Teacher’s Resource: The Gruffalo’s Child and other stories (Rumours and Gus) Early/ First Level P1/2 Created by Gill Paton Discovery Film Festival: Sat 20 October - Sun 4 November 2012 discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk © Dundee Contemporary Arts 2012 With support from DCA Cinema and DCA Community & Education Team Introduction A trip to the cinema is a very special event for any child. The excitement and magical feel of the huge darkened auditorium creates both a highly stimulating yet relaxed learning platform. Taking your class to Discovery Film Festival at DCA is an excellent way to open up the world of moving image education whilst training children to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner and be respectful participants in this setting. Visiting the site movingimageeducation.org will also play a vital part in how you use film to develop excellence in your classroom. - Gill Paton English Department, Harris Academy, Dundee Discovery Learning Resources have been created by classroom teachers and education professionals. Each resource aims to: • support and extend working with film in the classroom • help prepare for and extend the impact of a class visit to a Discovery Film Festival film • develop confidence in Moving Image Education approaches and working with 21st Century Literacy/moving image texts Resources are free and available to download from discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk/resources or via the Discovery Film Festival area on GLOW, which can be found within the Dundee 21st Century Literacy Group. We do hope that you find this useful and enjoy your cinema experience with us, - Discovery Film Festival team Synopsis The Gruffalo’s Child is a beautiful film adaptation of the next chapter of Julia Donaldson’s The Gruffalo. Rumours is based on a Tibetan folk tale, and shows just how quickly a story can get out of hand and distort the truth. Gus stars a cave boy with chronic flatulence. He and his father live a cold life in the Alps until the boy is sent outside and changes their lives forever. Here we have a series of Curriculum for Excellence relevant activities for your class, before and after their film experience 01 / discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk 1. Gruffalo’s Child The Gruffalo’s Child is produced by Magic Light Pictures and was first shown on the BBC on Christmas Day 2011. A sequel to the much loved book and filmThe Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child follows the same format. Mother Squirrel tells her children the story of the Gruffalo’s Child. One night, ignoring her father’s warnings, the Gruffalo’s Child slips out of their cave searching for the legendary Big Bad Mouse. She is disappointed to meet only the Snake, the Owl and the Fox. They all assure her that the Big Bad Mouse really exists but will she find him? Meeting a little mouse, the Gruffalo’s Child thinks she has found a tasty snack. However, he assures her he can introduce her to the Big Bad Mouse… Before the Film Most children will know the story of The Gruffalo and have seen the film. Discuss with the class – what do they remember? What did they particularly like? Read through the story of The Gruffalo’s Child. Make a list of all the characters in the story. (You’ll need this later for activity 1). Discuss the character of the Gruffalo’s Child. What is she like? How do you know? Make a list of characteristics (You’ll also need this later!) Watch the trailer at: magiclightpictures.com/gruffalo_child_film.html To help me understand stories and other texts, I ask questions and link what I am learning with what I already know. LIT 0-07a / LIT 0-16a /ENG 0-17a 02 / discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk After the Film General discussion points: • Was the film the same as the book? What were the similarities and differences? • Which characters were also in The Gruffalo? • What time of year was it? How do you know? • Was the Gruffalo’s Child right to sneak out? Why? I enjoy exploring and choosing stories and other texts to watch, read or listen to, and can share my likes and dislikes. LIT 0-01b / LIT 0-11b I enjoy exploring events and characters in stories and other texts, sharing my thoughts in different ways. LIT 0-01c Literacy Activity: list the animals Review the list of animals made after reading the book. What extra ones can they remember from the film? (squirrels, blackbird, frog, hedgehog, small white animals?) Why are they there? Do they add anything to the story? (The Gruffalo’s Child needs footprints to follow. Mother squirrel is a narrator, the hedgehog shows how curious the Gruffalo’s Child is. She’s also quite brave to pick up something that prickly!) I listen or watch for useful or