Reading Champion: The Snake of Gold: Independent Reading Purple 8
Reading champion Series
What’s inside...
A young hero embarks on a quest to retrieve the stolen golden snake that ensures prosperity for his village, encountering challenges and making new friends along the way. This story is part of Reading Champion, a series carefully linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills, developed with Dr Sue Bodman and Glen Franklin of UCL Institute of Education (IOE). Reading Champion offers independent reading books for children to practise and reinforce their developing reading skills. Fantastic, original stories are accompanied by engaging artwork and a reading activity. Each book has been carefully graded so that it can be matched to a child's reading ability, encouraging reading for pleasure.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-7
Length
24 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think the Snake of Gold symbolizes in the story?
How do the characters react when they discover the Snake of Gold? What does this teach us about greed?
Can you think of a time when something seemed too good to be true, like the Snake of Gold?
What would you do if you found the Snake of Gold? How would you handle the situation differently from the characters?
How do the characters change by the end of the story? What lessons do they learn?
Tip: Role play these questions
Before starting the book, ask your child what they think a 'Snake of Gold' might mean. This sets a creative foundation for the themes they’ll encounter.
Encourage your child to think about the moral implications of the characters’ decisions. Discuss real-life scenarios where similar morals could apply.
After reading, relate the story to your child’s experiences by discussing any personal encounters with difficult decisions or temptations.
Use the characters' reactions and outcomes in the book to reinforce lessons about consequences and responsible decision-making in a relatable way.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Honesty
Explanation: In 'Reading Champion: The Snake of Gold,' characters face situations where they must choose honesty over deceit. The protagonist's decisions to be truthful ultimately lead to positive outcomes.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to value honesty in their daily interactions and understand that being truthful builds trust and can result in favorable outcomes.
Example Lesson: Courage
Explanation: The story portrays the protagonist confronting fears when dealing with the mysterious snake, symbolizing courage in the face of the unknown.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to face their own fears and challenges, teaching them to be brave when encountering new or intimidating situations.
Example Lesson: Responsibility
Explanation: Through the narrative, the protagonist takes responsibility for their actions and the consequences that follow, emphasizing the importance of accepting responsibility.
Real-World Application: This lesson can help children understand the importance of being accountable for their actions in their everyday life, such as in schoolwork or friendships.
Example Lesson: Problem-Solving
Explanation: The characters in the book need to think critically and creatively to solve the problem presented by the snake. Their ability to strategize offers a model for effective problem-solving.
Real-World Application: Children learn to apply problem-solving skills to overcome obstacles in school or while interacting with peers.