Activities and Resources
for Readers, Home Learners, Schools and Libraries
If you are reading one of my books as a classroom reader, or a group book club, or even by yourself, you may find the resources and activities below useful and fun.
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Time Keys | The Twitchers | Adventures on Trains | The Ice Children | Beetle Trilogy | Tale of a Toothbrush
Time Keys Activities
You can find a free downloadable PDF of classroom activities in TES or you can download it from Dropbox by clicking on the image below.
There is a PLAYLIST of videos, including M. G. Leonard reading the first chapters of Hunt for the Golden Scarab and The Legend of Viking Thunder, and talking about the inspiration for the books in the official YouTube channel.
The Twitchers Activities
There is a PLAYLIST of videos, including M. G. Leonard reading extracts from each of the four books, top tips for birdwatchers, and talking about the inspiration for the series in the official YouTube channel.
SAMPLE THE FIRST CHAPTER OF TWITCH, SPARK AND CLUTCH.
TWITCH sampler
SPARK sampler
CLUTCH sampler
Take an OATH, become a TWITCHER, download a CERTIFICATE.
Adventures on Trains Activities
There is a PLAYLIST of videos, including M. G. Leonard & Sam Sedgman reading from the series, draw along with Eliza Paganelli, facts about trains and their research trips as well as talking about the inspiration for the books in the official YouTube channel.
The Beetle Trilogy Activities
There is a PLAYLIST of videos, including M. G. Leonard reading from each of the Beetle Boy books, going on a bug hunt, and sharing some awesome facts about her favourite insects and sharing the inspiration for her books in the official YouTube channel.
Key Stage 2 Resources for Beetle Boy
Chapter by chapter resources created by teacher Scott Evans.
Key Stage 2 Resources for Beetle Queen
Chapter by chapter resources created by teacher Scott Evans.
Key Stage 2 Resources for Battle of the Beetles
Chapter by chapter resources created by teacher Scott Evans.
Classroom Activities For The Beetle Collector’s Handbook and Beetle Boy
Click on the article image to enlarge it. It is from TEACH Writing and Reading magazine and contains a wide variety of Classroom Activities embracing fiction and non-fiction.
Making a Beetle Hotel with M. G. Leonard
In this short video, made for Blue Peter, M. G. Leonard shows you how to make a Beetle Hotel using easy to find materials.
Beetle Quizzes
Take a Blue Peter Quiz. How well do you know your beetles?
Teaching Sequence for Beetle Boy
To celebrate 20 years of the Branford Boase award, the CLPE created a teaching sequence for Beetle Boy.
The sequence supports teachers in reading aloud, talking about the book with their children, allowing children to respond to and understand the text in greater depth.
Cross-curricular activities inspired by Beetle Boy
These activities were and created by the Scottish Book Trust and include: designing a museum exhibition, building a bug hotel, creating beetle inspired jewellery and making a book trailer
A Bug Poem
M. G. Leonard wrote a poem called The Billion Bug Road. You can download it and read it with your class. Then challenge the children to write their own poems about mini-beasts.
A host of resources for home learning including a brilliant printable activity book.
Top Tips for Befriending a Beetle