Stories

Here are some other easily available similar stories that can be used as a stimulus for some fun numeracy work and discussion around the themes of the programme.

• Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell   Walker Books   ISBN 978-0744536607
• The Enormous Turnip by Ian Beck OUP Oxford  ISBN 978-0192791504
• Billy’s Sunflower by Nicola Moon and Karin Littlewood   Scholastic Little Hippo ISBN  978-0590195782
• Chicken Licken by M Ross Ladybird  ISBN 978-0721497358
• The Hen and the Fox by M Ross Ladybird   ISBN 978-0721497419
• The Ginger Bread Man Ladybird  ISBN 978-1846469800
• Handa’s Surprise by Eileen Browne  Walker books   ISBN 978-0744536348

Links

Farming

A Series of short documentary films about food and farming that might be of use and or interest http://www.foodafactoflife.org/VideoActivity.aspx?siteId=15&sectionId=66&contentId=163&titleId=166

Short film showing harvesting, industrial milling of flour and baking http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/VideoActivity.aspx?siteId=14&sectionId=63&contentId=163&titleId=169

Animations of different methods of seed dispersal that has a blackbird that poos!!! http://www2.bgfl.org/bgfl2/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/science/plants_pt2/dispersal.htm

Games and activities

Great online games and recipes that older children could use to practice maths concepts and revise bread making processes
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/bigcooklittlecook/

Here is a video with captions but no sound of a Yr 9 class baking different bread shapes that you might like to try with your class
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPRnjuc-rtw
For a variety of recipes for modelling dough
http://day-care-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/edible-play-dough-recipies#ixzz0lvosq3Ue

A making bread, sequencing activity for using downloadable printable cards
http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/thumbs646-650/sb646prev.html

Simple pictorial instructions for growing a bean in a plant pot http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/thumbs751-755/sb752prev.html

Useful hints and tips for growing really big sun flowers, for adults to use with children with a slightly competitive edge
http://www.sunflowerchallenge.org.uk/code/sunflower_growing.asp

Detailed information for adults to use with children who would like to invest more time and effort in growing passion fruit or mango
http://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/exotic_fruits/passion_fruit/

This is a shape matching game that you could use to talk about shape names and colours
http://www.thekidzpage.com/freekidsgames/games/concentration/shapesmatching.html

This is also a matching game but with farmyard animals the pictures are realistic but there are perhaps a little too many choices for younger children to remember
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=MatchingPairsFarmyard

This is fun game to play once you have got past the advertisement. Match the eggs of the same colour, bring them next to one another and watch them hatch 
 http://www.donutgames.com/play/chicken_and_egg

Here is another silly game. A chicken lays eggs and moves along the perch you have to move the box underneath and catch the falling eggs simple!
 http://gamescene.com/Chicken_And_Eggs_game.html

This is a game about identifying what makes a particular sound; it has lots of common animals and also some more unusual ones (like a puffin) also includes other sounds like rain
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/games/theme/seasonal/3#/lb/greenballoonclub/whatsthatnoise

This game allows you to explore different areas of a farm; collect eggs, feed hens etc. this may be useful to talk about what a farm is like and what happens there.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/games/theme/life/all#/lb/comeoutside/downonthefarm

Other resources

We love this really interactive site. There is little text or instruction. Just move and click your mouse to explore and discover amazing things
www.poissonrouge.com

A wealth of downloadable teaching resources for all sorts of curriculum areas and key stages
http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/

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Get involved!

Most of the work of The Play House is delivered to groups from schools, nurseries and other youth settings. However, there are lots of other ways for children to get involved…

Clive Chandler acted as consultant for Little Red Hen. He has been working in schools and other settings for over 20 years. For more information on Clive, his work and his puppets have a look at his website.
http://www.tiptoppuppets.co.uk/

If you live in Balsall Heath, Balsall Heath Extended Services offers lots of out-of-school opportunities. The Play House works closely with them, and Little Red Hen was part of one of their summer schools. You can find out more about them here: http://www.stpaulstrust.org.uk/childrens-services-0-11/balsall-heath-extended-schools-provision/

If you’re not in Balsall Heath, you can find out about your own extended provision in Birmingham here: http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/extended

Birmingham City Council’s website for signposting services for children and young people I need to know is a little hard to navigate, but is currently being updated to include more arts activities. http://www.ineed2know.org.uk  

The Play House has a close relationship with Birmingham Rep, having delivered co-productions and presented work there. The building is closing down for a while for the new Library of Birmingham development, but keep an eye on their website to see what they’ll be doing in the meantime. http://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/

mac has recently reopened, and in the past has presented a good range of work for children and young people. http://www.macarts.co.uk/