interesting information and I use this to make choices or learn new things. LIT 0-04a As I listen or watch, I can identify and discuss the purpose, key words and main ideas of the text, and use this information for a specific purpose. LIT 1-04a Literacy / English Activity: characteristics Look at the list of characteristics you made after reading the book. Did you see those characteristics in the film version? Can you think of things that the Gruffalo’s child does that show these characteristics? (Eg. She is brave to go into the woods herself but she is disobedient as her father has told her not to! She is curious about all the animals she meets.) If you have access to the DVD, also look for moments when the Gruffalo’s child shows particular emotions (fear, anger, excitement, joy.) Freeze on the image and discuss possible answers. To help me understand stories and other texts, I ask questions and link what I am learning with what I already know. LIT 0-07a / LIT 0-16a / ENG 0-17a I can show my understanding of what I listen to or watch by responding to and asking different kinds of questions. LIT 1-07a 03 / discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk - Literacy / Art & Design Activity: rules and making a poster There is no getting away from it – the Gruffalo’s Child is naughty and doesn’t do what she is told! She is very lucky – wandering about at night by herself, she does get into dangerous situations. Make a list of all the dangers the Gruffalo’s child faces (falling through ice, getting caught in a snow storm, falling down a hill etc.) Think about school or home rules. What ones do the class not like? (Possibly no playing on the grass in winter, no playing on the road etc.) What are these rules necessary? Now ask the children to design a poster using the phrase “No Gruffalo Child should ever set foot in the deep dark wood because…” and illustrating it with one of the dangers the Gruffalo child faced. I can present my writing in a way that will make it legible and attractive for my reader, combining words, images and other features. LIT 1-24a - English / Literacy Activity: matching the characters Reread the story, paying particular attention to the descriptions the Gruffalo’s Child uses to work out each animal isn’t the Big Bad Mouse. Check for understanding of scaly, wiry and fiery. Either as a class, in pairs or individually (depending on ability of class) class can complete the matching activity worksheet (on the next page). I explore sounds, letters and words, discovering how they work together, and I can use what I learn to help me as I read and write. ENG 0-12a / LIT 0-13a / LIT 0-21a I can use my knowledge of sight vocabulary, phonics, context clues, punctuation and grammar to read with understanding and expression. ENG 1-12a 04 / discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk The Gruffalo’s Child – Matching Activity Name ___________________________ Date ______________ Match the animals to the description. His tail was short. And he didn’t have whiskers of any sort. His eyes weren’t fiery. His tail wasn’t scaly. His whiskers Weren’t wiry. His eyes were small. And he didn’t have whiskers – no, none at all. Not big, not bad, but a …. 05 / discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk - English / Literacy Activity: rhyming Reread the Gruffalo’s Child. By this stage, the pupils should be very familiar with the story. Pause at the rhymes and see if the class can fill in the blanks. Pupils whose phonics work is up to it can attempt the rhyming words activity. I explore sounds, letters and words, discovering how they work together, and I can use what I learn to help me as I read and write. ENG 0-12a / LIT 0-13a / LIT 0-21a I can use my knowledge of sight vocabulary, phonics, context clues, punctuation and grammar to read with understanding and expression. ENG 1-12a - Number, Money, Measure Activity: measuring shadow Discuss how the Mouse scares off the Gruffalo’s Child. Measure each child, then measure their shadows outside (sunny day required! Longer shadows will be produced at the start of end of the school day. Now complete a class table, showing how much bigger their shadows are. If time allows, children can try producing scary shadows outside. I have experimented with everyday items as units of measure to investigate and compare sizes and amounts in my environment, sharing my findings with others.MNU 0-11a I can estimate how long or heavy an object is, or what amount it holds, using everyday things as a guide, then measure or weigh it using appropriate instruments and units. MNU 1-11a 06 / discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk - Expressive Art & Design Activity: make a stick toy for the child A little pre-planning is required for this activity.