Year 3 Library
Book Study: Simpson and his Donkey
by Mark Greenwood


Week 2

Book Study: Simpson and his Donkey by Mark Greenwood
Lesson 1- ANZAC Day Symbols and traditions
Year 3 are looking at days and ways we celebrate and commemorate in our community. In Term 1 we spent time looking at Australian Symbols such as our Australian Coat of Arms and our NSW Floral and Faunal emblems. To continue our link to History: Community and Remembrance in Term 2 we will focus on ANZAC Day. It's symbols and importance and use the book Simpson and his Donkey as our core text..
Activities- ANZAC DAY - Before we read the book.... lets do some exploring....
1. View the video below called Here They Come- A day to Remember. Look for traditions,
symbols or facts about ANZAC Day and how it is commemorated.
Watch the video as many times as you like!
2. Download and print off a mindmap here
OR Use the one supplied in Paper workbooklets OR make a
mind map of your own on a piece of paper.
On your mindmap write all the things you discovered about
ANZAC day from the video.
Example:
3. Now let's draw! Draw pictures and label them around your mind map (or on the back if you need more room) of any symbols you saw in the video. Don't forget you can watch the video again if you need to.




Challenge
If you have an Apple Ipad download my favourite free drawing app called Tayasui Sketches School & draw some ANZAC symbols on your Ipad.
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Week 4
Lesson 2- ANZAC Day Symbols and traditions
Activities- ANZAC DAY - Before we read the book.... lets do some exploring....
1. Select 2 from the 5 ANZAC symbols below. You must complete TWO.
Download and print off research sheets here OR Use the ones supplied in Paper workbooklets collected from school.
Slouch Hat The Last Post
Wreath Medals Poppies
Lesson 3- Simpson and his Donkey by Mark Greenwood
Activities- ANZAC DAY - Before we read the book....
1. Look closely at the front cover.
What might the book be about?
Where is the story set?
What clues are there about the story’s content?
What questions come to mind?
2. Now watch the Book Trailer. This gives you a bigger picture of
what the book will be about. Were some of your ideas above correct?
3. Now watch the video below to read the entire book. Watch it as many times as you like.
Jack Simpson Kirkpatrick:
Why do you think Jack decided to travel to Australia? Make a list of the jobs he did when he was in Australia. Why do you think he had so many jobs? Do you think his trip to Australia fulfilled Jack’s dreams? Why/why not?
• In Australia all WWI soldiers were volunteers. Why do you think so many young men volunteered to go to war? Why do you think Jack was quick to enlist in the army? What did he hope would be the outcome of enlisting?
• View the illustration depicting Simpson in the boat heading for Gallipoli. Imagine you are Jack Simpson in that boat. It is dawn, 25th April 1915 – you are landing at Gallipoli. What thoughts are going through your mind? How are you feeling?
• Look at the opening two spreads. What do they tell you about Jack Simpson’s background?
• Why do you think Jack’s friend, Billy Lowes, believed it was Jack Simpson who carried him to the beach at Gallipoli?
• How long had Jack been at Gallipoli when he died? Where is he buried? What do we know about Jack from the story? What type of person was he?

Week 6











