How to attack a castle

Add to My Folder

By Bev Long — educational consultant

This amusing poster suggests two ways of attacking and capturing a castle. The three set of instructions use generic text type features, such as: statement of purpose, equipment needed, ordered steps and illustrations to help exemplify points. The poster should be particularly motivating for boys and will provide lots of scope for role play.

Shared teaching and learning

Shared reading

Read the title and ask the children to share what they already know about life in a castle.
Recap the generic features of instructional texts and ask the children to look out for them as you read the poster.
Look at the poster, directing the children to the illustrations, then discuss what is happening. Ask them to identify what the poster is for and how the illustrations help.
Read the poster together.
List new vocabulary and discuss the meaning of the new words – eg, storm, siege, catapult, battering ram, surrender, capture, surround.
Discuss and share opinions on the merits of each attack approach.
Use junk models, small world play and role play to act out the instructions to help make them real.
Identify and list imperative verbs.
Notice use of bullets, numbers and sequencing connectives.
Notice how some instructions have a second sentence giving extra information.
Discuss the possible impact of each instruction. For example, in ‘Storming the Castle’, why do you need to get ready at night?