BOOK: Grandma Bird AUTHOR: Benji Davies KEY STAGE: KS1€¦ · Grandma Bird by Benji Davies About the Book When Noi, who readers will recognise from The Storm Whale books, goes to

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Grandma Bird by Benji Davies About the Book When Noi, who readers will recognise from The Storm Whale books, goes to spend the summer at Grandma’s he isn’t sure that they have anything in common. However, a misadventure helps them to bond and the summer turns out to be better than Noi hoped. Grandma Bird is the third story set in the world of Noi. About the Author/Illustrator Benji Davies is an illustrator, author and animation director. His first self-penned picture book The Storm Whale won the inaugural Oscar’s Book Prize and was Dutch Picture Book of The Year 2017. His second, Grandfather’s Island, won the children’s book category of the AOI World Illustration Awards 2015 and was crowned Best Picture Book and overall Children’s Book of the Year at the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Awards 2015. Reasons for Book Selection Benji Davies perfectly captures the emotional experience of young children, in this story about staying away from home with an elderly relative for the first time. There’s warmth to the pictures which provides a comforting reading experience in spite of the drama of the exciting narrative climax, in which Noi experiences real jeopardy. There’s plenty to explore in terms of character motivation, change and themes as well as opportunities for wider learning in science, art and dance.

BOOK: Grandma Bird

AUTHOR: Benji Davies

KEY STAGE: KS1

Suggested length of unit 3 - 5 weeks. A note about ‘lessons’ Our lessons are organised as meaningful chunks of learning. Most of them will fit a standard 45-minute to 60-minute session. However, some of them are shorter sessions and others will run for a series of linked sessions. We have indicated this where appropriate. It is not anticipated that you will teach all the lessons. Select those that suit the needs of your class. Note about page numbers This book does not have page numbers. For ease of reference we have numbered the pages starting with the double page spread ‘Noi lived with his Father’ pages 1 & 2. You may want to lightly pencil in page numbers on a teacher copy.


Title Skills and Teaching Strategies Area of Learning

Before Reading: Hook

A Trip to the Beach • Immersive Hook

Before Reading: Orientation

Living on an Island • Building background knowledge

• Questioning

• Learning about Islands

What’s in a Name? • Language exploration • Character naming

Sail Away! • Visualisation

• Technical vocabulary

• Describing sailing boats

Front Cover Clues • Quescusstion

• Prediction

• Making predictions based on the front

cover

During Reading: First Encounters

Reading Grandma Bird • Read aloud

• Prediction

• Questioning

• Predicting consequences from a character’s behaviour


What do we know about Grandma Bird?

• First impressions organiser

• I Can Guess statements

• Questioning

• Character inference

Safe at Last • Readers Theatre • Character inference

• Fluent, expressive reading

Creeping, hopping, skipping • Think aloud

• Language games

• Verb choice

• Movement verbs

Snoring Like a Walrus • Close reading

• Using context

• Figurative language: similes and idioms

Dark and Light • Zone of relevance • Visual language

• Vocabulary

During Reading: Digging Deeper

What is Grandma Bird thinking?

• Role on the Wall • Character inference

The Raging Storm • Soundscape • Exploring mood and atmosphere

The Rescue • Emotion cards

• Mime

• Inductive inference

• Character emotions

• Point of view

Grandma Bird Story Wheel • Story Wheel • Summarising


After Reading: Review and Reflect

What’s the Big Idea? • Statements cards

• Discussion

• Finding themes

Returning to the Title Page • Close reading

• Discussion

• Themes

• Relating the peritext to the main text

Contrasting Illustrations • Close reading of illustrations • Compare and contrast thinking

Writing Opportunities

Through Noi’s Eyes • Writing in role • Writing a postcard

How to Care for a Bird • Care leaflet • Explanatory writing

Weather Forecasting • Produce a weather forecast • Science links

Wider Learning Opportunities

Making Soup! • Writing a recipe • Procedural writing

Rock Pool Habitats • Science links

Sea Creatures and Birds • Researching a topic

• Information text

• Science links


Stormy Seascapes • Colour mixing

• Seascapes

• Art links

Identifying Clouds • Answering a key question • Science links

Measuring Rainfall • Design and make a rain gauge

• Record rainfall

• Science links

Measuring Wind Direction • Answering a text to world question: Is wind a good thing?

• Science links

Calm and Stormy • Contrasting movement qualities • Dance links


Before Reading

Hook

A Trip to the Beach

A trip to a beach to inspire and inform.

Duration: 1 session

Purpose Immersing children in a real experience is both motivating and supportive of their learning. Some children may have limited experience of the islands, seascapes, rock pooling if you are fortunate to be able to take the children to a beach in advance of reading Grandma Bird, this lesson offers a rich experience.

Preparation

Prepare a scroll that is battered and torn and tied with a piece of old string. You could rub with fish oil to make it smell of the sea. Write Noi’s name on the scroll to show that it belongs to him. The scroll has images called ‘Things to take to Grandma’s’. You can draw them or download the photographic images.

• a bucket and spade • a fishing net • a seashell • a balaclava hat • a crab • a bottle of sand • a photograph of a shipwreck.

Prepare a postcard from Grandma to Noi asking him to come and visit. The postcard shows her address and lists things for Noi to bring with him.


Process

Discover the scroll and the postcard with the children. Prompts include: • Where has it come from? • Who is Noi? • What clues can we find? (including smell).

Final reflection

For homework, encourage the children to find out about islands. Follow-up with a discussion about what they have discovered and then add anything else they think Noi will need to his drawings.

Key vocabulary: bucket, spade, shipwreck

Additional vocabulary: balaclava


Before Reading

Orientation

Living on an Island

In this lesson children speculate about what it might be like to live on an island and learn some basic facts about islands.

Duration:1 session

Purpose Background knowledge is essential for reading comprehension. Readers attach new ideas to what they already know and understand.

Grandma Bird is set on an island. When Noi visits his Grandma, he is cut off from his Father and his home. Most children will be familiar with the idea of a Treasure Island from stories that they have read, perhaps they have visited an island on holiday, it is possible that they live on an island. This orientation session briefly explores the features of islands and introduces associated vocabulary. It may be a good opening lesson, particularly if you are planning a wider study about island life.

Preparation

• Download the Living on an Island slideshow. Process

Share the Living on an Island slideshow. Teacher’s note: do not share the final slide if you are planning to use ‘What’s in a Name’ and ‘Front Cover Clues’ afterwards because it includes the front cover image. Ask the key question and allow time for the children to share their responses. What would it be like to live on an island? Further prompts might include:


• Encourage the children to think about where they would find food, water, shelter. • What would travel be like? • Would they prefer to live alone on the island or with one other person? • What would it be like if that other person did not stop talking? What if that other person never spoke to you? Would you feel less or

more lonely than if you were the only person on the island? (This can be picked up again later when thinking about Noi’s relationship with his grandma).

• If you lived on a small island, would there always be new things to explore? (This will relate to Noi’s exploration of rock pools later in the story).

Show the outline map of the UK. Do the children recognise it? Discuss, picking up the following points:

• Can you find the UK on a globe or atlas? • Can you find any other islands on the map? • Australia is a large island that can be easily located. Can you find other large islands? Look out for smaller islands too. • A group of lots of small islands is called an archipelago. You can introduce the term if you think it is appropriate for your group.

