TP-Issue14.5

58 | www.teachwire.net MAKEA STORY SET! Construct room sets using shoeboxes, white card and black markers. Children could recreate Elise’s living-room, model their own bedroom or use their imagination to create something completely new. Add cardboard furniture and props, and cut windows or a roof flap for a light source. Once the sets are ready, position cut-out characters and photograph the scene. Try different lighting and camera angles to get the best results. Alternatively, photograph cardboard characters in a doll’s house or use them as puppets to retell the story.. INVESTIGATE PAPERPLANES Learn how to fold model planes. Launch them in a large, clear indoor space and measure how far they fly. How can you make your tests fair? (Using the same Take it further How to share this book Lockdown confinedmany of us to our homes and stopped us visiting family and friends. Show children the cover of the book and explain that this story is about someone who never leaves her house. How does this character feel? How can you tell? Who – or what – will come through the door when she opens it? Ask children about their memories of being at home, unable to go out. Did they miss having visitors?Who used to visit before lockdown?What did they do? Talk about loneliness. What is it? How does it make you feel and behave? Is it the same as being alone? Did pupils feel lonely during lockdown?What made them feel better? Without reading the text, examine the first spread. Invite comments and ask open-ended questions. What canwe see? How do we think this character is feeling? How canwe tell?What could have happened tomake her feel this way? Talk about fear. What are pupils afraid of?What could bemaking this character feel anxious? Explain that Elise is scared of many things. She doesn’t go out and she’s very lonely. But one day, something surprising happens…. Read the whole story for enjoyment, then go back and lookmore closely at the pictures, commenting on your observations and discussing responses. What did children like about this book? Does it remind themof anything?Which is their favouritemoment, and why? Discuss the ideas that interest you. Where and why does colour appear? How do pupils think Antje Dammcreated this artwork? How does sharing a storymake us feel?Why do people need friends?Why do the children think Elise dreams about paper aeroplanes? Talk about safeguarding. When is it OK to knock on someone’s door and go into their house, and when is it not? Book topic Practical activities Exploring the drama Examine the characters’ expressions, gestures and postures. Copy them. What do you notice?What do these things tell us? Look at the picture of Emil waiting to be invited in. Recreate the scene in pairs, like actors on a stage. Can pupils bring the picture to life by showing what happens next? Try freeze-framing another picture, then bring that to life, too. Howmany pictures can you explore? Could you join them tomake a performance? What happens after this book ends? Get the children to talk about their ideas for a ‘next episode’ and develop this through roleplay, drawing, storytelling and writing. Alternatively, roleplay Emil telling hisMum or Dad about visiting Elise. Howwill they respond? Staying at home Many of us now knowwhat it’s like to stay at home and rarely go out. What did pupils do during lockdown?What did they like about staying at home?What didn’t they