Ripe Plums in Spring (Fremdsprachenlektüre)

Status: abgeschlossen
Startdatum: 26.02.2013
Enddatum: 31.07.2014
Projektträger: Pädagogische Forschungsstelle Stuttgart

Four stories have been selected from the classic Waldorf collection for early readers, Hay for my Ox. Edited and — with a light touch! — modernised for learners of English, they are suitable for use in Classes 4 or 5 of Waldorf Schools. The language is easy to understand, though a little more difficult than the well-known reader, The Pancake,  and the stories will be enjoyed for their humour and many surprises. Frequent (but never boring!) repetition gives young learners the practice they need on their way to becoming confident readers.

The story is richly illustrated with new watercolour paintings by Christiane Lesch — pictures which themselves offer many opportunities for conversation work in class.

Vocabulary & Exercises

The Work Section comprises an extensive Page by Page vocabulary and over ninety exercises, offering practice with question words, tense-changing, forming questions, describing pictures and various forms of vocabulary-work. There is material for varied ability levels, from weak pupils to faster learners.  

Extras

A List of English Irregular Verbs rounds off this new reader.

THE STORIES IN BRIEF:

Ripe Plums in Spring

Quick wits bring a surprise ending.

One day in spring Bob finds a tree full of ripe plums. Could this be his chance to become the king’s man?  On his way to see the king, three servants make him promise away his whole reward. But Bob turns the tables, fulfilling his dream and giving the greedy servants a surprise they never expected!  (About 800 words — 6 pages of text.)

The Prince Who Kept Pigs

Bravery and determination lead to success.

Prince Barry is exiled to a small island where he has to keep pigs. Finally managing to build a boat, he escapes and reaches a country terrorised by a mad wild boar. Barry kills the boar, freeing the people from their fear.  (About 1000 words — 8 pages of text.)

King Cackle

Is talking too much a bad thing?

A turtle makes friends with two wild geese, who persuade him to travel home with them in a very un-turtle-like fashion — by air! During the journey, he opens his mouth at the wrong time, coming to a bad end, but providing a good lesson for someone else who often talks without thinking.  (About 500 words — 4 pages of text.)

How Sheep Got Sheep-Bells

A discovery in a mysterious cave.

Looking for a lost sheep on the hills at night, a shepherd is surprised to find a golden king, sleeping with his knights in a cave. (Teachers will be reminded of the same motif in the King Arthur legends!) The disturbance threatens to wake them prematurely, but finally they settle back to sleep. The shepherd, however, has found not only his lost sheep, but also something else — something he has never seen before …  (About 600 words — 5 pages of text.)