Engage in imaginative and speculative discussion:

• How would you travel to an island? • Would it be possible to walk to an island? • Encourage the children to share their ideas. • You can walk or drive to some islands during low tide using a causeway that becomes submerged at high tide. Islands like Canvey

Island in Essex have long road bridges that allow people to drive and walk onto the island. However, you need a boat to travel to most islands.

Final reflection

You may want to give the children the opportunity to think of further questions that they have about islands, particularly if you are using Grandma Bird as part of wider learning about island life.

Key vocabulary: island, causeway, high tide, low tide, archipelago


What’s in a Name?

In this lesson children draw on background knowledge and consider the importance of choosing a good name for characters in stories.

Pages: front cover

Duration: short session, 20 - 30 minutes

Purpose

Grandma Bird behaves in a different way to stereotypical grannies. The process in this lesson invites the children to make links to their own grandparents and use their knowledge begin to make predictions about Grandma Bird. Preparation

• Large sheet of sugar paper.

• Paper and materials for drawing.

Process

Write the word Grandma on the board or a large sheet of paper. Check the children can read it. Harvest from the children different words that are used to describe a female grandparent. For example, gran, granny nanny, nonno, daadi, naani, anneanne, babaanne. There is a great diversity in the names that children call their grandparents. This lesson provides an excellent opportunity to talk about the different names used in a range of cultures. Children can identify some of the similarities and differences. After sharing the children’s examples, ask whether both sets of grandparents are given the same name. In some cultures, such as Turkish, a maternal grandmother is distinguished from a paternal grandmother by name. Invite the children to talk about their grandmothers and their qualities. Record their ideas to refer back to later. Now share the title of the book covering up the word ‘Bird’.

• What do you think Grandma’s name will be?

• Reveal the B. Have you changed your mind? What do you think her name might be now?

• Reveal the rest of the word and ask for the children’s responses.

• Did you expect the name Grandma Bird, or did it surprise you?


• In pairs, ask the children to describe the way they imagine Grandma Bird. Does her name conjure up pictures in your mind? Once pairs have shared ideas, they can draw their own sketches then compare their drawings.

Final reflection

Some possible prompts:

• Do you think that Bird is Grandma’s surname or nickname/pet name? (Clarify the meaning of nickname, if needed).

• In the Katie Morag stories (also set on an island), the two grandmothers are called Grandma Mainland and Grannie Island. Their names describe where they live.

• Do any of your grandparents have nicknames? Make explicit the point that nicknames should only be used kindly. We sometimes use the term ‘pet name’ to describe a name that we give to someone about whom we care.

Key vocabulary: nickname, pet name

Sail Away!

In this lesson children have an opportunity to develop descriptive language and acquire new technical vocabulary.

Pages: front cover

Duration:1 session

Purpose

Visualisation supports prediction as well as elaborative inferences. Asking children to think about the content of the front cover illustration before they see it will initiate ideas about the possible content. Technical vocabulary is introduced to support the production of descriptive language and to build knowledge. Teacher’s note: be aware that some children will not be able to visualise imagery. Recent research indicates that a condition called aphantasia prohibits visualisation in some humans.


Preparation

• Distribute copies of Grandma Bird, at least one between two.

• Paper and pencils for sketching.

Process

Before sharing the front cover of the book, you are going to describe the illustration to develop an image in the children’s heads (mind’s-eye). Distribute materials for drawing. And then describe the picture on the front cover of the book for example,

‘I can see a small sailing boat with one mast (pole) with a sail blowing in the wind. An old lady is standing at the back of the boat, steering it with a rudder. The lady is wearing a cardigan and she has a headscarf tied under her chin. A small boy is standing at the prow (the front) of the boat pointing forwards. He is wearing a knitted hat, a striped T-shirt and a raincoat. Fluffy clouds are in the sky and there are a lot of seabirds flying around the boat….’ etc. Reveal the image and ask the children to compare the picture with the images that they have drawn. One of the purposes is to identify the vocabulary with which the children are unfamiliar.

Explicitly introduce the vocabulary giving the children opportunities to hear the words frequently and see them written down during the lesson and subsequent lessons.

Variation

Alternatively, you can give copies of the front cover image to half the class who take on the role of describing the picture to the remaining half. Identify where specific vocabulary can be taught to help the children describe more accurately.

Final reflection

Revisit the front cover with the children. Identify where misunderstandings occurred, and which aspects of the picture could be described more clearly. Key vocabulary: mast, prow, rudder, sail


Front Cover Clues

A Quescussion is used to model how readers ask questions as they read. Children's authentic questions are used as a basis for planning discussion.

Pages: front cover

Duration:1 session

Purpose

Experienced and skilled readers ask questions. Sometimes these are pondered upon privately and at other times they might be voiced in order to seek clarification. Young children often ask questions to satisfy their curiosity about the world they live in. Questioning to make sense of the world of the text is an important skill to apply to reading. Holding a Quescussion explicitly encourages children to question as they read. It is best used to help energise a group that is reticent at asking their own questions. A Quescussion is a precursor to discussion. Preparation

• Copies of the front cover or copies of Grandma Bird, at least one between two.

• Sticky notes, or language books for writing predictions.

Process

In this session, you will hold a Quescussion about the front cover. A few simple rules:

• The discussion can only contain questions.

• A child who asks a question must wait until another question has been asked before offering another question themselves.

• Questions are asked without the need to raise hands. The teacher only intervenes if more than one pupil speaks at the same time.

• The teacher can stop the Quescussion to help the pupils think about the type of questions they are asking. For instance, if they mainly ask closed questions, they can be encouraged to ask open-ended questions. If only factual, obvious questions are being asked, they can be encouraged to ask questions about thoughts or feelings. They can also be encouraged to ask clarification questions, for instance, about the meaning of words.


You may need to start by modelling and asking a few questions, though this may not be necessary. Ensure the children are given enough thinking time before you prompt. Some example questions:

• Where are they going?

• What is the boy pointing at?

• Is the boy fishing?

• Are they on their way home?

• Is it their boat?

• Is the bird following them?

• Scribe the questions as they are offered. The questions can be organised and used to structure future discussions. Involve the children in grouping the questions:

• Can we find all the questions about the characters?

• Can we find all the questions about what is happening?

• Can we find all the questions about what is going to happen?

Teacher's note: after the session, you can decide which questions will lead to the most fruitful lines of investigation/ discussion and use them as the basis for a future session.

Final reflection

• Does the front cover give us clues about what the story will be about?

• Write or draw predictions on sticky notes and display them to revisit once you have read the book. Key vocabulary: question, questioning


During Reading

First Encounters

Reading Grandma Bird

After reading, children answer three levels of question (literal, inference and text to world). Predictions are made in the course of reading.

Pages: whole book

Duration:1 session

Purpose Reading aloud to your class is one of the most important reading lessons that you can provide. There are many advantages, one of which is affording the opportunity to build story structure knowledge. When sharing a new book, read aloud the first time simply for enjoyment. This allows children to build knowledge of story structure. Stopping too frequently with questions interferes with this process. Reading aloud also enables children to hear what text sounds like so that they can internalise the voice when they read to themselves.

