teacher
notes
Oh Dear, What
Can the Matter be?
Written by P. Crumble
Illustrated by Simon Williams
• Unlikely friendships • Disabilities
• Selflessness • Self-discovery
Synopsis
Oh dear, what can the matter be? Ten old ducks stuck in a lavatory. They were there from Sunday to Saturday.
Nobody knew they were there. Oh dear! What do nine cranky bulls, eight plump chooks, seven blind mice and many
more funny animal characters do when nobody is looking?
A hilarious Aussie version of this much-loved song, one for children to sing along with, counting down as they go.
About the Author
The mysterious P. Crumble is author of the popular There Was an Old Lady… and There Was an Old Bloke… series. He
enjoys putting a modern spin on classic children’s tales and has a keen sense of the ridiculous. He can often be found
talking to cats in the street (sometimes they talk back too!).
About the Illustrator
Simon Williams is a children’s illustrator with a background in the animation industry. He has worked as an animation
director and storyboard artist on several well-known children’s television series. He has also illustrated 10 Hooting
Owls.
Teacher Notes may be reproduced for use in school activities. They may not be redistributed for commercial sale or posted to other networks.
Copyright © 2014 Scholastic Australia Pty Limited. For more great resources go to www.scholastic.com.au/toolkit
1.
Discussion Points
1. Shared Reading
As a class build a story that leads up to these hilarious pictures
and model how to write it down as on CM How did they get
Share the book with your class, inviting the children to join in as
you go.
there?
Ask your students:
their drawing and writing on.
• What links each spread to the one before it? Simon Williams draws the characters from one spread to
the next.
• Each spread in the book creates a rhyme for the phrase ‘what can the matter be?’ How many other rhymes for ‘what can the matter be?’ can you think of?
• Can you match the number of syllables in ‘what can the matter be?’ in your new rhymes?
• Can you add two more spreads to the beginning of this story?
The children choose an animal/or spread from the book to base
Remind your class about capital letters, full stops and finger
spaces, as well as re-reading their sentences to check they make
sense.
A.Download CM How did they get there?
ACTIVITY 2:
2. COUNTING ANIMAL CARDS
Following on from the group counting, download CM Counting
Animal Cards for children to work independently drawing groups
of animals to match numbers. There is a page of number cards
with a space for children to draw the correct amount of animals.
• How many of each animal would need to go in the first and second spreads of the book?
B.Download CM Counting Animal Cards
2. Counting Fun
ACTIVITY 3:
PARTY PLANNER
This is a great opportunity to have some fun counting back from
10–0. As you read the book aloud, or play the CD, invite 10
children to stand at the front of class. As the numbers in the song
decrease one child sits down.
Ask your students:
• What is the largest number?
At the end of the story the animals have a great big party.
Ask your class what kind of parties they have been to.
What makes a great party?
If you could have a magic wand and have any party you wanted,
what would you have?
• How many snorting bulls were there?
Think about the following and brainstorm as a group before
children complete CM Party Planner independently:
• Which number is 1 greater than 4?
•Theme
• How many more plump chooks are there than
the stalks?
•Location
• Are the more or less flies or cats?
Activities and
Copymasters
ACTIVITY 1:
1. HOW DID THEY GET THERE?
• Dress-up ideas
•Decorations
•Entertainment
• Food and drink
• Party bags.
C.Download CM Party Planner
Choose various spreads from the book as story starters.
For example, the water-skiing mice.
• How did they get there?
• Are they part of a water-skiing club?
• Do they go every weekend?
• Are they on holiday?
Teacher Notes may be reproduced for use in school activities. They may not be redistributed for commercial sale or posted to other networks.
Copyright © 2014 Scholastic Australia Pty Limited. For more great resources go to www.scholastic.com.au/toolkit
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