Goodnight Mister Tom

Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian

Goodnight Mister Tom – winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award – by Michelle Magorian has delighted generations of children. It’s the story of young Willie Beech, evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of the Second World War. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakley – but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London. As time goes by Tom begins to worry when Willie doesn’t answer his letters, so he goes to London to find him, and there makes a terrible discovery.

Main Focus: Non Fiction - Evacuees

This Ks2 resource explores how children were evacuated during World War 2 when Britain announced it was at war with Germany in 1939.

Your class will read the passages and answer the comprehension style questions.

This Year 5 / Year 6 resource includes a range of questioning and differentiation.

Main Focus: Character Development

This resource covers character development in chapter 1 of the story.

The activity to accompany the chapter is based around characters: William, Mr Oakley, Mr Tom, Mrs Beech, Mrs Hartridge and Evacuees.

Main Focus: Adverbial Phrases

This resource gives your Ks2 class the opportunity to work on identifying and creating adverbial phrases whilst covering chapter 3 of the Goodnight Mr Tom story during their World War 2 topic work.

Scroll to see all three resources in this activity.

Main Focus: Pathetic Fallacy

Pathetic Fallacy is a form of personification where human emotions or characteristics are given to objects, nature or weather to mirror the mood of the story.

For example – smiling skies, sombre clouds, angry storm, bitter winter.

Your class will read the sentences and determine the mood portrayed.

Main Focus: 'ex-' Spelling

The Prefix ex- usually means ‘out’ or ‘from’.

Sometimes another prefix, such as ‘in-‘ can be added to the start of the word to change it into an opposite meaning.

For example: extricable and inextricable

Your class will complete the activities using the ‘ex-‘ words from the story.

Main Focus: Comprehension - Chapter 11

Your Ks2 class will answer questions linked to Chapter 11 of the story.

Questions are linked to vocabulary, retrieval and inference.

The resource has been differentiated three ways.

Main Focus: Creating Tension

This resource explores how the author creates tensions in the passages from chapter 15 of the book.

Your class will explore the use of powerful verbs, short sentences, darkness and more.

Main Focus: Setting Descriptions - Chapter 16

This resource focuses on setting descriptions from Chapter 16 of the Goodnight Mr Tom story.

Your class will explore the Station, Bus Journey, The Shelter and Willie’s House and answer questions and reflect on the events unfolding and surroundings.

The resource has been differentiated three ways.

Main Focus: Subjunctive Form

The subjunctive form is a type of verb which shows different moods.  It can show importance or a wish.

Your class will make lists of verbs to show urgency, then use the words to complete the sentence grids expressing the opinions of the characters.

The resource has been differentiated three ways.

Main Focus: Sequencing and Alternative Endings

This resource encourages your class to sequence the events from pages 333-339 as well as think about alternative endings to the story and characters.

Some alternative endings have been provided to assist should they be required. The resource has been differentiated three ways.