How to be a Lion

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You don’t have to ROAR to be heard…

Meet Leonard – a lion like no other. Leonard’s best friend is Marianne, a duck. But lions chomp ducks, don’t they? What will the pair do when their way of life is threatened?

English:

• Could you make your own version of this book, based on a different animal (e.g. How to be a Crocodile or How to be a Ladybird), that shows the reader ‘there are so many ways that you can be you.’
• Write a new story about an animal that has an unusual friend (e.g. a cat and a mouse, or a kangaroo and a panda).
• Think of some speech / thought bubbles to add to the illustrations.
• Retell the story from Leonard’s point of view.
• Write Leonard’s diary entry about the day he met Marianne.
• Write a conversation between the other lions. What might they say to each other about Leonard’s behaviour?
• ‘Crunch’ and ‘Chomp’ are examples of onomatopoeia. Can you think of any others?
• Create a poem that Leonard might write about his friend Marianne.
• Look at the illustrations and think of words that describe the facial expressions of the characters. Can you think of synonyms for those words?
• Make an acrostic poem based on the words LION or LEONARD.

Science:

• Look at the front cover of the book. Leonard is camouflaged against the orange background. Can you think of animals that use camouflage to hide from predators?
• Create a food chain (or a food web) that includes a lion.
• Write a report about the things that a lion usually does in the wild.

Computing:

• Use drawing software to create a picture of a lion.
• Create a multimedia presentation about a lion.
• Could you use a programming tool (e.g. Scratch) to make a game that involves a lion?
• Watch a ‘Read Aloud’ video for this book. Could you record your own version? Here are some examples:

Design Technology:

• Could you create a model of Leonard (and / or Marianne) using junk modelling materials?

Art:

• Draw a picture of an animal that is using camouflage to hide in its habitat.
• Look at a photo of a lion and create your own drawing or painting.
• Take a photo of a lion, cut it in half, and draw the missing half to complete the picture again.

Music:

• Compose a melody to accompany Leonard’s poem.

Geography:

• Where might Leonard live? Write a report about a place in Africa where you might find a lion.

Physical Education:

• Can you move around like a lion? Can you move like a duck?

PSHE:

• If you had a ‘thinking hill’ (like Leonard), what would you spend time thinking about?
• Do you have a quiet space where you like to think about things?
• Leonard and Marianne made wishes at night. Think of some wishes that you would like to make.
• The other lions tell Leonard that he must be fierce. Should we always behave the way others expect us to?
• On his website, the author writes, ‘Strength and sensitivity are not mutually exclusive.’ What does this mean?