Read with Oxford: Stage 1: Sam's Backpack and Other Stories
Read With Oxford Series
illustrations by
on Goodreads (3)
What’s inside...
This collection features short, accessible stories designed to build reading confidence in young readers. Sam's Backpack and Other Stories follows the adventures of Sam and his trusty backpack, exploring themes of problem-solving and friendship. The series, Oxford Reading Tree Story Sparks, aims to engage children emotionally and develop their comprehension skills through a variety of authors and illustrators. At Oxford Level 1+, the stories are phonically decodable with extra high-interest words to expand vocabularies and enrich experiences. Each book is carefully levelled to match every reader to the right book.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-7
Length
96 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think Sam likes most about his backpack?
How do you think the characters felt when they solved a problem?
Can you think of a time you helped someone like Sam does in the stories?
What would you pack in your backpack for an adventure?
Why is it important to share with friends, as seen in the stories?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use expressive reading to bring characters to life, changing your voice for different characters to increase engagement.
Pause at key moments in the story to ask your child how they think a character is feeling, helping them develop empathy.
After reading, relate the story to your child’s personal experiences to enhance their connection to the themes.
Encourage your child to draw pictures of their favorite scene or character to deepen their understanding and involvement.
Discuss the morals and lessons learned from Sam’s adventures to reinforce positive behavior and values.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Responsibility
Explanation: Sam's Backpack story introduces the concept of responsibility as Sam learns to pack and take care of his own belongings.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by managing their own school bags, organizing their toys, or helping with simple chores at home.
Example Lesson: Problem Solving
Explanation: Throughout the stories, characters face small challenges that they need to solve, teaching kids basic problem-solving skills.
Real-World Application: Kids learn to deal with minor setbacks and challenges in a calm and creative way, such as figuring out how to retrieve a toy from under the bed or resolving a disagreement with a friend.
Example Lesson: Empathy
Explanation: The interactions between characters encourage understanding and empathy, as they often help each other resolve issues.
Real-World Application: This can help children understand the importance of considering others' feelings and perspectives in daily interactions, promoting harmonious playtime and teamwork.
Example Lesson: Curiosity and Exploration
Explanation: The stories' settings and scenarios can spark curiosity about the world.
Real-World Application: Children may be inspired to ask questions, explore their surroundings, and learn more about different environments and situations depicted in the tales.