Planned learning intentions
To sustain attentive listening, responding to what they have heard by relevant comments, questions and actions
To listen with enjoyment and respond to stories
To use talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking
Resources
The Magic Bed; storybooks that have been read regularly to the children; finger puppet and/or toy fairies and gnomes. (Organise this activity in the book corner where the children are free to browse through books)
Activity content
* Show the children the pages where Georgie reads a bedtime story to the gnomes and fairies. Which stories do the children think that Georgie read?
* Ask the children (singly or in pairs) to select a book that they would read to the gnomes and fairies. (Working in pairs offers children the chance to discuss their ideas before presenting them to an adult.) Give each child time to explain their choice.
Things to say
* What stories do you think that the magical creatures would enjoy?
* What makes this book so special?
* Do you think that you always need a book to tell a bedtime story?
* How would you feel about reading a bedtime story to some magical creatures?
Stepping stones
* Children with little experience will listen to others in pairs or small groups when the subject matter interests them.
* Children with some experience will describe main story settings, events and principal characters.
* Children with more experience will begin to make patterns in their experience.
Extension ideas
* Place the children's recommended books, along with the finger puppet fairies and gnomes, in a special container. Encourage the children to read the books to the toys. They may do this through a mixture of memorising, using the pictures and some decoding. Ensure that you have time to observe their book-handling skills.
* Photocopy and display the covers of the children's choices alongside their comments about the books.
* Continue to make opportunities for the children to recommend books to each other. Make observations about their preferences and evaluate your book collection in light of their comments.
