The Hound

Ages: 7-11

A man wanders through the woods late at night. Where is he going? What is he looking for… or is something looking for him?

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

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

Retell the story in the form of a diary entry from the man’s point of view.
Pause the video at various points and think of words to describe the main character’s emotions. How do you know? Look at his facial expressions and body language.
Think of words to describe how the man and the dog are moving around at different points in the video. Are they walking / creeping / striding / fleeing?
Pause the video and ask the children to write a complex sentence that explains what might happen next.
Make a ‘Missing’ poster for the man who has lost his dog. Remember to use lots of description to help others to identify the dog if they find it.
Use the video to discuss the use of flashbacks. How can these be used effectively in our writing?
Write an alternative ending in which the ‘Hound’ wasn’t the man’s pet. What happens to them both?
Make a set of instructions to teach others how to look after a pet dog.

Record some narration for the video. This could be in the third person or could be the thoughts of the man in the video.

Look at the use of light in the video. Could you create some images that show a dark scene that is lit by a single torch (or other) light?
Retell the story in the form of a comic strip / storyboard.

Listen to the sounds used in the video. How do they affect the atmosphere and tension felt by the viewer?
Try listening to the audio without watching the video. Can you guess what might be happening? Draw a storyboard that shows your thoughts.

Draw a story map that shows the man’s route through the forest and the different events that take place in each location.