This classic children's novel, written in 1970 by the American writer Betsy Byars, reads aloud very well. It tells the compelling story of Tom, a boy who is sent, very reluctantly, to stay with his aunt and uncle on their farm. Readers experience his sense of wonder at the beauty of nature as he observes the beautiful sight of a black fox and her cub. The harsh reality of life in the country is revealed as Tom's concern for the fox and her cub come into conflict with his aunt and uncle's attempts to protect their farm stock.

Children can relate to Tom's initial reluctance to being sent to stay with his aunt and uncle. His discovery, admiration and concern for the fox and changing attitude to life in the country provide lots of opportunities for discussion. Drama, debate and writing in role enable the reader to experience the story from Tom's viewpoint. Appreciation of the language is developed through text marking and word collections. The main writing outcomes are writing in role in the form of notes and a 'fox-spotter' notebook and also poetry and newspaper reports.

Teachers should read the book and the teaching sequence before starting work on the unit with the class. Reading aloud of the text or rereading of sections can sometimes take place during the teaching sessions but should also take place during separate read-aloud times in order to reach particular parts of the narrative in preparation for sessions. Where this is important, it has been signalled in the unit. Sessions are for guidance only. The length of time each aspect of the sequence takes will depend on the way they are developed by the teacher, the amount of time allowed for different activities such as discussion and also the prior experience of the class, for example with drama techniques.

Phase 1

Phase 1 of the unit (sessions 1-4) focuses on detailed discussions about the main character of the novel, Tom, and his feelings about being sent to stay with his aunt and uncle on their farm. Through
role-play, discussion, drawing and note making, the children begin to put themselves in Tom's shoes. Letter writing in role completes this phase of the unit.

Phase 2

Phase 2 of the unit (sessions 5-10) focuses on Tom's experiences of discovering and observing the black fox and her cub. Through visualisation, mapping of the different settings, drawing and writing
in role, the children are able to gain an understanding of Tom's experiences. Text marking and word collections are used to draw attention to the ways that language is used to describe the fox. Shared and individual poetry writing describing the fox completes this phase of the unit.

Phase 3

Phase 3 of the unit (sessions 11-15) focuses on key moments in the plot as Tom realises that the fox is in danger and wonders what to do. The children are encouraged to explore Tom's dilemma through discussion and debate, role-play and writing in role. The unit ends with the collaborative writing of a newspaper report describing Tom's dramatic rescue of the fox cub.

Guided reading

Although the unit is designed for use with the whole class, teachers could also select aspects of it to use with guided reading groups. Alternatively, individual sessions could be followed up during guided reading sessions, with a closer look at individual sections of the text - looking, for example, at the language or what has been revealed about plot or character.

All children will benefit from regular opportunities for small-group reading, discussion and writing with a teacher or teaching assistant.