Long-Way-Down Pop
Starter – The Story So Far
Answer in your jotter:
Name all the ghosts Will has met so far
Write one thing each ghost taught Will
Why do you think they appear in this order?
What questions do you still have about the story?
Extension:
Write one sentence predicting what the next ghost might be like.
Lesduur is: 60 minOnderdelen in deze les
Starter – The Story So Far
Answer in your jotter:
Name all the ghosts Will has met so far
Write one thing each ghost taught Will
Why do you think they appear in this order?
What questions do you still have about the story?
Extension:
Write one sentence predicting what the next ghost might be like.
Long Way Down
Pop’s Arrival: Understanding the Story So Far
Learning Intention & Success Criteria
Learning Intention
To understand Pop’s arrival and show clear understanding of the story so far.
Success Criteria
I can recall key events and characters from earlier scenes
I can explain Pop’s role and message in this section
I can read with understanding, using clues in the text
I can show my understanding through individual written tasks
Put these events in the correct order:
Reading Task – Pop’s Section
Read the part where Pop enters the lift.
As you read, focus on:
What Pop says
What Pop avoids saying
How Will reacts
Clues about Pop’s past
Changes in atmosphere
When finished, underline one line that surprised you.
Task 1 – Key Event Recall
Quiz Time
What does Pop do with teh gun after he shoots Gree?
"My Father was not who I expected him to be. I spent my whole damn life missing a misser. That dissapointed me". What does this mean?
Why do you think Pop held a gun to Will's head?
Task 2 – Why Now?
Answer in one or two sentences:
Why does Jason Reynolds introduce Pop now?
What might Pop be here to show Will?
Challenge:
Predict how this ghost will affect Will’s final decision.
Task 3 – Inference Burst
Write what each line really means:
“Pop raised the gun like he’d done it before.”
“Pop looked at me without smiling.”
“The lift hummed louder.”
Challenge:
Choose another line and write your own inference.
Task 4 – Character Focus: Pop
Write four statements:
Pop seems…
Pop feels…
Pop regrets…
Pop wants Will to…
Extension:
Pop reminds Will of…
Task 5 – Story Recall Challenge
Put these events in order:
Will wakes up and finds Shawn dead
Will remembers The Rules
Will gets the gun
Will meets Buck
Will meets Dani
Will meets Uncle Mark
Pop enters the lift
Challenge:
Describe how Will’s feelings have changed from start to now.
Task 6 – Annotation Burst
Choose Option A or B:
Option A: Annotate a Line
Pick your favourite line from Pop’s section. Include:
meaning
emotion
importance
what it tells you about Will
Option B: Annotate Pop
Write 'POP' in the centre. Add quick notes on:
emotions
motivations
regrets
warnings
links to other ghosts
Task 7 – Prediction and Thinking Ahead
Answer in full sentences:
What does Pop want Will to realise?
How might this link to The Rules?
What happens when the lift reaches the bottom?
Higher Challenge:
Link Pop’s message to another ghost’s message.
Plenary – The Most Important Lesson
Complete ONE sentence:
The ghost who taught Will the most is…
The moment that changed Will most was…
Today I realised that Pop’s message is really about…
End of Lesson 9
✔ You’ve explored Pop’s powerful arrival.
✔ You’ve recalled the story so far.
✔ You’ve read, reflected, and responded with depth.
Well done — this is a turning point in the novel.
Pop’s Identity Revealed
Who Is Pop?
Pop is Will’s father — not just a memory, but a real man with a past.
He died in a shooting, just like Shawn. But his death wasn’t just a tragedy — it followed The Rules too.
Now, as a ghost in the lift, he speaks not just as a father, but as someone who lived by the same code Will wants to follow.
Pop: Father vs. Symbol
As a Father
Raised Will
Loved his sons
Tried to protect them
Hid his pain
As a Symbol
Represents the past
Embodies the cycle
Warns Will
Breaks the silence
What Pop Carries
1
The Gun
He brings a gun — not to threaten, but to show familiarity. He handled one before, just like Will now.
2
Silence
He doesn’t cry or shout. His quietness speaks volumes about the weight of his choices.
3
Regret
His eyes say he wishes he’d broken the rules. He doesn’t want Will to repeat his path.
Task 8 – Summary Paragraph
Write a short paragraph summarising Pop’s arrival. Include:
Who he is
Why he matters
What he shows Will
How he changes the mood
Challenge:
Include a quotation from the text.
Why Pop Appears Now
Emotional Peak
Will is seconds from breaking The Rules. Pop arrives at the moment of decision.
Family Link
He is the first ghost who is part of Will’s immediate family — making it more personal.
Cycle Breaker
He represents the possibility of stopping the violence before it continues.
Clues in the Text
Raised Gun
Pop might have used a gun before, possibly even killed someone, challenging Will's view on who uses guns.
No Smile
Shows guilt, pain, or fear. Pop isn’t proud — he’s haunted by his choices.
Humming Lift
The mechanical hum reflects tension — time feels frozen, emotions building.
The Rules Revisited
The Rules (Again)
No crying
No snitching
Get revenge
Pop lived by these — and died by them.
Now, his ghost shows Will that following the rules didn't save him. Maybe breaking them is the only way to survive.
Pop’s Life Timeline
1990s
Young Father
Raised Will and Shawn with love, but in a violent world.
Early 2000s
Carried Gun
Followed The Rules — protected family, sought revenge.
Unknown
Killed
Died in a shooting, likely due to retaliation.
Present
Returns as Ghost
Appears in the lift to warn Will from repeating his fate.
