Vet Clinic Clipboards: Mark Making Literacy Activity for Grand National

Celebrate the incredible care that racehorses receive by setting up an equine vet clinic. This role-play activity encourages reluctant writers to make meaningful marks by filling out health checklists and writing name tags for their toy horses.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Set the Scene

Transform a corner of the classroom into a 'Vet Clinic'. Provide toy horses, small blankets, and bowls for food/water. Place the clipboards and pencils prominently in the area.

2. Introduce the Clipboards

Explain that vets and stable hands need to keep notes to make sure the animal athletes are healthy. Model holding the clipboard and looking very official while checking a horse.

3. Write the Name Tags

Encourage the children to write a name for a horse on a slip of paper. They might write initial sounds, familiar letters, or invent wonderful names. Ask: "What is this brave horse called?"

4. Complete the Checklists

Show the children how to use the checklists. Ask: "Did the horse eat its hay? Make a tick! Did we brush its coat? Let's draw a circle!" Encourage all forms of early mark-making.

5. Share the Reports

Before tidy-up time, hold a quick 'vet meeting' on the carpet. Ask a few children to read their clipboards to the class, validating their marks as meaningful communication.

Classroom Adaptations

Large class?

Rotate the role-play area throughout the week so everyone gets a turn to be the head vet.

Limited resources?

Use cardboard boxes as stables and plain paper taped to old books if clipboards aren't available.

EAL learners?

Include pictures on the checklists (e.g., a picture of an apple next to the tick box).

High ability?

Encourage them to sound out and write simple words like 'leg', 'eat', or 'run' on their reports.