Engaging The tortoise and the Hare activities for 1st grade

We are well into our unit on Fables now!  The week before Easter we read The Ugly Duckling and did some super fun Ugly Duckling activities.  We also started these Tortoise and The Hare activities that week with all of the best intentions to finish, but….alas, state standardized testing came and we didn’t finish until early this week.

One thing I love about our fables unit is that it is super fun and relaxing this time of year and it’s super easy to teach.  It is the same routine song and dance week after week, but with a new fable!  And, no, the kids do not get bored.  They just love it.  In fact, today I had a kid in one of my reading groups ask with excitement, “Is this book going to be another fable??” as they got their new reader!

Fables Life Lessons Anchor Chart

So, again with The Tortoise and the Hare, we read and discussed the fable elements and the life lesson.  Here’s the life lesson anchor chart that we use throughout the entire unit…Obviously, it’s a work in progress and I’ll update the finished chart at the end of the unit.

Sequencing The Tortoise and The Hare Activities

The next day, we reread and sequenced The Tortoise and the Hare in productive groups. They used the cut and paste Tortoise and the Hare activities to sort the characters and events. Then, they worked with their group to sequence the events of the plot.

Retelling Graphic Organizer

Then, we wrote about the elements of the fable using our retelling fables graphic organizer…

We use this fables graphic organizer throughout our fables unit so by the time we get to the last few fables, they are able to complete this independently or with very little support!

The Tortoise and the Hare Craft & writing

Then, we made our Tortoise and the Hare craft!  This was a fun one and a great way to relax after our first day of jail time state standardized testing…:)

We wrote letters to Hare to give him advice on how to be a better friend.  Man, these kiddos loved telling him what to do!  {Now….to get a few of them to listen to their own advice! *wink*}

And I just love how creative they got with these Hare crafts.  These are muddy brown spots from running too fast in the mud… #lovemyfirsties

 …and the folded ears!  My example did not have those, but I just loved that so many of them did their ears that way!

I let them choose their favorite craft to hang in the hallway for a festive Spring display!

Check out all these materials in my Duckling and Tortoise/Hare Mini Unit!