Elmer and the Rainbow A sequence of activities for Early Years Foundation stage

Session 2:Re-read from the beginning of the book, up until “That’s awful, we must do something.”, without reading on to “I’ll give it my colours”. What do the children think has happened to the colours of the rainbow? What do they think Elmer and the birds could do to help? Scribe children’s ideas around a copy of the illustration on a working wall or in a Shared Reading Journal. Read the next sentence, “I’ll give it my colours”. Do the children think this is a good idea? Why or why not? If you have a toy Elmer in the setting, you could have the children pass this round and they could tell Elmer why they think it is a good idea or not. You could follow this up by sharing writing a letter to Elmer to share some of the children’s ideas.

Session 3: Re-read from the beginning of the book, up until Giraffe asks “What will happen to you, Elmer, if you give it your colours?” Ask the children what they think would happen to Elmer. They could visualise this and translate it into a drawing, which can then be displayed in a class gallery and the different ideas can be then be shared and discussed. Talk about this huge act of kindness, of how Elmer is considering giving up his colours to the rainbow; thinking of someone else before himself. Ask the children to think of words and phrases to describe Elmer and display these around an illustration of Elmer. To relate this back to their own experiences, allow time for the children to recall a time when someone was kind to them or gave them something special. How did it make them feel?

Session 1: Share the front cover of the text with the children. What do they already know about Elmer? Scribe children’s ideas around a copy of the front cover on a working wall or in a Shared Reading Journal. Ask the children to predict from the front cover what the story might be about or what might happen. Look at the double page spread of the endpapers, showing the illustration of the rainbow. Ask the children if they have seen a rainbow before. Do they know how a rainbow is formed? Take notes of the children’s ideas and predictions. Read the first double page spread. Think back to what Elmer says, “Thunder and Lightning is exciting”. How do the children feel about thunder and lightning? You may wish to use a video, such as: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M4IRbGJxqA as a stimulus for children’s thinking. Could they think of some words and phrases to describe the thunderstorm? What is happening? What does it sound like? How does it make them feel? You could help to organise the children’s ideas into a poem that they can then perform. You could also look at another poem, such as ‘The Storm’ by Sara Coleridge as a stimulus for writing: http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/learning/children/reviews/?id=18 The children could also share their responses to this poem. Ask the children ‘What would have to happen for the elephants to see a rainbow?’ and discuss their responses.

Session 4:Re-read the story from the beginning up until “But what about Elmer?” whispered an elephant. What do the children think will happen as Elmer steps out from behind the waterfall? Record predictions around a copy of the illustration on a working wall or in a Shared Reading Journal. Read the next page to reveal whether their predictions were correct. Allow time for the children to re-enact the story in a variety of ways. This could be using small world figures, through role-play with masks, using puppets or props or by making a storybox. Storyboxes create special opportunities to revisit the themes and storylines of a particular story. Typically, they consist of a shoebox containing a range of small toys and inspirational objects. The box itself can be turned into a setting for the story using a variety of collage materials and with sides cut to fold down. However, the box is at its most effective when something intriguing or unexpected is added. Children can use the box to retell the next episode of a story or create another story with similar setting or characters. The children could also make their own storymaps to recall the important events in the story and help them in their retellings and re-enactments.

Session 5:Re-read the whole book. Engage the children in book talk to explore their responses to the story. You might begin by asking the children the four basic questions, from Aidan Chambers’ ‘Tell Me’ approach, from Tell Me: Children, Reading & Talk with The Reading Environment (Thimble Press, 2011). These questions give children accessible starting points for discussion:

• Tell me … was there anything you liked about this book?• Was there anything that you particularly disliked…?• Was there anything that puzzled you?• Were there any patterns…any connections that you noticed…?

The openness of these questions unlike the more interrogative ‘Why?’ question encourages every child to feel that they have something to say. It allows everyone to take part in arriving at a shared view without the fear of the ‘wrong’ answer.

Explore the connections that children have drawn. Can they think of a time they’ve helped someone else, been kind to someone else, shown love to someone else or helped to spread happiness? Think of ways that we could all help to share kindness, happiness, love and be helpful. Invite each child to make a pledge to help share kindness, happiness, love and be helpful in school or at home and write these on a coloured square. Across the setting these can then be arranged to make a patchwork rainbow for all to see.

