Henry’s Leaf Cart

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: cart, leaves, wheel, twig, path. Invite a prediction about what might happen.

During reading

Use Talk Together for a prompt on each page. Talk about the problem, the tools or materials, the idea they try and what happens when they test it. Compare what the characters expected with what they noticed. Invite children to join in with repeated words or gestures.

After reading

With an adult, roll an empty large toy wagon on a clear, flat path. Notice its wheels and talk about keeping the route clear. 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

Technology idea

Notice a stuck wheel and clear the way so a toy cart rolls again.

Notice together

Notice the problem, the material or tool, and what happens when the child tries an idea. Children can point, gesture, sign or talk.

Try together

With an adult, roll an empty large toy wagon on a clear, flat path. Notice its wheels and talk about keeping the route clear.

Adult support

An adult handles any stuck mechanism, lifts the cart and removes obstacles. Children keep fingers away from moving wheels. Never carry a child in a toy cart.

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.