Ella’s Long Bridge

Reading together

Reading age 3–4 describes the audience for this adult-led Shared Reading book, not an independent reading-level assessment. This is a read-aloud story for ages 3–4, 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: gap, short, long, ends, across. Invite a prediction about what might happen.

During reading

Use Talk Together for a prompt on each page. Talk about counting, matching, shapes, positions, quantities and patterns. Compare what the characters expected with what they noticed. Invite children to join in with repeated words or gestures.

After reading

Use low blocks and safe flat pieces to retell the short and long bridge attempts. Describe what the characters noticed and how their ideas changed. Invite different experiences and respect a child’s choice not to share.

Explore and play

Numeracy idea

Compare two lengths by aligning an end; choose a length suited to a purpose.

Notice together

Use the pictures and real objects. Invite pointing, moving, gestures or words; an adult can model the idea.

Try together

Compare two strips with ends lined up. Use a long strip to bridge a small gap between low blocks for a toy car.

Adult support

Keep bridges low and for toys only. Help children compare physical ends rather than judging by colour or position.

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.