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  Oxford Level 3

How We See
Author: Kate Scott
Teacher’s Notes author: Catherine Baker
Text type: non-chronological report
Curriculum link: Understanding the world

Synopsis
This book compares the way that children see things with the way that goats, horses, cats and
newborn babies see things. It introduces the idea that different animals see things in different
ways, and that the way our eyes work influences the way that we see the world.

Extended text
This longer version of the book gives extra details and information to support children with
comprehension.

• Children may not know that humans and animals see the world differently from each other. The
view that we get depends partly on the shape and structure of our eyes.
• Goats’ eyes are different from human eyes – their pupils are long and rectangular. This means that
goats have a wider view than humans – they can see further to either side of them.
• Because a horse’s eyes are set wide apart on either side of its face, there is an area straight ahead
of it that the horse cannot see.
• Cats’ eyes are specially structured so that they are much better than humans at seeing in the dark.
• Not all humans see things the same way. A newborn baby can’t focus its eyes fully, so everything
looks very blurry.

Group/Guided reading
Introducing the book
• (Predicting) Read the title together and talk about what kind of information the book might
contain, sharing the children’s ideas on what it might be about.
• Look at the four photographs on the front cover. Ask: What do these pictures all have in common?
Draw out that they are all photographs of pairs of eyes.
• (Predicting) Ask: Can you recognize any of the creatures on the cover from just looking at their
eyes? Talk about the children’s guesses, then turn to the Contents page and read the section titles.
Encourage the children to match these to the pictures on the cover.

Strategy check
• As they read, encourage the children to sound out and blend new words, e.g. ‘s-ee-s’.
• This book includes many decodable words, providing lots of opportunities for children to practise
the skill of sounding out and blending new words. There are also some high-frequency tricky words
in the book. Support the children with these words, explaining that they are tricky but also very
common and useful. If a word is too difficult, simply read the word for them:
we my you me

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• There are a number of topic words used in the book. These include common words that may not
conform to the phonics teaching that children will have learned at this point, and subject-specific
vocabulary that may be unfamiliar. They are listed and defined on the inside front cover. Explain
to the children that these words may be challenging but they are important for the topic. Read
these words for the children if necessary, to help build familiarity before they read the book
independently:
eye horse newborn baby

During reading
• Ask the children to read the book aloud and help them where necessary. Praise and encourage
them as they read.
• (Summarizing) Read pp4–5 together. Draw the children’s attention to the differences between the
goat’s eye and the girl’s eye. Say: I wonder why the goat’s view of the world is a different shape
from the girl’s view. Ask: Does the different shape of the goat’s view make it easier or harder to
creep up on it? Why?
• (Predicting) Read the title on p6 together, then point to the two pictures on p7. Ask: Can you
guess what these pictures show?
• On p7, say: I wonder why there’s an area in the middle that a horse can’t see. Ask the children
to look at the photo of the horse’s face and eyes on p6, paying particular attention to where the
eyes are placed. Draw out that because the horse’s eyes are on either side of its head, the eyes
look out to either side, and there’s a part in the middle that the horse can’t see.
• On p9, support the children to sound out and blend the word ‘n-igh-t’. Check that they
understand that the cat can see much more detail in the dark than a human can.
• Looking at the two photographs of eyes on p10, ask: How can we tell which one is the eye
of the newborn baby? Encourage the children to look for clues in both the photos and the
accompanying text.

Returning to the book

• Turn to p12 and ask: What does this page show us? Support children to understand that this page
displays all the creatures featured in the book, with photos to show what kind of a view of the
world they have.
• (Summarizing) Prompt the children to use the pictures on p12 to help them talk about the
different ways that each creature can see. Ask: Which creature in the book do you think is the best
at seeing? Why?
• (Questioning) Ask the children to pair up with someone else. Encourage one of them to secretly
pick a creature from the book, and the other to ask questions until they can guess the creature.
They should then swap roles.

Independent reading
• Introduce the book as in the Group/Guided reading section above.
• Encourage the children to look through the book as independently as possible, looking carefully
at the pictures. Remember to give them lots of encouragement and praise.
• As they read, encourage the children to sound out and blend new words, e.g. g-oa-t, p-ar-t,
c-r-ee-p.
• This book also contains a number of topic words, which children may need more support with at
this stage, but which enrich the book. They are listed and defined on the inside front cover. If a
word is too difficult, simply read the word for them.
• Remind the children to use the pictures to support their comprehension when reading the text.

© Oxford University Press 2016. No sharing, copying or adaptation of materials permitted except by subscribers to Oxford Owl.
Speaking and listening
• Ask the children to work in pairs and take turns to tell their partner whether they would rather
see like a goat, a horse or a cat, giving the reasons for their choice. Ask: What would you be able
to do if you could see like that?
• Bring the group back together. If one animal was a much more popular choice than the others,
ask the children why they think this was.

Writing activity
• Ask the children to choose one of the animals from the book and draw how it sees the world,
copying from the photographs on pages 5, 7 or 9. Ask them to label their drawing with the
animal’s name. They could also copy the other photograph from the same page to show how
humans see the scene.
• Encourage the children to write a sentence explaining what is different about the way this animal
sees things, compared with a human.

