Treehouse Tales :  Motivation in Key Stage 1
'The National Curriculum Through Stories'
(6 years of classroom based research)

Reception - The Treehouse Tales pre-letter formation template is introduced.
When the children are ready, during the final term, the Aled Apple illustrations and the Aled Apple medium term plan are introduced.

Year 1 - Seven story books introduce the characters over the school year. As each new character is introduced, the children could access the Treehouse Tales website and download the relevant character, discussing ideas with a friend. As these characters can also be accessed from home, a natural home - school link develops.

Further 'structured' stories, used systematically:

• enable all children to progress with enthusiasm
• develop the children's positive attitude towards learning
• enable the children to become confident and independent readers and writers

A set of five reading books are introduced, at the appropriate time, to prevent the children from experiencing failure. The use of the school reading scheme is continued, to reinforce the learning.

The soft toys are used as teaching and learning aids throughout the year.

The illustrations provide ‘interest’ level for all children and provide an opportunity for motivational starting point for all National Curriculum subjects.

Daily independent writing by the children presents opportunities for formative assessment and teacher intervention at the appropriate time.

Year 2 - The stories are seasonal - commencing in September through to May. They negate the need to use worksheets or language 'exercises'. The programme raises the profile of science as a core subject, as well as technology, art, history and geography, which are particularly important for boys.
Assessment is an integral part of the programme.

Components
Reception

• Nine A3 Aled Apple illustrations
• Nine sentence strips
• One Aled Apple Medium Term Plan with ten sentence strips
• Ten Aled Apple templates
• One Aled Apple soft toy
• Aled Apple letter formation poster

• Seven picture books
• Seven card versions of Aled Apple
• Seven card versions of Sally Spelling Snail
• Teachers' Handbook with seven additional stories for teaching and learning, (Medium Term Plans).
• Seven posters (story characters)
• Stand-up treehouse
• Seven soft toy characters
• Sally Spelling Snail
• Treehouse Tales Alphabet border
• A set of 5 reading books

• Teachers' Handbook containing sixteen seasonal stories (emphasis on vocabulary extension)
• Fourteen sets of flip-over story illustrations
• Two picture books
• Seven soft toy characters
• Sally Spelling Snail
• Stand-up treehouse

Training in this new, effective and creative programme is provided.

Schools in Wales
Welsh second language Medium Term Plans available for final term Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4.

Extracts from the children's unaided creative writing (Year 2)
The children chose their own titles, which were always concise.

Boys
One fine, bright and sunny spring day Aled Apple woke up with a big, loud yawn. He jumped out of bed and rushed downstairs. He jumped around happily and excitedly because he was going swimming .........

It was night time and Aled Apple curled up in his cosy little bed and fell fast asleep. In the morning the sun rose up high in the bright blue sky up above the white curved clouds and Aled Apple woke up with a big loud yawn. Soon the sweet sound of birds came nearer and nearer ...............


One day Sally Snail was munching on some leaves. Suddenly a carrot popped by.
"Hello little snail," said Carol Carrot excitedly."Would you be my friend?"
"Yes I will be your friend", replied Sally Snail.
"Do you want to go to the park?" enquired Carol Carrot.
"Ok" answered Sally Snail happily.
Off they both went. Sally Snail slithered slowly on the cobbled path and Carol Carrot walked slowly beside her. ............


One summer morning Aled Apple's teddy tickled his feet to wake him up. "Who tickled my feet?," asked Aled Apple.
"It was me," said teddy quietly................


Girls
One summers day, it was Aled Apple's Birthday. Aled Apple phoned Oriol Orange to help him give out his invitations. He quickly ran up the stairs but ... he fall over.Just then ding dong! Aled Apple awkwardly walked to his little red door...........


....... As Sally Snail slithered over the cobbled path she was very considerate and gave the poor, breathless beatal a ride. The cobbled path swirled and wirled round and round up and down. "Finally we're here!" exclaimed Sally Snail.


...... Finally he arrived at the caribean. He was glad to get off the plane because he was too squshed in there. He needed extra leg room. "I am glad to get off there now! "he said streching his feet and his toes.It was so welcoming he thought to himself. As he was walking along he felt drips running down his face ."Yes," he said quietly. He was finally THERE!.............