Pop’s Message – In His Words
Key Quotes
These lines are quiet but powerful. He’s not commanding — he’s pleading.
His message: You still have a choice.
How Pop Changes the Mood
From Tense to Heavy
The lift feels heavier, more emotional. This isn’t just about revenge anymore.
From Isolation to Connection
Will no longer feels alone — but now carries his father’s pain too.
From Certainty to Doubt
Will starts to question: Is this really what Pop would want?
Pop vs. Other Ghosts
Buck, Uncle Mark, Dani
Spoke from experience
Warned through their deaths
Pop
Speaks from fatherhood
Warns through love
Shows that even good men follow bad rules
His presence makes the rules feel more dangerous — because he lived them.
Pop’s Emotional Impact
Shock
Will can’t believe his father is here — and that he followed The Rules.
Grief
Seeing Pop makes Will feel the loss all over again.
Doubt
If Pop regrets it, should Will really go through with it?
What Pop Represents
1
The Past
He carries the weight of what came before — a legacy of silence and violence.
2
Love
He isn’t there to judge — he’s there because he loves Will too much to watch him fail.
3
Choice
He shows Will that even in a world of rules, love can open a door to change.
Linking to Real Life
Cycle of Violence
Many young people feel pressure to respond to loss with violence.
Pop’s story shows how one choice — to follow the code — can echo for generations.
In Scotland, we see similar issues in communities affected by knife crime.
This story asks: Can we break the cycle?
Match the words with the definitions 🎯
1.
cycle
2.
revenge
3.
silence
4.
regret
a)
A deep sorrow for something you have done or failed to do.
b)
The state of being completely quiet, often filled with emotional weight.
c)
A pattern of events that keeps repeating in the same way, often with harmful results.
d)
The act of punishing someone for a wrong, often used to justify violence.
Match the words with the definitions 🎯
✅
1.
cycle
2.
revenge
3.
silence
4.
regret
c)
A pattern of events that keeps repeating in the same way, often with harmful results.
d)
The act of punishing someone for a wrong, often used to justify violence.
b)
The state of being completely quiet, often filled with emotional weight.
a)
A deep sorrow for something you have done or failed to do.
True or False ✅ ❌
Pop brings a gun into the lift to show Will that he understands the world he's entering.
👍
TRUE
👎
FALSE
Answers on the next slide...
True or False ✅ ❌
Pop brings a gun into the lift to show Will that he understands the world he's entering.
✅
👍
TRUE
This is true because Pop carries a gun not to threaten, but to show familiarity with it, reflecting his past and helping Will understand that he has lived by The Rules too. It highlights the cycle of violence and makes his warning more powerful.
Get creative 🖼️
Design a 'Wanted' Poster for The Rules
Imagine The Rules are a villain in the story. Create a 'Wanted' poster that shows their crimes, features, and a warning for others. Give them a name and describe how they’ve caused pain in Will’s life.
What you'll need: 🎨 🖌️
Paper, Pens, Markers
Fill in the blanks 🧩
Pop looked at Will with ____, his silence full of ____. He wanted Will to feel ____, not anger, and to know he was ____.
Word bank 🏦
grief, proud, loved, shame, regret, love, fear
Answers on the next slide...
Fill in the blanks 🧩
Pop looked at Will with regret, his silence full of love. He wanted Will to feel grief, not anger, and to know he was loved.
Word bank 🏦
grief, proud, loved, shame, regret, love, fear
✅
Match the words with the pictures 🎯
1.
Buck
2.
Dani
3.
Uncle Mark
4.
Pop
a)
b)
c)
d)
Match the words with the pictures 🎯
✅
1.
Buck
b)
2.
Dani
c)
3.
Uncle Mark
a)
4.
Pop
d)
Understanding Pop's Message
Question 1:
Who is Pop in relation to Will, and why is his appearance significant?
Question 2:
What is the importance of Pop carrying a gun in the lift, and what does it reveal about his past?
Question 3:
How does Pop’s behaviour in the lift influence Will’s thoughts about revenge and The Rules?
Answers on the next slide...
Understanding Pop's Message
✅
Answer 1:
Pop is Will’s father, who appears as a ghost in the lift to warn Will against following The Rules and seeking revenge.
Answer 2:
Pop brings a gun to show he understands Will’s world, revealing he also lived by The Rules, which adds emotional weight and highlights the cycle of violence.
Answer 3:
Pop’s quiet presence and regretful expression challenge Will’s belief that revenge is right, making him question whether continuing the cycle is what his father would want.
Whats the right order? 🥚
Put these 4 plot points from Pop's scene in the lift in the correct chronological order, from first to last.
Pop speaks
Will sees gun
Will stays silent
Pop enters lift
Answers on the next slide...
Whats the right order? 🥚
Put these 4 plot points from Pop's scene in the lift in the correct chronological order, from first to last.
Pop enters lift
1.
Will sees gun
2.
Pop speaks
3.
Will stays silent
4.
✅
Final Reflection
Pop’s arrival is not just a twist — it’s the heart of the novel.
It reminds us that behind every rule, every gun, every loss — there is love, pain, and a chance to choose differently.
Today, you didn’t just read a story. You stepped into the lift with Will — and faced a choice too.
Summary
In this lesson, we:
Recalled the story so far
Read and discussed Pop’s arrival
Explored his role, emotions, and message
Connected his story to The Rules and Will’s journey
Reflected on choices, grief, and breaking cycles
Pop isn’t just a ghost. He’s a warning — and a hope.