Occasionally, you may want to stop at a key point to predict what might happen next, encouraging the children to use clues from what has been read. Do this sparingly on a first read through. Reserve for when miscomprehension could potentially affect the overall understanding of the text, rather than stopping to explain minor points. There will be opportunities to talk about the details later.

Reading a book or passage for a second time allows you to check understanding at both literal and inferential levels and to discuss themes and ideas. Preparation

• Read the story before reading aloud to the children.


• Make brief notes about any special features that will affect your reading e.g. building tension during the storm, reading the dialogue between Noi and Grandma. (Sticky notes in books help some teachers, or annotate in light pencil which can be erased after reading).

Process

Read the story aloud to a class or group up to the page, ‘So one morning, when the tide was out, Noi crept away.’.

This is a good stopping point because we can infer from the text that Noi isn’t really enjoying staying with Grandma, and this might be why he has crept away. It is a good point also to make predictions about the consequences of him setting out on his own. Check understanding by asking the following questions:

• What do you think Noi is going to do? (This can be answered by looking at the fishing net and bucket in Noi’s hand). • Does Noi want Grandma to know he is going out? (This question could be answered by referring to the word ‘crept’ in the sentence). • Do you think Noi likes staying with Grandma? Can you explain why you said this? (A combination of inference from the text and

illustrations can be used to answer this). • Would you like to stay with Grandma Bird? (This question asks children to make links between text and their life).

Final reflection

Read aloud to the end of the book. • Should Noi have gone out on his own? • Why? Why not?

Encourage children to consider both points of view, rather than reach for the most obvious answer, before you invite them to weigh up the pros and cons. A For and Against T diagram could be used to support the formulation of reasons supporting both courses of action. Invite the children to talk about the actions Noi could have taken instead of leaving.

• What could Noi have done instead of leaving?

• What do you think you would have done if you were in Noi’s position?

Key vocabulary: for, against


What do we know about Grandma Bird?

In this lesson, children will make inferences about Grandma Bird using the framework ‘I know, I can guess, I would like to know’.

Pages: whole book

Duration: 1 session plus follow up after reading the entire book

Purpose

Noi’s opinion of Grandma changes during the story as he gets to know her better. This process gives the children the opportunity to focus on the beginning of the story and to share their first impressions. These initial thoughts can be revisited after reading the complete story, in order to reflect on how the character has changed or developed.

Preparation

• Download a First Impressions diagram and print copies enough for one each.

• Display an enlarged version on the IWB.

Process

Re-read up to, ‘…and she never had time to play’. Introduce the First Impressions diagram. There are three headings:

• I know…

• I can infer… (I can guess…)

• I want to know… Ask the children to share what they know about Grandma. Their ideas can be recorded on sticky notes and attached to an enlarged version of the First Impressions diagram. Alternatively, they can be written onto printed copies, if working individually or in pairs. Encourage the children to look for visual clues as well as textual clues. As they share their ideas, ask them to identify and explain where they found the information. The next prompt, ‘I can guess’ or ‘I can infer’, supports inference making and needs higher levels of scaffolding. For example: You might say that Grandma likes being alone because she doesn’t make a fuss of Noi when he comes to stay. In the illustrations, she doesn’t look at Noi either.


You might also say she doesn’t mind about being comfy because the blankets are itchy. Make explicit the point that we often use the word because to indicate that we are justifying our ideas and providing evidence for them. Encourage the children to do this when they are giving their opinions. Ask the children to make their own ‘I can infer’ or ‘I can guess’ statements. The final prompt takes children further in thinking about Grandma, particularly what the author doesn’t tell us. Children might ask questions such as:

• Why does she live alone?

• What happened to Grandpa?

• Does she eat anything different?

• Does she ever feel lonely?

• Has she always lived on the island?

Final reflection

Share some of the children’s questions and ask them if any can be answered by returning to the text. You can do this with the class or ask the children to work in pairs or small groups. Provide the opportunity for the children to share what they predict the answers might be.

Key vocabulary: because

Safe at Last

Children explore character and develop fluency and expressive reading using Readers Theatre. Pages: 19 -20 Duration:1 session Purpose Readers Theatre is an excellent way for children to engage with a text and read aloud with appropriate expression. Preparation

• Download and print copies of ‘Grandma Bird Readers Theatre’.


Process Begin by reading the passage to the children, ensuring that they can follow the text. Instruct them to listen to your expression and phrasing. After reading, ask the question,

• Did you notice anything about the way that I read that? Now focus on the dialogue in the book.

• How do you think Noi feels when he says, “Grandma!”? There could be a mixture of emotions, such as relief and happiness. Encourage the children to draw on their experience, but also the clues in the text and the illustration. The discussion and exploration of character are crucial to the success of Readers Theatre.

Refer back to the previous page to consider how Noi feels when he is standing on the rock, wondering if he will ever be saved. Read Noi’s line of dialogue. This can be done in unison to support children who feel self-conscious. Repeat with Grandma’s lines. Hand out the script. Work in groups of three, one narrator (who reads all the text which is not highlighted, including speech tags), Noi, and Grandma. Allow groups to read through the script and practise. There is no need for the children to memorise the words, as they should always have the script with them. Groups share their reading with the rest of the class. Final reflection Teacher’s note: you may want to follow this lesson with Digging Deeper: The Rescue

• Look again at the illustration on this page

• Did Readers Theatre help you understand how Noi and Grandma might be feeling?

Creeping, hopping, skipping

At the end of this lesson children will have considered the effect of verb choice in writing, using the Think Aloud strategy to focus on individual word choice.

Pages: 8 - 10

Duration:1 session


Purpose

Purposeful readers sometimes reflect on why an author chooses specific words and phrases, particularly when more unusual choices are made. This Think Aloud process invites close consideration of verbs in Grandma Bird, and the effect word choice has on the reader’s response and understanding.

Preparation

• Download and print copies of the passage.

• Highlighter pens.

• Download and print verb cards, one each.

• Base Board, one each.

• Download a copy of the ‘Grandma Bird Think Aloud’ for reference.

Process

Find and highlight verbs in the passage. Depending on the experience of the children, ask them to work independently in pairs. Alternatively, model with the class.

See the Grandma Bird Think Aloud exemplar, which can be used and adapted for the needs of your children. The children may identify crept, hopped, pattered, spotted, weaved, skipped.

Use a ‘Think Aloud’ to model how you make sense of words in context. See Think Aloud Grandma Bird as an example which can be used and adapted.

Play the Verbs Game. How to play: • A large space such as the hall or playground is useful if you have one available, otherwise use the classroom. • The game is played in pairs or teams of three or four. • Each player needs a base board which has all the verbs written on for reference. • Take turns to choose a verb card. • The children move across the space in the manner of the verb written on the card. • Score a point for each correct guess. • If the player’s team can’t guess the word, can the other team players guess which verb they are portraying? If they can, then they win

a point.

Final reflection

Choose one of the movement verbs from the story and model using it in a different sentence. Invite the children to share further examples.


Working in pairs or individually, ask the children to use whiteboards to write sentences with the same word or choosing one of the other words from the list.

Key vocabulary: verb, crept, hopped, pattered, spotted, weaved, skipped.

