Ready Steady Read Together
October, October: 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?
Sometimes I take a candle, even though I know the way and even though we have electricity, because it makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books about children who lived before light bulbs.
How might this extract link to the illustration?
Explore
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Today's Question(s)
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Explore
Let me read today's text
Explore
Dad flips the lights on for a second so I can see my way to my room, even though I could do it in the pitch-black dark. Sometimes I take a candle, even though I know the way and even though we have electricity, because it makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books about children who lived before light bulbs.
My bedroom is little and the roof slopes towards the floor, but I like how that makes it cosy. I have a bedside shelf with a fox whittled from a piece of wood so light it almost floats in the air and a jar of bright shattered scraps of glass and plastic and metal, and Dad gave them both to me, I think. I have two whole walls of books and I like to put them in colour order so that they make a rainbow of spines. I never get rid of them and I can pull one off at random and remember the story all over again and how it felt the first time I read it and what was happening.
I have a patchwork quilt on my bed made from triangles of material that used to belong to my old dresses and shirts and jumpers and trousers. The shapes slot together into something new and I love it because it’s stories from the past sewn together and curled around me.
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
I like to snuggle up under it at night and look out of my window and see the woods dissolving in the dark and listen to the nightbirds starting their songs. But tonight when I hear them all I can think of is the dead owl and the baby owl. I squeeze my eyes tight shut and the images of the blackening woods turn to dust. But my heart won’t stop bruising my ribs, so I wriggle out of bed and open my treasure chest. It’s like something a real pirate would have on their ship but instead of gold coins it has the scraps of stories from the woods. It’s made from the woods too. Dad pieced it together and smoothed it and shaped it and wrapped it up for Christmas when I was six. Inside is magic. A jigsaw of pottery pieces that must have belonged to a family of ancient woodspeople who lived wild and cooked only on fires and slept under the stars. There are bright bones from the skeleton of a dragon that used to guard the woods with his fierce fire breath, and the feathers of a bird that could mend burns with its song. Whenever I find a new secret in the earth I put it in my treasure chest and it’s like my head is full of other lives.
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
whittled
patchwork quilt
a rainbow of spines
ancient woodspeople
dissolving
blackening
Explore
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. 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
whittled
Explore
Find Read Talk
My bedroom is little and the roof slopes towards the floor, but I like how that makes it cosy. I have a bedside shelf with a fox whittled from a piece of wood so light it almost floats in the air and a jar of bright shattered scraps of glass and plastic and metal, and Dad gave them both to me, I think.
Reveal Vocabulary
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Your turn
whittled
a rainbow of spines
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
patchwork quilt
dissolving
blackening
ancient woodspeople
Use your text
Explore
Vocabulary Check
Explore
Reveal Vocabulary
Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.
Dad flips the lights on for a second so I can see my way to my room, even though I could do it in the pitch-black dark. Sometimes I take a candle, even though I know the way and even though we have electricity, because it makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books about children who lived before light bulbs.
My bedroom is little and the roof slopes towards the floor, but I like how that makes it cosy. I have a bedside shelf with a fox whittled from a piece of wood so light it almost floats in the air and a jar of bright shattered scraps of glass and plastic and metal, and Dad gave them both to me, I think. I have two whole walls of books and I like to put them in colour order so that they make a rainbow of spines. I never get rid of them and I can pull one off at random and remember the story all over again and how it felt the first time I read it and what was happening.
I have a patchwork quilt on my bed made from triangles of material that used to belong to my old dresses and shirts and jumpers and trousers. The shapes slot together into something new and I love it because it’s stories from the past sewn together and curled around me.
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Reveal Vocabulary
Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.
I like to snuggle up under it at night and look out of my window and see the woods dissolving in the dark and listen to the nightbirds starting their songs. But tonight when I hear them all I can think of is the dead owl and the baby owl. I squeeze my eyes tight shut and the images of the blackening woods turn to dust. But my heart won’t stop bruising my ribs, so I wriggle out of bed and open my treasure chest. It’s like something a real pirate would have on their ship but instead of gold coins it has the scraps of stories from the woods. It’s made from the woods too. Dad pieced it together and smoothed it and shaped it and wrapped it up for Christmas when I was six. Inside is magic. A jigsaw of pottery pieces that must have belonged to a family of ancient woodspeople who lived wild and cooked only on fires and slept under the stars. There are bright bones from the skeleton of a dragon that used to guard the woods with his fierce fire breath, and the feathers of a bird that could mend burns with its song. Whenever I find a new secret in the earth I put it in my treasure chest and it’s like my head is full of other lives.
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Fluency
Explore
Let me use my reader's voice...
