Elmer’s Special Day

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It’s almost Elmer’s Day again and the elephants have begun their preparations. But in all the excitement they are making an awful lot of noise and upsetting the other animals. Elmer changes the rules, and invites every single animal to join in the parade, but they have a surprise in store for Elmer…

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

English

• Write another book about Elmer and his friends.
• Use the speech within the story to turn the book (or part of it) into a play script. Could you then perform it to a friend?
• The noise that the elephants make is described as ‘a racket’. How else can we describe loud noises?
• Make an invitation to ask the other animals to join in with Elmer’s parade.
• Can you play your own Elmer’s Day celebration? What things will you need to organise?

Maths

• Make a shopping list of things that the elephants might need for Elmer’s Day. How much might these cost? What would the total cost be?
• Look at the patterns on the front and back cover of the book. Can you create your own repeating patterns? Can you find out about tessellation and make your own tessellations?

Science

• The elephants make lots of noise when they are preparing for Elmer’s Day. How are sounds made? How do we measure sound?

Computing

• Use a paint program to draw and decorate your own elephant mask (see Resources below).
• Explore the ‘Elmer’s Special Day’ iPhone / iPad app to read the story electronically and take part in the different activities.

Design Technology

• Look at different examples of patchwork sewing. Could you try to make your own?
• Make an elephant mask to wear as part of Elmer’s Day.?(see Resources below)

Art

• Draw your own decorated animal. Could you create a collection of decorated animals?
• Could you decorate your own face using face paints?

Music

• Compose a tune for the animals to march along with on Elmer’s Day.

Physical education

• Think of different games that the animals could play on Elmer’s Day.

PSHE

• The animals all decorate themselves in different ways on Elmer’s Day. How are the people in your class similar / different? Why is being different a positive thing?

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