Chapter 3 – Tales From Around the World | Grade 2 English | Firefly Ed

Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: How stories carry a message or a lesson

Key concept: Form (What is it like?)  |  Learner profile: Caring  |  ATL skills: Thinking skills

PYP strand: Written language: receptive (reading)

I can read a fable, find the characters, setting, problem and solution, and explain the moral in my own words.

Curriculum links: IB PYP Language, Reading, Phase 2: make connections between personal experience and storybook characters. Reading, Phase 3: identify and explain the basic structure of a story: beginning, middle and end. England Year 2: become increasingly familiar with and retell a wider range of stories, fairy stories and traditional tales; make inferences on the basis of what is being said and done. Common Core RL.2.2: recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.

Key words: fable  |  character  |  setting  |  problem  |  solution  |  moral

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

Why do people all over the world tell stories with animals in them?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. Talk about a fable or folk tale the learner already knows.

A fable is a short story that teaches a lesson. Fables have been told for thousands of years, in many countries.

• The characters are often animals that talk and act like people.
• Something goes wrong. This is the problem.
• The problem is sorted out. This is the solution.
• The story ends with a lesson about how to behave. This is called the moral.

When you read a story, look for:

The moral is not always written down. Often you have to work it out from what the characters do and say.

Watch Me

For the adult: read the first paragraph of the story in Your Turn. Then read the thinking aloud.

The adult reads: “One hot afternoon, a great lion lay asleep under a tree. A little mouse ran across his paw by mistake. The lion woke up with a roar and trapped the mouse under his huge paw.”

“Who is in the story? A lion and a mouse. Those are the characters.”

“Where and when? Under a tree, on a hot afternoon. That is the setting.”

“What goes wrong? The mouse is trapped under the lion’s paw. That is the first problem. I think the mouse feels frightened, because the lion is huge and has just roared.”

“I will keep reading to find the solution and the moral.”

Let’s Try Together

For the adult: use the story in Your Turn. Read it aloud together first.

1. What promise does the mouse make to the lion?

Hint: Look at what the mouse says in the second paragraph.

2. How did the lion feel when he was caught in the net? Which words tell you?

Hint: Look at what the lion did: pulled, twisted, roared.

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Read the fable.

The Lion and the Mouse
A fable from Ancient Greece

One hot afternoon, a great lion lay asleep under a tree. A little mouse ran across his paw by mistake. The lion woke up with a roar and trapped the mouse under his huge paw.

“Please let me go!” squeaked the mouse. “If you do, one day I will help you.”

The lion laughed. “How could a tiny mouse ever help a lion like me?” But he was not hungry, so he lifted his paw, and the mouse ran away.

A few days later, some hunters set a trap. The lion walked into it, and a strong rope net fell on top of him. He pulled and twisted, but the net only grew tighter. He roared so loudly that the whole forest heard him.

The little mouse heard him too. She ran to the lion as fast as she could. Without a word, she began to chew the ropes with her sharp teeth. She chewed and chewed until one rope broke, then another, and another. At last, the lion was free.

“You laughed at me,” said the mouse, “but now you know that even a little mouse can help a lion.”

2. Find the answers in the story.

a) Where was the lion sleeping?   ______________________________

b) Who set the trap?   ______________________________

c) How did the mouse set the lion free?   ______________________________

3. Number the events 1 to 5.

____ The lion walked into a trap.
____ The mouse ran across the lion’s paw.
____ The mouse chewed the ropes.
____ The lion lifted his paw and let the mouse go.
____ The lion was free.

4. Think about the story.

a) Why did the lion laugh at the mouse?

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b) The mouse helped the lion, even though he had laughed at her. Why do you think she helped him? Write two or three sentences.

Hint: Think about the promise she made, and what the lion did for her.

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c) “The net only grew tighter.” What does this tell you about the lion’s problem?

__________________________________________________________________

5. What is the moral?

Tick the best moral for this fable.

☐ Big animals are always the strongest.
☐ Never sleep under a tree.
☐ Be kind to others, even small ones. One day they may help you.

Write about a time when someone smaller or younger than you helped you, or when you helped someone bigger. Write three sentences.

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Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “Why do people all over the world tell stories with animals in them?” What do you think now?

2. I was caring today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: Being caring means being kind and helping others. Example: I was caring today when I thought about why the mouse helped the lion even though he laughed at her.

Take action: Do one kind thing this week for someone younger or smaller than you. Notice how they respond.

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Read another fable by Aesop, such as The Ant and the Grasshopper. Write its characters, problem, solution and moral.

If this was hard, go back to: Your Turn, Task 1. Read the story one paragraph at a time. After each paragraph, say in one sentence what happened.

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Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: How stories from different places are alike and different

Key concept: Connection (How is it linked to other things?)  |  Learner profile: Open-minded  |  ATL skills: Thinking skills

PYP strand: Written language: receptive (reading)

I can read a folk tale from India, work out what a character is really thinking, and compare two stories from different countries.

Curriculum links: IB PYP Language, Reading, Phase 2: make connections between personal experience and storybook characters; participate in shared reading, posing and responding to questions. England Year 2: become increasingly familiar with and retell a wider range of stories, fairy stories and traditional tales; make inferences on the basis of what is being said and done. Common Core RL.2.2: recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral; RL.2.9: compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story by different authors or from different cultures.

Key words: folk tale  |  compare  |  alike  |  different  |  trick  |  reflection

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

How can two stories from faraway countries be so alike?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. If you can, find India and Greece on a map or globe together.

A folk tale is a story that people told aloud for a very long time before anyone wrote it down. Every country has its own folk tales.

• Aesop’s fables come from Ancient Greece. People were telling them more than 2,500 years ago.
• The Panchatantra is a very old collection of animal stories from India. It was written down more than 1,500 years ago.

Stories from different places are often alike in some ways and different in others. When we compare two stories, we look at the characters, the problem, how it is solved and the moral.

These words help us compare:

Watch Me

For the adult: read the thinking aloud. If the learner does not know these stories, use two stories they do know.