Across the continuous provision, you could also:• Use colour paddles and light to investigate colours• Colour mix with paint, learn about how to create shades of intensity using white• Learn more about the weather; make wind chimes, rain gauges, reflectors for the sun, create

a weather chart to track the weather over the course of the week.• Learn the ‘I can sing a rainbow song’• Move with coloured streamers and scarves to create a colour dance• Make colourless rainbows using white chalk• Learn about emotions, how to recognise these in others and how to react appropriately if

someone is scared or upset.

www.clpe.org.ukThis sequence of activities was designed in partnership with CLPE.

To access more free resources from CLPE, visit: www.clpe.org.uk/freeresources In depth teaching sequences for nearly 200 other high quality texts can be found at: www.clpe.org.uk/powerofreading

Session 1: Share the front cover and title of the book with the children. Discuss the word ‘stranger’. What do they think it means? What do they associate with the word? Who do they think is the stranger in this story? Read the first part of the story, up until “Let’s talk to him”. Why do you think the animals view Kangaroo as a stranger? Collect children’s responses around a copy of the illustration on a working wall or as part of a shared journal. What do you think the animals should do next? Using shared writing to model, give each child the opportunity to write a letter to one of the animals hiding in the clearing to tell them what they think they should do.

Session 2:Re-read the story so far, and on to “I’ll be laughed at”. Use role on the wall to explore the character of Kangaroo. Role on the wall is a technique that uses a displayed outline of the character to record feelings (inside the outline) and outward appearances (outside the outline) at various stopping points across the story. Using a different colour at each of the stopping points allows you to track changes in the character’s emotional journey. You can include known facts such as physical appearance, age, gender, location and occupation, as well as subjective ideas such as likes/dislikes, friends/enemies, attitudes, motivations, secrets and dreams. Look carefully at the illustration of Elmer and the other animals watching him from the clearing. How do you think they see Kangaroo from an outside perspective? Note this on the outside of an outline drawing of Kangaroo. Encourage the children to make personal connections with the character to encourage empathy for his situation. Have they ever felt like they can’t do something? Have they ever been laughed at? How did this make them feel? How do they think Kangaroo feels on the inside? Are there any words in the text that help us to see how he feels? Look at words like ‘hesitated’, ‘sobbed’, ‘sniffed’ and ‘secretly’. Why have these words been chosen? What do they tell us about Kangaroo’s feelings? Note this on the inside of the outline drawing. You might use this opportunity to explore further how to consider the feelings of others before making judgements about who they are or what they can or can’t do.

Session 3: Re-read the story so far, and on to ‘Elmer laughed and left them.’ Look carefully at the words used by the other animals to encourage Kangaroo, ‘beautifully’, ‘impressive’. What are they trying to do here? Talk about how the animals might be able to encourage Kangaroo when they come back. Write in role as one of the characters a note of encouragement to Kangaroo. How will they choose and use words, such as the verbs, adverbs and adjectives which have already been explored that will build up Kangaroo’s confidence and encourage him to keep trying? You may wish to model this first through Shared Writing. Swap the notes with a friend and encourage them to read these as if they were Kangaroo. Before reading, revisit the words on the inside of the role on the wall and think about how he is feeling at this point, use your facial expressions and body positioning to exemplify the mood he is in. Then read the note; how does this note of encouragement make them feel now? Why? Discuss the choices of words and phrases that have been most effective in changing their mood.

Elmer and the Stranger A sequence of activities for Key Stage 1

Session 4:Re-read the story so far, and on until ‘I didn’t think about jumping’. What did the animals do to help Kangaroo build his confidence and win the competition? Return to the Role on the Wall and discuss whether Kangaroo still feels the same inside now as he did at the beginning of the story. Explore the words and phrases used to show how he might be feeling in the text, such as ‘bounced behind him, in front of him, around him and even over him.’, ‘laughed’, ‘with an enormous bounce’, ‘delighted’, ‘Kangaroo gave a laugh’, ‘thanked’. How have his feelings changed? You might then go on to look at words and phrases that still show he is a bit tentative, like “You mean ‘bounce’,” said Kangaroo. “I can’t jump.” and “That will be hard to beat,” said Kangaroo. Encourage the children to, once again, link this to personal experience. Have they ever done something that at first they thought would be difficult? How did it feel when they managed to do it successfully? How could we describe how he feels on the inside now? Note these in a different colour on the inside of the outline of Kangaroo. Do you think others will see him differently on the outside now too? Revisit the words on the outside of the outline of Kangaroo from Session 2 and use another colour to show how they think Kangaroo will be seen by others now.

