the three robbers

This session uses picture book: 'The Three Robbers' by Toni Ungerer.

Props:

Philosophy Elephant, Make a bandana maybe one for two other puppets.

Starter:

Introduce Philosophy Elephant

Task Question:  Are the Three Robbers good people?

Introduce the stimulus.  "It is time for a scary story."  Philosophy Elephant is dressed for the part.  Philosophy Elephant is wearing a bandana because today Philosophy Elephant is a robber.

• What is a robber?
• Are robbers nice people?

After it has been established that the children understand what a robber is and have had the chance to express their initial feelings about robbers it is time to read the story.

After the story there are a lot of questions that may come up.  These are some that come to my mind.

• Why do the robbers take peoples things?
• Why was Tiffany delighted to meet the robbers?
• Why did the Robbers take Tiffany when there was no treasure and look after her?
• Why did the robbers use the money to help the unhappy children?
• Do you think that the robbers feelings changed by the end of the story?
• Should the robbers give the money back? Or, is it right to give it to the unhappy children?
• What do the robbers feel toward the children, toward Tiffany?
• What do the children (Tiffany) feel toward the robbers?
• If you were one of the unhappy children that the robbers took, how would you feel about the robbers?

Extension Activity 

Two circles, one says ‘Good’ and one says ‘Bad’, or maybe a green tick and a red cross for pre-readers.  Then have cards with various acts of the robbers (scan the book to create images). Then the children can put them on the tick or the cross to show whether they think that the act was good or bad. Then there will be a card of the three robbers themselves.  Where do they go? 

Takeaway:

The children can keep a copy of one of the cards to colour in which provides a further opportunity to talk about the story in a different context.

Download the three robbers