“Quiet please, Owen McPhee” is about a boy who talks too much. What do you think can make him quiet? Watch the full video below:

Book Title: Quiet Please, Owen McPhee!

Author/Illustrator: Patrice Barton

Central Topic/Theme: Being quiet, other way to communicate

Summary

Owen McPhee loves to talk a lot. One day, he has a bad case of laryngitis. Because of this, he finds other ways to communicate with his friends and teacher. What do you think did he do?

Questions to ask

1. What does Owen McPhee likes to do?
2. Are you like Owen McPhee who likes to talk a lot?
3. What will happen if you talk a lot?
4. How can you take care of your throat?
5. Aside from talking, in what other ways can you communicate with others?

Extension activities

• Unlock the word “laryngitis”. Do a simple research with children what laryngitis is, what are its causes and how to cure it.
• Play charades or paint a picture. These games will allow the children to communicate via actions or through writing/drawing. You can also play “Pass the Message” whereby children will whisper a sentence to each other.
• Provide a teamwork activity with the children (e.g. build a structure using lego) without talking to each other. They can use all types of communication but not talking or speaking to one another.

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