Stig of the Dump

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Draw a picture of the dump at different times of day? in the bright morning sunlight, as the sun is going down and / or at night under the light of the moon. Choose one of the main events of the story and write a diary entry about it from Barney’s point of view. The Snargets call themselves ‘the Lone Ranger’, ‘Robin Hood’ and ‘William Tell’. Can you find out about these characters and explain who they are? The book was turned into a TV show in the 1980s. Watch some of it and write a review. How does it compare to the book? Make a character profile to describe Barney and / or Stig. What is their personality like? What are their favourite things? What are their hopes and dreams?

Parts of the story take place at different times of the year. Can you explain how things change throughout the seasons?

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in Schools Catalogue 2023–24, 2399 in Education Catalogue 2023–24 and 376 in UK Primary September 2023 Format

Puffin Modern Classics are relaunched under a new logo: A Puffin Book. There are 20 titles to collect in the series, listed below, all with exciting new covers and fun-filled endnotes. Barney is always wandering off… and one day he wanders to an abandoned chalk-pit used as a rubbish dump – and tumbles over the edge! He lands in a cave, and finds himself staring at a boy with shaggy hair and bright eyes. Nobody believes that Barney has met a boy in the rubbish dump – a boy who wears a rabbit-skin and speaks in grunts. But what ancient Stone Age secrets does Stig hide? Barney finds out one night when they travel to a time very long ago, where Stig’s tribe is building a mysterious circle made of stones… Think about what happens to Stig after the end of the story. Where does he go next? Will he ever meet Barney again? Write a play script about an argument between Barney and his sister Lou about it not being safe at the chalk pit.

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Here are some scenes from newer version of the TV show (produced in 2002). Which do you prefer? Why? Imagine that you are a policeman interviewing Barney about the robbery. What questions would you ask? How would he respond? Barney teaches Stig lots of new skills. Can you choose one of them and write a set of instructions to teach somebody else too? Design a new and improved den for Stig. Think about what he needs there to be comfortable (light / heat etc).