Everybody’s welcome by Patricia Hegarty

 Year 1

Text: Everybody’s welcome by Patricia Hegarty

Lesson plan by Andrew Moffat / equalitiesprimary.com

Learning Intention: To make you feel welcome

Success Criteria: I know we are all different / I know how we are different/ I know why someone might not feel welcome / I know how I can make someone feel welcome

Starter: Show the children the picture of the mouse inside the front cover with the title “everybody’s welcome”. What is the mouse doing? Does the mouse look welcoming? How? If the mouse had hands in its pockets and a frown, would the mouse look welcoming? Who can show me that pose?

Main: Read “Everybody’s welcome” all the way through. -       Why does frog need a home? What does mouse say? Why does mouse welcome frog? -       Why do the animals form a chain to build the house? -       Why aren’t mouse, frog and the rabbits scared of the big bear? -       At the end the animals say everybody in their house “will feel that they belong”- why are they all smiling and holding hands? Would this be a good house to live in? Why?

Role play: Say this book reminds you of our class; we’re all different and yet we’re here together helping each other to learn and to get along. Read through the book again and this time, ask children to take on different roles of animals and of the mouse saying “Come and join us!” By the end of the book you want lots of children role playing hammering and sawing, building their house together. Finish by standing in a circle, holding hands and saying the last line together: Our class will be so happy and everybody in it will feel that they belong”

Activity: Children draw a picture of different animals building their house together. Write a sentence – everyone belongs or we can work together or we are all different, we can work together.

Plenary: What are the animals learning about difference as they build their house? Why is this story like our class? We say there are “No Outsiders” in our class – what does that mean?

AFL questions: Why is this story about No Outsiders? How can you make someone feel welcome?

See lesson plans and guidance to build your equality ethos in school: No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Using parent / child workshops to strengthen community cohesion around school: Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat