The Koala Who Could

Sometimes change comes along whether we like it or not . . . but if you let it, change can be the making of you. Kevin the Koala discovers this and more in this delightful picture book.​

Book Author: Rachel Bright

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Teaching Ideas and Resources:

English

• Use the title of this book (or the opening verses) as the starting point for your own story.
• How does the author describe Kevin’s habitat? Think of another animal and write a description of their habitat.
• Retell the story from Kevin’s point of view. Add detail that tells others how he feels.
• Write a character profile for Kevin using information that the author tells us about him.
• Write your own story about a character who has to deal with a change in their life.
• Think of some speech/bubbles to add to Kevin’s character in the illustrations.
• Write a diary entry from Kevin’s point of view for the day after his tree fell down. How does he feel about what happened? How has his life changed?

Science

• Choose one of the animals in the illustrations and find out more about them. Can you write a non-chronological report about them?​

Computing

• Record a video review of this book. What do you like / dislike about it?
• Record an audio diary from Kevin’s point of view that explains how he felt at different point in the story.
• Create a stop-motion animation that retells this story.
• Watch this ‘read aloud’ video version of the book. Could you make your own?

Design Technology

• Design a new home for Kevin to live in after his tree fell down.

Art

• Create your own illustrations of Australian animals.
• Look at the page that shows the same location at four different times/weather conditions. Can you create a similar picture of your own?

Geography

• Where do koalas, kangaroos, and dingos live? Find out more about Australia and write a report about the country. Use the information on our Australia Fact Cards.

PSHE

• ​​
• What does ‘change’ mean? How can change be positive? When can it be negative?
• Think of a time when something in your life changed. What was it? How did it affect you? How did you react?
• Discuss strategies that we can use when something in life is changing. How can we help others when their life is changing?
• Kevin is terribly good at three things: clinging, napping and munching on leaf-buns. What three things are you really good at? What skill do you need to improve?
• Why is Kevin afraid of change? How did his friends help him?
• What does this story teach us? What does it mean to have a ‘CAN-DO’ attitude? How could you use this in your own life?