This year, World Earth Day (22nd April 2018), is all about telling people to end plastic pollution. The way people make and later get rid of plastic items is bad for the environment. Lots of plastic items are made from petroleum which is believed to contribute towards climate change. Many companies are trying to find ways to make ‘clean’ energy and this will mean that less plastic can be made. When plastic items are thrown away, they cannot be broken down by the bacteria that breaks up most waste. Some plastic items can be recycled but many cannot. These thrown away plastic items end up in land fill sites and even in the ocean. The Lorax is the original eco warrior and his message still rings loud today, in this fable about the dangers of destroying our forests, told in the trademark rhyme of the irrepressible Dr. Seuss. These activities allow children to explore different materials, create an ‘End Plastic Pollution’ poster, create a comic strip, design a reusable shopping bag, storyboard a TV advert plus reading comprehension tasks for upper and lower KS2.

Colour in Tiger and Sophie.

A bundle of 12 KS2-aligned resources to accompany David’s Baddiel’s body-swap blockbuster novel Head Kid! These resources encourage the reader to: Develop positive attitudes to reading Understand what they read in books they can read independently Identify themes and conventions in fiction books Participate in discussion about books Explain the meaning of words in context Identify how language, structure, and presentation contribute to meaning Ask questions to improve their understanding of a text

TASK: The journey along the yellow brick road has been full of dangers, for example, in Chapter Eight the raging river and the sleepy poppies. Make a warning poster for one or more of the dangers along the yellow brick road. CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS1) Understand both the books that they can already read accurately and fluently and those that they listen to by: drawing on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher explain and discuss their understanding of books, poems and material, both those that they listen to and those that they read independently for themselves CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS2) Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by: summarising the main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas identifying how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning

Making deductions, reading between the lines, about the main characters. As you read the novel try to add more details to the two columns on Scarlet and the two columns about Ivy.

Who would you most like to visit you at teatime? Have you ever wanted your favourite animal to ring the doorbell? Is there a person you've always wanted to meet? Or would your favourite visitor just be your best friend? Draw your favourite teatime guest in the space below.

Task: Chapter Eleven is full of exciting action as the Wicked Witch of the West tries to defeat the group of friends. Use the chapter to describe how the friends manage to thwart each of the Witch’s attacks. CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS1) Understand both the books that they can already read accurately and fluently and those that they listen to by: drawing on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher answering and asking questions CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS2) Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by: checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and explaining the meaning of words in context asking questions to improve their understanding

Here is some more developed thinking about what can be found in a mystery story (some of these points may overlap with your earlier ideas). a) Tick any number of the ones you agree with and add more to the list if you can. b) With support from the points on the previous page, use the following line, taken from ‘Ivy and Scarlet, The Lost Twin’, to open your own mystery writing scene. Then in no more than 500 words either produce an entirely new opening to a story or a scene from the middle of a story.

A 10 x 10 letter wordsearch to find the words: Tea, Tiger, Sophie, Mummy, Daddy, Buns, Sandwiches

These beautifully designed teaching resources are based on Toto, written by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark. They provide a great variety of fun, curriculum-based activities for children to enjoy and learn from at the same time!

TASK: Use the information in Chapter Two to explain what the main problem in the story is, and what the plan is to resolve it. Think about what has happened to Toto and Dorothy. What do they want to do? What is stopping them from achieving their goal? What do they need to do next? Do you think the plan will work? CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS1) Understand both the books that they can already read accurately and fluently and those that they listen to by: checking that the text makes sense to them as they read and correcting inaccurate reading predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS2) Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by: drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences

Task: Now that you’ve met Toto, Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Lion, choose one of the characters and create a character profile for them. Use information from the text and your own imagination to create the profile. CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS1) Understand both the books that they can already read accurately and fluently and those that they listen to by: drawing on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher answering and asking questions CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS2) Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by: checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and explaining the meaning of words in context asking questions to improve their understanding

TASK: Discuss the phrase ‘Home is home, and home is best’ with your classmates. What do you think it means? What does the word ‘home’ mean to you? Imagine you meet someone who doesn’t know the word ‘home’. Draw and describe your idea of ‘home’. CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS1) Understand both the books that they can already read accurately and fluently and those that they listen to by: drawing on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher answering and asking questions CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS2) Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by: checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and explaining the meaning of words in context asking questions to improve their understanding

Help Bad Nana finish her shopping by drawing what’s in her trolley! Bad Nana is a KS1-aligned, highly illustrated series for young readers. Bad Nana: Older Not Wiser is available now.

Test your knowledge of the story. See how many quiz questions you can answer correctly. Use the book to help you find the answers.

Show and Tell is the fantastically funny new picture book from award-winning and bestselling creative star Rob Biddulph! School has never been so fun! Grow a sunflower, make a volcano, or open a cosmic museum - or many other things besides! This KS1 Teaching Resource pack is jammed with creative and fun activities that will engage all of Biddulph’s readers.

How many real silly words can you think of for each word type? Compete with your friends to see who can think of the silliest word. (Remember: “Morris, we’re not allowing rude words!”)

Sam made his skateboat using: • Six large planks of wood. • A hammer and some nails. • Six coils of rope. • A roll of gaffer tape. • Two brooms. • Four skateboards. What every day materials can you use to make a boat-raft for the guinea pigs sailing off the coast of Peru towards the UK? Label all the parts you have used, explain what they do and give your boat-raft a name.

Come join one busy dog on her journey to find her place in the world in Odd Dog Out, the third sublimely illustrated book from the bestselling, award-winning Rob Biddulph. Can you find the sausage among the dogs?

TASK: Create your own ‘brainy’ quiz by writing questions to match the answers on the card. CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS1) Understand both the books that they can already read accurately and fluently and those that they listen to by: drawing on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher answering and asking questions CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS2) Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by: checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and explaining the meaning of words in context asking questions to improve their understanding