“I will compare two stories I know well: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Little Red Riding Hood.”

“Alike: In both stories, a girl goes into the woods on her own. She also meets animals there.”

“Different: Goldilocks goes into the bears’ house without asking. But Red Riding Hood is on her way to visit her grandma.”

“So the morals are different. Goldilocks teaches us not to take things that belong to others. Red Riding Hood teaches us not to talk to strangers.”

Let’s Try Together

For the adult: use the story in Your Turn. Read it aloud together first.

1. Why did the animals agree to send the lion one animal every day?

Hint: Look at the first paragraph. What was the lion doing before?

2. The hare “thought very hard”. What do you think she was thinking about?

Hint: What did she not want to happen?

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Read the folk tale.

The Clever Hare
A tale from India

Long ago, a fierce lion lived in a forest. Every day, he caught far more animals than he could eat. The other animals were afraid, so they made a plan. “Lion,” they said, “if you stay in your den, we will send one animal to you every day for your dinner.” The lion agreed.

One day, it was the turn of a small hare. The hare did not want to be eaten, so she thought very hard. Then she walked slowly to the lion’s den and arrived late.

The lion was hungry and furious. “Why are you so late?” he roared.

“I am sorry,” said the hare. “On the way, another lion stopped me. He said that he is the king of this forest, not you.”

“Another king?” growled the lion. “Show me where he is!”

The hare led the lion to a deep well. “He lives down there,” she said.

The lion looked over the edge. In the still water, he saw a lion glaring back at him. He roared, and the lion in the water seemed to roar back. He was so angry that he leapt into the well to fight.

Splash! The lion found only cold water. He struggled out at last, soaking wet and ashamed, and ran far away from that forest. The hare hopped home, and the animals were never afraid again.

2. Answer the questions.

a) Why did the hare walk slowly to the lion’s den?

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b) The hare said she had met another lion. Was this true? How do you know?

__________________________________________________________________

c) What did the lion really see in the water?

Hint: What do you see when you look into still water or a mirror?

__________________________________________________________________

d) Find two words in the story that show the lion was angry.

______________________   and   ______________________

3. Compare the two stories.

Hint: Look back at The Lion and the Mouse in Lesson 3.1.

4. Write about the stories.

Write one sentence about how the stories are alike. Use both. Then write one sentence about how they are different. Use but.

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__________________________________________________________________

Which story do you like more? Write two sentences to explain why.

__________________________________________________________________

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Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “How can two stories from faraway countries be so alike?” What do you think now?

2. I was open-minded today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: Being open-minded means listening to other ideas and other ways of doing things. Example: I was open-minded today when I listened to a tale from India and compared it with a tale from Greece.

Take action: Ask someone at home if they know a folk tale from the place where they grew up. Compare it with one of the stories from this chapter.

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Find another tale where a small animal tricks a bigger one, such as Anansi or Brer Rabbit. Compare it with The Clever Hare.

If this was hard, go back to: Your Turn, Task 1. Read the story in three parts with an adult: the plan, the trick and the ending. Say what happens in each part before you compare.

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Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: How we can retell and tell our own stories

Key concept: Form (What is it like?)  |  Learner profile: Thinkers  |  ATL skills: Self-management skills

PYP strand: Written language: expressive (writing)

I can plan a story with a story map, then write a fable with a beginning, middle and end, time words and a moral.

Curriculum links: IB PYP Language, Writing, Phase 2: create illustrations to match their own written text. Writing, Phase 3: write about a range of topics for a variety of purposes, using literary forms and structures modelled by the teacher. England Year 2: develop positive attitudes towards and stamina for writing by writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional); plan or say out loud what they are going to write about. Common Core W.2.3: write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

Key words: story map  |  beginning  |  middle  |  end  |  story opener  |  time words

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

How do storytellers keep a story in the right order?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. Say the useful words together in a storytelling voice.

Before you write a story, make a plan. A story map helps you plan the three parts of a story.

A good plan uses notes, not full sentences. You turn the notes into sentences when you write.

Watch Me

For the adult: read the thinking aloud. Write the three notes on paper as you go.

“I will make a story map for The Lion and the Mouse from Lesson 3.1.”

“Beginning: lion asleep under tree, hot afternoon. Mouse runs over his paw. Lion catches mouse, then lets her go.”

“Middle: lion caught in hunters’ net. Roars. Cannot get out. That is the problem.”

“End: mouse chews ropes, lion free. Lion learns small friends can help. Moral: be kind to everyone.”

“Now I turn my first note into a sentence: Once upon a time, on a hot afternoon, a great lion lay asleep under a tree. I added a story opener and the word great to make it sound like a tale.”

Let’s Try Together

1. “The hare tricked the lion with the well.” Which part of The Clever Hare is this: beginning, middle or end?

Hint: Look at the story map table. Which part tells how the problem is solved?

2. Why do we write notes, not full sentences, on a story map?

Hint: Think about how long a plan should take.

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Write a sentence for each picture.

This is a fable from Ancient Greece called The Fox and the Grapes. Look at the three pictures. Write one sentence for each. Use a story opener for picture 1.

Hint: In picture 3, think about what the fox might be saying to make himself feel better.

1. ______________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________

2. Plan your own fable.

Choose two animals: one big and one small. Give them a problem. Fill in the story map with notes.

3. Write your fable.

Use your story map. Write at least six sentences. Use a story opener, two time words and an ending phrase. Give your fable a title.

Title: ______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

For the adult: tick each one you see.

☐ a title    ☐ a story opener    ☐ a clear problem    ☐ two time words    ☐ a solution    ☐ a moral at the end    ☐ capital letters and full stops

Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “How do storytellers keep a story in the right order?” What do you think now?

2. I was a thinker today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: A thinker thinks carefully to work things out. Example: I was a thinker today when I planned my fable on a story map before I started writing.

Take action: Read your fable to someone at home. Ask them to say the moral in their own words. Did they understand it?

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Write a second version of your fable set in a different country. Change the animals and setting to fit that place.

