Caterpillar Story Circle

Overview

This seven-minute drama experience follows on from reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar and determining the story sequence using sequence cards. The educator reads or narrates the story while children act out the events in order: the egg pops, the caterpillar crawls to and eats the apple, banana, pear, strawberry and orange, moves to the unhealthy junk food, feels sick, chooses healthy food, goes to sleep and transforms into a butterfly. The experience extends children’s literacy learning through oral language and dramatic play, using visual prompts, movement, dialogue and retelling. Children are organised into three groups of seven so every child has a role.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• retell and act out the main events of a familiar story in sequence, following the sequence cards and educator narration
• use oral language, complete sentences, descriptive words, dialogue, sound effects, gesture and movement to communicate meaning
• use story vocabulary including sequence, first, next, then, finally, character, setting, healthy, unhealthy and transform
• explain connections between the actions, illustrations and text, including the beginning, middle and end
• work cooperatively in dramatic play and respond to characters’ feelings, choices and changes

Success criteria

• I can show what happens in the story using my body or a prop.
• I can use a word, phrase, sound or action to communicate.
• I can take turns and help my group tell the story.
• I can listen while another group performs.

Curriculum links

• Creating arts works that communicate ideas through drama based on familiar stories and lived experiences.
• Sharing arts works with audiences by presenting a story to peers.
• Creating and co-creating fictional situations based on imagination and experience through dramatic play, props and role.
• Developing verbal and non-verbal communication, collaboration and early literacy through retelling.

Lesson structure (7 minutes)

1. 0–1 min · Revisit the story sequence. Following the reading of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and children’s work with sequence cards, the educator displays the cards in order and asks, “What happened first, next, then and finally?” Children connect the illustrations and text to a word, action or idea. The educator revisits sequence, character, setting, healthy, unhealthy and transform.

2. 1–2 min · Explain and model the dramatic retell. The educator explains that they will read or narrate the story while the children act it out in sequence. The educator models complete retelling language: “First, the egg pops. Next, the caterpillar crawls to the apple.” Children practise the egg popping, crawling, eating and butterfly movements. The educator pauses to ask, “What do you predict will happen next?”

3. 2–3 min · Allocate roles and rehearse vocabulary. The educator divides the 21 children into three groups of seven and offers roles such as egg, caterpillar, fruit and junk food, sick caterpillar, healthy food, sleeping caterpillar, cocoon and butterfly. Children may be narrators or action characters. The educator uses the sequence cards as visual prompts and explicitly teaches first, next, then, finally, character, setting, healthy, unhealthy and transform.

4. 3–5 min · Guided dramatic retell. The educator narrates and pauses at each sequence card while children act: the egg pops; the caterpillar crawls to and eats the apple, banana, pear, strawberry and orange; moves to the unhealthy junk food; feels sick; chooses healthy food; goes to sleep; and transforms into a butterfly. Children are encouraged to use descriptive words, dialogue, sound effects, gesture and movement. The educator asks open-ended questions such as “How is the caterpillar feeling?”, “Why might the caterpillar choose that food?”, “What changed?” and “How could you show that?” Children retell parts in their own words and explain the beginning, middle and end.

5. 5–6.5 min · Perform and connect actions to the story. Groups act out the sequence as the educator continues to read or narrate, using the cards and illustrations as reminders. The educator models and recasts retelling language, elaborates on children’s responses and uses thoughtful prompts such as “Tell me more” and “What in the picture or words helped you decide?” Children watch respectfully and notice how actions, words and movement match the text.

6. 6.5–7 min · Reflect and close. The educator asks, “What happened first, in the middle and finally?”, “How did the caterpillar’s feelings and choices change?” and “How did the caterpillar transform?” Children respond in their own words, with a complete sentence, word, sound or action, and help place the sequence cards in order. The educator records observations and identifies next steps.

Intentional Teaching Strategies

• Extend literacy through dramatic play: Treat the experience as a follow-on from reading the story and sequencing its cards. Connect children’s actions to the illustrations and text and invite them to explain the beginning, middle and end.
• Teach and revisit story vocabulary: Explicitly model and revisit sequence, first, next, then, finally, character, setting, healthy, unhealthy and transform, linking each word to a card, action or sentence.
• Narrate and model language: Read or narrate the story while children act. Model retelling language and complete sentences, including “First…”, “Next…”, “Then…” and “Finally…”. Recast children’s words into clear sentences and extend responses through elaboration and thoughtful prompts.
• Use visual prompts and prediction: Hold up the sequence cards and illustrations as visual prompts. Pause before each event and ask children to predict what comes next, then invite them to explain how the picture or text supports their prediction.
• Ask open-ended questions: Explore the character’s feelings, choices and changes with questions such as “How is the caterpillar feeling?”, “Why did the caterpillar choose that food?”, “What changed?” and “How could the character show this?”
• Encourage expressive communication: Invite children to use descriptive words, dialogue, sound effects, gesture, facial expression and movement. Accept retellings in children’s own words and model additional vocabulary without taking over their ideas.
• Support participation: Provide wait time, repeated rehearsal, sentence starters, peer support and non-speaking or speaking roles. Adjust prompts and modelling in response to children’s language, confidence and understanding.
• Use formative assessment: Observe children’s sequencing, oral language, vocabulary, connections to illustrations and text, expressive choices, understanding of feelings and healthy choices, cooperation and ability to retell independently or with support.

Resources

• the visual story sequence deck
• Large, clear story picture cards or images of the egg, caterpillar, food, cocoon and butterfly
• Child-safe caterpillar, butterfly, fruit and cocoon props
• Green fabric, scarf or paper for the cocoon
• Open floor space
• Optional storybook copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar
• Basket or labelled area for returning props

Assessment

• Observe whether children follow the sequence cards and act out the events in order: egg popping; crawling to and eating the apple, banana, pear, strawberry and orange; moving to unhealthy junk food; feeling sick; choosing healthy food; sleeping; and transforming into a butterfly.
• Listen for children using sequence language such as first, next, then and finally, story vocabulary such as character, setting, healthy, unhealthy and transform, descriptive words, dialogue and complete sentences.
• Check whether children connect actions to the illustrations and text and can explain what happened at the beginning, middle and end.
• Ask open-ended questions to assess children’s understanding of the character’s feelings, choices and changes, and note whether they can predict what happens next and explain their thinking.
• Observe children’s use of gesture, movement, facial expression and sound effects, as well as their ability to retell a part in their own words while listening and responding to the educator’s narration.
• Record how children respond to recasting, elaboration and prompts, and note turn-taking, cooperation and participation. Use observations to plan further modelling, vocabulary teaching and retelling opportunities.

Differentiation

• Support children with visual story pictures, teacher demonstration, repeated phrases, sentence starters and a clear “first, then, finally” structure. Allow wait time and repeated rehearsal before performance.
• Accept all forms of communication: pointing, signing, home-language words, sounds, facial expressions and movement. Pair a child who is unsure with a confident peer or the teacher, and provide targeted prompts and feedback.
• Offer non-speaking roles, such as egg, food, cocoon or butterfly, for children who are developing confidence, are EAL learners or have speech, language or sensory needs.
• Extend confident communicators by inviting them to narrate a full sentence, use expressive voice and movement, name a food or setting, describe how the caterpillar feels, develop a character’s actions or suggest what happens next.
• Keep props lightweight, large and safe. Provide a quieter observation role or extra personal space for children who become overwhelmed by group movement, while maintaining opportunities to rehearse and contribute.