Ben’s Busy Square

Reading together

Reading age 7–8 describes the audience for this adult-led Shared Reading book, not an independent reading-level assessment. This is a read-aloud story for ages 7–8, 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: survey, council, proposal, votes, decision. Invite a prediction about what might happen.

During reading

Use Talk Together for a prompt on each page. Talk about what people do and how they feel. Connect familiar places and experiences. Invite children to join in with repeated words or gestures.

After reading

Retell the problem, what people tried and the ending. Use a detail from the story to explain one choice. What else might have worked? Name the people and places, and talk about what happened. Invite different experiences and respect a child’s choice not to share.

People, places and belonging

Social Science idea

Communities hear different needs, consider limits and use fair decision processes.

Notice together

Find evidence in the words and pictures. Explain how people consider different needs or ideas.

Try together

Explore a similar question in a familiar place with an adult. Compare two ideas and explain your reasons.

Different experiences

People have different experiences. Invite ideas respectfully without asking children to disclose private information.

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 at a time, according to the child’s interest. Use the adult-led exploration described above, or drawings and gestures, according to the child’s interest. Activities are optional; use only a few at a time.