Cross-curricular activity
Understanding the world
• Together with the children, look in books or on the Internet to find out how insects see the world.
(For instance, some pollinating insects can see ultra-violet markings on flower petals that aren’t
visible to the human eye.)
• You could go on to research how some other animals see. For example, monkeys, birds and
snakes all have different ways of seeing the world compared to humans!

© Oxford University Press 2016. No sharing, copying or adaptation of materials permitted except by subscribers to Oxford Owl.
How We See
Curriculum links and assessment
Links to Oxford Reading Criterion Scale
• Without prompting, uses words and illustrations together to gain meaning from a text. (R/D) (Standard 1, 17)
• With support, can find information to help answer simple, literal questions. (Standard 1, 18)
• Can read words with some vowel digraphs e.g. /ai/ /ee/ /igh/ /oa/ /oo/. (READ) (Standard 1, 19)
• Can talk about main points or key events in a simple text. (R) (Standard 1, 20)
• Is beginning to make predictions based on titles, text, blurb and/or illustrations. (D) (Standard 1, 21)

Letters and Sounds: Phase 3

inFact Level 3 books are designed to support children with the transition from phonic readers to richer reading with
highly decodable non-fiction. These books cover non-fiction topics using natural language, with a high proportion
of phonically decodable words and a selection of high-frequency words. Each book also has a limited number of
non-decodable or unfamiliar topic words to enrich the language and ensure that children learn something new.

ENGLAND The National Curriculum in England: Reception

EYFS Early Learning Goals Book-related assessment pointers

ELG 03 Children develop their own narratives and Check the children can explain which view of the world
Speaking explanations by connecting ideas or events. they would like to have, and why.
(ELG03.3)

ELG 01 Children listen attentively in a range of Check the children listen and respond to each
Listening and situations. (ELG01.1) other’s ideas about the different creatures and the
attention way they see.

ELG 02 Children answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions Check the children can answer questions that you pose
Understanding about their experiences and in response to about the information given in the book.
stories or events. (ELG02.2)

ELG 09 Children demonstrate understanding when Check the children understand that different creatures
Reading talking with others about what they have see things differently.
read. (ELG09.3)

ELG 10 Children use their phonic knowledge to write Check the children are able to have a go at writing a
Writing words in ways which match their spoken label and sentence to go with their animal view picture.
sounds. They also write some irregular
common words. (ELG10.1)

SCOTLAND Curriculum for Excellence: Literacy experiences and outcomes, Early Level
Experiences and outcomes Book-related assessment pointers

Listening and Within real and imaginary situations, I share Check the children can talk about the different
talking experiences and feelings, ideas and information animals’ views of the world.
in a way that communicates my message.
(LIT 0-09a)

As I listen and take part in conversations and Check the children listen and respond to each
discussions, I discover new words and phrases other’s ideas about the different creatures and the
which I use to help me express my ideas, way they see.
thoughts and feelings. (LIT 0-10a)

To help me understand stories and other texts, I Check the children can ask each other questions
ask questions and link what I am learning with and answer questions that you pose about the
what I already know. (LIT 0-07a / LIT 0-16a / information given in the book.
ENG 0-17a)

Reading I use signs, books or other texts to find useful or Check the children understand that different creatures
interesting information and I use this to plan, see things differently.
make choices or learn new things. (LIT 0-14a)

Writing I explore sounds, letters and words, discovering Check the children are able to have a go at writing
how they work together, and I can use what I a label and sentence to go with their animal view
learn to help me as I read or write. (ENG 0-12a / picture.
LIT 0-13a / LIT 0-21a)

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 WALES Curriculum for Wales: Foundation Phase Framework, Reception
Framework objectives Book-related assessment pointers

Oracy talk about things from their experience and Check the children can talk about the different animals’
share information (YR_OracSpea.3) views of the world.

show that they have listened to others, e.g. by Check the children listen and respond to each
drawing a picture (YR_OracList.1) other’s ideas about the different creatures and the
way they see.

answer ‘Who?’, ’What?’, ‘Where?’ and Check the children can answer questions that you pose
open-ended questions relating to own about the information given in the book.
experiences, stories or events (YR_OracList.8)

Reading make meaning from visual features of the Check the children understand that the photographs
text, e.g. illustrations, photographs, diagrams show different ways of seeing the world.
and charts (YR_ReadStrat.13)

Writing produce pieces of emergent writing Check the children are able to have a go at writing a
(YR_WritMean.2) label and sentence to go with their animal view picture.

NORTHERN IRELAND Levels of Progression in Communication across the curriculum: Level 1

Levels of Progression Book-related assessment pointers

Talking and use vocabulary from within their experience to Check the children can talk about the different
listening describe thoughts and feelings (L1_com_talk.3) animals’ views of the world.

listen for information (L1_com_talk.1i) Check the children listen and respond to each
other’s ideas about the different creatures and the
way they see.

ask and answer questions for specific Check the children can answer questions that you
information (L1_com_talk.2) pose about the information given in the book, and
can ask each other questions.

Reading show understanding of the meaning carried by Check the children understand that different creatures
print, pictures and images (L1_com_read.1) see things differently.

Writing write words using sound-symbol correspondence Check the children are able to have a go at writing
(L1_com_writ.4i) a label and sentence to go with their animal view
picture.

© Oxford University Press 2016. No sharing, copying or adaptation of materials permitted except by subscribers to Oxford Owl.