Buffy, an Adventure Story

Transcription

1 Buffy, an Adventure Story by Bob Graham Buffy is a warm hearted story about a clever dog who can perform tricks which eventually outshine his master. Buffy travels the world until he finds a family where he can truly belong. 1. Introducing the Book The teacher shows the children the front cover of Buffy An Adventure Story and reads the book title. What do you think the story is going to be about? What clues are there in the picture on the cover? Where will Buffy have his adventure? What will he do? The teacher shows the children the front endpaper. What is happening in this illustration? What is Buffy living in? What does this tell you about Buffy's owner? Read the sign 'Stage Door'. Where would we find a stage door? What do you think Buffy does? Turn to the title page. Who opens the door to Buffy? What is the man wearing? Why? Will he let Buffy go inside? Turn to the next page. What does Buffy do? The teacher reads the book. The story of Buffy lends itself to stopping at different points, such as when Buffy jumps aboard the moving freight train, and asking the children to predict what will happen next. 2. Getting into the Book Visual Arts A story map Purpose: To represent the chronological sequence of the events of the story. Procedure 1 : Read Buffy, An Adventure Story, again,ifnecessary. D.Russell-Bowie and J.Thistleton-Martin,

2 The children identify the characters in the story and the teacher writes them on the board. Who is the main character? The children identify the places Buffy visits in the story and the teacher writes them on the board. Have each child or pair draw or paint, then label, pictures of the main characters in the story or of the places Buffy visits in the story, ie. Characters: Buffy Brillo, the Magician Mary Kelly Mary Kelly's Family Places Buffy visits : The cardboard box where Buffy lives (endpapers) A stage where he performs his tricks. Anopenstagedoorintherain. A supermarket The railway yard A train The railway tracks in the country A sheep pen A bull The kitchen and the plates A guard dog The dog catcher A world globe Trafalgar Square monument The Kelly house A comfortable lounge (back endpapers) Prepare Fifteen (15) Cardboard arrows. Procedure 2 : The teacher holds up the already drawn and labelled character cards and asks the children to identify who they are. The teacher holds up the already drawn and labelled 'places visited' cards and asks the children to identify where they are. The children form a circle and sit down. Together the teacher and the children sequence the places Buffy visits by placing them on the floor, in order, as a map, linked by the arrows. D.Russell-Bowie and J.Thistleton-Martin,

3 Together the teacher and the children then put the characters, other than Buffy, in the places where they belong. Using the Buffy character card and the map on the floor, the children retell the story of Buffy. The children take turns putting Buffy in the right places as he travels. The next day the cards can be jumbled and the children asked to sequence them again to retell the story. Music Graphic Score Tone Colour / Structure Select appropriate instruments to represent each of the character and places cards, as prepared in the above visual activity, Sequence them in the correct order of the story. Have one person point to each of the cards in order and have children play their instruments when their card is indicated. The children will be telling the story using instruments instead of words. 3. Responding to the Book Drama Buffy taps his foot and sings to the rhythm of the wheels. This can be recited as a short poem. Divide the class into two groups. Each group can take turns sayingasinglelineeach.thespeedandpitchcanalsobevaried.forexample, OUT,OUT canbespokenmoreloudlythan'andnevercomeback'. Music Singing Learn to sing the song Trains (MMADD about the Arts CD). D.Russell-Bowie and J.Thistleton-Martin,

4 Revise/learn the song Are You Sleeping/ Frere Jacques? (MMADD about the Arts CD). Structure Work with the class to make up new words about the different jobs for which Buffy, eg. Dancing sheep dogs, dancing sheep dogs, Rope-throwing cattle dogs, rope-throwing cattle dogs, Plate-juggling kitchen dog, plate juggling kitchen dog, Harmonica-playing guard dog, harmonica-playing guard dog, Take him to the pound! Take him to the pound! That s what we ll do! That s what we ll do! Buffydoesn twantthat!buffydoesn twantthat! Other train poems: - Casey Jones, Anon. In AWorld of Poetry (1995), selected by Michael Rosen, page The Train, Anon. In People and Places (1981), Reading 360 Poetry, page The Pig in the Sack by Ida Scott (1933) - InterCity Train, by Steve Turner (1997). In The Day I Fell Down the Toilet and other poems, page 24. D.Russell-Bowie and J.Thistleton-Martin,

5 What tricks can famous dogs from television, and movies do? - Television: Kane, the dog on Daewoo car commercials. Scotty, the dog on tinned dog food commercials. The two dogs on the dried dog food commercials. - Television series - for the 'older' teacher as they could well be on video in the section labelled 'classics! Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, The Littlest Hobo. - Movies: Paws, Milo and Otis, Homeward Bound, The Incredible Journey, White Fang, Lassie, Beethoven, 101 Dalmations, The Lady and the Tramp. Tricks you could teach your dog. Make up a class book. 3. Going Beyond the book Dog Poems to share: - My Dog by Emily Lewis. In ILiketheTown(1981), Reading 360 Poetry, pages Sunning by James S. Tippett. In My Animal Friends (1981), Reading 360 Poetry, page Travel Sickness, The Best Pet that We Ever Had, The Bulldog all by Colin Thompson. In The dog's just been sick in the Honda and other poems (1999), pages 7, 22, 66. Other picture books about dogs - Harry the Dirty Dog (1960), also Harry by the Sea and No Roses for Harry, writtenbygenezionandillustratedbymargaretbloygraham - The Hairy Maclary series beginning with Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy, written and illustrated by Lynley Dodd. - The Harriot series beginning with Harriot and the Garden (1982), written andillustratedbynancycarlson. - My Dog's a Scaredy Cat (1983), written by Jane Carroll and illustrated by Lucinda Hunnam. - Toby - Black Dog - The Spot series - The Kipper series D.Russell-Bowie and J.Thistleton-Martin,