Session 5:Re-read the whole book. Engage the children in book talk to explore their responses to the story. You might begin by asking the children the four basic questions, from Aidan Chambers’ ‘Tell Me’ approach from Tell Me: Children, Reading & Talk with The Reading Environment (Thimble Press, 2011). These questions give children accessible starting points for discussion:

• Tell me … was there anything you liked about this book?• Was there anything that you particularly disliked…?• Was there anything that puzzled you?• Were there any patterns…any connections that you noticed…?

(With young children, these are likely to be personal connections, although if they know the Elmer books well or any other stories with the theme of sharing and kindness, they may be able to make links with these)

The openness of these questions unlike the more interrogative ‘Why?’ question encourages every child to feel that they have something to say. It allows everyone to take part in arriving at a shared view without the fear of the ‘wrong’ answer.

Encourage the children to think back to the animals first impressions of Kangaroo. How do they feel about him now? What might have happened if they had dismissed Kangaroo at the beginning for being ‘strange’ in their eyes? Engage the children in a wider discussion about not judging people on first impressions. What did Elmer and the animals do to support Kangaroo? Children who may have experienced being new to a class might be able to link to personal connections of what helped them fit in and make friends in the class. Others might talk about how their friends have been able to help them overcome challenges or difficulties they have had. End the sequence by focussing on what makes a good friend. Give each child a coloured square and encourage them to write something that makes a good friend on the square. Stick these to a large wall display of an outline of Elmer, and have the children stick on their squares as Elmer’s patches.

www.clpe.org.ukThis sequence of activities was designed in partnership with CLPE.

To access more free resources from CLPE, visit: www.clpe.org.uk/freeresources In depth teaching sequences for nearly 200 other high quality texts can be found at: www.clpe.org.uk/powerofreading

Session 1: Prior to the session:Using large pieces of sugar paper or card, note each of the following words on a different piece:

- Water- Clean Air- Electricity- Gas- Medical Facilities

Position these pieces of paper/card in different areas of the classroom or hall, ensuring that they are all located on either the left or right hand side of the room.

Create a boundary between the two sides of the room, using chairs, a bench or masking tape.As the children enter the room assign each of them the letter A or B alternately. Once every child has been allocated a letter, invite the ‘A’s’ to go to one side of the room and the ‘B’s’ to the other side of the room.

Explain to the children that you are going to share a series of dilemmas with them to discuss in their groups and formulate proposed resolutions to discuss and debate with the opposing group. Encourage them to note their positions and main arguments in preparation for the whole class discussions.

Dilemma OneA. A member of your group is unwell and needs medication, but you reside on the side of theterritory that does not have access to medical facilities.B. A large number of your group require medication in your territory. It is very expensive toproduce. An individual from group A is also in need of this medication, what will you do?

Dilemma TwoA. You do not have access to clean water and no longer have the money to buy water for yourterritory. How might you convince group B to assist?B. The pumps that draw water from the ground are beginning to rust and will need replacing,this will require a large investment of time, money and work. Group A have no access to water.Do you think you have a responsibility to help?

Dilemma ThreeA. You are unable to heat and light your homes but you do not have access to electricity polesor gas lines. Is it fair to reserve access to these facilities to group B’s territory?B. Individuals living in territory A have no electricity. Should you invest money on extendingelectricity poles into their territory or should that money be spent on making.

Elmer and the HipposA Sequence of activitiesfor Key Stage 2

Session 2:Recount and reflect on the dilemmas explored in the previous session. Discuss which arguments and proposals resonated most with the group and why. Draw on this to help you consider with the group what components help to formulate a strong argument. Agree upon and note for later reference these key components.

Read the opening of Elmer and the Hippos, stopping at, “But that means a lot of work.” Invite the children to discuss the options/solutions available and the possible oppositions. Note their responses.

Read on to, “I need your help.” Share the following page featuring the illustration of Elmer and Wilbur facing the other elephants without disclosing the written text. Invite the children to discuss and respond to the illustration.

Using thought bubbles invite the children to note what they think some of the elephants might be thinking. Arrange the bubbles on an enlarged copy of the illustration.

