<iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="360" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xc4g60%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E%3Cbr /><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc4g60_climate-change-reduce-your-carbon-f_tech" target="_blank">Climate Change - Reduce Your Carbon Footprint</a> <i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/EnviroCitizen" target="_blank">EnviroCitizen</a></i>

George's Marvellous Medicine

Plot: When George's parents are away for the day, he's tempted to do something about his tyrannical grandmother. "Something" means going round the house collecting all kinds of horrible ingredients that will make up a magic potion to make her disappear. But instead of disappearing, she gets bigger.

Themes: Family, recipes, imagination

Age: Upper KS1 or KS2

Subject: Literacy (writing instructions/ recipes)

Tattybogle by Sandra Ann Horn

Plot:

Tattybogle, the scarecrow, has a head full of straw and cheerful thoughts. The rain is Tattybogle's music, the wind is his dancing partner. Then one day the playful wind blows too hard, and all that is left of Tattybogle is an old stick. But that is only the start of a glorious new life, because the stick starts to take root in the earth, and becomes a tree . . .

Themes:

Loss, change, difference, weather, scarecrows, farm life

Age:

Suitable for KS1 and foundation stage children, children really enjoy this story. Happy ending; realising that it is okay to change to be something different.

Subject:

Literacy, Citizenship, science (weather)

The Enormous Crocodile (Roald Dahl)

Plot:


The story focuses around a large, greedy crocodile that is on the hunt for children to guzzle up for his lunch. He plans various attempts to trap the children so he can eat them but before he has chance, various animals from the jungle foils his attempts. As a consequence for his greediness, the enormous crocodile is banished into space by the elephant to stop him trying to trick children ever again.


Themes:


Greed, animals, the Jungle, being appreciative of what we have

Age:

Appropriate for KS1 and lower KS2 as a foundation for English sessions. Has a good moral to the story and may help children to be more creative when thinking about writing their own stories. Excellent, colourful illustrations that would attract a younger audience.

Subject:

English, geography and science (looking at the different animals in the jungle), artwork, citizenship and PSHE

The Great Kapok Tree (Lynne Cherry)

Plot:

Two men enter a jungle with the intention of chopping down a central Kapok tree. As one man leaves the jungle the other falls asleep. While asleep, many animals that rely on the Kapok tree for survival, including a village boy, speak to the man and ask him to leave the tree alone. As the man wakes up he sees all the animals around him. This makes him realise that what he is intending to do will effect many species in the jungle. Instead of chopping down the tree, he leaves with a sense of peace.

Themes:

The Jungle, animals, species, ecosystems, habitats, deforestation, human destruction, looking after the planet etc

Age:

A good story for KS1 or lower KS2 as provides an entertaining story that teaches children about  animals and habitats in the jungle but also touches upon the consequences of human destruction and how we can prevent extinction.

Subject:

Brilliant cross-curricular tool. Links in excellently with geography and science, touching upon the uses of the jungle, water cycles, photosynthesis, habitats and ecosystems. Also excellent way of teaching children about animals (counting how many of each there are in the story) and linking it into english activities and art.

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs (Jon Scieszka)

Plot:

This story essentially provides an alternative perspective of the traditional "three little pigs" tale. Provided from the viewpoint of Mr A. Wolf, it is argued that it was a cold that resulted in the death of the little pigs and not cruel intentions as was originally implied.

Themes:

Seeing things from different perspectives, determining what is truth, intentions

Age:

Appropriate for KS1 and KS2. The story can help children see situations from other people's perspectives which is an important lesson for them to learn. It is also brilliant in helping them to determine what or who they believe which can encourage individuality and independence.

Subject:

A brilliant resource for literacy particularly if focusing on "the three little pigs", as would be ideal in helping to produce a newspaper article or an informative piece of writing, but can also be used as a device to show persuasive writing as the wolf tries to convince us of his story.