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PRESENTS:

IDEAS FOR TEACHERS

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Index:

1. Forward by Caroline Herlihy

2. Drama and English

3. Science

4. Geography

5. Art and Design Technology

6. History

7. Problem Solving

8. Early Years Ideas

1. Forward by Caroline Herlihy (former Head of Shalford Infant School)

As a recently retired Head Teacher I know that all of the Pied Piper Productions are developed to provide not only enjoyment of theatre for the audience, but also an enhancement of children’s learning. The themes and narratives provide excellent links with all aspects of the content of the current National Curriculum.

“Robin’s Winter Adventure” provides a creative learning opportunity that exceeds the aims set out in the proposals for English in the new National Curriculum.

The characters’ response to the dilemmas that they face in the narrative of “Robin’s Winter Adventure” is a rich source for discussion and debate by pupils. It is a wonderful way of bringing the aims for Key Stages 1 and 2 into a meaningful teaching session -

Drawing inferences such as inferring characters' feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence predicting what might happen from details stated and implied.

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2. Drama and English Ideas

Divide the class in two - and make two lines facing one another - a child chosen to be Robin walks along the line and in turn listens to the children in the each line - one line is for going to London, one is for staying where they are. Once 'Robin' has reached the end of the line, he has to declare his choice and explain why - what was said that persuaded him?

Corridor of Choice

Have children chosen/volunteered to be the different characters in the play – Robin, Mum, Dad. The “audience” interview the characters to find out their views on the move to London.

Hot Seating

We hope that the poetry that runs through the play will inspire your class to write their own poems just like Robin, and we would love to see them. Please email us at poetry@piedpipertheatre.co.uk and we will publish a selection on our website.

Poetry

See the Worksheets:

• Rhyming Pairs

• Winter Adventure Poem (Key Stages 1 and 2)

• Jack Frost (Key Stage 2)

M.O.R.E.R.A.P.S POEM

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Joseph Coelho co-wrote Robin’s Winter Adventure. His poem “M.O.R.E.R.A.P.S” features lots of interesting and fun ways to make writing more exciting. You can listen to Joe read his poem here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_txb_C2PlU&feature=youtu.be

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3. Science

Finding out about Robin’s links with the principal focus of science teaching in:

KS1 - to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them.

KS2 - to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them.

Find Out More About Robins

• What do they look like – what are their special markings and colours?

• Where do Robins live?

• What do they like to eat?

• What do Robins sound like?

Key Stage 2 work could introduce the concept of classification - what makes Robins distinct from other birds?

What makes birds distinct from other animals? How do we classify animals?

(There is a fun KS2 classification game at www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/science/living_things/variation/play/)

This activity could lead to a class “bird spot”, at school or home - why not create a bar chart to express the number of different birds seen by the class.

Pupils could make their own bird spotting book.

The RSPB website is a great place to start learning about Robins, and can open up a discussion about why we need to protect our wildlife. There are details of the Latin name and bird family, pictures, food etc. and a recording of a robin song here: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/robin/

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4. Geography

The themes of moving, travel and London are a great leaping off point for activities which meet the aims in Geography:

KS1 - name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom.

KS2 - name and locate cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, including hills, mountains, cities, rivers, key topographical features and land-use patterns; and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time.

Bird’s Eye View

Robin literally has a bird’s eye view!

Imagine you were up on the London Eye looking down on places - what do things look like when viewed from above? Can you draw a bird's eye view of a table, cake, glass, chair, etc. Then think about how buildings and physical features may look (using Lego models may help). (This is the start of map making.)

Landmarks

Use our “London Landmarks” worksheet to add London landmarks to the map.

Can you create a similar map of your own local landmarks – your town / village / school grounds?

Make a poster or write a visitor guide to encourage people to go to London (this may have helped Robin!).

To extend - KS2 - children have to write a Tourist Guide to accompany the London Landmarks Map.

(It may be useful to get a range of guides from different places and tourist attractions so that children have a good idea of the genre.)

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Compare London and your own locality - what is good about living in each place, what might be difficult?

See the Worksheets:

• London Landmarks

4. Geography Continued…

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5. Art and Design Technology

Design Technology

Find out about robins' nests.

Design (and KS2 make) a nesting box and or a bird feeder.

Flying Birds

Design and make a model bird with flapping wings - think about how you can make the wings flap.

Or use the worksheet - “Make a Flying Robin”.

Nests

Art

Design and make collage birds using feathers (bought or found). Try painting with feathers; using the plume end and also the quill end - can you make it into a pen for writing?

See the Worksheets:

• Make a Flying Robin

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6. History

The play mentions some of the key historical events linked to the landmarks in London - find out more about:

• The Houses of Parliament and the Gunpowder Plot

• The history of the Tower of London

• Ring a Ring a Roses - the great plague

• Oranges and Lemons - churches in London

• The Muffin Man (and other rhymes linked to street traders)

• London Bridge is falling down - history of London Bridge

• London’s Burning – the great fire of London

Find out about the rhymes that tell you more about the history of London:

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7. Problem Solving

Robin flies over towers and tall buildings in London. In teams see who can make the tallest tower.

Try and compare different materials - Lego, Multilink or Unifix cubes, or tightly rolled up sticks of newspaper.

The tower must be stable - who can make the tallest tower with the smallest base?

What shapes help to make the tower strong?

KS2 could extend the activity: measure and compare the area of the base and the height of the towers.

Towers

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8. Early Years Ideas

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The theme of moving makes a relevant discussion topic for Early Years:

What did Robin feel about moving?

How did he feel about changing schools?

Who in the group has moved house?

How do they feel about moving to infant school?

Why not create a space outside with a nut hanger for birds and a bird bath, and see if you can spot a robin.

A table in the classroom for collecting feathers, or even any found empty eggs (never from nests!).

Each child imagines they are driving a removal van.

They must follow instructions left, right, stop, go.

Set up London and Little Fressingham or Old House and New House on opposite sides of the hall, then when the relevant word is called all the vans need to drive to their destination as quickly as they can.

Do the vans have a special sound for reversing?

In the play Robin moves from a house to a flat.

Birds live in different homes altogether.

What sort of homes do the children live in?

Why do different homes suit different people / animals / birds?

Moving

Moving House Drama Game

Robins

Different Homes

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8. Early Years Ideas Continued…

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Can they build their own house, a dream house, a scale house for a favourite toy figure?

Why not use building bricks to build a variety of height towers, how do they compare? Why not draw a picture to record the different towers and their different heights?

Junk Model Houses

Credits

This education pack was written by Nicola Sangster, Joseph Coelho and compiled by Dudley Rees and Owen Bennett.

Joseph regularly runs creative writing workshops and insets in schools demonstrating fun, active ways to get children writing. If you would like to book Joseph for your school, more details can be found on his website:

http://www.joseph-coelho.com/workshops