If this was hard, go back to: Task 1. Say each sentence aloud before you write it. Then plan your fable by drawing three pictures before you write notes.

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Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: How we can retell and tell our own stories

Key concept: Form (What is it like?)  |  Learner profile: Knowledgeable  |  ATL skills: Communication skills

PYP strand: Written language: expressive (writing)

I can use the past tense correctly, including irregular verbs like ran, saw and thought, and keep a retelling in the past tense.

Curriculum links: IB PYP Language, Writing, Phase 2: connect written codes with the sounds of spoken language and reflect this understanding when recording ideas. Writing, Phase 3: write about a range of topics for a variety of purposes, using literary forms and structures modelled by the teacher. England Year 2: use the present and past tenses correctly and consistently; learn the grammar for year 2 in English appendix 2. Common Core L.2.1d: form and use the past tense of frequently occurring irregular verbs (e.g., sat, hid, told).

Key words: past tense  |  verb  |  ed  |  irregular verb  |  retell

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

How do we show in our writing that a story has already happened?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. Say each pair in the table: run, ran; see, saw.

The past tense tells us that something has already happened. Stories are usually told in the past tense.

Most verbs add ed to make the past tense:

• jump → jumped,   walk → walked,   laugh → laughed
• If the verb ends in e, just add d: smile → smiled,   chase → chased

Some verbs change in a different way. These are called irregular verbs. You have to learn them.

When you write a story, keep all the verbs in the past tense. Do not switch between now and then.

Watch Me

For the adult: write the three present tense sentences on paper. Change each verb as you read the thinking aloud.

Sentences in the present tense: The lion sleeps under a tree. A mouse runs over his paw. The lion catches her.

“This story has already happened, so I change each verb to the past tense.”

“sleeps: sleep is irregular. I do not say sleeped. I say slept.”

“runs: run is irregular. The past is ran.”

“catches: catch is irregular too. The past is caught.”

“The lion slept under a tree. A mouse ran over his paw. The lion caught her. I read it back. Every verb is in the past tense.”

Let’s Try Together

1. What is the past tense of laugh? And of see?

Hint: One adds ed. One is irregular.

2. Which is right?   “The hare thinked hard.” or “The hare thought hard.”

Hint: Look at the table in Let’s Learn.

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Write the past tense.

2. Circle the right verb.

a) Long ago, a fox (see / saw) some grapes on a wall.

b) He (jumped / jumps) as high as he could.

c) The mouse (taked / took) a deep breath and began to chew.

d) The lion (fell / falled) into the cold water.

e) At last, the hare (goed / went) home.

3. Fix the retelling.

Sam retold The Fox and the Grapes. He forgot to keep to the past tense. Six verbs are in the wrong tense. Find them and write the story again correctly.

One hot day, a hungry fox walked along a wall. He sees some juicy grapes. He jumped up, but he cannot reach them. He tries again and again. At last, he gave up. He goes away and says, “Those grapes were sour anyway.” Then he thinks about his dinner.

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4. Retell The Clever Hare.

Retell the tale from Lesson 3.2 in five sentences. Use the past tense. Use at least three verbs from the box. Underline them.

Verb box: went  |  saw  |  said  |  thought  |  came  |  ran  |  told

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__________________________________________________________________

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Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “How do we show in our writing that a story has already happened?” What do you think now?

2. I was knowledgeable today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: Being knowledgeable means knowing things and using what you know. Example: I was knowledgeable today when I knew that ran, saw and thought are the past tense of run, see and think.

Take action: At dinner, tell your family about your day using the past tense. Listen for any verbs that sound wrong and fix them.

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Find ten more irregular verbs in a storybook, such as swam, flew and wrote. Make your own past tense table.

If this was hard, go back to: Let’s Learn. Learn four irregular verbs first: ran, saw, said and went. Use each one in a spoken sentence before you write.

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Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: How we can retell and tell our own stories

Key concept: Form (What is it like?)  |  Learner profile: Communicators  |  ATL skills: Communication skills

PYP strand: Oral language: receptive and expressive (listening and speaking)

I can retell a tale in my own words, in the right order, using story language, voices, volume, speed and pauses.

Curriculum links: IB PYP Language, Oral language, Phase 2: talk about the stories, writing, pictures and models they have created. Oral language, Phase 3: retell familiar stories in sequence; use language to explain, inquire and compare. England Years 1 to 6, spoken language: speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English; use spoken language to develop understanding through imagining and exploring ideas. Common Core SL.2.4: tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences; RL.2.6: acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.

Key words: retell  |  expression  |  volume  |  speed  |  pause  |  character voice

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

What makes a story exciting to listen to?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. Try each tool together: say “Once upon a time” loudly, then quietly, then slowly.

Before books, stories were passed on by telling them. A good storyteller makes listeners want to hear what happens next.

You do not need to remember the exact words. Retell the story in your own words, in the right order.

Watch Me

For the adult: act out the passage with expression, following the notes in brackets. Then read the explanation.

The adult tells this part of The Clever Hare, using expression.

“The lion looked over the edge of the well…” (slowly, leaning forward)
“…and in the water, he saw…” (pause) “…another lion!” (loudly, with wide eyes)
“GRRR!” (deep, growly lion voice)
“And the lion in the water roared back.” (quietly, as if telling a secret)
“SPLASH!” (loudly, hands thrown up)

“I slowed down and paused before the surprise. I used a deep voice for the lion. I made SPLASH loud because it is the exciting part.”

Let’s Try Together

1. Say the mouse’s words, “Please let me go!”, in a small, squeaky, scared voice. Then say the lion’s words, “How could a tiny mouse ever help a lion like me?”, in a big, deep, proud voice.

Hint: Think about how each character feels, and how big they are.

2. In The Lion and the Mouse, which part would you say slowly and quietly? Why?

Hint: Think about the most worrying moment for the lion.

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Plan how to say it.

Read this part of The Lion and the Mouse. For each line, write how you would say it: L for loud, Q for quiet, F for fast or S for slow. Write P where you would pause.

