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RSRT Y4 L2 The Last Bear

Literacy Counts

Created on November 19, 2025

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Transcript

Ready Steady Read Together

The Last Bear: Fiction Lesson 2

What do you think you know?

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

Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.

Explore

What do you know and think?

“It’s the last great unknown. There’ll be no cars, trains, planes. No roads even! It’s pure, untouched wilderness.”

How might this extract link to the illustration?

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From: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Today's Question(s)

A) How will life on the island be different from April and her father’s current life?

B) How does the author show that April is excited about going to the Arctic Circle?

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Let me read today's text

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There were no Christmas cards, but there was a big fat envelope marked OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT BUSINESS and it was postmarked Norway. “What is it?” she asked him. “We’re going to the Arctic Circle,” he said reading the letter and blinking fast. “I got the job. I didn’t think I would, to be honest – I thought they would choose someone local. But apparently my research paper on the scientific study of the earth’s atmosphere swayed them. It’s a weather station on a small island about a day’s boat journey away from the coast of Norway.” April hopped up and down before answering. “What kind of island? How many people live there?” “Ah.” He looked down sheepishly. “It’s not that kind of island. In fact…there won’t be anyone there but us.” “Just us two?” Something fizzy rushed through her. “On an island all alone?” He leaned forward in his chair. “Think of the adventures we will have. We’ll be like Scott of the Antarctic. The island is nothing like here – it’s got inland lakes, mountains, streams. Imagine it, April. It’s the last great unknown. There’ll be no cars, trains, planes. No roads even! It’s pure, untouched wilderness.”

From: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

He didn’t need to say anything more because her heart was already racing ahead. Not only would they be in the Arctic Circle, but they would also have all this time together. Just them. They would be able to do so many things – like building snowmen, sledging down mountains and – “Of course, my work there will be very important,” Dad added with his most serious face and her insides crumpled the tiniest bit. “What will you be doing?” “The Norwegian government wants a more accurate representation of how global warming is affecting the Arctic region, so I’ll be monitoring the data over a six-month period.” April knew a lot about melting ice caps and, along with fox hunting, it was one of the things that made her feel both angry and useless at the same time. “And my school?” she asked. “April,” he said, leaning forward. “Six months in the Arctic will teach you more than six years at school ever will.” She took a second look at him. His eyes were bright and there were two pink spots of colour on his cheeks. The feeling fizzed through her again. “When do we go?”

From: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Vocabulary

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Hover for definitions!

swayed

sheepishly

weather station

monitoring the data

accurate representation

ice caps

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From: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 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

swayed

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Find Read Talk

“I got the job. I didn’t think I would, to be honest – I thought they would choose someone local. But apparently my research paper on the scientific study of the earth’s atmosphere swayed them. It’s a weather station on a small island about a day’s boat journey away from the coast of Norway.”

Reveal Vocabulary

From: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Your turn

swayed

weather station

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

sheepishly

accurate representation

monitoringthe data

ice caps

Use your text

Explore

Vocabulary Check & Re-read

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Reveal Vocabulary

There were no Christmas cards, but there was a big fat envelope marked OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT BUSINESS and it was postmarked Norway. “What is it?” she asked him. “We’re going to the Arctic Circle,” he said reading the letter and blinking fast. “I got the job. I didn’t think I would, to be honest – I thought they would choose someone local. But apparently my research paper on the scientific study of the earth’s atmosphere swayed them. It’s a weather station on a small island about a day’s boat journey away from the coast of Norway.” April hopped up and down before answering. “What kind of island? How many people live there?” “Ah.” He looked down sheepishly. “It’s not that kind of island. In fact…there won’t be anyone there but us.” “Just us two?” Something fizzy rushed through her. “On an island all alone?” He leaned forward in his chair. “Think of the adventures we will have. We’ll be like Scott of the Antarctic. The island is nothing like here – it’s got inland lakes, mountains, streams. Imagine it, April. It’s the last great unknown. There’ll be no cars, trains, planes. No roads even! It’s pure, untouched wilderness.”

