Mouse For Sale

Snickers is a lonely mouse in a petshop, craving to be bought by someone. But he’s got one big problem: his huge ears. The kids entering the store keep laughing at him. Will Snickers find the buddy he so desires, someone who will take him for who he is?

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

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

English

• Make a story map of the film.
• Make a “for sale” listing for Snickers (the mouse). What would you include to persuade people to buy him?
• Make a list of adjectives to describe each of the characters.
• How is the mouse feeling at these points in the film? 1:04, 1:19, 1:34, 2.37.
• There are lots of different regional names for the insect in the film. How many can you find? Have a look at this page to get started.
• Make a list of stories that have a similar theme or similar characters.
• Could you write a new story about ‘The Mouse with Huge Ears’?
• Write a sequel. What happens when the boy and Snickers go home?
• Write the story from the point of view of the shopkeeper.
• Write a reasoned argument, giving points for and against having a pet.
• Write a dialogue between the two boys when they leave the shop.

Maths

• Use pricing on pet items to set real-life money problems.
• Collect data and make a graph about the pets (or favourite animals) of the other children in your class.

Science

• Find out about woodlice. Set up an experiment to see if they prefer light or dark conditions.
• Make an information leaflet showing how to look after a pet.
• Find out how human and animal ears work. Why do different animals have different kinds of ears?
• Make your own levers (you can use a metre ruler for the beam and a crisp tube for the fulcrum). Where is the best place for the fulcrum to be to balance two equal weights? Why?

Computing

• What kind of wireless technology do you know about and use? How do you think it works?
• Create a “For Sale” poster for Snickers using publishing software.
• Program a roamer to move around a mouse cage.
• Animate the woodlouse rolling around.
• Design a webpage for the Pet Shop.
• Record a narration to accompany the story.

Design Technology

• Design a fun cage for Snickers.

Art

• Make the story into a cartoon strip.
• Use printing to make patterns like the paw prints on the wallpaper.

Music

• What songs about mice do you know? (For example – Hickory Dickory Dock, Three Blind Mice, A Mouse lived in a Windmill)
• Compose a soundtrack for the film.

Geography

• Draw a plan of the pet shop.
• Investigate which parts of the world common pets originally come from.

History

• Research the history of pets. How long have humans kept pets? Which pets were popular at different times in history?

Languages

• Learn the names of pets in the language you are studying.

PSHE

• Snickers has been overlooked because of his huge ears. In the film, the two boys are very unkind to Snickers because of his ears. How do you think it makes him feel?
• This film is only 4 minutes long and took a year to make. When have you spent a long time on something that was important to you?
• Discuss how to look after pets and that different pets have different needs.
• Snickers perseveres to get the boy’s attention. When have you had to persevere?
• Should Snickers have thrown the woodlouse?
• How do you feel about your pets? Why are they important to you?