Read the first part of the text accompanying this illustration and stop at, “If we help it will soon be done.” Select two children to take on the role of Elmer and Wilbur, with the rest of the class taking on the role of the community of elephants. Invite them to discuss in role and explore why they might choose to help the hippos.

Once the discussion in role is complete, hold a secret ballot to determine what proportion of the class think the elephants should help the hippos.

Session 3: Invite the children to watch a selection of famous historical speeches. Provide them with the opportunity to respond to each speech and discuss what aspects appealed to them and why.

Drawing on transcripts of the speeches viewed encourage the children in groups to text mark and identify aspects that made the speeches powerful and effective. These may be features like repetition, alliteration, stating information in sets of three, effective use of pronouns to appeal directly to the listener or the use of emotive language.

Based on their group discussion and notes, ask the children to contribute what in their view made the speeches effective. Agree as a collective on the common threads of their reflections to formulate an agreement on what components make a good speech.

Session 4:In pairs, invite the children to write their own speeches to galvanise the elephant community to act and resolve the matter in the way they see fit based on the discussions from the previous session. Allow time for drafting and refining their speeches.

Session 6:Watch the selection of historical speeches again and this time focus the attention on body language, posture, facial expression and how the delivery impacts on the listener.

Give the children time to refine their speeches and rehearse their delivery.

Provide each pair with the opportunity to deliver their speech.

Once all of the speeches have been delivered conduct another secret ballot to determine what proportion of the class think the elephants should help the hippos. Discuss if there is a variation in numbers compared to the first vote and why this might be.

Share the rest of the book. Engage the children in book talk to explore their responses to the story. You might begin by asking the children the four basic questions, from Aidan Chambers’ ‘Tell Me’ approach from Tell Me: Children, Reading & Talk with The Reading Environment (Thimble Press, 2011). These questions give children accessible starting points for discussion:

• Tell me … was there anything you liked about this book?• Was there anything that you particularly disliked…?• Was there anything that puzzled you?• Were there any patterns…any connections that you noticed…?

The openness of these questions unlike the more interrogative ‘Why?’ question encourages every child to feel that they have something to say. It allows everyone to take part in arriving at a shared view without the fear of the ‘wrong’ answer.

www.clpe.org.ukThis sequence of activities was designed in partnership with CLPE.

To access more free resources from CLPE, visit: www.clpe.org.uk/freeresources In depth teaching sequences for nearly 200 other high quality texts can be found at: www.clpe.org.uk/powerofreading

Can you sign some of the words inthe and the Rainbow story?

Elephant Rainbow Rain

Bird Lion

Monkey Tiger

Cupped hand showsshape of trunk

Flutter fingers as hands move straight down in

front of body

Clawed hands mime plodding

Clawed hands scratch armpits

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Makaton is a language programme that gives everyone a helping hand to communicate. It is designed to support spoken language by using signs and symbols with speech. This helps provide extra clues about what someone is saying. Makaton connects people to the world around them.

For further information visit makaton.org

www.andersenpress.co.uk

Elmer is sad when he discovers that the rainbow has lost

its colours. He wants to help, but what will happen to him if he gives the rainbow his own

colours? Will he lose them for ever?

A classic story book about sharing and giving.

‘A deserved favourite with 2-5s’ THE SUNDAY TIMES

David McKee

and the Rainbow

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UK £6.99 CAN $12.99

Top Tip:You could try

using coloured tissue paper for

the patches! Cut a strip of card to wrap around your head and

sit like a crown. Stick the ends of your headband

together.

Cut out the ear template (enclosed in this pack) and draw around

it twice on to card, then cut out the two ears.

Draw patches onto the ears and colour them in using bright

Fold the tab on the ears and apply glue or sticky tape.

Stick the ears to either side of the headband.

Share pictures of your patchwork creation

on Twitter and Facebook using #ElmerDay

Make your own ears!

You can be just like Elmer with these colourful, patchwork ears!

You will need:

White card

A pencil

Colouring pencils or felt tip pens

Glue or sticky tape

Scissors (We recommend a grown-up does the cutting out!)

Elmer ear template

colours.

Instructions:

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Make your own ears!

Top Tip:

To use paint on

your elephant, mix

PVA glue with ready

mix paint.

Ask a grown up to cut off the bottom of the bottle to

create Elmer’s legs and trunk, and cut out Elmer’s ears

using the card.

