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'Mudpuddle Farm: Jigger’s Day Off' First Impressions

Read this extract from the last chapter of ‘Jiggers Day Off’ (p.266).

Here, it is nearly the end of Jigger’s day off. Farmer Rafferty has been harvesting the corn. Jigger has spent the day trying to catch the little animals hiding within it but without success. All the corn is harvested but Jigger didn’t find any little animals to chase.

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Quick Warm-Up Activity

If this is the answer, what is the question? Question: Answer: One Man Went To Mow

Question: Answer: fed up

Discussion Activity Has Jigger enjoyed his day off? Talk to your partner/group about whether or not you think Jigger has enjoyed his day off. Explain why you think that. Mudpuddle Farm: Six Animal Adventures: Text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1983, 1989, 1994, 1995; Illustrations © Shoo Rayner 1983, 1989, 1994, 1995, 2017

Then Let’s think about what could have been the best part of Jigger’s day off. Let’s think about what could have been the worst part of Jigger’s day off.

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'Mudpuddle Farm: Jigger’s Day Off’ Adult Guidance

This ‘Jigger’s Day Off’ activity pack contains an adult guidance sheet which includes an overview of the story and key skill questions that can be used to target pupils’ understanding as you are reading the book. The answer sheet contains example answers for the questions but pupils may have varied responses for some of the questions. Additionally, there is an activity sheet for children who may have not read the whole text before. This contains an extract from the text, a warm-up task and a discussion activity.

Overview

It’s harvest time on Mudpuddle Farm and it’s Jigger the sheepdog’s one and only day off. Jigger is an ‘almost-always-sensible-sheepdog’ but his day off is the one day of the year that he’s not sensible. He has this one and only day to chase all the little animals that are hiding in the corn and he is determined to make the most of it. However, even the best plans can sometimes go wrong!

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'Mudpuddle Farm: Jigger’s Day Off’ Key Skills Questions

Retrieve p.207: What is the name of the cockerel?

Explain Vocabulary p. 207: What do you think ‘flame-feathered’ means?

p.211: Can you predict what Jigger might do on his day off?

Predict

p.218: Why are the words ‘RATTLE, CRASH, GASP’ in bold, capital letters?

Explain Vocabulary

pp.219 -220: Why do the goslings think that the combine harvester has big teeth?

p.228: What time does Farmer Rafferty always have his morning milk?

p.233: ‘You won’t catch them Jigger, my dear. You never do!’

Infer

Retrieve

Infer

What do you think Farmer Rafferty is talking about? What is Jigger trying to catch?

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Predict

p.212: Who do you think ‘Old Thunder’ is?

'Mudpuddle Farm: Jigger’s Day Off’ Key Skills Questions

Sequence

pp.227-236: What time was it when Old Thunder first stopped? What time did Old Thunder stop next? Did Old Thunder stop again? If so, when?

p.240: What do you think Jigger is thinking at this point?

Infer

p.242: What do you think Jigger’s idea is?

Explain Vocabulary

p.250: What could happen when Mossop falls asleep?

Predict Retrieve

p.250: How many eyes has Mossop got?

pp.251-252: Which animals left the corn first? Who were the second to leave? Who was next? Can you name the animals that left the corn last?

p.254: Can you find a word that means the same as ‘disappeared’?

p.258-259: Why do you think the words are written around the sides of the pages?

Sequence

Explain Vocabulary

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p. 243: Can you find any verbs that tell us how the animals got to the gate?

Infer

'Mudpuddle Farm: Jigger’s Day Off’ Key Skills Questions

p.260: How do you think Jigger is feeling now all the corn has gone? Why?

Infer

p.263: What do you think Jigger is thinking at this point?

Infer

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Quick Warm-Up Activity Answers Example Answers Question: What is Farmer Rafferty singing? Answer: One Man Went To Mow

Question: How does Jigger Feel? Answer: fed up

Writing Activity Example Answers ‘I think Jigger didn’t enjoy his day off because he wanted to find the little animals in the corn but he couldn’t find any.’ ‘I think Jigger is sad because all he wanted to do was chase little animals on his day off but he didn’t get to do that.’ ‘I think Jigger has enjoyed his day off because he didn’t have to do any work.’

Examples of what could have been the best part of Jigger’s day off: the sunshine, being outside, sniffing in the field, no work, his friends helping

Examples of what could have been the worst part of Jigger’s day off: not finding any animals, not being able to chase anything, his plan not working

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Examples of what the children might say when discussing Jigger’s day: