The story of Q Pootle 5, about a friendly space traveller, is written and illustrated by the popular children's author Nick Butterworth. In the story, Q Pootle 5 lands on earth on his way to a moon party. 'Earthling'
creatures help him to repair his broken spaceship so that he can continue his journey, and a fold-out poster at the back of the book shows him enjoying the festivities on the moon.
This project, based on the story, offers an exciting stimulus and opportunities for children to make links across provision and connections in all areas of learning.
Approach
Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage (page 11) emphasises the importance of providing children with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning. This project therefore:
* identifies adult-led activities to introduce or develop children's understanding of the topic through stimulating, meaningful experiences which offer challenge.
* suggests ways to enhance areas of core provision to consolidate children's learning about the theme. It is the practitioner's role to observe children's learning daily to inform individual children's Profiles and future planning. Children should be encouraged to use available resources to support their own learning, so the possible learning outcomes will be wide-ranging and varied for each child.
* advocates that settings should be organised and resourced using a 'workshop' approach so children can access resources autonomously and independently.
Adult-led activities
Karummp!
Use the story to develop literacy skills and as a starting point for play and learning in other contexts.
Key learning intentions
Listen attentively in a small group and to enjoy a story
Begin to understand how stories work and to talk about key characters and events
Use picture clues in understanding the story
Experiment with voice sounds and use musical instruments to represent different sounds
Adult: child ratio 1:6
Resources
3 Q Pootle 5 by Nick Butterworth (HarperCollins, 4.99) 3 a range of musical instruments Preparation
* Plan for the story session to take place in a quiet and comfortable place.
Activity content
* Introduce the book to the children and look with them at the character on the front cover.
* Turn the pages, showing them the words 'ssscccrrreeeeeeee' and 'karummp!'
Read these words to the children and encourage them to join in.
* Share the story with children, offering lots of opportunities for them to ask questions, look closely at pictures and express ideas.
* Capitalise on opportunities for talking about, making and comparing sounds.
* Introduce the musical instruments and encourage children to use these to represent sounds in the story, for example, shaking maracas as the space ship sets off and banging the drum as it lands.
Extending learning
Key vocabulary:
* Beginning, end, next, last, front, back.
* Loud, quiet.
Questions to ask:
* What do you think this story is about? (looking at the front cover)
* What do you think is making those noises?
* What do you think will happen next?
* Where do you think Q Pootle 5 will go next?
* How do you think the story might end?
* Where would you go if you had a spaceship like his?
* What kind of sound do you think the spaceship would make when it set off/landed?
* Can you find an instrument that sounds like the engines starting?
* Can you make a 'landing sound' with your voice?
Extension ideas
* Make the musical instruments available throughout the day or session over a period of time (see 'Child-initiated learning: Music and sound') to enable the children to experiment with, and discriminate between, different sounds. With the children, tape some of the sounds they produce and use these to represent, for example, the spaceship lifting off as you revisit the story. These audio tapes could also be used to support imaginative and role play.
* Provide opportunities for children to 'play out' the story (see also 'Child-initiated learning').
* Display the poster (provided with the book) in the book area to promote further discussion about the story and moon party.
* Provide information books about space and search websites with children to find images of the moon.
* Use the story to support discussions about helping people new to the environment.
Just imagine
Have Q Pootle 5 send a note to the nursery.
Key learning intentions
Use one object to represent another
Talk about imaginative ideas
Develop story ideas through play
Adult:child ratio 1:6
Resources
3 An interesting stone (for example, with holes or unusually patterned) 3 a small bag or box containing three objects (for example, a key, an exotic fruit and a component from an engine that is safe for children to handle) Preparation
* Make sure that all children involved are familiar with the story of Q Pootle 5.
* Attach the bag of objects to the stone with string and tie on a note from Q Pootle 5: 'Dear all, I am having a lovely time with my friends on the moon. Hope you can join us. Love from Q Pootle 5.'
Activity content
* Explain that the stone was found in the nursery garden this morning and that the bag and note were attached to it.
* Pass the stone around, encouraging children to look closely at it, and comment on their observations.
* Urge them to speculate on what might be in the bag and who could have sent it.
* Use open questioning to challenge children's thinking. Encourage them to talk about their ideas and to plan their response to Q Pootle 5's note.
* Summarise children's ideas and retell them to the group in a narrative form.
Extending learning
Key vocabulary
How? Why? When? Who? What? Reinforce key words in the story (such as moon, spaceship) and items in the bag.
Questions to ask
* Where do you think this stone has come from?
* How do you think it got there?
* Who has sent it?
* What do you think is in the bag?
* Why has Q Pootle 5 sent us this key?
* What do you think we should do now?
* What will we need to take with us if we are going to the moon?
Extension ideas
* Provide tools and materials to enable the children to initiate and develop their own ideas, using this focus as a starting point. For example, if a child decides to search the outdoor area for other pieces of 'moon rock', offer collection baskets and trays and magnifying glasses. If a child wants to pack to go to the moon, provide a backpack.
* Encourage the children to make links with other areas of provision and to develop their ideas in a range of contexts, for example building a space ship in the outdoor area and using the key to start up its engine (see also 'Child-initiated learning').
Child initiated learning
Outdoors
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide materials so that the children can construct on a large scale, for example, large cardboard boxes and packaging, plastic bottles, cooking foil, lengths of cardboard tubing and plastic guttering, crates, tyres, planks, wooden bocks, rope, string, masking tape.
* Provide a copy of the book Q Pootle 5 and use this with children as a point of reference for their ideas.
* Offer role-play equipment such as picnic rug or tablecloth, plates, cups, party food, party hats, paper and pens.
Play possibilities
* Exploring materials.
* Building a space rocket or space station.
* Planning and engaging in a moon party.
* Making lists and plans.
Possible learning outcomes
Works co-operatively and collaboratively with other children
Is motivated to learn and confident to explore ideas
Uses talk to clarify thinking and organise ideas
Retells narratives through plays
Makes marks to communicate meaning
Uses developing mathematical ideas to solve practical problems
Constructs with a purpose in mind using a variety of resources
Uses tools and materials with increasing competency
Develops ideas through imaginative and role play
Sand (indoors or outdoors)
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide jugs of water, spoons, plates, bowls, pebbles and shells in the sand tray.
* Play alongside the children, making up recipes for party food and talking about Q Pootle 5's moon party.
* Provide recipe books and cards and refer to these with children.
* Take photographs of children's 'party food' and use these to produce sand recipe cards.
* In the sand area, display the moon party poster from the book.
* Model vocabulary such as 'full', 'empty', 'more', 'less', 'fewer'.
Play possibilities
* Mixing sand and water.
* Pretending to make cakes, sandwiches, jellies and so on.
* Engaging in imaginative and role play related to parties.
* Following and making up recipes and talking about quantities.
Possible learning outcomes
Talks about own experiences of parties
Talks activities through and shares ideas
Uses number names and counting in play
Shows an interest in number problems and engages in early calculation experiences
Explores concepts related to shape, space and measures
Observes and talks about changes that take place when sand and water are mixed
Manipulates materials and tools effectively
Plays alongside other children who are engaged in the same theme
Small-world role play
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide a large shallow tray filled with sand, gravel and large stones.
* Decide what other resources are needed to create a 'moon environment' for Q Pootle 5 and his friends.
* Encourage children to access the technology resources as they build the environment.
* Provide fiction and non-fiction books about space and particularly the moon.
Play possibilities
* Talking about the story of Q Pootle 5 with other children
* Making spaceships and stations for their environment
* Setting up scenarios in the environment
* Returning to play ideas and developing these over time
* Modifying the environment as ideas develop
Possible learning outcomes
Negotiates plans
Talks about features of space environments
Uses imagination in design
Represents story ideas through small world play
Music and sound
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide a range of commercially produced musical instruments and play alongside the children.
* Offer tools and materials for the children to make their own instruments, for example, metal and card drums, cardboard tubes, plastic and cardboard boxes, tape, rubber bands, string. Model and demonstrate skills and ideas.
* In the outdoor area, hang equipment such as pans, spoons and boxes on the fence and encourage children to 'play' these as instruments.
* Encourage the children to try to recreate sounds using their voices.
* Talk with them about sounds in the story of Q Pootle 5.
* Model the use of vocabulary such as 'loud', 'quiet', 'silent', 'fast', 'slow'.
Play possibilities
* Playing instruments
* Forming 'bands' and playing a range of instruments together
* Using instruments to accompany songs or stories
* Making and playing own instruments
* Modifying instruments to produce different sounds
* Using instruments in imaginative and role play
Possible learning outcomes
Takes turns playing instruments and playing together
Revisits elements of the story
Distinguishes one sound from another
Explores rhythm
Counts beats and sounds
Uses a range of materials, tools and techniques to make own musical instruments
Uses one and two-handed instruments
Explores and experiments with sound
Uses one sound to represent another
Areas of learning
Personal, social and emotional development
Communication, language and literacy
Mathematical development
Knowledge & understanding of the world
Physical development
Creative development