Explore

From: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Reveal Vocabulary

He didn’t need to say anything more because her heart was already racing ahead. Not only would they be in the Arctic Circle, but they would also have all this time together. Just them. They would be able to do so many things – like building snowmen, sledging down mountains and – “Of course, my work there will be very important,” Dad added with his most serious face and her insides crumpled the tiniest bit. “What will you be doing?” “The Norwegian government wants a more accurate representation of how global warming is affecting the Arctic region, so I’ll be monitoring the data over a six-month period.” April knew a lot about melting ice caps and, along with fox hunting, it was one of the things that made her feel both angry and useless at the same time. “And my school?” she asked. “April,” he said, leaning forward. “Six months in the Arctic will teach you more than six years at school ever will.” She took a second look at him. His eyes were bright and there were two pink spots of colour on his cheeks. The feeling fizzed through her again. “When do we go?”

Explore

From: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Fluency

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Let me use my reader's voice...

“Think of the adventures we will have. We’ll be like Scott of the Antarctic. The island is nothing like here – it’s got inland lakes, mountains, streams. Imagine it, April. It’s the last great unknown. There’ll be no cars, trains, planes. No roads even! It’s pure, untouched wilderness.”

What did you notice?

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From: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

My Turn
Your Turn

Echo Read

“Think of the adventures we will have.”

“We’ll be like Scott of the Antarctic.”

“The island is nothing like here – “

“it’s got inland lakes, mountains, streams.”

“Imagine it, April. It’s the last great unknown.”

“There’ll be no cars, trains, planes. No roads even!”

“It’s pure, untouched wilderness.”

Explore

From: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Sound like a reader!
Stand up!

Choral Read

“Think of the adventures we will have. We’ll be like Scott of the Antarctic. The island is nothing like here – it’s got inland lakes, mountains, streams. Imagine it, April. It’s the last great unknown. There’ll be no cars, trains, planes. No roads even! It’s pure, untouched wilderness.”

Explore

From: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 2021. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.

Strategy Focus

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Strategy: Read Between the Lines

A) How will life on the island be different from April and her father’s current life?

Be a detective and look for clues!

Teach

Let me show you

Reveal Text Marks

“Ah.” He looked down sheepishly. “It’s not that kind of island. In fact…there won’t be anyone there but us.”

A) How will life on the island be different from April and her father’s current life?

Reveal Explainer

April and her father live alone together now but there are other people around them - at April’s school, her father’s work and in their community. On the island in the Arctic Circle, they will be completely isolated from everyone else.

Teach

From: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 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 will life on the island be different from April and her father’s current life?

B) How does the author show that April is excited about going to the Arctic Circle?

Find the answers
Text mark

Explore

Acceptable Answers

Text Mark Evidence just us two…on an island all alone

isolation / fewer people

Text Mark Evidence - the island is nothing like here – it’s got inland lakes, mountains, streams - there’ll be no cars, trains, planes…no roads even - it’s pure untouched wilderness

remote location / natural environment

A) How will life on the island be different from April and her father’s current life?

Text Mark Evidence - they will also have all this time together - they would be able to do so many things – like building snowmen, sledging down mountains

more quality time together

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Text Mark Evidence six months in the Arctic will teach you more than six years at school ever will

no school to attend

Practise & Apply

Acceptable Answers

Text Mark Evidence April hopped up and down before answering

excited body language

B) How does the author show that April is excited about going to the Arctic Circle?

Text Mark Evidence - what kind of island? - how many people life there? - just us two? - on an island all alone? - and my school? - when do we go?

interested / curious / asking questions

Text Mark Evidence - something fizzy rushed through her - her heart was already racing ahead - the feeling fizzed through her again

bubbly feelings / excitement

Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers

Practise & Apply

Quiz Time

Start

Picture Me

Which image is the best match for ‘accurate representation’?

Find Me

How long will the journey to the island take from Norway?

“I got the job. I didn’t think I would, to be honest – I thought they would choose someone local. But apparently my research paper on the scientific study of the earth’s atmosphere swayed them. It’s a weather station on a small island about a day’s boat journey away from the coast of Norway.”

Discuss then check

about a day's boat journey

Fill the Gaps

ice caps
representation
monitoring

“The Norwegian government wants a more accurate representation of how global warming is affecting the Arctic region, so I’ll be the data over asix-month period.” April knew a lot about melting and, along with fox hunting, it was one of the things that made her feel both angry and useless at the same time.

Click if correct
Discuss then check

Match Me

Match each word to its correct definition:

3 accurate

4 data

1 swayed

2 sheepishly

A shyly or humbly

B facts or information

C persuaded or convinced

D correct or exact

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...

read every day.

Reveal

Even 15 minutes a day can make a big difference!

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: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold © 2021 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.

representation
monitoring
ice caps