Snoring Like a Walrus

In this lesson children are introduced to figurative language and learn how it helps to build an image in the reader’s mind. Page: 6, whole book Duration: short session, 20 - 30 minutes Purpose Some of the language in Grandma Bird is likely to be unfamiliar and a potential barrier to comprehension. Although the visual context will support understanding, focusing on idiomatic phrases and figurative language will extend children’s linguistic repertoires. Idiomatic expressions may be especially challenging for additional language learners, so take time to explain the meaning. Use drama and visual approaches to develop understanding. Preparation

• Copies of the Grandma Bird, or the image of Noi and Grandma in bed

• Whiteboards and marker pens for writing sentences Process Read the first sentence, ‘At night they had to sleep top to tail.’

• What does ‘top to tail’ mean? • Can the children use the picture clues to work it out? • Give a clear child-friendly explanation, using gestures to show your ‘top’ and your ‘tail’ (in this case feet). Top to tail is another way of

saying top to bottom. • Has anyone in the class ever slept like this? Perhaps at a party or sleepover?


Now read the second sentence. Highlight ‘snored like an old walrus’. Ask: Can you imagine how that sounds? There’s a clip of a snoring walrus here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIk-3nw-2fY

• What is a walrus? Show a picture

• So how do you think Grandma was snoring? Was it quiet or loud?

• Introduce the term ‘simile’ if appropriate. Highlight the words ‘like a’, which indicates that this is a simile.

• Can you use similes to describe how Noi would snore?

• How would Grandma laugh? How would Noi laugh? Final reflection Ask the children to write their own sentence to describe Noi’s snores or Grandma’s laugh using a simile. Finally, ask the children to consider why a writer might use a simile to help them describe something. Key vocabulary: simile

Dark and Light

In this lesson children develop an understanding of the language of pictures, specifically the use of light and dark to express meanings beyond the literal. Vocabulary choices are extended to aid the discussion.

Pages: 13 - 14

Duration:1 session

Purpose

In a highly visual world, it is important to teach children to be critical readers of images. Patterns of light and dark can be used to draw attention to key features, to create a mood or add an atmosphere to an illustration.

Benji Davies makes use of dark and light to great effect to convey Noi’s emotions as he hides in the cave during the storm and to imitate the effect of a fierce lightning storm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIk-3nw-2fY


In this lesson children can explore the impact of using dark and light on their emotional responses. It provides an opportunity to extend and deepen vocabulary knowledge.

Preparation

• Copies of Grandma Bird or a visualiser and screen.

• Download and print Zone of Relevance organiser. Process

Share the double page spread, ‘Noi listened as the sea thrashed….’. Possible prompts to support discussion about the use of light and dark:

• Which parts of the cave are dark? • How does this make the cave seem? • Where is Noi? What is he doing? You might extend this to say that he appears to be cowering behind the rock. Does this suggest he

feels safe or threatened? Can you show how Noi is feeling? • Where is the light coming from? • Which parts of the picture have light shining on them?

Invite the children to suggest words that can be used to describe the dark and offer words for the key vocabulary listed below.

• Which words fit best with the picture? Use the Zones of Relevance organiser to arrange words from those that are most relevant for the story in the inner circle, to those that are least relevant in the outer circle.

Make it explicit that the best fit word isn’t always the longest or the most unusual. Make a list and display it for reference.

Final reflection

Introduce evaluative language. • Ask: Do you think Benji Davies has used light and dark well to create an atmosphere in this picture? • Can the children explain in simple terms the techniques that he uses and the effects?

Key vocabulary: gloomy, pitch-black, shadowy, dim, ding


During Reading

Digging Deeper

What is Grandma Bird Thinking?

In this lesson the children learn to distinguish between observable behaviour and inferred thoughts and feelings, using the ‘Role in the Wall’ technique.

Pages: 3 - 5 and 17-26

Duration:1 session

Purpose ‘Role on the Wall’ is a technique that allows pupils to explore the inner feelings of a character, as well as outward appearances. This can help children develop character inferences based on the information provided in the text and illustration.

Preparation

• Draw an enlarged outline of Grandma on a large sheet of paper (if preferred you can draw around one of the children in the lesson).

Process Tell the children that you are going to be thinking a little more deeply about Grandma Bird in this lesson. Begin by adding visual details to the outline that you have prepared. Ask:

• What does Grandma Bird wear? As they make suggestions add these items to the drawing (e.g., headscarf, cardigan). Add labels. Make the point that we know what to add because we can see these things in the pictures.

Next, add annotations of Grandma’s behaviour.

• Things that she does with her hands can be written close to her hands.


• Things that she does with her feet can be added close to her feet.

• Things that she says can be added as speech bubbles. Explain that completing these points requires a literal understanding of the story: the information can be retrieved from the text and illustrations.

• Inside the outline represent Grandma’s thoughts and feelings.

• Use thought bubbles to show what Grandma might be thinking at crucial moments in the story.

• Draw a big heart shape on Grandma’s body. Make notes about what she might be feeling.

• To complete this task, the children are required to make inferences from the text and illustrations. Make this point explicit. You have to infer because the text doesn’t tell you.

• What information did we use to make the inferences about Grandma’s thoughts and feelings?

Final reflection

• Did you agree with each other about Grandma’s thoughts and feelings, or did you have different interpretations?

• Make explicit that it is possible to think differently as long as you have good evidence and disagree respectfully. Key vocabulary: evidence, interpretation

The Raging Storm

In this lesson children explore the mood and atmosphere created in text and image and develop a response using percussive instruments.

Pages: 13 - 14

Duration:1 session

Purpose

Mood and atmosphere are important elements in Benji Davies story. Turning the pages reveals different moods which the children respond to intuitively. Using sound is an excellent way to explore the mood and atmosphere of a story at key moments.


Preparation

• Storm sound file.

• Printed sound word cards.

Process

Ask the children to close their eyes while you read the text. (Some children prefer not to close their eyes and can be encouraged just to imagine in their mind’s-eye):

‘Outside, the sky swirled black and grey. A storm was brewing. Noi listened as the sea thrashed against the rocks and rain began trickling down the walls. Suddenly with a flutter and a squawk, something tumbled out of the storm and landed in Noi’s cave.’ Ask the children:

• What sounds can be heard? • What noises would the wind make? • What noises have you heard when there is a storm? (They may suggest thrashed, trickle, flutter, squawk).

Listen to the storm sound file to provide a sensory experience of a storm and add to the word bank of storm sounds. There are three distinct phases to the storm. Write them on the board:

1. The storm thrashing against the rocks. 2. Rain trickling down walls. 3. Flutter and squawk of the bird.

Say: ‘I wonder which sounds would go best with this part’. Take suggestions from the children and invite them to talk to a partner and choose a sound to make. This could be with their voice, body or a musical instrument. Use the sound word cards to support discussion. Each pair should have three sounds, one for each section. Ask volunteers to share their sounds. Then ask how they could write the sound down. Repeat with the other sounds until you have a composition. Split the class into three groups, allocating each part to a different group. Read the text again, this time with the sounds being played.

