Curr. Ref. Objectives APP Assessment Focus

R8 Readinguse a range ofcomprehension skills, bothoral and written, to interpretand discuss texts

AF4 (Level 1)• some awareness of

meaning of simple text features

T&L 7 Speaking and Listeningtake part in a range ofdrama activities to supportactivity based learningacross the curriculum

AF3 (Level 1)• engage in imaginative

play enacting simple characters and situation using everyday speech, gesture, or movement

W2 Writingunderstand and usea range of vocabularyby investigating andexperimenting withlanguage

AF7 (Level 1)• mostly simple

vocabulary

SummaryThis rhyming version of the traditional story opens with the animals watching Hare jump around energetically. When he suggests a race, only Tortoise agrees. The other animals provide the commentary as Hare speeds ahead, then stops for a sleep. Tortoise plods on steadily and wins the race.

The Hare and the Tortoise

PCM

Book Band OrangeRR Level 15, 16Genre Play: Traditional tale Length 16 pages (402 words)Letters and Sounds Phase 5

NC Level 1AAPP Level 1, HighPhonics Bug Up to Unit 27High frequency words don’t, I’m

Session 1: Reading & Speaking and Listening

Before Reading

Reading playsCheck that children can recall the features of a play and how to read a play script. Look for examples in the play you are reading.Scene: look at the pictures to identify where the play takes place.Characters: find the list of characters and decide who will play each part. (Note that the character with the most speeches is at the top of page 2, and the others are laid out in descending order.)Lines: identify which character is speaking and what is to be read out loud.

• Read the title and blurb. Check whether children are familiar with this well-known story. Encourage them to talk about other versions they know.

• Turn to pages 2–3 and ask children to predict what the other animals will do during Hare and Tortoise’s race.

• Remind children to apply their phonic knowledge and skills as they decode words when they are reading the play.

During First Reading• Read the play together with each child, reading the line for

their character out loud when it is their turn, whilst the others follow in their own books.

• Pause after reading pages 4–5. Ask whether children have noticed anything different yet about this version. Draw attention to the verse and ask children to spot the pairs of rhyming words.

• Check that children are applying their phonic knowledge and skills to decode words as they are reading.

Main question: What is different about this version of the story? (Reading AF4)

After First Reading (collecting evidence for Reading AF4)• Ask children to compare the play with other versions of the

Hare and Tortoise story they know. Encourage them to talk about what they enjoyed in the play.

• Talk together about the difference that the rhymes made. Ask if it makes the play easier to read.

• Re-read pages 8–9 and draw attention to the rhythm of the verse as well as the rhyme. Explain that, if they keep to the rhythm, it can help them keep the play moving on at a good pace.

During Second Reading (collecting evidence for Speaking and Listening AF3)• Suggest that children could add some movements when they

read it again, acting out the race. • Look through the play together and identify words that

describe actions and movements for different characters, e.g. Hare jumps around before the race, later he yawns and stretches.

Main question: Can we add simple movements to improve our performance of this play?

After Second Reading• Talk about the effect of adding movements. Ask children how

easy it was to act out the race and read their lines at the right time.

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Session 2: Writing

Main focus: Identifying words to describe movements and using them to write a character description. (Writing AF7)

Before Writing• Discuss the difference in the way that Hare and Tortoise move.

Challenge children to look back through the play and identify words that describe the two characters.

• Write two headings ‘Hare’ and ‘Tortoise’ and note the words and phrases that children find. Add further words that children suggest.

• Give each child a PCM and ask them to circle the words that describe Hare in blue and Tortoise in red.

During Writing (collecting evidence for Writing AF7)• Ask pairs of children to compose a sentence that describes how

Hare moves. Encourage them to think of the best words and to check that their sentence makes sense before they write.

• Repeat the process to write a sentence about Tortoise.

After Writing• Listen to examples of children’s sentences and challenge them to

add more detail orally, e.g. Tortoise creeps steadily and never stops so he wins in the end.

Extension: Ideas for Performance• Children could develop the work they have done on adding

movements by practising acting out the race in a larger area such as the hall or playground.

• They could make a mask or hat to represent each animal. • Children playing the parts of Hare and Tortoise could try learning

some of their lines by heart.• They could perform the play to the rest of the class.