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Thinking Problem-Solving & Decision-Making

‘Helping Nova’ is one of a set of five stimulating stories which embrace the Northern Ireland
Thinking Skills & Personal Capabilities Framework. The story centres round a young boy, Tony, and
his pet dog, Kizzy, who are faced with a problem. These characters help us learn about some of the
challenges we face when solving problems and making good decisions.

How the book should be used with children:

• read the book to or with the children;


• use the illustrations to support the text;
• at key points in the text you will see a . This a good point to stop and talk about what is
happening;
• use the prompt questions on the inner back page to give you some suggestions; and
• reinforce the keywords and phrases that are used within the book.

You could introduce and use some of the following words with the children relating to Thinking,
Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

what if? what would happen if…?


decisions problems options choices consequences
if… then…?

Now read the story and have fun finding out the problems and choices Tony has and the decisions
he makes. What do you think might happen?

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Liz Weir is a professional story-teller and author who lives in the Glens of Antrim.

Corrina Askin is an art director, illustrator and animator from Co. Tyrone who is based in Belfast.

More details about their work can be found on the Wise Up and Think link at;
www.nicurriculum.org.uk/skills_and_capabilities/thinking_skills_and_personal_capabilities/index.asp

Acknowledgements
Tony Scullion (CCEA) would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their invaluable contribution to this series:

• Carol Weatherall, Belfast Education and Library Board

• Lynne Bianchi, Centre for Science Education, Sheffield Hallam University


www.personalcapabilities.co.uk

• Marian Hamill, CCEA, Personal Development and Mutual Understanding

Designed and produced by CCEA | Multimedia

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“Tony!”

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His Mum’s voice reached all the way up to the
bedroom. Tony was just getting to the good bit
in his story. He pretended not to hear.

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Holly was not happy!

“This is all your fault! Y ou said you knew the way back.
“Tony! Come down here at once!”
Now we’re lost!”
Uh-oh! He knew by the sound of his Mum’s voice
“Look, would you wise up. We just need to go a bit
that this time he needed to move fast. He
further and we’ll find the right path.”
jumped off the bed surprising Kizzy who was
curled up on the mat. She woke with a jump.
Her cousin Tony was always so sure of
everything.
“Coming,Because
Mum.” he lived in the city he
really looked forward to these camping trips.
His dog Kizzy loved getting off the lead to run
free in the forest.

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When they reached the kitchen he saw
his Mum looked really cross. What had
he done now?

“Was that dog upstairs again? How


many times have I told you not to let
her in?”

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Kizzy started to count as she slunk towards
the open door. Tony’s Mum wasn’t finished yet.

“Did you touch those bits of chicken I left


out on the table? I was just going to make a
curry when the doorbell rang and now they’ve
disappeared.”

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“No, Mum, it wasn’t me. I was reading.”

“Maybe it was that dog of yours?”

“Kizzy was with me all the time. She couldn’t


have done it. What if…”

“Don’t talk back… Well, it’s a mystery to me. I


don’t see how they could have vanished into thin
air. This is starting to be a problem. It’s not the
first time things have disappeared. Yesterday it
was some bacon. I’m keeping an eye on that dog
of yours! Well, there’ll be no curry tonight! You’ll
just have to have beans on toast!”

Tony didn’t mind – he liked beans on toast.

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Just round the corner a thin brown and
white dog was licking her lips. It had
been a long time since she’d eaten such
a tasty meal.

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Watching her from the wall was a big ginger
cat. He knew everything that went on in the
street. He’d seen her sneak through the hole
in the fence. She came back carrying the tasty
chicken.

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“Hey, you! What are doing hanging round
here?” asked the big ginger cat.

The wee dog looked scared when he saw the


cat’s fierce green eyes.

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“I was starving. I got thrown out on the
street. That’s the first bite I’ve had to
eat in two days and my puppies will be born
soon.”

“That doesn’t give you the right to steal.


Here comes Kizzy. She’ll soon sort you out!”

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Kizzy came running up to the stranger.

“Are you trying to get me into trouble?”


she growled.

“I’m sorry. My owners didn’t want me and


I was starving. It’s hard being out on the
street.”

Kizzy knew all about that. Tony had rescued


her from the dog pound. She was thinking
hard. If she decided to help the stray dog
she might get into trouble. She didn’t want to
be back in the pound again.

Kizzy saw how scared the stray dog looked.

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“Look, Ginger, we’ve got to help her. What do
they call you, wee dog?”

“Nova.”

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“Stupid sort of name that. Sounds like a
car.”

The big cat hissed.

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“Leave her alone, Ginger. We can’t help the
names they give us. Let’s think how we can
help her. She’s not used to being on the
street like you. Anything could happen to her.
She could starve to death. Or she could be hit
by a car. Or the dog warden could get her.”

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“Or that gang of bad boys might hurt her. I
had a lucky escape!”

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Ginger shivered as he remembered climbing
the high wall to get away.

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“She needs to be warm and have enough food.
Come on, wee dog, I know just the place,” said
Kizzy.

