The Teacher's Notes by Wendy Body Teacher's Notes | Spywatch | Look and Read
PROGRAMME 6
Bombs in the Country
Story Summary
Mrs Hobbs invites Vivienne Belling, angry at being misdirected, to stay the night. Polly, even more convinced that the woman is a spy, listens as she makes enquiries about the American base. Mary, meanwhile, steals downstairs to find something to eat and overhears Miss Millington and Grainger talking suspiciously before he goes out. Mrs Hobbs tells the children that Vivienne is a government photographer but the children still believe her to be a spy. Mike brings the children chocolate which they share with Mary - along with their suspicions about Vivienne. A German plane, on fire, disposes its bombs - close to where Dennis and Polly are gathering mushrooms.
Questions and discussion
- Will Dennis and Polly be safe? How did Dennis know what to do?
- Is Vivienne Belling really working for the Government?
- Why was Grainger angry when he saw Luigi working at the farm?
- How unexpected was the ending of this episode? Why? (NB The pilot was letting off his bombs, not deliberately attacking the children.)
Teaching section
Story
Miss Lee and Starkey discuss Grainger, and Miss Lee describes him as a phoney. (Do children know what this means?) Continuing his search for Polly, Starkey tries to find her telephone number in the directory - without success.
Language points
- ar words and reprise of the 'Farm Alarm' song oa (song book)
- 'Phyllis Phillips' song featuring words starting with ph (song book)
- alphabetical order using first and second letters
Programme 5 Programme 7
The Teacher's Notes booklet available from the BBC also includes details of the photocopy masters and further follow-up ideas for this programme.
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Teacher's Notes | Spywatch | Look and Read