The Pandas Who Promised

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High on a misty mountainside, red panda cubs Popo and Ketu live happily with their mama. As the sisters grow, they promise Mama that they will always stay close to home. But while cautious Popo is content to spend her days in the family’s cosy treetop nest, bold Ketu dreams of excitement and exploration. So when Ketu creeps off down the mountain in search of adventure, Popo must make a choice: will she keep her promise to Mama or look after her sister?

English:

• The title of this story uses alliteration, i.e. The Pandas who Promised. Can you think of other story titles that have alliteration, e.g. The Dogs who Danced, The Tigers who Tumbled.
• Make a list of all of the rhyming words in this story. Can you think of other words that rhyme with them?
• Retell this story from the point of view of one of the young pandas or the point of view of their mother.
• Write a letter of apology from Ketu to her mother for breaking the promise.
• Write a different ending to this story. Instead of coming across a leopard, what other adventures could the animals have?
• Write a sequel (or a prequel) to this book.
• Carry out some role-play activities based on different points in the story. For example, when Popo finds out Ketu is leaving, what should she do?

Science:

• The red pandas in the story are nocturnal. What does this mean? Can you make a list of other nocturnal animals?
• Learn more about red pandas and create a written, audio or multimedia report about them. This video has some information that may help:

Computing:

• Use publishing software to make a poster that shows their mother’s rules.
• Make an animation that shows the leopard chasing the red pandas.
• Use art software to draw your favourite scene from the book.
• Record a ‘read-along’ version of this story. Here is an example:

Design Technology:

• Could you make a 3D model of a red panda?

Art:

• Look at the illustrations of the mountains on the inside covers. Could you use a similar technique for your own drawings?
• Some of the illustrations include sunsets. Can you create a picture of a sunset with an animal in the foreground?
• Look at the illustration of Ketu and Popo admiring the view of the mountains. Could you make a similar picture with some animals in silhouette?
• Retell the story in the form of a comic strip.
• Parts of this story are told using four panels to show the sequence of actions. Could you use this idea to tell a short story?
• Create your own illustrations of red pandas based on pictures and videos of them.

Geography:

• Where do red pandas live in the wild? Find these locations on a map.

Religious Education:

• What promises are kept by people who follow different religions?

PSHE:

• What is a promise? Think of a time when you made a promise or somebody promised something to you.
• How would you feel if somebody broke a promise?
• At the end of the story, the mother explains, ‘Keeping a promise is special, you see. It’s how I trust in you… and you trust in me.’ What does it mean to trust somebody? Who do you trust?
• Make a list of similarities and differences between Popo and Ketu. How are you similar / different to your siblings or friends?