English Reception Spring Captions and Banners

1. How do we feel about dragons?
2. A dragon of our own!
3. Dragon word bank
4. Dragon sentences

1. Are dragons real?
2. Dragon maps
3. Dragon words
4. Dragon sentences

1. Model dragons
2. Dragon hunters
3. Crouching hunters, hidden dragons
4. Dragon feely box

1. Read Custard the Dragon by Ogden Nash (resources). Did this poem make you laugh? What sort of dragon is Custard? Are dragons in stories normally like this?
2. Read Tell Me A Dragon. What do you think of the illustrations in the book? Which was your favourite of the dragons? Can you describe it? Why is it your favourite?
3. Read The Dragon Machine up to the page with the map. What sort of places do the dragons hide in, and what sort of problems have they caused? What other trouble might they get into?
4. Continue and finish The Dragon Machine. Where does George go to in his machine? If you had a machine like that, where would you travel to?
5. Which has been everyone’s favourite book this week… Custard, Tell Me A Dragon or The Dragon Machine? Why so? Enjoy rereading children’s favourite text.

Poetry/Rhyme of the Week: Make copies of the first two verses of Custard the Dragon. Recite with children, enjoying the rhymes, then send home for children to share with parents/carers.

Essential texts
Tell Me A Dragon by Jackie Morris
The Dragon Machine by Helen Ward and Wayne Anderson

Websites
Custard the Dragon from youtube.com
Puff the Magic Dragon from youtube.com

Resources
Teabags, baking tray, long feathers/quill pens
Binoculars, measuring tape, goggles, clipboards etc for Dragon hunters activity
Bubble wrap, sand, feathers, pebbles etc. for dragon feely box

1. 'Gung Hay Fat Choy'
2. Good luck banners
3. Captions for banners
4. Chinese whispers

1. All in a jumble
2. Caption words
3. A caption for my banner
4. Chinese slat books

1. New Year banners
2. Dinner time!
3. Story time
4. Pattern making

1. Before any teaching, read Holidays and Festivals: Chinese New Year by Nancy Dickmann (to p15). Shared read the captions. Note how the words explain the photographs. What would be your favourite part of Chinese New Year?
2. Finish Holidays and Festivals, revisit captions. What things do Chinese families do to bring good luck? What colour is associated with good luck? Try some fortune cookies, if possible, and read messages on-screen (resources).
3. Watch the storytelling video of The Race Across the River, pausing to allow children to read animal names. After the first pages, ask children who they think will win. Who did win? Who was second? What do you think of Rat’s behaviour? What words could describe the rat, the ox etc.?
4. Look at the index in Holidays and Festivals: Chinese New Year. What does this page do? Repeat with the glossary. Why aren’t there pages like this in The Dragon Machine?

Poetry/Rhyme of the Week: Dragon, Dragon
Introduce on Monday. Send a copy of the song words home (see resources).

Group Reader: The Race Across the River
This beautifully illustrated retelling of the traditional tale explains how each year came to be named after an animal. The Jade Emperor’s birthday celebration turns into an exciting race across the river. Which order will the animals arrive in? This lovely story offers an opportunity to discuss place numbers, as well as fitting in perfectly with teaching about Chinese New Year.

Essential text
Holidays and Festivals: Chinese New Year by Nancy Dickmann (or a non-fiction picture book about Chinese New Year)
The Race Across the River Hamilton Group Reader

Websites
The Race Across the River Hamilton Storytelling video
Chinese New Year from preschoolexpress.com
Chinese New Year from theschoolrun.com
Chinese New Year from bbc.co.uk/newsround
Chinese New Year from topmarks.co.uk
Chinese New Year from kids-world-travel-guide.com
Recorded Chinese music for Animal movement activity at youtube.com
Videos, quiz, facts, photos, Chinese Lion Dance video from bbc.co.uk/cbeebies

Resources
Chinese New Year photos (see resources)
Thick brown card, hole punch, twine or wool
Red paper or fabric, gold pens
Objects for Chinese restaurant role-play e.g. chopsticks, decorations, calendars, menus