Pip and Posy. The snowy day

Do your Young Learners like shared reading books? How often do you have lessons on extensive reading or listening? I organize reading clubs for kids and we like reading Usborne books, stories about Pete the Cat and Pip and Posy. Today I’d like to share a printable worksheet to use while reading a book “Pip and Posy. The Snowy Day”.

Here is a short plan of the lesson:

1. Discuss the cover and title of the book. Ask if students like winter, elicit what they usually do in winter. pre-teach: catch snowflakes on tongues, make a snow angel, a sledge.  
2. Introduce the main characters: Pip and Posy, explain that they are best friends (elicit information about your students’ best friends) and read the first spread of the story.
3. Explain that Pip and Posy need to get dressed. Brainstorm clothes which kids wear in winter, then ask to cut out clothes from the worksheet (task2). Give instructions to colour: Pip’s jumper is green, Posy’s jumper is yellow; Pip’s socks are green, Posy’s are yellow, they are stripy, so draw stripes; Pip’s coat is blue, Posy’s coat is pink and white; Pip’s boots are blue, Posy’s boots are green; Pip’s scarf is yellow and green, Posy’s scarf is orange; their mittens are orange two.  

Clothes can be coloured in another order. Then say: Pip and Posy want to go outside to play. They put on their jumpers (put the jumpers on the pictures on Pip and Posy, repeat with other clothes).

4) Read the story to check if the students have helped Pip and Posy to get dressed correctly. Continue reading the story, every time eliciting what students can see in the spread, discuss colours, actions etc. Read up to the page where Pip and Posy start building a snowman.

5) Say: Let’s help them build a snowman. Students should cut out the pieces from task 3 and build a snowman, they don’t need all pictures from the worksheet. Continue reading a story to check if Pip and Posy have the same snowman as students. Stop reading before the spread where Pip and Posy start arguing. Say: Pip and Posy have a very unusual snowman. Pip wants a snowrabbit, Posy wants a snowmouse. Look (show task 4). I have parts of other animals. What animal is it? (point at the mouse) Yes, it’s a mouse. (Elicit other animals). Let’s be creative and change our snowman. Choose, cut and stick. Children choose different parts, cut out and stick to the snowman they have done from task 3.  

6)  Go back to the book, open the page when Pip and Posy start ‘fighting’. Elicit what they are doing and what will happen next. Continue reading. Stop and the spread where Pip and Posy go home, say: Look, their clothes are wet. (Refer to the pictures of dressed Pip and Posy you have from task 2 and give instructions)Take off heir scarves, boots …

7) Continue reading the story. When finishing reading the book, ask if students liked the story, if they often fight with their friends.

The book and the video

The coloured worksheet and a Word version (if you need to edit something).

What characters and books do your students like?