Samir's Best Sports Day
What’s inside...
In 'Samir's Best Sports Day', young Samir experiences an unforgettable sports day at school where he learns the value of teamwork, sportsmanship, and friendly competition. Through various events and challenges, Samir and his classmates cheer each other on, learning valuable life lessons 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). Despite his hopes of winning a race, things don't go as planned. With guidance from Mr Simms, Samir understands that enjoying the experience is just as important as winning. Reading Champion series offers independent reading books for children to practice and reinforce their developing reading skills with fantastic, original stories, engaging artwork, and a reading activity. Each book is carefully graded to match a child's reading ability, encouraging reading for pleasure.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-8
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What was your favorite sport that Samir tried in the story, and why?
How did Samir feel when he couldn't play a sport well at first?
What did Samir learn about trying new things, even if they are difficult?
Can you think of a time you tried something new like Samir? How did it make you feel?
What would you say to a friend who is afraid of trying a new sport or activity?
Tip: Role play these questions
Create a supportive environment by praising efforts, not just successes, to encourage open dialogue.
Relate the stories to personal experiences that your child or a family member may have had to strengthen connections.
Ask follow-up questions based on your child’s responses to encourage deeper thinking and understanding.
Discuss the importance of perseverance and how learning from mistakes is a valuable life skill.
Encourage your child to talk about their emotions, relating to how Samir might have felt during his sports day challenges.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Teamwork
Explanation: Samir's Best Sports Day highlights how working together as a team can lead to success during the sports events.
Real-World Application: Children can apply teamwork in their school projects or sports, learning to cooperate and achieve common goals with their peers.
Example Lesson: Perseverance
Explanation: The book portrays Samir's persistence in training and preparation for the sports day, despite initial setbacks.
Real-World Application: This teaches children the importance of persisting through challenges, whether it's in learning a new skill or completing their homework.
Example Lesson: Sportsmanship
Explanation: Samir's interactions with his competitors model good sportsmanship, showing respect and fairness.
Real-World Application: Children learn to be gracious in both victory and defeat, which is applicable in their interactions in sports and other competitive scenarios.
Example Lesson: Healthy Competition
Explanation: The story demonstrates how competition can be healthy and encourages everyone to do their best.
Real-World Application: Kids can understand that it's healthy to compete in a way that motivates and doesn't belittle others, fostering a positive competitive spirit.