Inside is magic. A jigsaw of pottery pieces that must have belonged to a family of ancient woodspeople who lived wild and cooked only on fires and slept under the stars. There are bright bones from the skeleton of a dragon that used to guard the woods with his fierce fire breath, and the feathers of a bird that could mend burns with its song.
What did you notice?
Explore
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
My Turn
Your Turn
Echo Read
Inside is magic.
A jigsaw of pottery pieces that must have belonged to a family of ancient woodspeople
who lived wild and cooked only on fires and slept under the stars.
There are bright bones from the skeleton of a dragon that used to guard the woods with his fierce fire breath,
and the feathers of a bird that could mend burns with its song.
Explore
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sound like a reader!
Stand up!
Choral Read
Inside is magic. A jigsaw of pottery pieces that must have belonged to a family of ancient woodspeople who lived wild and cooked only on fires and slept under the stars. There are bright bones from the skeleton of a dragon that used to guard the woods with his fierce fire breath, and the feathers of a bird that could mend burns with its song.
Explore
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Focus
Explore
Strategy: Read Between the Lines
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Be a detective and look for clues!
Teach
Let me show you
Reveal Text Marks
Dad flips the lights on for a second so I can see my way to my room, even though I could do it in the pitch-black dark. Sometimes I take a candle, even though I know the way and even though we have electricity, because it makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books about children who lived before light bulbs.
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Reveal Explainer
The words ‘I could do it in the pitch-black dark’ show us that October is not afraid of the dark like some children. Instead, she is brave, confident and independent. Unlike her mother, who prefers modern conveniences, October appreciates the simple, old-fashioned pleasures of life, such as using candles instead of electricity.
Teach
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?
Teach
Your Turn
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Find the answers
Text mark
Explore
Text Mark Evidence - it makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books about children who lived before light bulbs - my treasure chest…it’s like something a real pirate would have on their ship but instead of gold coins it has the scraps of stories from the woods
she is imaginative and creative
Acceptable Answers
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Text Mark Evidence - it (using a candle) makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books - I have two whole walls of books - I never get rid of them (books)
she loves books and reading
Text Mark Evidence - I have a bedside shelf with a fox whittled from a piece of wood so light it almost floats in the air…and a jar of bright shattered scraps of glass and plastic and metal…Dad gave them both to me - I never get rid of them (books)
she treasures memories and collected trinkets
Go to the next slide for more....
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Text Mark Evidence I like to put them (books) in order so that they make a rainbow of spines
she likes beauty and order
Practise & Apply
Text Mark Evidence my bedroom is little and the roof slopes towards the floor, but I like how that makes it cosy
she enjoys small, enclosed spaces
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence - I have a bedside shelf with…a jar of bright shattered scraps of glass and plastic and metal - I have a patchwork quilt…made from triangles of material that used to belong to my old dresses and shirts and jumpers and trousers
she reuses or recycles things others might throw away
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Text Mark Evidence I like to…look out of my window and see the woods dissolving in the dark and listen to the nightbirds starting their songs
she has a connection with / is comforted by nature
Text Mark Evidence all I can think of is the dead owl and the baby owl
she is caring and full of empathy
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Text Mark Evidence - Dad gave them (fox and jar) to me - Dad pieced it (treasure chest) together and smoothed it and shaped it and wrapped it up for Christmas when I was six
she values her father’s thoughtful gifts
Quiz Time
Start
Picture Me
Which image is the best match for ‘spine’?
Fill the Gaps
dissolving
patchwork
blackening
I have a quilt on my bed made from triangles ofmaterial that used to belong to my old dresses and shirts and jumpers and trousers. The shapes slot together into something new and I love it because it’s stories from the past sewn together and curled around me. I like to snuggle up under it at night and look out of my window and see the woods in the dark and listen to the nightbirds starting their songs. But tonight when I hear them all I can think of is the dead owl and the baby owl. I squeeze my eyes tight shut and the images of the woods turn to dust.
Click if correct
Discuss then check
Match Me
Match each word with its correct meaning:
4 blackening
3 dissolve
1 whittle
2 spine
A narrow, outer edge of a book
C darkening
B to carve from wood
D to slowly fade away
Click if correct
Check
Link Me
Link each treasure with how it is described in the text:
A a rainbow of spines
1 a whittled fox
B stories from the past sewn together
2 wall of books
C almost floats on air
3 patchwork quilt
Check
Click if correct
D inside is magic
4 treasure chest
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
join a book club.
Reveal
Talk to others about books you've read to get new perspectives.
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: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.
patchwork
dissolving
blackening
RSRT Y5 L2 October, October
Literacy Counts
Created on December 10, 2025
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Transcript
Ready Steady Read Together
October, October: 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?