Choose one line. Explain why you chose that way to say it.

__________________________________________________________________

2. Retell a tale.

Choose The Lion and the Mouse, The Clever Hare or The Fox and the Grapes. Retell it to someone at home without reading it. Use your story map from Lesson 3.3 if it helps.

For the adult: listen to the whole story first. Then tick each one you noticed.

☐ a story opener    ☐ events in the right order    ☐ time words    ☐ a change in volume    ☐ a pause before a surprise    ☐ a voice for each character    ☐ feelings shown on the face    ☐ a clear ending

3. Two stars and a wish.

Ask your listener for two things you did well (stars) and one thing to do better next time (wish). Write them down.

★ ______________________________________________________________

★ ______________________________________________________________

Wish: ______________________________________________________________

Now tell the story again and try your wish.

Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “What makes a story exciting to listen to?” What do you think now?

2. I was a communicator today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: A communicator shares ideas clearly by talking, writing or drawing. Example: I was a communicator today when I used a deep voice for the lion and a squeaky voice for the mouse.

Take action: Tell a tale at bedtime to a younger child, a grandparent or a toy. Use one new storytelling tool each time.

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Record yourself telling a tale. Listen back and choose one place to add a pause or a new voice. Record it again.

If this was hard, go back to: Task 1. Practise just two tools: a voice for each character, and one loud part. Retell only the beginning and the end of the story.

Download this lesson as a PDF (free after you subscribe)

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Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: How stories carry a message or a lesson

Key concept: Perspective (What are the points of view?)  |  Learner profile: Risk-takers  |  ATL skills: Social skills

PYP strand: Oral language: receptive and expressive (listening and speaking)

I can ask open questions, and answer as a character using I, feelings and reasons that fit the story.

Curriculum links: IB PYP Language, Oral language, Phase 2: ask questions to gain information and respond to inquiries directed to themselves or to the class. Oral language, Phase 3: use language to explain, inquire and compare. England Years 1 to 6, spoken language: ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge; participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates. Common Core SL.2.3: ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.

Key words: hot seat  |  character  |  open question  |  closed question  |  in role

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

What would a story character say if we could ask them questions?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. Practise turning two closed questions into open ones together.

In a hot seat game, one person pretends to be a character from a story. The others ask the character questions.

When you are in the hot seat:

• Speak as the character. Say I and me, not he or she.
• Say how you felt, and give a reason with because.
• Stick to what happened in the story. You can add ideas that fit.

When you ask questions:

Open questions start with words like why, how, what and what if. They get the best answers.

Watch Me

For the adult: sit in a chair and answer as the hare, using a hare voice. Then read the explanation.

The adult is in the hot seat as the hare from The Clever Hare.

Question: “How did you feel when it was your turn to go to the lion?”

Hare: “I felt very frightened, because I knew the lion wanted to eat me. My ears were shaking!”

Question: “Why did you tell the lion about another lion?”

Hare: “I wanted to make him angry, because angry animals do not think carefully. I knew he would see his reflection in the well.”

“I said I, not she. I gave a reason each time, and a feeling when I was asked how I felt. I added a detail, my shaking ears, that fits the story.”

Let’s Try Together

1. Change this closed question into an open question: “Were you hungry, lion?”

Hint: Start with why, how or what.

2. You are the mouse. Answer this question: “How did you feel when the lion laughed at you?”

Hint: Say I felt… because…

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Open or closed? Write O or C.

a) Did you chew the ropes?   ____

b) Why did you jump into the well?   ____

c) What did you think when you saw the grapes?   ____

d) Are you a fox?   ____

e) How did you get out of the well?   ____

2. Write three open questions for the lion in The Lion and the Mouse.

1. ______________________________________________________________?

2. ______________________________________________________________?

3. ______________________________________________________________?

3. Answer in role.

You are the fox in The Fox and the Grapes. Answer this question in two or three sentences. Use I, a feeling and because.

“Why did you say the grapes were sour?”

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

4. Play the hot seat game.

Take turns with someone at home. One person chooses a character from this chapter and sits in the hot seat. The other asks at least three open questions. Then swap.

For the adult: tick each one you hear when the learner is in the hot seat.

☐ spoke as the character, using I    ☐ named a feeling    ☐ gave a reason with because    ☐ answers fitted the story    ☐ asked open questions when it was their turn

Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “What would a story character say if we could ask them questions?” What do you think now?

2. I was a risk-taker today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: A risk-taker tries something new, even when it feels hard. Example: I was a risk-taker today when I sat in the hot seat and answered as the fox, even though I felt a bit shy.

Take action: Next time you read a story, think of one open question you would ask a character. Ask someone at home how they think the character would answer.

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Sit in the hot seat as a character who does not speak in the story, such as one of the hunters. What might they say?

If this was hard, go back to: Task 1. Practise with just two question words, why and how. Answer each question as the character with I felt… because…

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Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: How we can retell and tell our own stories

Key concept: Form (What is it like?)  |  Learner profile: Communicators  |  ATL skills: Research skills

PYP strand: Visual language: receptive (viewing)

I can read a comic strip in the right order, explain what captions, speech bubbles, thought bubbles and sound words show, and make my own comic.

Curriculum links: IB PYP Language, Visual language, Phase 2: realize that shapes, symbols and colours have meaning and include them in presentations; use body language in mime and role play to communicate ideas and feelings visually. England Year 2: discuss the sequence of events in books and how items of information are related; draw on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided. Common Core RL.2.7: use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

Key words: comic strip  |  panel  |  caption  |  speech bubble  |  thought bubble  |  sound word

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

How can pictures and a few words tell a whole story?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. Point to each part in the comic in Your Turn.

A comic strip tells a story in a row of pictures called panels. You read the panels in order: left to right, then top to bottom.

Pictures in a comic tell us things the words do not, such as how characters feel and where they are.

Watch Me

For the adult: read the thinking aloud. Point to each panel and bubble as you go.

For the adult: use the comic in Your Turn.

