Set in a futuristic prison – spherical cells hang on chains. The bars are broken, but it's futile to try and escape anyway – it's a long way down. [Inference there for you]

A beautiful orange butterfly lands on the cell bars and the robot prisoner seems to be enchanted by it. Perhaps we feel sorry for this gentle robot who is in prison now.

But then there is a little twist at the end that stops us feeling sorry for him.

Teaching Ideas

• Describe the cells hanging as a story opener. Can children vary sentence starters, e.g. using verbs or adverbs?
• Use description to show the juxtaposition between the robot and the butterfly.
• Write the journal of the robot. Perhaps he can describe the day he saw the butterfly and explain what he did.
• Write a flashback story for the robot so we can find out why he is in prison.