My Dog Max

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Ava desperately wants a dog. Any dog. Tall, small, saggy or waggy. Believing she will never get a dog, Ava makes one out of recycled junk, but it can’t eat or walk. When its newspaper tail falls off, Ava spies a photo of sad dogs at the DOGGY DEN, a rehoming centre.
Once there, Ava sees dogs of all shapes and sizes, but the one she loves most is Max, a big, sad dog who has had five names and six homes, and just longs to be loved.

Their adventure together is about to begin.

English:

Make a set of instructions to teach people how to look after a dog (or another pet).
Create a list of words and phrases that can be used to describe dogs. You can also gather a list of verbs to describe their actions.
Write a character description of Ava.
Role-play Ava’s situation and make a list of FOR and AGAINST arguments about having a pet.
This story is written from Ava’s point of view. Can you rewrite part of it in the third person? Use time connectives to join the different events.
Write a diary entry from Max’s point of view.
Look at the cat in the illustrations. Could you retell the story from its point of view?
Write a prequel to this story that explains how Max arrived at the rescue centre. You could use one of Ava’s amazing ideas for inspiration.
Make a persuasive poster to encourage people to visit the Doggy Den and adopt a dog like Max.
Write a newspaper article about a rescue centre and how they help match dogs with new homes.
Look at the illustrations and think of some speech / thought bubbles to accompany them.
Write your own story about a child who gets a new pet they have always dreamed of having.
Write a sequel to the story. What adventures might Ava and Max have together next?
Compare this story with other books that feature dogs. Which is your favourite and why?

Maths:

How many dogs can you find in the story? How many eyes are there altogether? How many legs?
Conduct a class survey to find out everyone’s favourite pets.
Work out how much it might cost to look after a dog every month.

Science:

Discuss animal needs. What do dogs need to live happily?
Research how a dog’s senses are similar / different to our own.
Investigate materials that might be safe / unsafe to use in dog toys.
Compare several dog breeds. How are they similar / different?

Computing:

Design a website for the Doggy Den to share information about the wonderful dogs they care for.
Can you make an animation of a dog running, digging, jumping or sniffing?
Design a game in which Ava has to follow a route to meet Max at the rescue centre.

Design Technology:

In the story, Ava makes a junk model of a dog. Can you do this too?
Design and make a cosy shelter for Max to sleep in.
Design a new dog toy that Max might like to play with.
Create a moving mechanism that show’s Max running or his tail moving.

Art:

Create your own illustrations of Max or another dog.
Could you create a collage of a dog?
Make a storyboard that retells the main events of the story.
Research famous works of art that include dogs, e.g. Cave Canem mosaic (Pompeii), The Painter and His Pug (William Hogarth), Portraits of Dogs (Andy Warhol).

Music:

Compose a melody to accompany an animated version of this story.

Geography:

Look at a map and find the nearest animal rescue centres. Plan a route for a trip there.
Make a map that show’s Max’s journey in the story.
Explore a map of your local area and find some safe spaces where dogs can play.
Investigate where different dog breeds originated.

History:

How have dogs helped people throughout history?

Physical Education:

Set up an agility course that a dog (or you!) might enjoy exploring.

Languages:

Find out the word for ‘dog’ in other languages.
Write some simple sentences that describe Max.

PSHE:

Plan some fundraising activities for your nearest animal rescue centre.
Discuss how pets make us feel safe, happy and calm.
What does ‘responsibility’ mean? Why do we need to be responsible as pet owners?
Look at the illustrations of Ava throughout the story. How does she feel at different points?
Discuss how to be safe around animals and pets that we are unfamiliar with.