KS: R & KS1
Year Group: Year 2
Literary Theme: A Twist in the Tale
Author(s): Anthony Browne
This is a Vocabulary Vine for Me and You by Anthony Browne
A Vocabulary Vine is designed to be a sister resource to a Writing Root and Spelling Seed. It sits within our wider Teach Through a Text approach by explicitly identifying vocabulary from the book and providing additional opportunities for paired, small group and whole class experimentation with this vocabulary in context. Vocabulary Vines further complement spelling development too through exploration of the morphology (word structure) and etymology (origins) of words. They also provide oracy opportunities through a focus on talk tasks and on oral sentence construction. They are designed for short burst oral and vocabulary development.
A Writing Root is available for Me and You.
Wanted posters, letters, retellings, speech bubbles, retellings from another point of view
Sequel story
15 sessions, 3 weeks
In this three-week Writing Root, children explore two different versions of Goldilocks (the traditional tale and Me and You by Anthony Browne). Children initially familiarise themselves with a version available of the traditional tale, exploring what makes a traditional tale. They select adjectives to describe the character of Goldilocks that they then use to create a ‘Wanted’ poster that will be displayed around school. They go on to write a simple retelling as well as an apology letter in role as Goldilocks. Children move on to explore the text of Me and You by Anthony Browne where pictures are used to provide a context for why Goldilocks appears at the three bears’ house. This is a more sympathetic view and the children tell the story from her perspective. Children receive a letter from a publisher asking them to create a sequel to the story, one in which Baby Bear is the main character who ends up somewhere he shouldn’t.
Me and You: This is an inventive and innovative retelling of the classic tale of Goldilocks and the Three Little Bears. This text has a modern setting and explores themes of class, family, happiness and inclusion. It is a great opportunity for children to deconstruct the original tale and discuss the subtle layers that Anthony Browne has teased out in this retelling. Anthony Browne CBE is an award-winning, iconic author and illustrator who was children’s laureate from 2009 - 2011.
Fairytales, traditional tales, classic fairy tales, miniature worlds, cautionary tales, behaviour expectations, class, family, belonging, happiness, aspirations and dreams, positive female role models, family and friendship
Date written: July 2014. Updated October 2024.
NB: This is an updated alternative to the original Writing Root for The Goldilocks Project, which used three specific different versions of the text. This version is still available for schools who have copies of these three texts and wish to use it.
View Me and You Writing Root
