Monster goes to Stopsley
By Sandra Connolly
Lady Zia Wernher School, Luton
This text was created as a way into our Geography work – Investigating our local area. It also links with the Design Technology Unit – Moving Monsters.
The text was used to cue the children into the types of activities that take place in different places in the area local to our school.
The story is read in a lively fashion as the words and symbols appear on screen.
The lead adult reads and signs the words on each slide; the rest of the adults and children are encouraged to repeat the phrases.
Where appropriate adults could leave out the last words in a phrase to allow opportunities for the children to attempt to vocalise or to operate a voice-generating switch (e.g. a Big Mack).
When the photo pages are shown the children are given the opportunity to interact with a range of objects of reference relating to the text. It may be suitable for some children to be offered choices of objects using their preferred method of choosing; for others, it is appropriate to have the opportunity to interact with the object.
We took the opportunity to split into smaller groups in order to visit these different places over the course of a half term. Before the visits the children chose their own monster from a selection of toys, to take with them on their visit.
During the visits we re-enacted each of the things that Monster did in the village and did them with our own monsters. Photos were taken of the children and their monsters in different places.
Back in class the photos were developed and then used with the children to make their own books – symbols or symbol sentences were placed beneath the photos, pages laminated and put together.
The books proved popular with the children – they enjoyed looking at them at playtime and during book time.
Text / Objects of ReferenceHey Mr Monster
Where have you been?
Where have you been?
Where have you been? / Monster toy/puppet
I’ve been to Stopsley
That’s where I’ve been.
That’s where I’ve been.
That’s where I’ve been.
Hey Mr Monster
What did you do?
What did you do?
What did you do? / Monster toy/puppet
I went to the café
I drank a cup of tea
I drank a cup of tea
I drank a cup of tea / Tea set – cups, saucers, tea pot
Choose a child to give everyone a cup and pour some tea, then role play drinking from cup.
I went to the library
I read a story
I read a story
I read a story, / Selection of library books
Choose child to give out books, look through some pages together.
I went to the church
I played the organ
I played the organ
I played the organ / Mini keyboard – choose child to press keys and make sounds with keyboard.
I went to the newsagents
I bought a comic
I bought a comic
I bought a comic / Selection of comics
Choose child to give out comics, look through some pages together.
I went to the greengrocers
I bought some fruit
I bought some fruit
I bought some fruit / Selection of real/play fruit
Choose child to pass round fruit basket – encourage everyone to choose fruit and role play munching it.
I went to the post office
I bought a stamp
I bought a stamp
I bought a stamp / Sticky label stamps, coloured envelopes, Cardboard box, painted red with slot for posting.
Stick stamp on envelope and take turns to post in box.
I went to the park
I played on the seesaw
I played on the seesaw
I played on the seesaw / Toy playground equipment –
Place toy/model on seesaw/slide/swing. Choose child to make the toy move on their piece of playground equipment.
I played on the slide
I played on the slide
I played on the slide
I played on the swings
I played on the swings
I played on the swings
Hey Mr Monster
Where have you been?
Where have you been?
Where have you been? / Monster toy/puppet
I’ve been to Stopsley
That’s where I’ve been.
That’s where I’ve been.
That’s where I’ve been.
The End / Put props away.
Geography
P8
To recognise the human features of places e.g. shops, park, church, etc
P7
To communicate their preferences about the human features of a place e.g. show a preference for the café rather than the greengrocers, etc
P6
To identify symbols representing key human features of the local area, e.g. church, café, shop, etc
To answer simple questions about places and people e.g. What can you buy in this shop? What can you do in the park?
P5
To answer simple questions about places and people, for example, Where is the café? Where is the swing? What do you want to play on?
P4
To handle artefacts and materials given to them, for example, placing stamp on post card, posting it in postbox, carrying shopping in bag, pressing buddy switch to ask questions in shops, etc
To know certain actions produce predictable results e.g pressing the button at the crossing will make a sound and cars will stop; giving shopkeeper money means they get something in return.
To know familiar places and people and what they are there for e.g. recognising park, shops, church, shopkeepers, etc.
P3 (ii)
To greet known people and initiate interactions and activities.
To respond to options and choices e.g. choosing which piece of equipment to play with in the park.
To actively explore objects and events for expended periods.
To apply potential solutions to problems e.g. pressing button at pedestrian crossing.
Literacy
Speaking and Listening
P6
To communicate own ideas using words or communication book.
To ask and answer simple questions.
To respond to others in groups.
P5
To follow requests involving 2 key words/symbols. (put postcard in postbox; put fruit in bag, give shopkeeper money, etc)
To respond to simple questions e.g. Where is shopping bag? Comic? What are you doing?
P4
To repeat or copy and copy single words, signs or phrases.
To understand names of familiar objects.
To communicate likes and dislikes – taste of cake, choice of comic, playing in park, etc
To respond to simple requests with one key word e.g. get coat, put on cap, etc
P3 (ii)
To greet known people and initiate interactions and activities.
To remember learned responses over time e.g. pre-empting sounds/actions in familiar stories/rhymes.
To respond to options/choices with actions/gestures e.g. nodding/shaking head.
P3 (i)
To seek attention by eye contact.
To request events of activities e.g. pointing to key objects/ people.
To remember leaned responses over time e.g. pre-empting sounds/actions in familiar stories/rhymes.
Reading
P5
To select/read a small number of words/symbols linked to familiar vocabulary and derive some meaning from text.
P4
To listen and respond to familiar stories and rhymes.
Writing
P4
To choose familiar symbols for objects of transport, car, bus, etc
P5
To communicate ideas for writing using a scribe or Clicker 5.
Editing the symbols in Powerpoint
As not everyone will have the privilege of living in Stopsley! It may be useful to change Stopsley for the name of a place near you.
The following instructions may help you to do this. It may not be the only way. If you have a better way, let me know.
Open Powerpoint
Select Screen 1
Move cursor over imported image.
When Handle bars appear – right click – cut
Start – Programs – Accessories – Paint
Edit – Paste
Select tool – draw box around the picture and /or word Stopsley
Edit – Cut
File Save As…. (Save in the place where you usually save images)
Return to Powerpoint
Insert image from saved location
Or Create new symbol phrase in WWS 2000
Print Screen to edit in Paint
Insert in Powerpoint
Remember you will need to edit Slides 3 and 25