BORED DUCKS (CLAIRE MACDONALD)

 Lesson: Bored ducks!

This story is based on the technique of “PICTURE-TELLING” and involves an image which will be revealed at the end of the story-telling session. The lesson plan involves reading the story differently three times.

It could be used in English class from Primary 1 (6 years old) up to Primary 4 (9 years old)

First, the teacher elicits some ideas from the kids as to what the story is about only from the title “The Bored Ducks” by using some “Wh” questions:

Why are the ducks bored?

Where do the ducks live?

What can they do to stop being bored?

What do you do when you are bored?

When are you bored?

First reading

The teacher reads the story but doesn´t give the final punchline regarding the final identity of the ducks. With younger age groups this stage could be omitted and proceed directly to the next stage of reading the story .

Second Reading

This time comprehension is supported by using the vocabulary powerpoint with images. In this stage the final slide SHOULD NOT be revealed until the next reading.

Third Reading

The teacher reads the story for the final time using the vocabulary powerpoint but elicits the vocabulary from the kids before showing the vocabulary Item. In the second last slide, the teacher should stop and allow some time for asking the kids for their ideas about what the ducks could dress up as. After listening to the kids´predictions, at last the final slide of the ducks´disguise can be shown!

Here is the story:

Bored ducks!

Once upon a time there lived four happy ducklings on a quiet farm. They were all brothers and sisters. Everyday, they woke up and got out of their warm straw bed in the barn, ate their breakfast of seeds and vegetables, drank some milk, went for a walk around the farm,went for a swim on the farm pond and then went for an afternoon nap in the long ,green grass in the sunny field near the farm. Everyday, after their afternoon nap, they stretched in the sun, cleaned their feathers and then went for another swim on the farm pond.

Next they ate their dinner of bread and fruit, drank some milk and when it started to get dark they walked over to the barn, got into their straw beds and went to sleep. The next day, they got up and did it all again and they did the same the next day and the next. They did the same thing for the next two years until finally one day the youngest duck shouted "That´s it! I´m bored! I´m tired of doing the same thing everyday on the farm. I want to visit the city and do something different and exciting!"

His big sister duck looked at him for a long time and then said"OK. That´s a good idea but.....how? Ducks can´t walk around the city. Everyone will look at us! Brothers and sisters let´s put our duck heads together and think. What can we wear to hide our duck bodies? What disguise can we wear? I know........we can dress up as...."