Characterisation of Shmuel

Lesson Overview

Unit: Exploring Friendship and Conflict
Lesson: 3 of 25
Duration: 60 minutes
Class size: 25 students
Year group: 7
Focus: Analysing Shmuel’s character, specifically his background and early experiences
Text: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (by John Boyne)

National Curriculum Links

English Programme of Study (Years 7-9):

Reading – comprehension:
Pupils should be taught to:
- Retrieve, record and present information from fiction.
- *Understand the interrelationship between author, reader and texts *
- Develop empathy and understanding for characters in a range of texts.
Reading – understanding character:
- Explore how characters are developed through direct description and dialogue (KS3 onwards but foundational understanding begins in Key Stage 3)
- Understand and analyse the impact of different experiences on characters’ attitudes and behaviour.
Spoken Language:
- Articulate ideas clearly and confidently in group discussions and presentations.
Writing:
- Use evidence from texts to support analysis and inference.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will:

Identify key aspects of Shmuel’s character from the early chapters of the text.
Analyse how John Boyne uses language, dialogue, and narrative structure to reveal Shmuel’s background and experiences.
Understand how Shmuel’s experiences shape his personality and influence his interactions with Bruno.
Develop empathy by considering Shmuel’s thoughts and feelings through guided exploration and role-play.
Express their understanding clearly both orally and in writing using evidence from the text.

Resources Needed

Copies of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (early chapters)
Highlighters and sticky notes for annotation
Whiteboard and markers
Character analysis worksheet (template with prompts)
Audio recording device or tablet for group presentations (optional)
Role-play props (optional - e.g., simple costume pieces or name tags)

Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes) – Initial Impressions

Objective: Activate prior knowledge and prepare students to think about Shmuel’s character.
Ask students: “What qualities make someone a good friend?” Write ideas on the board.
Show a brief quote from the text where Bruno first meets Shmuel. Ask pupils to share initial impressions of Shmuel and jot their words down on sticky notes.
Collect and group these initial adjectives on the board to revisit later.

2. Close Reading and Annotation (15 minutes)

Objective: Develop comprehension and identify textual evidence.
In pairs, pupils read specified extracts focusing on Shmuel’s self-description and dialogue.
Using highlighters, identify words, phrases, and sentences that reveal Shmuel’s background and feelings (e.g. references to his family, experiences in the camp).
Pairs annotate their copies and complete a simple character summary grid listing:
- What Shmuel says about himself
- What Bruno observes about Shmuel
- How language and tone suggest Shmuel’s emotional state.

3. Guided Group Discussion (15 minutes)

Objective: Analyse character deeper and build empathy.
As a class, discuss:
- What do we learn about Shmuel’s background from the text?
- How does his experience differ from Bruno’s?
- How might these experiences affect Shmuel’s feelings and friendship with Bruno?
Encourage pupils to use evidence from their annotations and character summary.
Use targeted questioning to prompt critical thinking, for example, “Why do you think John Boyne chose to introduce Shmuel in this way?”

4. Role-Play / Hot Seating Activity (15 minutes)

Objective: Encourage empathy and oral communication skills.
Pupils work in small groups; one pupil takes on the role of Shmuel (“hot seating”), answering questions posed by classmates about his thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Teachers prompt with questions like:
- “How do you feel about living near Bruno?”
- “What is it like inside the camp?”
- “What are your hopes and fears?”
Groups then present short summaries of Shmuel’s character based on their role-play insights.

5. Plenary – Written Reflection (5 minutes)

Objective: Consolidate understanding and assess learning.
Pupils write a brief paragraph answering: “How has your understanding of Shmuel changed today? Use one piece of evidence from the text to support your idea.”
Collect these for formative assessment.

Differentiation

For pupils who need support:
- Provide simplified extracts with highlighted key phrases.
- Use sentence starters for their written reflections.
- Support in paired reading and role-play activity.
For more able pupils:
- Challenge them to consider the author’s purpose and wider historical context.
- Extend discussion to evaluate the impact of narrative perspective on empathy.
- Encourage use of subject-specific vocabulary (e.g., ‘juxtaposition’, ‘first-person narrative’, ‘character motivation’).

Assessment

Formative assessment through:
- Annotated text and character grids.
- Contributions to group discussion and role-play.
- Written paragraph in plenary demonstrating use of textual evidence to support inference.
Use assessment to inform planning for subsequent lessons focusing on deeper character analysis and thematic exploration of friendship and conflict.

Cross-Curricular Links

History: Understanding WWII context behind Shmuel’s character.
PSHE: Exploring empathy, friendship, and emotional literacy.

Extension Ideas

Create a diary entry in Shmuel’s voice exploring his feelings about Bruno and life in the camp.
Research the Holocaust context to deepen understanding of Shmuel’s experiences.

This lesson plan meets the demands of the National Curriculum for England by focusing on reading comprehension, character analysis, empathy development, and evidence-based discussion, alongside spoken and written communication skills. Its creative use of role-play and multiple activities encourages engagement and critical thinking among Year 7 pupils.

Teaching Instructions