Cover the surface of the bottle with PVA glue and then stick tissue

paper squares all over the elephant in an Elmer patchwork style.

Stick Elmer’s ears to his head and cover with

patchwork tissue paper squares.

Once your elephant is complete, give it another coat

Finally, add some eyes (we’ve added googly eyes but

you can make your own with paper and pens).

Share a picture of your herd on

social media using #ElmerDay

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Make a milk bottle !

Create a whole herd of Elmers out of plastic milk bottles...

You will need:

A plastic milk bottle (remove the lid, label and wash out the inside)

Lots of colourful tissue paper cut into squares

PVA Glue

Scissors

Googly eyes

Card

A grown-up

Elmer Ear template

of PVA glue to varnish.

Instructions:

Cut one paper plate in half and stick the two

pieces onto the plate to make Elmer’s ears.

Cut out a trunk shape from the white card and

stick it onto Elmer’s face.

Decorate your mask by sticking colourful tissue paper squares in a

patchwork pattern.

Add Elmer’s eyes to the mask (we’ve used googly yes, but

you could make your own with paper and pens).

Make an paper plate mask!

Make this Elmer mask for your Elmer Day parade or wall display.

You will need:

2 paper plates

White card

Squares of coloured tissue paper

Glue

Scissors

Googly eyes

Instructions:Top Tip:

You could make

Elmer’s trunk by

decorating toilet roll

tubes with tissue paper

squares and stringing

them together.

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Discover More Elmer Stories!

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Elmer loves practical jokes, but so does his cousin Wilbur. Until, that is, Elmer has an idea

which brings Wilbur back down to earth, in more ways than one . . .

‘The joys of this book are as much the unpredictable storyline as the loony pictures.’

EVENING STANDARD

UK £6.99 CAN $12.99

www.andersenpress.co.uk

WILBURand

www.andersenpress.co.uk

Elmer is sad when he discovers that the rainbow has lost

its colours. He wants to help, but what will happen to him if he gives the rainbow his own

colours? Will he lose them for ever?

A classic story book about sharing and giving.

‘A deserved favourite with 2-5s’ THE SUNDAY TIMES

David McKee

and the Rainbow

AN

DER

SEN PR

ESSEL

ME

R A

ND

TH

E RA

INB

OW

DAV

ID M

CK

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UK £6.99 CAN $12.99

Elmer StoriesAll available in paperback at £6.99:

Elmer 9781842707319 – also available as a board book (9781783442683)

big book format (9781783444250, £19.99) and book & CD (9781883445653, £7.99)

Elmer Again 9781842707500

Elmer on Stilts 978184208385

Elmer and Wilbur 9781842709504 – also available as a board book (9781783445301)

Elmer in the Snow 9781842707838

Elmer and the Wind 9781842707739

Elmer and the Lost Teddy 9781842707494

Elmer and the Stranger 9781842707852

Elmer and Grandpa Eldo 9781842708392

Elmer and Butterfly 9781742709382

Elmer and the Hippos 9781842709818

Elmer and Snake 9781842709375

Elmer and Rose 9781842707401

Elmer and Aunt Zelda 9781842707517

Elmer and Rainbow 9781842707166 – also available as a board book 9781783444243

Elmer and the Big Bird 9781842707593

Elmer’s Special Day 9781842709856

Elmer and Super El 9781849394574

Elmer, Rose and Super El 9781849396882

Elmer and the Whales 9781783441020

Elmer and the Monster 9781783441594

Elmer’s Christmas 9781783442218 – also available as a board book 9781783444663

Elmer and the Flood 9781783442171

Elmer and the Race 9781783444557

Elmer Novelty BooksElmer’s Band (sound book) 9781783443321, £12.99

Elmer’s Little Library (4 x board books) 9781783443963, £4.99

Elmer’s Touch and Feel World 9781783443413, £8.99

Elmer: Guess Who? (mirror board book) 9781783443406, £6.99

Elmer: Hide and Seek! (board book with flaps) 9781783444960, £6.99

Elmer: Elephant Colours (buggy book) 9781783444953, £4.99

Elmer: Hello, Animals! (buggy book) 9781783444946, £4.99

Books can be ordered from TBS (The Book Service). Information for schools or customers who do not already have

an account with TBS can be found here: http://www.thebookservice.co.uk/for-customers#schools