The document provides lesson plans and activities for students to analyze the opening pages of the novel "Link" by Robert Swindells. It includes instructions for students to identify facts about the main character Link from descriptions in the text, analyze how the author establishes characters and hooks the reader's interest, and complete a descriptive writing exercise using adjectives. The goal is for students to understand how Swindells engages readers in the opening of the novel and to improve their own descriptive writing skills.

1. What are your
expectations for this
novel?

2. Lesson 2 – Meet Link and Shelter

3. By the end of the lesson...
ALL of you will be able to understand how
Robert Swindells “hooks” the reader’s interest
in the opening pages of the novel. RAF 5
MOST of you will be able to identify how
Swindells establishes characters through
detailed descriptions. RAF 6
SOME of you will be able to use adjective
effectively to describe. WAF 7

4. Read page 1
What do you learn about the narrator from
this page?
Put the subheading ‘Facts about Link’ and
identify up to five facts about Link from the
first page.

5. You can call me Link.
It’s not my name, but it’s what I
say when anybody asks, which
isn’t often. I’m invisible, see? One
of the invisible people. Right now
I’m sitting in a doorway watching
the passers-by. They avoid
looking at me. They’re afraid I
want something they’ve got, and
they’re right. Also, they don’t
want to think about me. They
don’t like reminding I exist. Me,
and those like me. We’re living
proof that everything’s not all
right and we make the place
untidy.
Hang about and I’ll tell you the
story of my fascinating life.
Page 1
Who is
speaking?
What do
you learn
about the
speaker?

6. Daily Routine Orders 1
Shelter. Yes. I like it. It’s got a ring
to it as I’m sure you’ll agree.
Shelter, as in shelter from the
stormy blast. It’s what they’re all
seeking. The street people. What
they crave. If they can only find
shelter everything will be fine.
Well – get fell in, my lucky lads.
I’m ready for you.
Page 2
Who is
speaking
now?
Is this
the
same
“voice”
as page
1?In the Army the day to day
workings of a Unit are controlled
by a set of instructions called
'Routine Orders' or RO's.

7. Read pages 3 - 5
Copy out the table below and pick out the words and phrases
that describe Vince and comment on why they are so effective.
Words to describe Vince Impact and effect on the reader
‘grey hair’ Makes you think he’s old and traditional
‘fat belly’ Comes across as lazy, doesn’t care
about his appearance
‘likes his ale’ ...
‘leers and winks’ ...
‘nastier and nastier’ ...
‘slapping me around the head’ ...

8. Descriptive Writing Task
In order to make our writing as detailed and
interesting as possible, we need to use
adjectives. Adjectives are ‘describing words’
which help to make the meaning of the noun
fuller.
For example;
Fruit (noun) may be ripe, sweet, juicy, bitter,
tempting or delicious.

9. Descriptive Writing Task
Write a short, but detailed, description of any
celebrity of your choice but do not write their
name. You can comment on the person’s
physical appearance and their personality but
don’t give away their identity.
You may find that on re – reading your
description, you can improve it by adding more
adjectives. Treat your first attempt as a draft.

10. Now swap books...
Read another student’s description and try to
guess their celebrity.
Once you have attempted to guess the
celebrity, tick every adjective that is spelt
correctly and put the final number at the end
of the description.
You may want to volunteer to read out you
description to the class if your partner cannot
guess your celebrity.

11. What have you learned?
Are you able to understand how Robert
Swindells “hooks” the reader’s interest in the
opening pages of the novel? RAF 5
Are you able to identify how Swindells
establishes characters through detailed
descriptions? RAF 6
Are you able to use adjective effectively to
describe? WAF 7

12. Did you like the opening of this
novel? What has the writer, Robert
Swindells, done to make his reader
want to read on?