This Year 7 reading lesson introduces pupils to the opening chapter of A Monster Calls, guiding them to explore how Patrick Ness creates a spooky, unsettling atmosphere and how we can infer Conor’s emotions using evidence from the text. Pupils examine clues about the setting, mood and character through structured discussion, paired analysis and close reading tasks.

The lesson builds confidence with inference, encourages empathy and deepens understanding of authorial craft.

• Infer how Conor is feeling using evidence from the text
• Explain how the author builds a spooky atmosphere
• Identify clues about the setting and mood

• Full lesson plan with clear teacher guidance
• Inference worksheet — structured, differentiated tasks to support evidence‑based inference
• Extract‑based activities focusing on mood, setting and character
• Discussion prompts for paired and group work
• Success criteria for self‑assessment
• Stretch challenges for higher‑attaining pupils
• Scaffolded sentence stems for learners needing support

• Builds essential inference skills early in the unit
• Encourages emotional literacy and close reading
• Clear structure with minimal preparation required
• Strong focus on atmosphere and authorial intent
• Designed to fit seamlessly into a full A Monster Calls scheme

Some visuals in this resource were made with AI to help bring ideas to life and support student understanding.