Learning Prompt 3 - Mr McGee and the Biting Flea
In this learning prompt, we’re going to look at “lists and routines”, using the story of Belinda the
Cow to show children how “breaking a routine” is the key to beginning a story.
As with all our production-based learning-prompts, we offer you these ideas to stimulate your
thinking around how you can use Pamela Allen’s books and our production to extend children’s
learning and development.
In Pamela Allen’s story of Belinda, life on the farm runs to routine. Old Tom tends to his garden,
growing the vegetables, while Bessie, his wife, milks Belinda the cow every day.
One day Bessie goes up the city to visit their daughter and Tom is given the job of milking the cow.
When Tom tries to milk Belinda, Tom ends up head first in the mud.
Tom tries to bribe Belinda with a carrot but Belinda snatches the carrot and a chase takes place.
Tom ends up out of breath and without any milk.
Finally, Tom has a wonderful idea. He dresses up to look like Bessie and this time Belinda readily
delivers the milk
Belinda likes to be milked at the same time each day by the same person. She likes her routine.
When her routine is disturbed she gets upset and things happen differently ... a story begins
STORY MAKING - BREAKING THE ROUTINE
Routines help us keep our lives in order. Adventures often happen when routines are broken and
things don’t go according to plan. When you are sharing stories with children, point out where this
happens so that they begin to see that all stories need this moment to get things going.
This simple observation will help children in their own story making.
To reveal how easy this is, get your children to help you set a routine scene by asking the questions
who,
what,
when
where ....
about any situation or circumstance that may be familiar to them.
For example:
where is it? (in a kitchen)
who is there? (a mum and her child)
what are they doing? (making porridge)
when is it? (breakfast time) ...
Now what happens to break the routine?
(a knock at the door ... or a loud noise outside ... or someone makes a wish .... or the porridge
turns blue ... or they go off into the forest for a walk while the porridge cools off on the table ... etc )
After the routine is broken; the story gets going as the people involved try to get things back to
normal. Read the story of Belinda the Cow again and see how it follows this pattern.
Routines and Lists
Old Tom’s likes his routine and his routine is looking after his veggie garden.
What does Tom grow in his garden?
You can download the answer the song called Cumcubers and Carrots from our website:
http://www.patchtheatre.org.au/mcgee-downloads.html
Cucumber and Carrots Song Lyrics
Cucumbers and Carrots
Pumpkins and Parsley
Beetroots and Beans
And lots of other things.
Make a list of all the other things that Tom could grow in his garden.
This is a great way to extend children’s knowledge of fresh foods. You could also organise a tastefest extending not only chidren’s vocabulary but also their pallette - new words, new tastes, new
smells and new textures.
Some examples follow:
vegies like potatoes, celery, peas, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, asparagus, zucchini, onion, corn, garlic, leaks...
fruits such as oranges, lemons, apples, pears, apricots, lychees, pineapple, peaches, plums,
limes, grapefruit, grapes, kiwi fruit, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, blue berries, quinces...
herbs like basil, coriander, mint, rosemary, thyme, grains like wheat, bran, oats, rye, soybeans ...
nuts like walnuts, peanuts, almonds, pecan, macadamia, pine nuts.
spices like capsicum, chilling, ginger, peppers, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg,
Using the tune to Tom’s song, make up new verses using your lists. This will help children
familiarise themselves with the vocab of lesser known vegies, fruits etc.
For example....
Another ...
Tomatoes and celery
Lettuce and onion
Broccoli and peas
Zucchini and corn ( it doesn’t need to rhyme!)
Walnuts and peanuts
Almonds and pecan
Macadamia and Pinenuts
Oats, barley and bran.
Children Deserve the Best We Can Give Them: In an era when children are bombarded with
TV razzle-dazzle that so expertly trains them to be passive spectators and ravenous consumers of
product tie-ins, we seek to provide performances that respects their right to quality arts and cultural experiences.
Pamela Allen tells us that she loves Patch Theatre productions because they don’t simply replicate
her books; rather they create a new experience of her stories. This means children have the books
as a reference point around which new thinking, learning and development is provoked.
Patch believes that theatre for children should be elegant, sophisticated and refined in its
simplicity. Patch has very high production values, never taking short cuts or doing things on the
cheap in the belief that young audiences will accept anything. It can stand with the best of theatre
for adults. Richard Flynn, Adelaide Theatre Guide
Mr McGee and the Biting Flea Learning Resource: When you attend our production, all adults
- teachers, carers and parents will receive our Learning Resource booklet, which features pictures
from the show to share with your children accompanied by enabling questions and links to further
activities and resources. This will support you in the process of using our production of Mr McGee
and the Biting Flea as a focal point for further learning and engagement with your children.
DO YOU HAVE COPIES OF THE PAMELA ALLEN BOOKS?
Patch Theatre Company has negotiated a very good deal with MOSTLY BOOKS, an excellent
book shop based in the Mitcham Shopping Centre.
Charmaine at MOSTLY BOOKS is offering all six books for $85 including postage. This is a discount of over 20% on the retail price. Individual books will cost $13.50 each plus postage.
To order, you can email, phone or visit MOSTLY BOOKS
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 83735190
Visit: Mostly Books, Mitcham Shopping Centre, 119 Belair Road, Torrens Park, SA, 5062
PLEASE ASK ALL TEACHERS TO JOIN OUR ON-LINE COMMUNITY
Patch Theatre Company would like all teachers bringing children to our shows to have access
to these online learning prompts. In order to join the Patch Theatre On-line Community for
Teachers, please go to:
http://www.patchtheatre.org.au/teachers.html
... fill in the online form and submit it.
We suggest that you use your personal email address to ensure the prompts don’t get rejected by
the government email filters.
Regards, Dave Brown - Artistic Director
Patch Theatre Company
keeping the artist alive in the child
http://www.patchtheatre.org.au/
email: [email protected]