Kizzy was back home by bedtime. She curled


up in her basket in the warm kitchen thinking
of Nova lying in the cold old shed next door.
She should be safe enough there for a while.
The owner was in hospital. The problem
was that she needed to get more food and
something for Nova to lie on, but how? Tony’s
family had been good to her and she didn’t
like stealing from them. She didn’t want to let
them down, but what choices did she have?
What would happen if she didn’t do anything?
Could Nova die?

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Tony was heading off to bed and whispered,
“Kizzy, come on girl. Quick! Mum won’t see you
if you come up now!”

Kizzy didn’t move from her basket.

“Well, be like that then! I’m away to bed.”

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Kizzy knew she’d made Tony sad, but she had
an important job to do.

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When the house was quiet she sneaked over
to the washing basket and pulled out a warm
fleece. It belonged to Tony’s Mum.

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Then she stretched up to the worktop and
sneaked a loaf of bread that was defrosting
for breakfast. She hid the bread behind
her basket, lay on the fleece, and waited for
morning to come.

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As soon as the back door was opened
Kizzy was out. Tony’s Mum went to lift
the post so she didn’t see her favourite
fleece being trailed outside.

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The bread took a second trip. Kizzy knew
Tony would be disappointed not to see her
when he came down but it was her only
chance.

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“Where’s Kizzy, Mum?” asked Tony.

“She went off like a rocket as soon as I


opened the door. I don’t know what’s got into
her. Usually she can’t wait for me to put out
her food.”

Tony was annoyed. He liked spending time


with Kizzy before he set off for school.
Maybe she didn’t like him any more?

“You can take her for a good walk after


school.”

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Tony wasn’t so sure if he wanted to. He ran
off to school without any breakfast.

“Tony, come back here! You need something to


eat.”

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Nova was shaking with cold when Kizzy got to
her.

“I thought you’d forgotten me. I’m freezing!”

“This will keep you warm!”

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Nova soon snuggled up on the fleece and was
eating her way through the pan loaf.

“That’s better! Thanks. I hope you don’t get


into trouble with your people.”

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Kizzy thought about the sad look on
Tony’s face. Maybe she should tell him
the truth. What would happen if they
found out what she’d done? When she
looked at Nova she knew she’d done the
right thing. Tony’s Mum would never
agree!

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She wasn’t wrong there. When Tony
got back from school his Mum was
waiting for him in the kitchen. Kizzy
was lying in her basket with her head
on her paws.

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“You’re home then. At last. Wait till you
hear the latest. My good black fleece has
gone out of the wash basket and there’s
a whole loaf of bread missing from the
worktop. There’s only one suspect and there
she lies looking as if butter wouldn’t melt in
her mouth. I never wanted a dog in the first
place and I’m not going to have a thief in
the house. That dog can go back where she
came from!”

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Tony didn’t know what to say. Kizzy lay
looking up at him with her big brown eyes.

“But Mum, she’s a great dog. She wouldn’t


steal from us, would she?”

“Take her out of my sight. We’ll talk about it


when your Dad comes home.”

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Tony clipped on Kizzy’s lead. She knew he
was cross with her. As they walked down
the street, Kizzy had to make a decision.
She had to let Tony see she was just
helping a friend. Could she trust him to
help Nova?

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As they got close to the garden where
Nova was hiding Kizzy started pulling
Tony towards the gap in the fence.

“No, Kizzy! We can’t go in there. ”

She was too strong for him and dragged


him on through.

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When they got to the old shed Tony
gasped as he saw a wee dog and two
tiny puppies lying on what he knew was
his Mum’s best fleece.

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His Mum would go mad if she saw this.

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What was he going to do now?

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He knew he had a tough decision to make.

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Discussion Prompts

How do you think the chicken could have disappeared? Use the starter – What if…
to explore options and ideas. Do you think mum was right to immediately think it
was Kizzy’s fault? What could have made her feel this way?

Think about this problem– what options might Kizzy have? Think about the
choices she might be faced with, and what might happen if Kizzy decided to
choose that option.

Kizzy is faced with a difficult situation. She knew there would be consequences
from her decision. Discuss what the consequences of a different decision might
be. Use the starter – If Kizzy chose to… then…

Have you ever been in a difficult situation? What options did you have and what
were the consequences of the choices you had? How did you decide in the end?

Tony has a tough decision to make. Why do you think it’s a tough decision for him?
Talk together about:
What options Tony could have?
What might affect the choice he makes in the end?
What decision you think Tony should make and why? Remember to think about the
consequences of different decisions.
Think about the feelings Tony could be having when making his tough decision,
and list what they are. Have you ever had these feelings too?

We all have a story in us


Recount a story where the character is faced with a difficult decision.
Note: Encourage the children to consider how the characters would have felt during the
story… would they have been worried, anxious, excited etc… Draw out the emotions that
characters in stories might feel in different situations, explaining and exploring with the
children the role of emotion in story telling.

Find additional support and activities for ‘Helping Nova’ at:


www.nicurriculum.org.uk/skills_and_capabilities/thinking_skills_and_personal_capabilities/
index.asp

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