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Get ready for Year 7 with these fun SMART activities!

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Nottingham Emmanuel School and Read On Nottingham have created some special activities to help Year 6 pupils feel prepared for Year 7 when they go to secondary school in September.

We invite you to take part in this exciting programme, designed to engage and encourage children to enjoy their reading at a time when the pandemic has challenged our children and pupils in their reading habits.

The activities are based on the book SMART by Kim Slater – a fantastic book set in Nottingham that pupils from at least six City secondary schools (including all Archway Trust schools) will be reading together in Year 7.

Don't read the book yet! Download the tasks using the links below and follow the activities (with help from Kim Slater herself!) to help your pupils get to know the book.

Everyone is welcome to try these activities at home, too! You can print the tasks out and fill them in on paper, type your answers up on a computer or device, or write them out on paper or in a notebook.

The tasks

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Can you judge a book by its cover?

Try the activities below to see what you can learn about the book from its title, front cover, and blurb.

Watch the video above to listen to the blurb read by the author Kim Slater (you can also read it on Task 3).

Task 1 - What does the title mean? Task 2 - Spotting clues from the front cover Task 3 - What can you learn from the blurb? Task 4 - What do you know about detective stories?

Made in Nottingham

SMART is set in Nottingham and a lot of the events in the story take place around the River Trent. Do the activity sheets below to learn more about the area and the nature you can find there.

Task 5 - Your new route to school Task 6 - Can you spot these landmarks and birds? Task 7 - Draw your local landscape

Who is Kieran?

Watch the video below to listen to an extract from the book read by the the author Kim Slater (you can also read the extract in Task 8).

Now complete the tasks below to help you learn about the main character's thoughts, feelings and aspirations.

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Task 8 - Your first impressions of Kieran Task 9 - Reporting on the Nottingham Evening Post Task 10 - What is Kieran feeling?

What's your story?

You've learned all about SMART and where it's set - now it's your turn to write your own short story set in Nottingham! Download the last task below and follow the activities to help you get started on your story.

Task 11 - Write your own story set in Nottingham



Head to the Nottingham City Libraries website to borrow books for free online and by click and collect.

Find out more about Read On Nottingham.

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