“I start with panel 1, top left. The caption says Long ago, a hare met a tortoise. That is the storyteller.”

“There are two speech bubbles. The tail of the first one points to the hare, so the hare says, You are so slow! I think the hare is being rude.”

“Next is panel 2, top right. There are no speech bubbles, but there is a sound word, WHOOSH!, and motion lines behind the hare. They show me the hare is running very fast.”

Let’s Try Together

For the adult: use the comic in Your Turn.

1. Which panel comes after panel 2? How do you know?

Hint: Read left to right, then top to bottom.

2. In panel 1, what does the tortoise say?

Hint: Follow the tail of each speech bubble.

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Read the comic strip.

This is a fable by Aesop called The Tortoise and the Hare.

2. Answer the questions.

a) Which panel has a thought bubble?   Panel ______

b) What does the sound word Zzz tell you?   ______________________________

c) In panel 3, why did the hare think he had lots of time?

__________________________________________________________________

d) Look at panel 4. Who won the race? How do you know, when no caption says so?

__________________________________________________________________

e) The tortoise never stopped. What is the moral of this fable?

__________________________________________________________________

3. Match each part to its job. Write the letter.

1. caption   ____    2. speech bubble   ____    3. thought bubble   ____    4. motion lines   ____

a) what a character thinks    b) something is moving fast    c) words from the storyteller    d) what a character says

4. Make your own comic strip.

Draw The Lion and the Mouse or The Fox and the Grapes as a comic in three panels. Use at least one caption, one speech bubble and one thought bubble.

Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “How can pictures and a few words tell a whole story?” What do you think now?

2. I was a communicator today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: A communicator shares ideas clearly by talking, writing or drawing. Example: I was a communicator today when I explained what the caption, speech bubble and thought bubble show.

Take action: Find a comic or a picture book at home. Show someone the captions, speech bubbles and sound words you find.

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Make a six-panel comic of your own fable from Lesson 3.3. Add a sound word and motion lines.

If this was hard, go back to: Task 1. Cover all the panels except one. Talk about that panel: who is there, what they say and how they feel. Then uncover the next.

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Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: How stories from different places are alike and different

Key concept: Perspective (What are the points of view?)  |  Learner profile: Thinkers  |  ATL skills: Thinking skills

PYP strand: Visual language: receptive and expressive (viewing and presenting)

I can match descriptions to setting pictures using clue words, draw a setting from a description and describe a setting of my own.

Curriculum links: IB PYP Language, Visual language, Phase 3: realize that visual information reflects and contributes to the understanding of context; observe and discuss familiar and unfamiliar visual messages and make judgments. England Year 2: discuss and clarify the meanings of words, linking new meanings to known vocabulary; draw on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided. Common Core RL.2.7: use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

Key words: setting  |  place  |  time  |  weather  |  senses  |  clue words

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

How can a few words make a whole place appear in your mind?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. Name one setting from a story the learner knows.

The setting is where and when a story happens. Folk tales from different countries often have very different settings: a hot desert, a snowy forest, a busy market or a deep jungle.

Writers describe a setting with words. Illustrators show it with pictures. Look for:

• place words: forest, desert, river, village, castle
• time words: at night, in winter, one summer morning, long ago
• weather words: freezing, scorching, stormy, misty
• senses: what you could see, hear, smell or feel there

The setting can change how the characters feel and what they do. A character lost in a dark forest might feel scared. A character in a sunny meadow might feel happy.

Watch Me

For the adult: read the setting aloud slowly. Then read the thinking aloud. Ask the learner to close their eyes and picture it.

The adult reads: “The wind howled around the little hut. Snow piled up against the door, and icicles hung from the roof like sharp teeth.”

“Where? At a little hut. Weather? Snowy and windy. I know because of wind howled, snow piled up and icicles.”

“I can picture it in my mind: a small hut, white snow, ice hanging down. I can almost hear the wind. I think the people inside feel cold, and maybe a bit scared.”

“Now I can draw the setting, using the clue words.”

Let’s Try Together

1. Read this setting: “The sun beat down on the dusty road. There was no shade anywhere.” Is this a hot place or a cold place? Which words tell you?

Hint: Find the words about the sun and the shade.

2. How might a character feel walking along that road?

Hint: How would you feel with no shade on a hot day?

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Match each description to a picture.

Read each description. Write A or B. One description has no picture. Write X for that one.

1. “The moon shone on the frozen trees. Inside the tiny cottage, a fire crackled, and smoke curled out of the chimney.”   ____

2. “Stalls were piled high with mangoes and bright cloth. People shouted prices, and a bicycle bell rang.”   ____

3. “Under the burning sun, a camel plodded across the golden sand. Nothing grew except one spiky plant.”   ____

2. Find the clue words.

For description 3, write two words that tell you it is hot, and one word that tells you about a plant.

Hot: ______________________   ______________________    Plant: ______________________

3. Picture the setting.

a) Which setting, A or B, would make a character feel cosy? Why?

__________________________________________________________________

b) Description 2 has no picture. Draw it. Put in at least four things from the description.

4. Describe a setting.

Choose a setting for a new folk tale. Write three sentences about it. Use a place word, a time word, a weather word and one sense.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “How can a few words make a whole place appear in your mind?” What do you think now?

2. I was a thinker today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: A thinker thinks carefully to work things out. Example: I was a thinker today when I used the clue words to match each description to its picture.

Take action: Next time you read a picture book, cover the pictures on one page. Read the words and picture the setting. Then uncover it. Was it like your picture?

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Write a setting description for a scary folk tale and a happy folk tale in the same place, such as a forest by day and by night.

If this was hard, go back to: Task 1. Read each description with an adult. Point to each thing it names in the pictures before you choose A, B or X.

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Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: How we can retell and tell our own stories

Key concept: Form (What is it like?)  |  Learner profile: Thinkers  |  ATL skills: Thinking skills

PYP strand: Written language: receptive and expressive (reading and spelling)

I can spell words that end in le, deciding whether to double the letter before it by clapping syllables and listening to the vowel.

