Overview and Outcomes:

This Story Sapling begins with the discovery of the Fixer’s Workshop that has been left in disarray. Through tidying and creating signs, children become familiar with the vocabulary of components for building and inventing. Then discovering a tool bag, children act out the actions and catalogue the tools through labelling. Introducing the text, Izzy Gizmo, children practise empathy by speaking in role about feelings and composing thought bubbles. This activity leads into notes of advice for Izzy, giving children the opportunity to explore resilience and perseverance. As children build towards the main outcome, the Fixer’s Workshop becomes a space to help pets using gadgets. After taking notes about the challenges a pet is facing, children design and label an invention then use their experience to compose their own version of the narrative with a different main character and pet facing a challenge.

We recommend that this Story Sapling is taught in the Summer Term of Reception year and is completed in 10 stages over 2+ weeks.

Synopsis of Text:

Izzy Gizmo, a girl who LOVED to invent,
carried her tool bag wherever she went
in case she discovered a thing to be mended,
or a gadget to tweak to make to make it more splendid.

Izabelle Gizmo just loves to invent, but her inventions never seem to work the way she wants them to. And that makes her really CROSS! When she finds a crow with a broken wing she just has to help. But will she be able to put her frustrations to one side and help her new friend to fly again?

Text Rationale:

This is an award-winning, lyrical book that highlights the enjoyment that comes from problem solving, inventing and improving on past mistakes. Told through the eyes of Izzy Gizmo, a young, Black girl who loves inventing, this is a tale about perseverance and not giving up when things go wrong.  Izzy is a positive female role model who encourages girls into STEM subjects.

Links and Themes:

Inventions, gadgets, friendship, design and technology, STEM subjects, representation and diversity, positive female role models

Date written: June 2026