The Kites are Flying
by Michael Morpurgo
Vicky Symes
Chawton Primary School
Overview
• Written from two perspectives,
covering the conflict in the West Bank,
between Israel and Palestine
• Viewpoint is crucial throughout the
story
– Israeli / Palestinian
– Occupier / Occupied
– Child / Adult
• Viewpoints are often in conflict, yet
have commonalities, too
• Huge issues raised – very emotive
• Be prepared to face and discuss issues
– PSHE
– Racial
– Political
– Cultural
Cross-Curricular Activities
• D.T. – create a kite
• Music – compose music based on war/peace,
air/kites
• Geography/History – look at key areas,
political figures, key moments in the
struggle
• Art – endless opportunities
– War / peace
– Kites
– Nightmares / dreams
Cross-Curricular Activities
• RE – discuss the different religions
involved in the conflict and how they
impact on daily life
• PHSE – massive scope for discussions,
debates etc. MUST BE HANDLED WITH
SENSITIVITY.
Immersion
• Slow reveal of illustrations from the book
• Discussions based on looking at examples of
illustrations
• Text extracts
– Group into information about characters, events,
themes etc
• Mini pics presentation
– No sound
– With music
• Discuss reactions
• What could the book be about?
Activate Prior Learning
• Does it remind them of anything they’ve ever
read before?
• Discuss themes that may have arisen e.g.
CONFLICT
Introduce Book
• Explain background
• Read opening chapter / diary entry
– Stress it is written by each character, from their
own viewpoint
• Introduce children’s diary
– Their personal responses to what they have read
– Written as a diary entry
– Diary entry to be made after each reading of a
chapter / work on a book
– A personal journey
Key Elements
• Focus on character viewpoint
– Who is ‘right?’
– Take on character and hot-seat key moments e.g.
the shooting of Mahmoud
– Would all the characters see the events in the
same way?
• Class debates / discussions
– Role of soldier
– Occupier / Occupied
Suggested Literacy Activities
• Report on initial accident from both
perspectives – Israeli and Palestinian
• Report ‘shooting incident’ from both
viewpoints
• Diary entry by the girl in the wheelchair
– Prior to Mahmoud’s death
– At the end, after all the kites have flown
• Write a poem of peace/hope
• Write a prayer for peace
This is one of the most moving books I’ve
ever read…
“Friendship knows no barriers”
Websites of interest
• http://www.michaelmorpurgo.com/books/the
-kites-are-flying/
• http://www.childrenslaureate.org.uk/previous
-laureates/books/3/29650/
• http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/3914/Th
e-Kites-are-Flying-by-Michael-Morpurgo.html