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Sona Sharma, Looking After Planet Earth

 

Chitra Soundar, illus Jen Khatun
Walker Books
Age 7-9

Sona is learning about climate change and pollution at school. The teacher encourages her class to make a pledge to help the planet and create a plan for their families. Sona is very enthusiastic about this. Alarmed by the amount of electricity and plastic they use. She decides to take direct action turning off appliances and hiding her baby sister’s nappies which does not go down very well with her family. Eventually though, with the help of her family they agree to work together to make changes and when the local she finds ways

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Talk about the story

  • Talk about Sona’s pledge to look after Planet Earth and how her family responded when she began turning off lights, fans and hiding the baby’s nappies.

  • Talk about the parts of the story you found the most interesting, or the most surprising.

  • Talk about the sorts of things you and your family or friends could do to look after Planet Earth.

Things to make and do

Make a plan to save Planet Earth
Make up your own plan of things that you and your family could do to save energy and reduce plastic use in your home.

Design a Kolam pattern
Use some rice flour and practice sprinkling it to make dots and swirls. See the links below for examples. To make a Kolam design to display on a wall us dark paper. Make a pattern of dots of glue with swirls between and then sprinkle rice flour or white flour onto the paper. Shake off the excess flour.

Make a sculpture
Collect together some plastic recycling and make your own sculpture with it.

Write a poem
Sona and her class write acrostic poems about pollution. Have a go at writing an acrostic poem. Start by writing a word down the side of the page in capital letters , this could be  POLLUTION or PLANET EARTH. Then write a word or phrase beginning with each letter. eg

Plastic in the ocean
Lying on the beach
Air around us dirty
Save our planet please!
Take a look around
It’s time to take a stand
Children can help too.

 

Download our activity book here

Find out more

Read more books by author Chitra Soundar, Chitra Soundar | Dreamer, Bookworm, Writer, Author, Storyteller Chitra has written a wide range of books, titles include short novels, folk tales and picture books. Here is a selection:

Sona Sharma, Very Best Big Sister

A Jar of Pickles and a Pinch of Justice

Nikhil and Jay Save the Day

Pattan’s Pumpkin with Frané Lessac  See our Lovemybooks page

You’re Snug with Me with me  See our lovemybooks page 

Find out more about proverbs here:
Sona’s grandfather tells her a proverb to explain that every one can help in a small way. Listen to the author, Chitra Soundar talk about proverbs in Sona’s family here (588) Sona Sharma – Very Best Big Sister – The Proverbs episode – YouTube

Watch a Kolam pattern being created here 

Find out more about saving the planet How to save the planet: a guide for kids! – National Geographic Kids (natgeokids.com)