s where you’re wrong,” Syd replied. “Inseparable, they were, the three of them. Rarely seen without standing in each other’s shadows. That’s why the public loved them. That’s why it changed them both so much when Malachi died.” Joseph listened, but doubted most of it. It was a lot easier to just hate the beast. “So you’re telling me, that that thing in there is grieving?” “You don’t have to be sat crying to be grieving, you know,” she said. “You don’t know him like we do or saw what we did. When the baby got sick, Mrs F tried to tend to him, but it wasn’t easy. She couldn’t get close; Adonis saw to that. Even if Mrs F could’ve got near him, there wasn’t much she could do. Vets are hard to come by, and even if they weren’t, they’re not allowed to ‘waste’ medicine on animals.”

From: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Reveal Vocabulary

Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.

“So he wouldn’t even let his own son get treated.” “What? He’s an ape, you fool! He couldn’t tell us how he was feeling. He was just trying to protect his son. Like any parent would. From the second Malachi got sick, Adonis didn’t leave his side. Not for a second. The only way Mrs F could even retrieve the body after he died was to sedate Adonis.” “So what actually happened to his missus?” “Same thing that happened to a lot of the other animals here. Shipped out once it became clear the war wasn’t passing quickly. A zoo in the countryside had space for her. Bigger enclosure, more food, less chance of having a bomb dropped on her.” “But they didn’t want Adonis? Not that I’d blame ’em.” Syd’s face looked pained. “No they didn’t, but not for the reasons you think. It was because no one has enough money, have they? Or food. Plus Adonis wasn’t like Aphrodite. He’s older. It was a surprise when he fathered Malachi, but she was still young. The new zoo wanted to pair her with a male already there. There was no point in taking Adonis too.” Joseph shrugged. All this talk of mothers leaving was too close to the bone, so he kept his focus on the ape in the cage.

From: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Fluency

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Let me use my reader's voice...

“Living with Adonis can’t have helped. Irritable beggar.” “Well, that’s where you’re wrong,” Syd replied. “Inseparable, they were, the three of them. Rarely seen without standing in each other’s shadows. That’s why the public loved them. That’s why it changed them both so much when Malachi died.” Joseph listened, but doubted most of it. It was a lot easier to just hate the beast. "

What did you notice?

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From: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

My Turn
Your Turn

Echo Read

“Living with Adonis can’t have helped. Irritable beggar.”

“Well, that’s where you’re wrong,” Syd replied.

“Inseparable, they were, the three of them.”

“Rarely seen without standing in each other’s shadows.”

“That’s why the public loved them.”

“That’s why it changed them both so much when Malachi died.”

Joseph listened, but doubted most of it.

It was a lot easier to just hate the beast.

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From: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Sound like a reader!
Stand up!

Choral Read

“Living with Adonis can’t have helped. Irritable beggar.” “Well, that’s where you’re wrong,” Syd replied. “Inseparable, they were, the three of them. Rarely seen without standing in each other’s shadows. That’s why the public loved them. That’s why it changed them both so much when Malachi died.” Joseph listened, but doubted most of it. It was a lot easier to just hate the beast. "

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From: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Strategy Focus

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Strategy: Read Between the Lines

A) How does Joseph’s opinion of Adonis differ from Syd’s?

Be a detective and look for clues!

Teach

Let me show you

Reveal Text Marks

She plumped herself up, knowing she had his interest. “That’s right. Adonis had a mate. And a son. Terrible business.” She paused, her voice catching in her throat, leading to a rare pause, before, “I hate this war. All of it. All it does is take.”

A) How does Joseph’s opinion of Adonis differ from Syd’s?

Reveal Explainer

Syd has clearly known Adonis for a long time and the words ‘had a mate...and a son’ imply that Adonis has lost his family. The words ‘her voice catching in her throat’ suggest that Syd feels deep empathy for Adonis and is almost moved to tears thinking about his loss.

