Wild
Why the book was selected
Wild is a deceptively simple narrative with a patterned structure, which makes it accessible for children in year. However, it has the potential to introduce complex, philosophical discussion around the themes of freedom, nature, education and civilisation.
Curriculum connections
- Geography
- physical features: forest
- Science
- animals including humans: human and wild animal relationships
About the author
Emily Hughes was born in Hawaii but lives and works in the United Kingdom. She is inspired by Chinese cinema and illustrators such as Blair Lent and Gyo Fujikawa. Her work has been exhibited across the capital and her book Nana Shaped Like a Banana came second in the 2012 Macmillan Prize for Children’s Picture Books. Her first picture book has been highly successful in bookshops and libraries across the United States and United Kingdom.
A note about lessons
Our lessons are organised as meaningful chunks of learning. Most of them will fit a standard 45 minute to 60 minute session. However, some of them are shorter and others will run for a series of linked sessions. It is anticipated that you will not teach all the lessons. Select those that suit the needs of your class and add them to your personalised plans.
Text potential
Lessons for this book
Before Reading
Hook
Everland
Making an emotional connection with the main character.
Orientation
Born to be Wild
Exploring the concept of wild, associations and key vocabulary.
Friend or Foe Bingo
Analysing the characteristics of wild animals as a precursor to thinking about the feral nature of the wild girl.
During Reading
First Encounters
Wild: First Reading
Reading aloud to establish literal understanding and develop fluent reading.
Required reading: Whole book
Wild: Think Aloud
Using the Think Aloud strategy to model inference strategies.
Required reading: Whole book
What Does it Mean?
Identifying key vocabulary and thinking about how it reflects the story’s themes.
Required reading: Whole book
Picture Detectives: Searching for Clues
Close reading of an illustration to locate important clues that are not mentioned in the written text and to support reading at greater depth.
Pages 17-18
Happy and Not Happy
Exploring contrasts in the story and building vocabulary.
Required reading: 9-10, 11-24
Digging Deeper
The Missing Page
Exploring two consecutive pages to find a ‘readerly gap’ in the story and use inference to consider what might potentially have happened in this gap.
Pages 13-16
Changes
Identifying changes that take place in the story as a precursor to thinking about character development.
Blurb, blurb, blurb
Reading the blurb to look at how readers interest is piqued.
Required reading: Back page
After Reading
Review and Reflect
Wild or School?
The themes of freedom and choice are discussed in the context of compulsory school attendance.
‘And here is today’s news…’
Working in role as investigative journalists to build the story context.
Pages 15-16
Learning to be Human
Exploring big ideas through text to world discussion.
Required reading: Whole book
Writing Opportunities
Newspaper Report
Writing a report based on how the girl came to be rescued from the wilderness.
Pages 11-14
Wider Learning Opportunities
Resources
Where The Wild Things Are
When Max puts on his wolf suit and makes mischief, his mother calls him ‘Wild Thing’ and sends him to bed without any supper. Alone in his room, Max enters a magical world and sets sail across the sea to the place where the wild things are. The wild things roar their terrible roars and gnash their terrible teeth and roll their terrible eyes and show their terrible claws .
. . But Max tames the wild things and is made their king.
Will he ever want to go home?
Wild Child
A beautiful and unique photographic picture book for the wild child in everyone. Meet Wild Child! She’s spirited and curious. She’s fearless and free.
She lives alone in a mystical, prehistoric world – the last child in a dramatic landscape, where anything could happen. Follow her through her day as she explores her world from the foot of the mountain to the heart of the wood; while she runs with the rabbits and swims with the fish – but beware of the grown-ups and sensible shoes! Join the magic and unleash the wild child in YOU!
The Stick Book : Loads of things you can make or do with a stick
`A beautiful and inspiring book, bursting with practical suggestions which will appeal to every child’s imagination. I wanted to rush out to my nearest wood immediately!’ Julia Donaldson, author of The Gruffalo. Did you know that there are loads of things you can do with a stick? Totally natural, all-purpose, free, it offers limitless opportunities for outdoor play and adventure.
In fact, you can transform a stick into almost anything! This activity-packed book provides you with 70 suggestions for things to do with a stick including bushcraft adventures, creative play, woodcraft and conservation, music and more. From building a den to making a magic wand, from a game of ‘capture the flag’ to creating a sun clock, the possibilities are endless. All you need to get started is …a stick!
On a Magical Do Nothing Day
WINNER of the 2018 4-11 Picture Book Awards (Fiction 4-7 category)One of the New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2017. All I want to do on a rainy day like today is play my game, but my mum says it’s a waste of time. The game drives my mum mad. She takes it away.
I take it back. I wish Dad had come with us on this rainy, grey weekend. Without my game, nothing is fun.
On the other hand, maybe I’m wrong about that…