Sometimes I take a candle, even though I know the way and even though we have electricity, because it makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books about children who lived before light bulbs.
How might this extract link to the illustration?
Explore
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Today's Question(s)
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Explore
Let me read today's text
Explore
Dad flips the lights on for a second so I can see my way to my room, even though I could do it in the pitch-black dark. Sometimes I take a candle, even though I know the way and even though we have electricity, because it makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books about children who lived before light bulbs. My bedroom is little and the roof slopes towards the floor, but I like how that makes it cosy. I have a bedside shelf with a fox whittled from a piece of wood so light it almost floats in the air and a jar of bright shattered scraps of glass and plastic and metal, and Dad gave them both to me, I think. I have two whole walls of books and I like to put them in colour order so that they make a rainbow of spines. I never get rid of them and I can pull one off at random and remember the story all over again and how it felt the first time I read it and what was happening. I have a patchwork quilt on my bed made from triangles of material that used to belong to my old dresses and shirts and jumpers and trousers. The shapes slot together into something new and I love it because it’s stories from the past sewn together and curled around me.
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
I like to snuggle up under it at night and look out of my window and see the woods dissolving in the dark and listen to the nightbirds starting their songs. But tonight when I hear them all I can think of is the dead owl and the baby owl. I squeeze my eyes tight shut and the images of the blackening woods turn to dust. But my heart won’t stop bruising my ribs, so I wriggle out of bed and open my treasure chest. It’s like something a real pirate would have on their ship but instead of gold coins it has the scraps of stories from the woods. It’s made from the woods too. Dad pieced it together and smoothed it and shaped it and wrapped it up for Christmas when I was six. Inside is magic. A jigsaw of pottery pieces that must have belonged to a family of ancient woodspeople who lived wild and cooked only on fires and slept under the stars. There are bright bones from the skeleton of a dragon that used to guard the woods with his fierce fire breath, and the feathers of a bird that could mend burns with its song. Whenever I find a new secret in the earth I put it in my treasure chest and it’s like my head is full of other lives.
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
whittled
patchwork quilt
a rainbow of spines
ancient woodspeople
dissolving
blackening
Explore
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. 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
whittled
Explore
Find Read Talk
My bedroom is little and the roof slopes towards the floor, but I like how that makes it cosy. I have a bedside shelf with a fox whittled from a piece of wood so light it almost floats in the air and a jar of bright shattered scraps of glass and plastic and metal, and Dad gave them both to me, I think.
Reveal Vocabulary
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Your turn
whittled
a rainbow of spines
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
patchwork quilt
dissolving
blackening
ancient woodspeople
Use your text
Explore
Vocabulary Check
Explore
Reveal Vocabulary
Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.
Dad flips the lights on for a second so I can see my way to my room, even though I could do it in the pitch-black dark. Sometimes I take a candle, even though I know the way and even though we have electricity, because it makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books about children who lived before light bulbs. My bedroom is little and the roof slopes towards the floor, but I like how that makes it cosy. I have a bedside shelf with a fox whittled from a piece of wood so light it almost floats in the air and a jar of bright shattered scraps of glass and plastic and metal, and Dad gave them both to me, I think. I have two whole walls of books and I like to put them in colour order so that they make a rainbow of spines. I never get rid of them and I can pull one off at random and remember the story all over again and how it felt the first time I read it and what was happening. I have a patchwork quilt on my bed made from triangles of material that used to belong to my old dresses and shirts and jumpers and trousers. The shapes slot together into something new and I love it because it’s stories from the past sewn together and curled around me.
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Reveal Vocabulary
Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.
I like to snuggle up under it at night and look out of my window and see the woods dissolving in the dark and listen to the nightbirds starting their songs. But tonight when I hear them all I can think of is the dead owl and the baby owl. I squeeze my eyes tight shut and the images of the blackening woods turn to dust. But my heart won’t stop bruising my ribs, so I wriggle out of bed and open my treasure chest. It’s like something a real pirate would have on their ship but instead of gold coins it has the scraps of stories from the woods. It’s made from the woods too. Dad pieced it together and smoothed it and shaped it and wrapped it up for Christmas when I was six. Inside is magic. A jigsaw of pottery pieces that must have belonged to a family of ancient woodspeople who lived wild and cooked only on fires and slept under the stars. There are bright bones from the skeleton of a dragon that used to guard the woods with his fierce fire breath, and the feathers of a bird that could mend burns with its song. Whenever I find a new secret in the earth I put it in my treasure chest and it’s like my head is full of other lives.
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Fluency
Explore
Let me use my reader's voice...