Teach

From: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021. 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 Joseph’s opinion of Adonis differ from Syd’s?

B) How has the war impacted upon the animals in Mrs F’s zoo in the city?

Find the answers
Text mark

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Acceptable Answers

Joseph’s opinion of Adonis:

Text Mark Evidence living with Adonis can’t have helped…irritable beggar

views him as difficult to be around

A) How does Joseph’s opinion of Adonis differ from Syd’s?

Text Mark Evidence - Joseph listened (to Syd tell Adonis’s story), but doubted most of it - so you’re telling me that thing in there (Adonis in his cage) is grieving

struggles to believe Adonis has emotions

Text Mark Evidence - it was a lot easier to just hate the beast - but they (the other zoo) didn’t want Adonis…not that I’d blame ’em

dislikes Adonis

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Text Mark Evidence so he (Adonis) wouldn’t even let his own son get treated

thinks Adonis is selfish or a bad parent

Practise & Apply

Syd’s opinion of Adonis:

Acceptable Answers

Text Mark Evidence inseparable, they (Adonis and his family) were, the three of them…rarely seen without standing in each other’s shadows

recognises Adonis’s bond with his family

Text Mark Evidence that’s why the public loved them (the gorilla family)

views Adonis as lovable

A) How does Joseph’s opinion of Adonis differ from Syd’s?

Text Mark Evidence - it changed them (Adonis and Aphrodite) both so much when Malachi died - you don’t have to be sat crying to be grieving, you know

understands Adonis’s behaviour and emotions

Text Mark Evidence - he (Adonis) was just trying to protect his son…like any parent would - from the second Malachi got sick, Adonis didn’t leave his side…not for a second…the only way Mrs F could even retrieve the body after he died was to sedate Adonis

witnessed Adonis caring for and guarding his family

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Text Mark Evidence but they (the other zoo) didn’t want Adonis…Not that I’d blame ’em…Syd’s face looked pained

empathises with Adonis

Acceptable Answers

Text Mark Evidence - Adonis had a mate…and a son…terrible business…I hate this war…all it does is take - his mate was rehoused in a zoo out of the city - the new zoo wanted to pair her (Aphrodite) with a male already there…there was no point in taking Adonis too

separation of animal families

B) How has the war impacted upon the animals in Mrs F’s zoo in the city?

Text Mark Evidence - vets are hard to come by, and even if they weren’t, they’re not allowed to ‘waste’ medicine on animals - a zoo in the countryside had space for her…bigger enclosure, more food - no one has enough money, have they…or food

restrictions on resources due to war and rationing

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Text Mark Evidence a zoo in the countryside had space for her…less chance of having a bomb dropped on her

risk of injury or death

Quiz Time

Start

Picture Me

Which image is the best match for ‘enclosure’?

Fill the Gaps

reckoned
inseperable
irritable

“Mrs F Aphrodite would die too if she stayedhere. Thought the grief would kill her.” Aphrodite? he thought. What kind of name was that for a monkey? He didn’t say it though, opting instead for, “Living with Adonis can’t have helped. beggar.” “Well, that’s where you’re wrong,” Syd replied. “ , they were, the three of them.”

Click if correct
Discuss then check

Link Me

Link each word with its correct definition:

A recover

1 reckoned

B attached

2 irritable

C touchy

Check

3 inseperable

Click if correct

D considered

4 retrieve

Sequence Me

Put the following events in the correct order:

A) Malachi became ill and Adonis protected him.

B) Adonis was grieving the loss of his entire family.

C) Aphrodite, Malachi and Adonis were inseparable and loved by the public.

D) When Malachi died, Aphrodite was sent to another zoo.

Click if correct
Check

Feedback: Who did what well?

FindRead Talk

EchoRead

ChoralRead

ReadingStrategy

Answers & Text Marks

Other...

To be a book lover, you could...

take care of books.

Reveal

Treat your books with care to keep them looking great.

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: When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle © 2021 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.

reckoned
irritable
inseperable