Exploring The Lion Inside

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Overview

This 60-minute session uses The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright to develop reading comprehension and storytelling skills, with a sharp focus on key characters, settings, sequencing, and prediction. The plan aligns with the National Curriculum (England) for Year 3 English, specifically targeting reading comprehension and spoken language domains.

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Curriculum Links

Reading: Word Reading and Comprehension (PoS 2013 key stages 1 & 2)

• Year 3:
  • Comprehension
    • Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by identifying themes and conventions.
    • Retrieve and record information from non-fiction and fiction texts.
    • Participate in discussions about books, building on their own and others’ ideas and challenging views courteously.

Spoken Language

• Articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions.
• Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising and exploring ideas.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

1. Identify and describe key characters and settings from The Lion Inside.
2. Retell the main events from the story in the correct order.
3. Make simple predictions about what might happen next in a narrative.

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Resources Needed

• The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright (one class copy or projected pages)
• Story sequencing card sets (printable/laminated, matching key story events)
• Character portraits / flashcards (Lion, Mouse, other animals)
• Interactive free online games (offline alternatives available) for story sequencing and character recognition, e.g. printable matching games
• Whiteboard and markers or smartboard
• A4 paper and pencils for mini-draw and write tasks
• Assessment sheet (simple checklist and prompt questions)

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes)

Activity: Character and Setting Introduction

• Show images or flashcards of main characters (Lion, Mouse) and settings from the story.
• Ask pupils: “Who do you think these characters are? What kind of places are these?”
• Share brief, engaging background prompts to activate knowledge (e.g. “Lions are known for…”).
• National Curriculum link: Pupils develop vocabulary and comprehension by discussing ideas (Spoken Language aims).

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2. Reading & Discussion (20 minutes)

Activity: Shared Read-Aloud & Comprehension

• Teacher reads aloud the story, pausing to:
  • Emphasise key characters and settings.
  • Ask open questions such as “Who is this?” and “Where are they now?”
  • Check understanding with short retrieval questions about what happened.
• Class discussion to clarify vocabulary and character motives (e.g. Why did the mouse want to help the lion?).
• National Curriculum link: Retrieve information, understand events and participate in discussion.

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3. Interactive Sequencing Game (10 minutes)

Activity: Story Event Ordering

• Pupils work individually or in pairs with physical story sequencing cards showing key moments of the book.
• Task: Put events in the correct order.
• Use an interactive, free online game (or prepare an offline board game) related to sequencing story events (could be a timer challenge or team competition).
• Review as a class, having selected pairs explain their sequence reasoning.
• National Curriculum link: Retelling stories and ordering events supports comprehension and narrative skills.

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4. Prediction Challenge (10 minutes)

Activity: Making Predictions

• Show the final page or a key moment before the ending.
• Ask: “What do you think will happen next? Why?”
• Pupils discuss in pairs, then share predictions with the class, encouraging justification of ideas.
• Option: Pupils draw or write a sentence about their prediction on paper.
• National Curriculum link: Encourages speculation and inference, a key reading comprehension skill.

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5. Assessment and Reflection (10 minutes)

Formative Assessment:

• Use a simple checklist with prompts:
  • Can name Lion and Mouse?
  • Can describe where the story is set?
  • Can retell three key events in the right sequence?
  • Can suggest a simple prediction with reason?
• Conduct a quick round of questions with whole-class or pairs as pupils give evidence from the story.
• Collect pupils’ drawing/prediction sheets for evidence of understanding.

Reflection:

• Review objectives and ask pupils what they enjoyed or found tricky.
• Reinforce how identifying setting and characters helps us understand stories better.

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Differentiation

• Support: Pre-printed picture cards for character identification; paired work for sequencing task.
• Challenge: Pupils can write an extended prediction paragraph explaining their reasoning with connectives (because, so, if).

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Extension Ideas (Home or Next Lesson)

• Write a diary entry from the mouse’s perspective.
• Design a new character who could help the lion next and describe them.
• Create a story map including pictures and speech bubbles.

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Teacher Notes

• Encourage expressive reading to bring characters to life.
• During sequencing, facilitate discussion on “why” an event fits a particular place.
• Monitor use of vocabulary related to character traits and settings (e.g., brave, dense forest).
• Maximise use of talk partners and group work for engagement and oral practice.

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By integrating interactive gameplay, rich discussion, and structured tasks, this lesson brings The Lion Inside to life, supporting Year 3 pupils in developing vital comprehension and narrative skills in line with the National Curriculum.