English - Year 8

	Autumn 1	Spring 1	Summer 1
Knowledge	The Bible as Literature Anchor text: 'Noah' from the York cycle of Mystery Plays Satellite texts include extracts from: Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden Paradise Lost Cain and Able Noah and the Ark The Adventures of Samson David and Goliath A selection of Psalms Song of Solomon The Judgment of Solomon The Story of Daniel The Nativity The Sermon on the Mount The Story of Lazarus William Blake – Songs of Innocence and Experience Bob Marley Students know: - What languages the Bible was originally written in (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek) - that the King James Bible was published in 1611 - Tyndale believed the Bible must be translated into English so that ordinary people would know the word of God - most of the King James Version is based on the translation of William Tyndale - Mystery plays were performed in the Middle Ages so that ordinary people would know Bible stories - Flood myths are common to many different ancient cultures - Biblical narratives contain very little description and no access to characters’ thoughts - What is said in the Sermon on the Mount (beatitudes and Lord’s prayer) - What a Road to Damascus experience means - Why John Bunyan chose to use allegory to tell the story of Pilgrim’s Progress - The titles of poems by William Blake and Emily Dickinson - When Blake and Dickinson lived	Comedy Anchor text: Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Satellite texts include extracts from: Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Miller’s Tale from The Canterbury Tales Sam Jordison “How Chaucer weaves high minded poetry with low comedy”. Ben Jonson’s Every Man In His Humour Richard Curtis’ Blackadder III Nonsense poetry of Edward Lear and the world of Charlie Dodgson. Extract from Angell’s Frasier Episode 1 Students know: - Comedies originated in Ancient Greece and satirised individuals in the public eye. - Aristophanes is called the father of comedy. - New Comedy used stock characters or stereotypes. - Roman Satire used humour and gentle mockery. - Juvenalian satire is harsher and more abrasive. - Chaucer parodies the rules of courtly love in The Miller’s Tale and uses the genre of the fabliaux. - Shakespeare uses two distinct settings in As You Like It to satirise life at court. - Rosalind would have been played a boy actor, dressing up as a female character, disguising herself as a man in the play. - Shakespeare’s comedies typically start with disorder and by the end, order is restored. - Restoration comedy is rude and was a reaction to the reopening of the playhouses. - Neo-Classicism uses allusions to ancient Roman and Greek literature in order to elevate the position of the writer. - Comedy in Victorian literature was focused on the ills of society and the desire for change.	The novel and Protest Anchor text: 'The Hate you Give' by Angie Thomas Satellite texts include extracts from: Protest art by Banksy Students know - Novels developed how writers can explore characters’ internal lives - The different ways writers can develop a character (description, action, dialogue, internal monologue) - Novels have a range of purposes: to entertain, to criticise, to satirise, to highlight social issues, to argue the strength of weakness of ideas etc. - The conventions of bildungsroman novels
High frequency vocabulary and grammatical structures taught	Key vocabulary: Allegory Allusion Symbolism Appositive Testament Dauntless Narrative perspective Characterisation Protagonist Judgemental Motif Parody Irony Tier Three Vocabulary Diachronic change Psalm Lyric poetry Gospel Miracle Sermon Beatitudes Students can: - summarise a range of Bible stories. - explain the difficulties of translating the Bible - use tenor, vehicle and ground to analyse a range of metaphors - use excellent epithets to write thesis statements - use thesis statements to write three topic sentences - select & embed textual detail to support arguments using PE-WETCARTS. - analyse and evaluate a writer’s methods and intent - use a range of sentence types to create effects	Key vocabulary: Narrative Perspective Allusion Antagonist Subordinating conjunction Characterisation Metaphor Satire Alliteration Irony Mistaken Identity Parody Protagonist Motif Simile Romantic entanglement Stereotype Symbolism Tier Three Vocabulary Lyric poetry Portmanteaux Agon Rhyming couplet Heroic couplet Caesura Enjambement Students Can: - summarise the ways in which the genre of comedy has changed over time, alluding to different types of satire and the different purposes of Comedy over time - explain the opportunities that a disguised Viola has on stage - use tenor, vehicle and ground to analyse a range of metaphors - use excellent epithets to write thesis statements - use thesis statements to write three topic sentences - embed textual detail to support arguments - analyse a writer’s methods using PE-WETCARTS - use subordinating conjunctions to introduce alternative interpretations - use a range of sentence types to create effects - speak with confidence to other students, building on the ideas and comments of others and elevating their vocabulary when challenged to.	Key vocabulary: Characterisation Exposition Foreshadowing Irony Motif Mistaken identity Protagonist Satire Theme Tier Three Vocabulary Allegory Bildungsroman Epistolary novel First person narrative Omniscient narrative Third person Subjective narrative Students can: - Use tenor, vehicle and ground to analyse language - Use excellent epithets to evaluate and analyse characters and themes - Write thesis statements using excellent epithets - Use thesis statements to write topic sentences - Expand thesis statements by exploring the themes and ideas in a novel - Select and embed relevant textual detail - Analyse the writer’s use of language, structure, perspective and form using PE-WETCARTS - Evaluate the writer’s intent - Use creative sentence types to craft descriptive passages.
Assessment	Assessments: Writing: Narrative writing based on a Flood story. Reading: An extract-based response evaluating the construction of a biblical hero.	Assessments: Writing: A monologue in role as a character Reading: An extract-based response focused on the conventions of Comedy.	Assessments: Writing: Speech writing and delivery. Reading: An extract-based response evaluating a character's impact on the plot.
Cultural Capital Careers Cross Curricular Links	Students explore how Literature can be a mirror on society. Moral, Philosophical & Spiritual Inquiry Students analyse metaphor, motif, and lyric poetry across genres, enhancing their literary fluency. They develop skills in creative and persuasive writing, public speaking, and textual analysis. Students see how art and media reflect societal tensions, beliefs, and aspirations. Comedy and satire offer insight into historical attitudes and resistance movements. Museum Curator or Archivist – interpreting historical texts and artifacts Theologian or Religious Educator – teaching or researching religious literature Writer or Poet – drawing on allegory, symbolism, and biblical allusion Humanitarian Aid Worker – understanding cultural narratives and ethics Journalist or Commentator – analyzing moral and philosophical themes Counselor or Therapist – using biblical narratives to explore human behavior and ethics Academic Researcher – studying ancient languages, texts, and cultural myths Allegory: From Pilgrim’s Progress to The Hate U Give, students explore how symbolic storytelling conveys moral and political truths. Satire & Irony: Comedy and protest literature both use these tools to critique power and provoke thought. Heroism & Voice: Biblical heroes, comedic protagonists, and protest figures all offer models of resistance, transformation, and agency. Language & Form: Across all units, students analyse how writers use structure, metaphor, and voice to shape meaning.