Bella’s Shadow Game

Reading together

Reading age 5–6 describes the audience for this adult-led Shared Reading book, not an independent reading-level assessment. This is a read-aloud story for ages 5–6, not an independent reading-level text. Read at the child’s pace. Children can listen, point, gesture, sign or join in with familiar words. Joining in is optional.

Before reading

Look at the title and cover. Introduce the characters and setting. Explore these five words with pictures, actions and familiar examples: shadow, light, block, opaque, compare. Invite a prediction about what might happen.

During reading

Use Talk Together for a prompt on each page. Talk about observations, predictions, materials, living things and changes. Compare what the characters expected with what they noticed. Invite children to join in with repeated words or gestures.

After reading

Tell what the character wondered, what they did, what they noticed and what they learned. Use a picture or story detail to explain an answer. What could they look at next? Describe what the characters noticed and how their ideas changed. Invite different experiences and respect a child’s choice not to share.

Explore and investigate

Science idea

An opaque object blocks light and can form a shadow on a surface; light direction affects shadow direction.

Notice together

Use light source, object and surface together; do not imply shadows are independent objects.

Try together

Use a safe torch and a large opaque card with an adult. Never look directly at the Sun or shine a torch into eyes.

Careful thinking

Distinguish a prediction from an observation. Use what happened in this story without claiming every material, animal or situation is the same.

Activities with an adult

The eleven separate question cards include recall, word meaning, observation, “why”, inference and evidence questions and discussion. Read the questions and choices aloud and offer picture support. Explore five vocabulary words, build them from movable letters and order three story pictures. Model a vocabulary word for the child to copy; letter recognition and independent decoding are not required. Mouse dragging, finger dragging, tap controls and keyboard controls are available. Use the light green and red feedback as a chance to look at the story again.

Choose a few activities that suit the child’s interest. Offer pictures, drawings, gestures or spoken answers, and model word building when useful. Activities are optional.