Henry’s Bending Arm

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: puppet, joint, hinge, muscles, contracting. 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

Retell the puppet problem, the changes Henry makes and what the model teaches him. 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

Bones support the body; muscles pull on bones at joints. Models show selected features rather than exact copies.

Notice together

Compare the first idea with the evidence the characters collect. What changed their thinking?

Try together

Make a card arm with adult-made holes, a paper fastener and strings. Compare it with comfortable gentle elbow movement.

Careful thinking

Do not force joints or ask children to demonstrate painful movements. Bodies and ways of moving differ.

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.