Pip

Pip is the story of a small dog with a big dream—to become a Southeastern Guide Dog. Does she have what it takes?​

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

English

• Make a list of the human behaviours that Pip shows. What effect does this have?
• Listen to audio description version and then write your own. What do you need to include to make the story come alive?

• Write a character description of Pip, or the trainer.
• What does Pip’s behaviour tell you about her? Make a table showing the things that she does in one column and what that tells you about her personality in the other.
• Stop the film at 0:54. How is Pip feeling? How do you know? Compare to 2:24. Write a description of Pip’s body language at both points.
• Make a storyboard of the video.
• Write the story from the point of view of the trainer.
• Stop the film at 0:13. The construction equipment in the background will become very important later on. This technique is known as foreshadowing. Look at a range of fiction books and collect other examples of this technique.
• Write up Pip’s experience as a newspaper report to be put on the entrance hall wall.
• Discuss how the newspaper stories on the wall (for example at 0:33) are used to tell the story. Why have they been included? What do they add?
• Write a report about the work of guide dogs. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association have some good resources to support this.

Computing

• Make an obstacle course game in Scratch or a similar program.
• Research and make a presentation about the work of guide dogs and other assistance animals.

Design Technology

• Design a safety outfit for the trainer to protect her when falling over!
• Design and make a simple food dispensing machine.

Music

• Listen to how the changes in the music reflect Pip’s feelings. Describe how the composer does this.
• Chose a short section of the film and write a new soundtrack for it.

History

• Find out about the history of guide dogs. This webpage is a good starting point for older children.​

Physical education

• Set out a simple obstacle course for the children to navigate in pairs, with one of them blindfolded. ​

PSHE

• This film has been made as part of a fundraising effort for a charity. Discuss ways in which your school or setting support charities.
• Pip has to overcome difficulties to achieve her goal of being a guide dog. What is your goal?
• Ace is Pip’s inspiration. Who inspires you and why?
• Use the ROSPA materials to teach about building site safety.