Haffydown have been extremely enthusiastic during their work on our current book Julian is a Mermaid and have shown a real enjoyment of their writing unit. They loved taking part in drama and role-play activities, confidently acting as Nana, Nana’s friends, Julian and the mermaids to bring scenes from the story to life. These sessions were full of energy and creativity and helped us think carefully about body language, facial expressions and emotions.
We were excited to learn that the story is set in New York and enjoyed exploring the time and place of the book. We also talked about the Caribbean and the tradition of carnival, focusing on the vibrance, colour and celebration shown in the story. This linked beautifully with our Jean-Michel Basquiat art unit and helped deepen our understanding of culture and setting. To support our ideas, we watched fascinating videos of princess transformations and fish underwater, which captured our imagination and helped us understand how Julian imagined himself. The unit has been lively, creative and highly enjoyable, with Haffydown showing confidence, empathy and growing skill in their writing.