Final reflection

Invite the children to consider how well they interpreted this part of the story with their soundtrack. Which part worked best? Would they change or add anything? Teacher’s note: this activity may link well to the music activity. Key vocabulary: thrash, thrashing, trickle, trickling


The Rescue

In this lesson children consider narrative events from a different perspective to the main character’s point of view.

Pages: 18 - 21

Duration:1 session Purpose

From the moment Noi leaves Grandma’s house, we see the events from Noi’s point of view. This lesson invites children to imagine what Grandma is doing before she rescues Noi and to make inductive inferences about her feelings.

Preparation

• Copies of the emotions cards. These can be adapted if necessary, depending on the experience of the class but retain some challenge.

• Modelling speculative language such as, ‘I wonder if she looked around the house first?’ and ‘She might have looked at the sky and seen the storm coming’ will help.

Process Begin by speculating, ‘I wonder what happened when Grandma found Noi had gone? What do you imagine Grandma was feeling?’ There are different possibilities, for example, she may have been cross, or she may have been worried. Ask the children to mime Grandma’s reaction and invite them to choose an emotion card to accompany it. You could capture this by taking photographs or using the freeze frame technique. Continue to guide the children through further moments leading to Grandma finding Noi. Modelling speculative language such as, ‘I wonder if she looked around the house first?’ and ‘She might have looked at the sky and seen the storm coming’ will help. Final reflection

Working in pairs, ask the children to perform their mimes to a partner. After watching, ask them to select emotions cards to go with the improvisation they have viewed.

Key vocabulary: disappeared


Grandma Bird Story Wheel

In this lesson children identify key story events, using a story wheel.

Pages: whole book

Duration:1 session

Purpose

The ability to summarise is important because it provides evidence that pupils are able to discern the most important elements in a story. Furthermore, the process of summarising improves memory. A story wheel is used in this lesson as it illustrates the circular nature of a home-away-home (also known as voyage-return) story.

Preparation

• Download and print copies of the Story Wheel, one between two.

Process

Begin by distributing copies of the Story Wheel to pairs of children. Explain that each section can be used to show a key part of the story. Ask children to complete the Story Wheel independently as this gives you the opportunity to assess their ability to choose the most important parts of the story.

Alternatively, you can build understanding by completing this as a whole class or group activity. Give the children a list of events and ask them to select the most relevant. Possible events:

• Noi arrives at Grandma’s island. • Noi is bored and creeps out. • Noi plays on the beach. • Noi hides from the storm and finds the bird. • Noi and the bird are rescued by Grandma. • Noi returns home with Grandma Bird.


Final reflection

Reflect on the decision making process with the children. How did you choose which events to put in the wheel and which to leave out? • Did you all agree on the beginning? • Did you all agree on the ending? • Are there any differences between the different story wheels?

Key vocabulary: event, happen


After Reading

Review and Reflect

What’s the Big Idea?

In this lesson the big ideas or themes of the story are explored, using statement cards to help develop the language of justification.

Pages: whole book

Duration:1 session

Purpose

Being able to find themes and messages shows a deeper level of understanding than retelling a story. Finding the theme in a story is potentially challenging, if children do not have the language to talk about the themes. Scaffolding by providing a range of big ideas for children to select from can make the process easier, and also equip them with language that they can use for future discussions.

Preparation

• Print copies of the Statement Cards, enough for each pair or group.

Process If the children are unfamiliar with the concept of ‘big ideas’ or themes that underpin the story, explain how big ideas are different to the plot.

You may need to give an example using a story that the children know well. For example, one of the themes of the Grimms version of Little Red Riding Hood is ‘always obey your parents’.

Share the following statements asking children to talk to a partner and decide if they agree or disagree with them. You may need to model this and refer to the events of the story when doing so. Work together to rank the statements and decide which is the most relevant big idea


in the story, stressing that this doesn’t mean other ideas are not relevant. Encourage children to justify responses by referring to the story, modelling as appropriate.

• You can only be friends with people your own age. • Family members can’t be friends. • You can be friends with people who like different things to the things that you like. • If you have lots of friends, you are never lonely. • Being alone doesn’t mean you are lonely.

Final reflection

Are there any big ideas you would like to add to this list? Teacher’s note: after this session, you could explore the poem on the title page. Exploring the themes could deepen the understanding of the poem and why it appears on the title page.

Returning to the Title Page

In this lesson, the children relate the poem printed in the peritext (before the story begins) to the themes and ideas in Grandma Bird. Their thinking is consolidated by producing an illustration to accompany the poem.

Pages: title page

Duration:1 session

Purpose

Sometimes readers are very quick to get started on a book and miss out the endpapers and title pages, which may provide additional information. The title page of Grandma Bird has an interesting rhyme and it is worth considering why the author chose to put it here. Returning to the poem after reading and reflecting on the themes of the story may bring new meaning to the poem. Teacher’s note: we suggest returning to the title page after you have read the book. This lesson works well after exploring the big

ideas.

Preparation

• Copies of Grandma Bird, at least one between two. Alternatively print and distribute copies of the poem on the title page spread.


Process

Display the poem or make sure the children have a copy. Read each line and have the children echo the line back – call and response style.

Rock to rock,

Eye to eye,

Side by side,

You and I.

Skimming blue,

Low and high,

I, the sea,

You, the sky.

Take the opportunity to explain the word ‘skimming’.

• Have you heard or seen this word before? They might have come across skimmed or semi-skimmed milk. Skimmed milk is the process of taking the top layer of fat off the milk so that it reduces the fat content in the milk. In this instance, skimming means moving quickly or lightly over a surface, like the sea, or through the air.

• Has anyone ever played skimming stones? Skimming is throwing the stones across the surface of the water, so they bounce. Perhaps you can make a connection with skimming milk?

Show them where the poem is in the book (or ask them to find it). Ask:

• Why might Benji Davies have chosen to put this poem here? • Who are the ‘you’ and ‘I’ referred to in the poem? • How does the poem fit with the story?

Final reflection

Invite the children to illustrate a copy of the poem. Tell them they should use an image from the story which reflects their thoughts about the poem


Contrasting Illustrations

Children look at the change that takes place after the climax by comparing and contrasting two illustrations in the same setting.

Pages: 5 and 22

Duration:1 session

Purpose

In Grandma Bird, much about the character is conveyed through the illustration, particularly the changing relationship between Noi and Grandma. This session focuses on two contrasting illustrations to make the idea of character development accessible to the children.

Preparation

• Prepare for display the two illustrations for Compare and Contrast: 1. Grandma preparing seaweed soup for Noi. 2. Grandma and Noi feeding the birds.

Process

Share the two illustrations. Give out the contrasting Scene Word cards and ask the children to sort them into two groups. One set for each illustration. How has Benji Davies created a contrast between the two pictures? Use the following prompts:

• What differences do you notice between these two pictures?

• What colours are used?

• How do the colours make you feel? Do you have different feelings for each of the pictures?

• Are colours used to draw your attention to important parts of the picture? Final reflection

Show them where the poem is in the book (or ask them to find it). Ask:

• Why might Benji Davies have chosen to put this poem here?

• Who are the ‘you’ and ‘I’ referred to in the poem?

• How does the poem fit with the story?

Key vocabulary: compare, contrast, similar, different.


Writing Opportunities

Through Noi’s Eyes

The children demonstrate their understanding of Noi’s point of view by writing a postcard in role to Noi’s father.

Pages: whole book

Duration:1 session

Purpose

Writing in role provides the opportunity to demonstrate an understanding of the critical events of the story. It also develops children’s abilities to empathise with characters and see things from a different point of view.

Preparation

• Writing materials.

• a collection of postcards would be useful as some children may not have any experience of either sending or receiving one.

• Blank postcards.

Process

Start with the children’s experience.

• Has anyone ever written or received a postcard?

• Why do people send postcards?

• Postcard used to be very popular before social media made it easy for people to post their holiday photographs online.

• Introduce the word ‘correspondence’, which is used to describe an exchange of letters, postcards, or emails. The most straightforward writing task is for Noi to send a short postcard home to his dad, comprising three to five sentences conveying his news about the events of the summer.


For a more challenging writing task, the children could write two postcards to dad. The first written on the day Noi arrives at the island expressing his uncertainty at staying with Grandma. The second one following the bird rescue.

Final reflection

Invite the children to consider whether they could imagine themselves as Noi when they were writing. Encourage honest reflection.

• Did imagining that you were Noi make it easier or more challenging to write?

How to Care for a Bird

The children retrieve information from the text and images about caring for a bird. Some of this information is inferred rather than explicitly stated. They use the information to create a ‘How to Care for a Bird’ leaflet.

Pages: 13 -16

Duration:1 or 2 sessions

Purpose

This writing process starts by developing questioning to draw out information about caring for a bird. This information is implicit in the story and can be transferred to a different text type by writing. The focus for this lesson is on the section where there is a short series of questions, the answers to which can be recorded on the How to Care for a Bird table. An adult can record the children’s ideas so they can be referred to support the writing.

Preparation

• Copies of Grandma Bird, at least one between two

• Copies of the table How to Care for a Bird

• Books and leaflets about caring for animals

Process

Begin re-reading pages 13 - 24, ‘Noi listened as the sea thrashed…’ • When the bird lands in the cave, what does Noi do? (Answers should refer to him being quiet and still). • How does Noi go to the bird? (Answers should refer to him perhaps moving carefully which is inferred and staying low).


• How does Noi pick the bird up? (Look carefully at the picture to notice he is using both hands to hold it carefully). • What do the birds eat? (Seaweed soup - tell the children that seaweed is full of vitamins and minerals). • What is it like inside the room? (Warm and dry).

Can the children now use a combination of text and images to create their own guide to caring for a bird. You could use the ‘How to Care for a Bird’ resource as a writing frame or create a leaflet. Use the books and leaflets models for writing. Some of the features you might include:

• Title. • Images to illustrate your explanation. • A step by step account of caring for the bird. • Temporal connectives: first, then, next, after.

Variation

You may also like to read The Perfect Pet by Fiona Roberton which shows how a pet dog might be cared for. The book could be used as a model for writing the ‘How to Care for a Bird’ leaflet.

Final reflection

Ask the children if they think looking after a sea bird will be different to a garden bird? You could carry out further research or challenge the children to find out more at home.

Key vocabulary: first, then, next, after.

Weather Reporting

In this lesson the children learn about simple weather symbols and produce a weather forecast.

Pages: 1 - 4, 8, 1-12

Duration:1 session

Purpose Draw on the children’s knowledge of different types of weather.


Learn the conventional symbols used in weather forecasts and associated vocabulary. Develop an understanding that forecasting the weather means being able to calculate what the weather will be like in the future. Write and present a weather report.

Preparation

• Print copies of the weather symbol cards

• Print copies of key vocabulary cards

• Make available a recording of a weather forecast. Where possible, make it relevant to the time of year. If you can record the forecast for the actual day, even better.

Process

Show a recording of a simple weather forecast. Consider why people might want to know what the weather is going to do in the future. Introduce the vocabulary forecast. Ask:

• Has anyone heard this word before?

• When did you hear it?

• Can we work out what it means?

• Give a child-friendly definition. Use the word in some sentences. Write and display the sentences on your working wall. Working in pairs, ask the children to create their sentences, and then share one or two examples.

Encourage the children to draw on their experiences to consider the reasons that a weather forecast might be important. Ask:

• Would seeing the weather forecast have changed Noi’s plans when he crept out of the cottage? Introduce the weather symbols for light clouds, dense clouds rain, lightning storm, sunny, wind. Talk about how the weather changes in the story. And then use the weather symbols and map to create your forecast. Write a short weather forecast. You could film the weather forecasts for viewing later. Final reflection

Read or view the weather forecasts with the class. Ask:

• What would you wear if you heard this weather forecast? Would you take an umbrella with you?

• Do we have different weather at different times of the year?

• Did we use our weather vocabulary to explain the weather forecast clearly?

Key vocabulary: cloudy, stormy, thunder, lightning, forecast, precipitation.


Wider Learning Opportunities

Making Soup

The children learn about the nutritional benefits of soup, make a simple soup, record the process and produce written instructions for others to follow. Indicative length of lesson: 2 sessions. One session to write the instructions, and a second to make soup. Purpose Grandma clearly enjoys making her seaweed soup and it certainly helps the birds get back on their feet. Children can be introduced to different soups. They can learn to make a simple soup recipe and write the accompanying instructions. Preparation

• Make available a collection of recipe books, these can include books written for children and for adults.

• Download soup recipes from the internet.

• Download and print the simple vegetable soup recipe if you are using this instead of selecting a soup to make with the children. Choose a soup recipe to make together, bearing in mind any allergies in the class. You could choose something like chicken soup or vegetable soup, which many believe have health benefits. You can also find recipes for seaweed soup online which also explain the health benefits of seaweed. Process Part one of the process is to experience cooking soup. Follow the instructions for your chosen soup or use the simple vegetable soup recipe. Record the process by filming or taking a series of photographs. The record will be used to support the writing. Depending on the experience of the children you can model the writing process or ask them to write independently.


Using the books and other recipes that you have gathered, identify some key features of this type of writing, such as:

• List of ingredients.

• Identify the important stages.

• Clear instructions.

• Photographs or drawings to show the different steps.

• Safety points.

Final reflection Swap recipes. Do they make sense? Could you follow these instructions if you knew nothing about making soup? Invite the children to take their recipe home and have a go at following the instructions (with an adult) to make soup. Key vocabulary first, next, then, after that, finally, chop, stir, simmer, fry, boil, add.

Rock Pool Habitats

The children revisit the text identifying a range of rock pool inhabitants and then carry out further research to learn about them.

Pages: Title page, 9, 10.

Purpose. When Noi is alone on the beach, he amuses himself by playing imaginative games and exploring rock pools. If you live near the sea or visiting as part of wider learning in science, this book can be linked to a study of rock pool habitats.

Preparation:

• See website for great rock pool lessons (resources below)

Process

Begin by inviting the children to revisit Grandma Bird and make a list of all the creatures they see. For example:


• shell • cockle • whelk • starfish

• sea anemone • crab • sea urchin • seaweed.

An excellent lesson plan is available on the Learning Rooms website https://learning-rooms.com/exploring-rock-pools-lesson-plan/

Final reflection

Invite the children to share what they have found most interesting about studying rock pools. Teacher’s note: this lesson could link to writing about sea creatures.