Curriculum links: IB PYP Language, Reading, Phase 2: understand sound-symbol relationships. Reading, Phase 3: use a range of strategies to self-monitor and self-correct. England Year 2: the /l/ or /əl/ sound spelt le at the end of words; the le spelling is the most common spelling for this sound at the end of words. Common Core RF.2.3c: decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels; L.2.2d: generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words.

Key words: le  |  syllable  |  short vowel  |  long vowel  |  double letter

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

Why does little have two t’s but table has only one b?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. Clap the syllables of each example together.

Many words end with an “ul” sound, as in apple and table. The most common way to spell this sound at the end of a word is le.

Split the word into two syllables. Look at the first syllable to decide what comes before le.

The doubled letter keeps the first vowel short. Without it, little would look like it should be said “lie-tle”.

Watch Me

For the adult: say the thinking aloud. Write bottle, table and candle on paper, with a line between the syllables.

“I want to spell bottle. I clap the syllables: bot | tle. The first syllable has a short o. So I double the consonant: bot, then tle. b-o-t-t-l-e.”

“Now table. I clap: ta | ble. The a is long. It says its name. So I use just one b: t-a-b-l-e.”

“Last, candle. I clap: can | dle. The first syllable ends with n, and then I hear d. That is already two consonants, so I do not double anything: c-a-n-d-l-e.”

Let’s Try Together

1. One of these words has a double letter before le. Which one, and why?

Hint: Clap the syllables. Is the first vowel short or long?

For the adult: point to each picture and name it first: a…, ta… (the full words are in the Answer Key).

2. How many syllables are in puzzle? Where do you split it?

Hint: Clap it slowly.

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Write the word for each picture.

Hint: Clap the syllables first. Then decide: double letter or not?

For the adult: point to each picture and name it first: ca…, bo…, ke…, tu… (the full words are in the Answer Key).

1. ______________    2. ______________    3. ______________    4. ______________

2. Sort the words.

Words: little  |  table  |  puzzle  |  title  |  middle  |  cable  |  bubble  |  jungle  |  handle  |  simple

3. Find the le words.

Read the start of a folk tale. Underline at least eight words that end in le.

Once, in the middle of a jungle, there lived a little turtle. She was gentle and humble, but she was always in trouble. One day, she saw a purple beetle stuck in a puddle.

Which two of your words have a long vowel or two different consonants before le?   ______________ and ______________

4. Listen and write the sentence.

For the adult: the sentence is in the Answer Key. Say it twice.

__________________________________________________________________

Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “Why does little have two t’s but table has only one b?” What do you think now?

2. I was a thinker today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: A thinker thinks carefully to work things out. Example: I was a thinker today when I clapped the syllables to decide whether to double the letter before le.

Take action: Look at food packets and labels at home. Find three words that end in le, such as apple, noodle or vegetable.

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Write a short silly poem where every line ends in an le word, such as little, giggle, wiggle and puddle.

If this was hard, go back to: Let’s Learn. Work on the double letter words first: apple, little, bottle. Clap and spell each one. Then try table.

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Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: How we can retell and tell our own stories

Key concept: Form (What is it like?)  |  Learner profile: Thinkers  |  ATL skills: Thinking skills

PYP strand: Written language: receptive and expressive (reading and spelling)

I can choose el, al or il to spell the “ul” sound at the end of a word, and use the letter before it to help me.

Curriculum links: IB PYP Language, Reading, Phase 2: understand sound-symbol relationships. Reading, Phase 3: use a range of strategies to self-monitor and self-correct. England Year 2: the /l/ or /əl/ sound spelt el at the end of words, after m, n, r, v, w and more often than not after s; the /l/ or /əl/ sound spelt al and il at the end of words. Common Core L.2.2d: generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words; L.2.2e: consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct spellings.

Key words: el  |  al  |  il  |  ending  |  letter before

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

Why do camel and table end in the same sound but different letters?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. Say each example and point to the letter before the “ul” sound.

In Lesson 3.9, you learned that the “ul” sound at the end of a word is most often spelt le. It can also be spelt el, al or il.

Tip: Look at the letter just before the “ul” sound. If it is m, n, r, v or w, choose el. If not, try le first. If the word looks wrong, check a word list or a dictionary.

Watch Me

For the adult: say the thinking aloud. Write camel, animal and pencil on paper as you go.

“I want to spell camel. I say it: cam | el. The letter before the ‘ul’ sound is m. We never write le after m, so I use el: c-a-m-e-l.”

“Now animal. The letter before the ‘ul’ sound is m again, so I try el: animel. That looks wrong. Animal is one of the al words I have to learn: a-n-i-m-a-l.”

“Last, pencil. I know this word from my pencil case. It is one of the few il words: p-e-n-c-i-l.”

Let’s Try Together

1. Which ending does each word have: el, al or il?

Hint: Look at the table in Let’s Learn. Check the letter before the “ul” sound.

For the adult: point to each picture and name it first: to…, fo… (the full words are in the Answer Key).

2. Sam wrote tunnle. Why is this wrong?

Hint: Which letter comes just before the “ul” sound?

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Write the word for each picture.

Hint: Choose le, el, al or il for the end of each word.

For the adult: point to each picture and name it first: ca…, pe…, tu…, pe… (the full words are in the Answer Key). For picture 2, point to the part the arrow shows.

1. ______________    2. ______________    3. ______________    4. ______________

2. Add el, al or il.

For the adult: read each word aloud first. The words are in the Answer Key.

a) trav ______    b) anim ______    c) squirr ______    d) hospit ______

e) nostr ______    f) tins ______    g) ped ______    h) Apr ______

3. Fix the spelling mistakes.

Mia wrote about a folk tale. She made five mistakes with “ul” endings. Find them and write them correctly.

A clever camle and a little squirrle loved to travle. They crossed a metal bridge and went through a dark tunnle. In the end, they found a magic pencel.

4. Listen and write the sentence.

For the adult: the sentence is in the Answer Key. Say it twice.