Inside is magic. A jigsaw of pottery pieces that must have belonged to a family of ancient woodspeople who lived wild and cooked only on fires and slept under the stars. There are bright bones from the skeleton of a dragon that used to guard the woods with his fierce fire breath, and the feathers of a bird that could mend burns with its song.
What did you notice?
Explore
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
My Turn
Your Turn
Echo Read
Inside is magic.
A jigsaw of pottery pieces that must have belonged to a family of ancient woodspeople
who lived wild and cooked only on fires and slept under the stars.
There are bright bones from the skeleton of a dragon that used to guard the woods with his fierce fire breath,
and the feathers of a bird that could mend burns with its song.
Explore
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sound like a reader!
Stand up!
Choral Read
Inside is magic. A jigsaw of pottery pieces that must have belonged to a family of ancient woodspeople who lived wild and cooked only on fires and slept under the stars. There are bright bones from the skeleton of a dragon that used to guard the woods with his fierce fire breath, and the feathers of a bird that could mend burns with its song.
Explore
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Focus
Explore
Strategy: Read Between the Lines
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Be a detective and look for clues!
Teach
Let me show you
Reveal Text Marks
Dad flips the lights on for a second so I can see my way to my room, even though I could do it in the pitch-black dark. Sometimes I take a candle, even though I know the way and even though we have electricity, because it makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books about children who lived before light bulbs.
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Reveal Explainer
The words ‘I could do it in the pitch-black dark’ show us that October is not afraid of the dark like some children. Instead, she is brave, confident and independent. Unlike her mother, who prefers modern conveniences, October appreciates the simple, old-fashioned pleasures of life, such as using candles instead of electricity.
Teach
From: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?
Teach
Your Turn
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Find the answers
Text mark
Explore
Text Mark Evidence - it makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books about children who lived before light bulbs - my treasure chest…it’s like something a real pirate would have on their ship but instead of gold coins it has the scraps of stories from the woods
she is imaginative and creative
Acceptable Answers
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Text Mark Evidence - it (using a candle) makes me feel like I’m living in the pages of one of my books - I have two whole walls of books - I never get rid of them (books)
she loves books and reading
Text Mark Evidence - I have a bedside shelf with a fox whittled from a piece of wood so light it almost floats in the air…and a jar of bright shattered scraps of glass and plastic and metal…Dad gave them both to me - I never get rid of them (books)
she treasures memories and collected trinkets
Go to the next slide for more....
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Text Mark Evidence I like to put them (books) in order so that they make a rainbow of spines
she likes beauty and order
Practise & Apply
Text Mark Evidence my bedroom is little and the roof slopes towards the floor, but I like how that makes it cosy
she enjoys small, enclosed spaces
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence - I have a bedside shelf with…a jar of bright shattered scraps of glass and plastic and metal - I have a patchwork quilt…made from triangles of material that used to belong to my old dresses and shirts and jumpers and trousers
she reuses or recycles things others might throw away
What can we infer about October from her description of her house, room and belongings?
Text Mark Evidence I like to…look out of my window and see the woods dissolving in the dark and listen to the nightbirds starting their songs
she has a connection with / is comforted by nature
Text Mark Evidence all I can think of is the dead owl and the baby owl
she is caring and full of empathy
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Text Mark Evidence - Dad gave them (fox and jar) to me - Dad pieced it (treasure chest) together and smoothed it and shaped it and wrapped it up for Christmas when I was six
she values her father’s thoughtful gifts
Quiz Time
Start
Picture Me
Which image is the best match for ‘spine’?
Fill the Gaps
dissolving
patchwork
blackening
I have a quilt on my bed made from triangles ofmaterial that used to belong to my old dresses and shirts and jumpers and trousers. The shapes slot together into something new and I love it because it’s stories from the past sewn together and curled around me. I like to snuggle up under it at night and look out of my window and see the woods in the dark and listen to the nightbirds starting their songs. But tonight when I hear them all I can think of is the dead owl and the baby owl. I squeeze my eyes tight shut and the images of the woods turn to dust.
Click if correct
Discuss then check
Match Me
Match each word with its correct meaning:
4 blackening
3 dissolve
1 whittle
2 spine
A narrow, outer edge of a book
C darkening
B to carve from wood
D to slowly fade away
Click if correct
Check
Link Me
Link each treasure with how it is described in the text:
A a rainbow of spines
1 a whittled fox
B stories from the past sewn together
2 wall of books
C almost floats on air
3 patchwork quilt
Check
Click if correct
D inside is magic
4 treasure chest
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
join a book club.
Reveal
Talk to others about books you've read to get new perspectives.
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: October, October by Katya Balen © 2020 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.
patchwork
dissolving
blackening