Key vocabulary: crab, limpet, sea anemone, seaweed, shell, starfish, whelk, sea urchin, tide, rock pool.

Sea Creatures and Sea Birds

After researching different sea creatures and birds, the children collaborate on an information text, which can be placed in the reading corner or library for other children to read.

Duration: 2+ sessions for research, writing and book making.

Purpose

Many different creatures feature in this story and children will enjoy carrying out research to learn more about them.

Preparation

• A range of information books about sea creatures and sea birds.

• Access to laptops, tablets or computers.

Process

Organise the class into groups and either allocate a sea creature to each group or let them choose a favourite animal.

https://learning-rooms.com/exploring-rock-pools-lesson-plan/


Explain that they are going to create a guide to the sea creatures that live on Grandma Bird’s island. Each group will produce a page for the guide. Share ideas about the type of information that will be on each page, or share the Sea Creatures table. Once the children have researched and collected their information, let them choose how they want to present their page. Provide a range of nonfiction books to be used as a source of inspiration. Talk about them with the class to ignite their interest. Assemble the pages into the guide, which can be added to the reading corner or the school library for the children to read. Final reflection

• Use the children’s writing to feedback to the class and exemplify good points about writing information.

• Invite them to reflect on what they most enjoyed learning. Teacher’s note: this writing activity could follow on from wider learning about rock pools in science. Key vocabulary: crab, limpet, sea anemone, seaweed, shell, starfish, whelk, sea urchin, seagull

Stormy Seascapes

Children look closely at the techniques used by illustrator Benji Davies and then learn colour mixing techniques so that they can paint their own stormy scenes.

Pages: 17 and 18

Indicative session length: 1 session

Purpose

This process introduces children to the technique’s illustrators use to create particular effects.

Preparation

• Blue, black and white paint.

• Mixing palettes, brushes and water for colour mixing.


Process

Start by encouraging close looking at the illustrations Look closely:

• How does Benji Davies create the storm? Challenge the children to see if they can see how the brush strokes are made. (They are created digitally but mimic painting with a brush and paint).

• How can you tell that it is raining? Notice how the lines of rain are very different from the shapes created by the swirling waves.

• Can you see the different colours that Benji Davies has used? Colour mixing technique:

Starting with the blue paint (pure colour), show the children how to make progressively lighter tints by adding white. Make 2 or 3 different tints of blue Now start with the pure colour blue and add black paint to make progressively darker shades. Make 2 or 3 different shades of blue. Allow time for children to mix their tints and shades of blue by adding white or black to pure colour. Now show how they can use different brush strokes and the tints and shades of blue to create a picture of a stormy sea. Try different brush strokes to create swirling water and driving rain.


Introduce subject vocabulary, as appropriate, while you explain the process of colour mixing. Once introduced, use the vocabulary regularly when talking about colour and colour mixing.

Final reflection

Look at and compare the ways in which different artists have created stormy seascapes. For example: • Seascape Storm by Monet • The Wave by Hokusai • Stormy Sea with Blazing Wreck by Turner.

Ask the children to look carefully and describe what they see. They can do this in pairs before sharing with the class.

Key vocabulary: mixing, tint, shade, dark, darker, light, lighter.

Identifying Clouds

Children learn about different cloud formations in order to answer the key question: ‘If Noi had known about the different types of cloud, would he have been able to predict the weather?’

Pages: 1-4, 8, 1-12

Duration:1 session

Purpose

We have different seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom. Knowing different types of clouds can offer clues to the weather. If Noi had been more aware of the cloud patterns, perhaps he wouldn’t have needed rescuing in the storm.

Preparation

• Download clouds slideshow

• Flipchart or similar for keeping a class cloud diary


Process

Would the clouds have given Noi a clue about the way the weather would turn out? Revisit the story asking the children to comment on the appearance of the clouds. Collect the words used and list them on the board. Ask if they know that there are names for different types of clouds. Can anyone name any? Share the slideshow.

• Cumulus clouds are big and fluffy. They form low in the sky. They bring short, heavy showers of rain.

• Stratus clouds are big blankets of dull clouds. They hang low in the sky and cover the whole sky. They give a light drizzle but not heavy showers.

• Cirrus clouds are found high up in the sky and are made almost entirely of ice. Identifying different clouds Keep a cloud diary for a week, going outside and spotting different clouds. Draw, describe, and identify the clouds in the morning and then make a note of what happened to the weather. The following website has excellent information about clouds: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/weather-for-kids/clouds

Final reflection

Link back to the earlier question about Noi.

• Would knowledge of the clouds have helped him?

• Can you name the clouds that were in the sky that day?

• Which clouds are indicators of a storm coming? Key vocabulary: cirrus, stratus, cumulus, cumulonimbus.

Measuring Rainfall

In this lesson the children will make a rain gauge, and then use it to measure and record the rain over a period of time.

Duration: 1 lesson plus additional daily time for measuring and recording rainfall

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/weather-for-kids/clouds


Purpose Grandma Bird lives on an island surrounded by sea. Areas near the ocean tend to receive more rain on average than inland areas because the wind picks up moisture over the water and dries out the further inland it travels. Measuring rainfall is important for farmers as they can make predictions to help with cultivation of crops and for predicting areas that will be prone to drought. This lesson provides an introduction to measuring rainfall. You can find out how the Met Office measures rainfall by visiting https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/guide/weather/observations-guide/how-we-measure-rainfall You could share this with the children or use it for your own information. Preparation

• View the Met Office instructions for making a rain gauge (see link below)

• Prepare the materials to make the rain gauge

Process

How can we tell if it has rained a lot? (Puddles form; drains overflow; roads flood; water butts fill). But these indicators don’t tell us exactly how much it has rained. Use the key vocabulary: ‘rain gauge’ and ‘precipitation’ when explaining, providing a child friendly definition. (Precipitation is wet weather: rain, snow, sleet, or hail) Do you think it would be useful to know exactly how much it has rained? Briefly mention some of the reasons that we measure rainfall. Explain that you are going to make a rain gauge so that you can measure how much it rains over a period of time. First, we need to:

Make a rain gauge

Explain that the children are going to work in small groups to create their own rain gauges to measure rainfall. Alternatively make a class rain gauge. Show a range of materials that can be used. Some prompts to support the designs are:

• What would be a good material to choose? (e.g. waterproof, strong, will stand up without being blown over) • How big will it need to be? • How will you know how much rain has fallen?

Place the rain gauge somewhere where it will catch the rain and will not be a trip hazard. Measure and record rainfall. The rainfall must be measured at the same time each day. Why?

Final reflection

Why might it be useful to measure rainfall?

Key vocabulary: rain gauge, precipitation

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/guide/weather/observations-guide/how-we-measure-rainfall

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/guide/weather/observations-guide/how-we-measure-rainfall


Measuring Wind Direction

Identifying positive and negative effects of the wind. Learning about wind direction and scale.

Purpose

Wind plays an important role in Grandma Bird. Without the wind, Grandma would not be able to sail her boat. However, storm winds can also be destructive. In this story, we see both the positive and negative effects of the wind. This session is designed to:

• help children identify some good uses for wind and some problems caused by wind

• demonstrate that we can measure the direction that the wind is blowing

• develop vocabulary for describing the wind. Preparation

• download the wind direction slideshow

Process

If possible, go outside to find out if the wind is blowing. (If you can wait until a windy day, all the better, even if it is just a gentle breeze).

