Home For Christmas

Ages: 7-11
Contributor:
Sam Collins

A courageous robin undertakes an epic journey home to Britain, where a young girl eagerly awaits his annual return home for Christmas.

Watch this video with your children, and then try some of our teaching and activity ideas below.

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

Pause the video at the start and look at the setting. How would you describe it? Can you write a sentence or paragraph about it? Could you plan a new Christmas story (or advert) that begins here?
Think of words and phrases to describe this Robin. Could you write a sentence or paragraph about his personality?
The advertisers describe the robin as ‘courageous’. Can you think of synonyms for ‘courageous’?
Retell the story from the Robin’s point of view.
If the robin could talk, what would he say? Can you think of speech / thought bubbles for him at different points in the story?
Write a diary entry from the point of view of the girl. How was she feeling as she awaited the arrival of the robin?
Write your own story about a robin’s epic journey home.
Find out more about the RSPB. Could you create a persuasive advert to encourage people to support the charity?
Design your own Christmas advert.
Collect adjectives, metaphors and similes to describe the weather in the advert.

Can you estimate the distance that the robin travelled on this journey? How long might it have taken him?
Carry out a survey that shows the different kinds of birds that you see in your garden or school at different times of the year. Use the results for data handling activities.

Find out more about robins and write a report about them. Where do they live? What do they eat?
Create a food chain or food web that includes robins.
Think of ways that you can help wildlife near your home or school.
Find out about lighthouses. Where are they placed? How does the lamp work?

Create a game in which a robin has to complete an epic journey.
Create a presentation that includes still images from this advert, along with your own text, sounds and narration.
Robins are often featured on Christmas cards. Could you design your own cards using graphics or publishing software?

Look at photos of robins and use these as the starting point for your own artwork.
Create a storyboard that retells the events of this advert.

Listen to the soundtrack to the advert. What instruments can you hear?
How does the soundtrack change as the advert progresses? Use musical terms to describe the changes.

Think about the locations used in the adverts. Could you find where they might be on a map? Could you plot the robin’s journey?