A Writing Root for The Bear Under the Stairs

Outcomes:

File of fears entry, letters seeking and giving advice, oral retellings, own version narratives

Main Outcome:

Information text

Length:

15 sessions, 3 weeks

Overview and Outcomes:

This is a three week Writing Root in which begins with children arriving to find a mysterious shape in the classroom covered in a blanket with warnings and questions all over it.  They go on to create questions and statements about what they have discovered before beginning to explore the book.  Children will discuss their own fears and create their own entry for a class ‘file of fears’ before writing letters in role as William asking for help.  They will send advice letters to William in response suggesting what he should do before creating their own oral retellings of the story before writing their own story about a child who is afraid of something in the house.  Children will then explore fact and fiction around bears in order to create information reports about bears to send to William to help him feel less scared.

Synopsis of Text:

William is scared of the place under the stairs. He is absolutely sure there's a great big and probably hungry grizzly bear lurking there. He is utterly convinced that the bear will gobble him up if he doesn't feed it, so every day he carefully opens the door, throws in some food and slams it shut quickly - wham, bang, thump!

Find out what happens when a nasty smell pervades the house and Mum and William decide to investigate . . .

Text Rationale:

This gorgeous, lyrical text tells the story of a boy called William who is convinced that a bear is living under the stairs. As the story is told in rhyme and uses alliteration, it is a great way for children to review certain phonemes, particularly different ways to make the /a/ sound. The repetitive language ‘wham, bang, thump’ is also a fun way to encourage children to join in with the reading. It also has strong PSHE links, particularly around overcoming fears and speaking to a trusted adult. Helen Cooper is a significant and prolific author who won the Kate Greenaway award twice for two consecutive books.

Links and themes:

Fear, bravery, bears, phonics, family, speaking to a trusted adult, overcoming fears, the power of imagination, fact and fiction

Date written: September 2014

Updated: October 2023, July 2025