The Fox and the Goose: Independent Reading Gold 9
Independent Reading Gold Series
What’s inside...
The tale of a clever fox who outwits a naive goose, using its wits and cunning nature. 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). A traditional Aesop fable is retold as the story of Fox and Goose, who try to be friends, but end up misunderstanding one another and not showing compassion for each other's needs, with disastrous consequences. 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
5-8
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think motivated the fox to trick the goose? How would you feel if you were in the goose’s place?
How did the characters change by the end of the story? What lessons do you think they learned?
If you could give the goose advice at the beginning of the story, what would you say?
What are some ways the goose could have handled the situation differently?
Can you think of a time when you faced a similar situation as the goose? What did you do?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to put themselves in each character's shoes, fostering empathy and a deeper understanding of emotions.
Ask your child to predict what might happen next at different stages of the story, enhancing their analytical thinking skills.
Discuss the moral of the story with your child, linking it to real-life scenarios they might face or have faced.
After reading, challenge your child to come up with an alternate ending, which promotes creative thinking skills.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: The importance of clever thinking
Explanation: In the story, the fox uses its wits to outsmart the goose, demonstrating the value of thinking creatively to solve problems.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by using their imagination and problem-solving skills in school projects or when facing challenges in daily activities.
Example Lesson: The consequences of being overly confident
Explanation: The goose displays overconfidence, which eventually leads to being outsmarted by the fox. This serves as a cautionary tale about underestimating situations or opponents.
Real-World Application: This can teach children the importance of humility and careful planning, encouraging them to assess situations more thoughtfully both in academic settings and personal interactions.
Example Lesson: The value of persistence
Explanation: The fox's continuous efforts to catch the goose highlight the theme of persistence and not giving up despite failures.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to persist in their endeavors whether in learning a new skill, working on a difficult task, or improving in a sport, understanding that perseverance often leads to success.