__________________________________________________________________

Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “Why do camel and table end in the same sound but different letters?” What do you think now?

2. I was a thinker today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: A thinker thinks carefully to work things out. Example: I was a thinker today when I chose el for camel because the letter before the ending is m.

Take action: Make a four-column word wall at home: le, el, al and il. Add a word each time you find one in a book.

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Use a dictionary to find two more words for each ending: el, al and il. Write a sentence with each one.

If this was hard, go back to: Let’s Learn. Start with el only: camel, tunnel and towel. Point to the m, n or w before the ending. Then learn three al words.

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Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: How we can retell and tell our own stories

Key concept: Form (What is it like?)  |  Learner profile: Knowledgeable  |  ATL skills: Research skills

PYP strand: Written language: receptive and expressive (reading and spelling)

I can read and spell words ending in ey, tell ey and y endings apart, and spell eight tricky words.

Curriculum links: IB PYP Language, Reading, Phase 2: understand sound-symbol relationships; instantly recognize an increasing bank of high-frequency and high-interest words. England Year 2: the /i:/ sound spelt ey; the plural of these words is formed by the addition of s; learn to spell common exception words. Common Core RF.2.3b: know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams; RF.2.3f: recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

Key words: ey  |  y  |  long e  |  plural  |  tricky word

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

Why do donkey and happy end with the same sound but different letters?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. Say happy, key and they, and listen to the ending of each.

In Grade 1, you learned that y at the end of a word can say long i (cry, fly) or long e (happy, funny).

The long e sound at the end of a word can also be spelt ey.

Most words that end in the long e sound use y. Learn the ey words by heart. To make an ey word plural, just add s: keys, donkeys, monkeys.

Tricky words. Learn these by heart: old, cold, gold, hold, told, every, everybody, even. In old, cold, gold, hold and told, the o says its name, even though there is no e at the end. Every and everybody have a letter e in the middle that we hardly hear.

Watch Me

For the adult: say the thinking aloud. Write donkey, grey and monkeys on paper as you go.

“I read donkey. I clap it: don | key. The last part is spelt ey. Here it says long e: don-kee, donkey.”

“I read grey. It is a short word with ey at the end. Gree is not a word I know, so I try ai: gr-ai, grey. That is the colour.”

“I want to write the plural of monkey. It ends in ey, so I just add s: monkeys.”

“Now a tricky word: told. I might expect a short o, as in hot. But in -old words, the o says its name: t-old, told.”

Let’s Try Together

1. Both words end with a long e sound. Which word is spelt with ey, and which with y?

Hint: Look at the table in Let’s Learn. Which word is in the ey group?

For the adult: point to each picture and name it first: k…, ba… (the full words are in the Answer Key).

2. Read everybody. How many syllables does it have?

Hint: Clap it. Listen for every, then body.

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Write the word for each picture.

Hint: Every word ends in ey.

For the adult: point to each picture and name it first: mo…, ch…, do…, ho… (the full words are in the Answer Key). For picture 2, point to the part the arrow shows.

1. ______________    2. ______________    3. ______________    4. ______________

2. y or ey? Sort the words.

Hint: Look carefully at the last letters of each word.

Words: happy  |  valley  |  funny  |  jockey  |  baby  |  they  |  sunny  |  grey  |  turkey  |  cry

3. Make it plural.

a) one key, two ______________    b) one donkey, three ______________    c) one chimney, two ______________

4. Tricky words.

Look at each word. Say it. Cover it. Write it. Check it.

Fill each gap with a tricky word.

a) The king kept his ______________ coins in a chest.

b) Gran ______________ me a story about a clever hare.

c) ______________ clapped at the end of the play.

d) The tortoise won, ______________ though he was slow.

5. Listen and write the sentence.

For the adult: the sentence is in the Answer Key. Say it twice.

__________________________________________________________________

Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “Why do donkey and happy end with the same sound but different letters?” What do you think now?

2. I was knowledgeable today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: Being knowledgeable means knowing things and using what you know. Example: I was knowledgeable today when I learned that key, donkey and monkey end in ey but happy ends in y.

Take action: Start an ey word collection. Each time you find a word ending in ey in a book, add it and draw a small picture.

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Find three more ey words in a dictionary, such as hockey, chimney and trolley. Write a silly sentence using all three.

If this was hard, go back to: Let’s Learn. Learn four ey words first: key, donkey, monkey, they. Read them with an adult, then try Task 1.

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Term 1 | Level 1

Unit of inquiry: How we express ourselves  |  Line of inquiry: All three lines of inquiry

Key concept: Form, Perspective and Connection  |  Learner profile: Reflective  |  ATL skills: Self-management skills

PYP strand: All strands: receptive and expressive

I can show what I learned in Chapter 3 in reading, writing, speaking, looking and phonics.

Curriculum links: This review checks the outcomes from Lessons 3.1 to 3.11. IB PYP Language, Phases 2 and 3, across reading, writing, oral language and visual language. England Year 2: write from memory simple sentences dictated by the teacher that include words using the GPCs, common exception words and punctuation taught so far. Common Core RL.2.2, RL.2.9, W.2.3, L.2.1d, SL.2.3, RL.2.7, L.2.2d and RF.2.3f.

Key words: fable  |  moral  |  story map  |  past tense  |  open question  |  comic  |  setting

Wonder

For the adult: ask this question before you start. Accept every idea. You will come back to it in Reflect.

Why do people all over the world tell stories, and what can we learn from them?

Let’s Learn

For the adult: read this part aloud. There are six short tasks. Do them in one sitting or split them over two days.

This page checks what you learned in Chapter 3.

There is one task for each part: reading, writing, oral, visual and phonics. The last task is a spelling check.

Read each task with an adult. Do your best on your own first.

Watch Me

For the adult: show how the spelling check in Task 6 works, using the word “puddle”.

“You will hear a word. I say: puddle. I say it again: puddle.”

“I clap the syllables: pud | dle. The u in the first syllable is short, as in cup. So I double the d before le.”

