If I Was a Horse - Sophie Blackall - Resources- Stages 2-3 - CBCA Shortlist 2024

This is a bundle of resources (reading and writing) based on the joyous book “If I Was a Horse” by Sophie Blackall. This book has been shortlisted for “Picture Book of the Year” in 2024, by the Children’s Book Council of Australia.

This bright, funny, engaging book tells the story of a narrator, who feels the rules and structures of being a child constrictive. They imagine what it would be like to be a horse, and the freedom that goes with it.

The unit of work contains open-ended resources aimed at both Stages 2 and 3.

The bundle contains:

• a printable comprehension booklet with targeted comprehension questions. The questions are largely open-ended so would suit either a Stage 2 or Stage 3 classroom.

• an integrated writing task based on the book. Writing comes in the form of an open-ended writing stimulus presented in a booklet. I use stand-alone activities like this in my classroom as assessment tools, either at the beginning or the end of a unit of work. This writing task is persuasive.

• a set of ten no-prep printable Literature Circle task cards. Tasks contain a high degree of student choice and are designed to be high-interest and engaging to allow for independent class work. All associated resources are included.

• all associated printables, which include researching, writing and Visual Arts tasks.

All of my resources are intentionally created to support the teaching of specific texts - none of my tasks are lower order “filler sheets” or generic reader responses. Students are required to think deeply about each individual book and its unique features.

I have many other literature-based resources in my store (most of them based on Australia texts) so feel free to check them out.