Ruby’s Worry

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Ruby loves being Ruby. Until, one day, she finds a worry. At first it’s not such a big worry, and that’s all right, but then it starts to grow. It gets bigger and bigger every day and it makes Ruby sad. How can Ruby get rid of it and feel like herself again?

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

English

• Think of synonyms for ‘worry’.
• Ruby loved being Ruby. Can you write a story about a person who loves being who they are, until something comes along to change their emotions?
• Retell the story in the first person, from Ruby’s point of view.
• Could you think of some speech / thought bubbles for Ruby (or her worry) in the illustrations?
• Retell the story from the Worry’s point of view.
• Write a letter to Ruby explaining how she could deal with her worry.

Maths

• Estimate the size of the Worry at different points in the story. Use a ruler or a tape measure to show how big it could be.

Computing

• Record a ‘read aloud’ video in which you retell the story. Here are some examples:

Art

• Draw a picture of a person who is feeling happy and a person who has a worry. How does their facial expression change?
• The author / illustrator has drawn their own idea of what a worry looks like. What do you think a worry looks like?
• Some of the illustrations show Ruby and her Worry in colour, but the rest of the scene is in black and white. Why has the illustrator done this? Could you use this technique in your own pictures?
• Draw a picture of a group of people with illustrations of their worries next to them.

Music

• Think of some music that helps you to stay calm when you have a worry. Could you make a playlist of songs?

Geography

• Draw a map showing the places in the story and add labels or images to show what happened to Ruby in each place.

PSHE

• Could you write down some of your worries? How are they making you feel? Is there anything that could be done to help you worry less about them?
• Make a Worry Box and post some of your worries inside it. Take some time to read the notes together and think of things you can do to help each other.
• Could you make a diary of worries to show how they change over time?
• Why do our worries sometimes grow? What can we do to acknowledge this and stop them from growing?
• Working with some friends, make a list of things that you sometimes worry about. Are there any things in common between your lists? How could you help each other?
• ‘Ruby loved being Ruby.’ What do you love about being you?