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There’s a new girl in my class. She has eyes as wide and as golden as a tiger’s, skin as pale as a glass of milk, and hair as shiny as a mirror. I’d like to be her friend. But she never plays with me in the playground or makes sandcastles in the sandpit. She’s doesn’t even like Story Time.
The cleverest people I know say that the new girl is sad because she had to leave her home, her family, her school, her toys, her books and all her friends too.
But I’ve got an idea! There is something I can do to make her feel better when she’s missing everything she’s left behind …
English:
- Can you find any similes in the story? Make some new similes to describe Layla and Adam.
- Retell the story from Layla’s point of view. You could include a description of how she was feeling on her way to school on the first day.
- Write some character descriptions of Layla and Adam. How are they similar / different?
- Think of some speech / thought bubbles to accompany the illustrations.
- Write a letter from one of the children, welcoming Layla to her new class.
- Rewrite some of the direct speech into reported (or indirect) speech.
- Choose the main events of Layla’s story and use them for sequencing activities.
Maths:
- Create a timetable for Adam’s day at school.
Computing:
- Use publishing software to make a poster that shares the author’s ideas to help refugee children feel welcome. Could you add your own suggestions?
- Record and edit a ‘read aloud’ video based on this story. Here is an example:
Design Technology:
- Layla and Adam make a huge castle out of cardboard boxes. Could you try this too?
- Create a ‘welcome box’ to fill with small gifts for a new person in your class.
Art:
- Draw your own illustrations of Adam or Layla. Can you show different emotions on their faces?
- Adam makes a large picture that represents a new story in Layla’s life. Could you make your own version of this?
- Draw a special picture that you could give to somebody to make them smile.
- Look at the illustrations on the inside covers at the start and end of the book. How have they changed?
- Make a ‘Welcome’ poster or banner for a new student in your class.
Music:
- Write the lyrics (and melody) for a ‘welcome song’. What themes, words and phrases could it include?
Geography:
- Make a list of reasons why people have to leave their homes and move to new places.
- What is a refugee? What places around the world might refugees have left behind?
- Compare the weather and climate of a place where refugees might leave with your own country.
History:
- Make a timeline of Layla’s life before and after arriving in Adam’s class.
- Find out about child migration during World War II. How and why were children evacuated from their homes?
Physical Education:
- Plan some activities that encourage people to work as a team and include others in their group.
Languages:
- Learn how to say ‘hello’ and ‘welcome’ in other languages.
PSHE:
- Look at the illustrations and think of words / phrases to describe how the characters are feeling. How do Layla’s emotions change?
- Imagine you had to move from your home to a new place. How would you feel?