Notes for shared reading > Teachers

Notes for shared reading session

This story is based on the fable ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’. Look at the title and front cover of the 'big book' together. Who are these two characters? Which one is fast and which one is slow?
If the children are familiar with the fable ask them to look out for similarities and differences in this new version of the story.

Draw attention to each character’s repeated song. Encourage children to join in with it each time. Involve children in joining in the speech bubbles and spotting the interactive features.
Pause when the race is just about to start (p.11). Why don’t the animals think that Tortoise can win? Encourage predictions about what might happen.
Encourage children to read ‘between the lines’. Why does Tortoise just smile when Hare teases him? What might he be thinking?

Talk about the ending. Was it what the children had expected? How do they think Hare felt when Tortoise crossed the finish line with him?
Children could imagine the conversation between Hare and Tortoise on the way back down the hill. Take on the role of Hare and ask a child to volunteer to be Tortoise. Role-play the conversation. This could develop into a discussion about friendship, or about problems such as boasting or teasing.

Foundation (England & Wales) / Nursery stage (Scotland) / Year 1 (Northern Ireland): Younger children can re-tell the story using simple puppets, props or toys. They can make up their own stories about Hare and Tortoise through their imaginative play.
Years 1 & 2 (England & Wales) / Years P1 & P2 (Scotland) / Years 2 & 3 (Northern Ireland): Look at examples of the way in which speech is presented in the text (speech marks/speech bubbles). How do they know who is speaking each time?
Look at examples of rhyming words. Can they make up new songs for the Hare and Tortoise to sing?
All ages: Talk about eating a healthier breakfast. The story could be used alongside science units and you could carry out a breakfast survey. Challenge children to find out more about food that gives you energy and discuss the best options for breakfast.