“I write p-u-d-d-l-e. I read it back: pud-dle. It matches.”

Let’s Try Together

1. The adult says “camel”. Does it end in le or el?

Hint: Which letter comes just before the “ul” sound?

2. Write “camel” in the air with your finger.

Hint: c, a, m, then the ending.

Your Turn

Name: ______________________

1. Reading: A fable

The Ant and the Dove  (a fable by Aesop)

One summer day, a thirsty ant went down to a river to drink. A wave washed over her, and she was swept into the water. A dove sitting in a tree saw her struggling. Quickly, the dove pulled a leaf off a branch and dropped it into the river. The ant climbed onto the leaf and floated safely to the bank.

A few days later, a hunter crept towards the tree with a net to catch the dove. The ant saw him. She ran over and bit his ankle hard. “Ouch!” shouted the hunter. The dove heard him and flew away to safety.

a) What is the setting at the start of the fable?   ______________________________

b) Why did the dove drop a leaf into the river?

__________________________________________________________________

c) Why did the ant bite the hunter, when she could have stayed away?

__________________________________________________________________

d) This fable is like The Lion and the Mouse. Write one way they are alike.

__________________________________________________________________

2. Writing: Story map and past tense

a) These notes for The Ant and the Dove are muddled. Write B for beginning, M for middle and E for end.

____ The ant bites the hunter, and the dove flies away.    ____ The ant falls into the river.    ____ A hunter comes to catch the dove.

b) Write each verb in the past tense.

see ______________    run ______________    fly ______________    drop ______________

3. Oral: Telling and asking

a) How would you say “Ouch!” in the story: loud or quiet? Why?

__________________________________________________________________

b) Change this closed question for the ant into an open question: “Were you scared in the river?”

__________________________________________________________________?

4. Visual: Comics and settings

a) Look at the comic. In which panel does the fox think something? How do you know?

__________________________________________________________________

b) Read this setting: “Waves crashed on the rocks, and seagulls cried above the sand.” Where is this story set? Write two clue words.

Setting: ______________________    Clues: ______________________   ______________________

5. Phonics: Endings, y and tricky words

a) Write le, el, al or il.    app ______    cam ______    penc ______    anim ______

b) Circle the right spelling.    (litle / little)    (table / tabble)    (candle / canddle)

c) Write y or ey.    monk ______    funn ______    donk ______

d) Circle the tricky words.    Everybody was told to hold the gold coins.

6. Spelling check

For the adult: the words and the sentence are in the Answer Key. Say each word twice, then say the sentence twice. Do not stretch the sounds for the learner.

1. ______________

2. ______________

3. ______________

__________________________________________________________________

Reflect

For the adult: talk about these with the learner.

1. Go back to the Wonder question: “Why do people all over the world tell stories, and what can we learn from them?” What do you think now?

2. I was reflective today when I ______________________________.

For the adult: Being reflective means looking back at your work and thinking how to make it better. Example: I was reflective today when I looked back at what I learned in this chapter.

Take action: Look back at the ideas you had in Tuning in at the start of the chapter. Tell someone at home which tale from this chapter you liked best, and why.

Answer Key

Next Steps

If this was easy, try: Start Chapter 4: Plants and Growing. It begins with Lesson 4.1.

If this was hard, go back to: The lesson named next to each missed task in the answer key. Redo the Your Turn page from that lesson, then try this review again.

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For the adult: this section is optional. Use it when the lessons feel easy, or to stretch the learner after Lesson 3.12. The story is for you to read aloud. It uses some harder words on purpose. Talk about them as you read.

Part 1: Read-Aloud Story

For the adult: read the story aloud twice. The first time, just enjoy it. The second time, stop at the words in bold and talk about what they mean.

Anansi and the Pot of Wisdom

A folk tale from Ghana, in West Africa

Long ago, Anansi the spider decided to collect all the wisdom in the world. He went from village to village and gathered every clever idea into a clay pot.

“If I keep it all, I will be the wisest creature alive,” he said greedily. “Nobody else will have any.”

He decided to hide the pot at the top of a tall tree. He tied it to his front with a rope and began to climb, but the pot kept bumping against the trunk. Anansi grew more and more frustrated.

His young son was watching from below. “Father,” he called, “why not tie the pot to your back? Then you could climb easily.”

Anansi stopped. His son was right. Anansi felt so ashamed that he let go of the pot. It smashed on the ground, and the wisdom scattered across the whole world.

That is why, they say, everybody has a little wisdom, and nobody has it all.

Talk about the story

1. What did Anansi want to collect, and where did he keep it?

2. Why did Anansi want to hide the pot at the top of a tree?

Hint: Think about what he said he did not want other people to have.

3. Anansi felt ashamed. What does ashamed mean? Why did he feel that way?

Hint: He had all the wisdom in the world, but who had the clever idea?

4. This tale explains why something is the way it is. What does it explain?

5. Do you think it is a good thing that everybody has a little wisdom? Why?

Part 2: Actions in Progress: was and were with ing (Grammar)

For the adult: read this part aloud.

In Lesson 3.4, you used the past tense: Anansi climbed the tree. We can also show that an action was still going on in the past. We use was or were, and a verb ending in ing.

• His son was watching from below. (one person: was)
• The villagers were sleeping when Anansi came. (more than one: were)

This form is useful when one thing is happening and something else interrupts it: Anansi was climbing when his son called out.

1. Underline the action in progress in each sentence.

a) Anansi was carrying a clay pot.
b) The birds were singing in the tree.
c) His son was laughing at the bottom.
d) The children were playing when the pot smashed.

2. Write was or were.

a) The spider ________ climbing slowly.
b) The villagers ________ talking about Anansi.
c) I ________ reading a folk tale.
d) We ________ listening to Gran.

Hint: Is it one person or thing, or more than one? Use was with I.

3. Finish each sentence with an action in progress.

a) When the phone rang, I ______________________________________________
b) At breakfast time, my family ______________________________________________

Answer Key

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