• Is the wind blowing?

• How can we tell? Can we see it? Can we feel it?

• Which way is the wind blowing? How do we know? Share the Wind Direction slideshow. Some prompts to use with the slideshow:

• Cover image showing Grandma Bird’s sailing boat? Can you tell which way the wind is blowing? How? (sail and flag).

• Can you see the wind? Talk about whether you can see the wind, or just the effects of the wind (hair blowing, scarf blowing, umbrella turned inside out).

• Has anyone tried to hold an umbrella on a very windy day? How does it feel?

• Windsock: Can you tell which way the wind is blowing? Does anyone know what this is? Introduce the term windsock and explain that it is a device used at airfields to show the direction and speed of the wind. Knowing wind speed and direction helps planes take off and land safely.

• Weather vanes: Has anyone ever seen a weather vane? Encourage the children to look around their neighbourhoods to see if they can find any. Perhaps they can take photographs to share with the class. Most have cockerels on the top, but some have other


things. This one has a ship. Point out the compass points and reinforce the cardinal points, North, South, East, West. Can you tell which way the wind is blowing?

• Is wind a good thing? Encourage the children to share different ideas and challenge them to explain their thinking. Invite them to agree or disagree with each other respectfully, introducing the stems, ‘I agree with… because…’ and ‘I disagree with…because…’

• Dandelion clock: What is the wind doing here? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

• Wind turbine: What is the wind doing here? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

• Sailing boats racing: What is the wind doing in this picture? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

• Sailing ship blown onto rocks

• Hurricane destruction: What has the wind done here? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Explain that a hurricane is a storm with a powerful wind. It is exceptional and doesn’t happen very often.

Explain some weather can be dangerous, but people can prepare and protect themselves. Weather forecasts help people take action to protect themselves in bad weather.

Final reflection

Finally gather the class and ask:

• Do you like windy weather?

• Now that you have looked more closely at the effects of the wind, do you think wind is a good thing or a bad thing?

• Can you think of some reasons that it might be good to be able to record which direction the wind is blowing?

Key vocabulary: breeze, gale, hurricane, strong, light, observe, record, direction

Calm and Stormy

In this lesson children explore calm and stormy moods that are evoked in the story through music and movement.

Pages: whole book

Duration:1 session


Purpose

In the story, the sea changes it’s mood from calm to stormy. The sea, in its varied moods, has inspired many composers. This lesson

provides an opportunity for children to respond to musical elements and the changing character and mood of the music. Exploring through

movement allows them to experience the contrasts in the music, using aural, kinaesthetic, and visual senses.

Preparation

A space for children to move around in. Select two contrasting pieces of music. One calm and the other stormy. Here are some suggestions:

Calm

• La Mer (The Sea) Ravel • Une Barque Sur L’Ocean (A Boat on The Ocean) Ravel

Stormy

• Peter Grimes Britten • ‘Storm’ Beethoven Pastoral Symphony No.6 • ‘Approach of Storm’ Khachtaurian Gayaneh

Process Organise a space to work in that allows children to move freely. Play the calm piece of music. As the children listen, encourage them to think about the qualities of the music.

• Is it loud? Is it quiet? • Is it fast? Is it slow? • How does music make you feel? • Does it make you want to walk around slowly, or does it make you feel as though you are bursting with energy?

Imagine you are aboard Grandma Bird’s sailing boat. What sorts of tasks need to be done? E.g., hoist the sails, steering the boat, looking out to sea to make sure you are travelling in the right direction, fishes with a line, drops lobster pots into the water. Discuss what these tasks are. Demonstrate or ask for volunteers and then copy the movement. You could practise the tasks using the Simon Says game: e.g., ‘Simon says hoist the sails’. ‘Simon says look out to sea.’ etc.

In pairs, find a space and carry out the tasks while the calm music is playing. You might like to provide a narrative voice-over, e.g., ‘One day Grandma Bird was getting ready to sail out to sea to catch some fish for her tea. She climbed aboard the boat and hoist the sail. The sail was very heavy, and she had to pull hard with all her strength…’ etc.


Now play the stormy music and ask similar questions encouraging the children to think about the qualities of the music and how it makes them feel.

Ask the children to imagine the storm clouds are starting to gather, blocking out the sun, and making the skies dark and threatening. The waves start to build. The swell gets higher and higher.

• Grandma Bird has to lower the sail to stop the boat crashing into the rocks. • She needs to bail out the water, so the boat doesn’t sink. • She has to steer the boat away from the rocks. • Practise these actions.

Now play the stormy music and ask the children to imagine they are sailing Grandma Bird’s boat in a storm. Alternatively, you could use the movements of the clouds and waves to inspire your movement.

• Storm clouds gathering, swirling (twirling movements) • Waves (growing and crashing movements) • Lightning forking (sharp pointing movements)

Divide the class into four groups and create a sequence • group 1 moves like a calm sea gently lapping at the shore • group 2 Grandma Bird setting off for a day at sea fishing • group 3 storm clouds brewing and the waves growing higher • group 4 Grandma Bird on board her boat working to make sure it doesn’t capsize, and she gets to safety so that she can rescue Noi.

Final reflection

Introduce the names of the composers of the pieces of music that you have chosen. Find appropriate moments in the school day to play the music in the background, to develop familiarity. For instance, the calming sea music could be played quietly during independent work. Extension You could show the Beethoven Pastoral Symphony ‘Thunderstorm’ sequence from Disney’s Fantasia to show how the music is interpreted through animation. Key vocabulary: stormy, blustery, fierce, hurricane, strong, light, calm, wild, swell


Resource Links

Books

The Storm Whale by Benji Davies. This is the first book featuring Noi who finds a stranded whale on the beach. A beautiful story which explores loneliness and links perfectly to work on sea creatures and islands.

The Storm Whale in Winter by Benji Davies. The sequel where the storm whale returns to repay Noi by saving him.

Other picture books set on islands: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. A classic adventure in which naughty Max is sent to his room but journeys to a magical island of chaos.

Katie Morag by Mairi Hedderwick. A wonderful series of books exploring life for the eponymous heroine living on the tiny island of Struay. Katie Morag and the Two Grandmothers is perfect for comparing grandmothers.

Gregory Cool by Caroline Binch. Gregory visits his grandparents on the island of Tobago and finds everything unfamiliar. The food is strange, the sun is too hot and how will he entertain himself without a television?

Billy’s Bucket by Kes Gray & Garry Parsons. Billy wants a bucket for his birthday. Inside his bucket he can see all sorts of wonderful sea creatures.

Sally and the Limpet by Simon James. At the beach Sally gets a limpet stuck on her finger. She learn that the best place for a limpet is the rock pool that it came from

Websites

The Met Office’s You Tube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMetOffice

National Geographic Education: Meteorology https://www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/meteorology/

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMetOffice

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/meteorology/

Documents

BOOK: Grandma Bird AUTHOR: Benji Davies KEY STAGE: KS1€¦ · Grandma Bird by Benji Davies About the Book When Noi, who readers will recognise from The Storm Whale books, goes to