Retell the Adventure

Overview

In this seventh lesson of Wandi’s Word Adventure, students sequence the key events of Wandi’s journey using a beginning–middle–end organiser. They orally rehearse a clear retell with a partner, choosing linking words to show order and using complete sentences.

Learning intentions

• Students will identify the beginning, middle and end of Wandi’s journey.
• Students will sequence important events in the correct order.
• Students will use linking words such as first, next, then, after that and finally.
• Students will rehearse and deliver an organised oral retell to a partner.

Success criteria

• I can name an important event from the beginning, middle and end.
• I can put Wandi’s events in the correct order.
• I can use linking words to connect my ideas.
• I can retell the adventure clearly using complete sentences.

Curriculum links

• Creating, rehearsing and delivering short oral presentations for a familiar audience, with appropriate sequencing, vocabulary, tone, volume and pace.
• Manipulating and blending sounds to read and write words, including words with consonant clusters and less predictable spelling patterns.
• Building sentences with expanded noun groups and verb groups to make retells more detailed.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 min · Reconnect and hook. Teacher opens the opening and picture-prompt slides and displays a striking image or sequence from Wandi’s journey, asking, “What would happen if we told these events in the wrong order?” Students briefly recall the story with the teacher, naming one event they remember and explaining whether it happened near the beginning, middle or end.

2. 7–17 min · Model sequencing. Teacher revisits the key events using the story images or class text, thinking aloud while placing three events under beginning, middle and end on the sequencing model slides. Teacher models a short retell: “First, Wandi… Next, Wandi… Finally, Wandi…”, highlighting that a retell includes the important events, not every small detail. Students help justify where each event belongs and repeat the linking words chorally.

3. 17–27 min · Build the organiser. Teacher distributes the beginning–middle–end retell organiser and guides students to record or draw one important event in each section. Teacher prompts with “Who was there?”, “What happened?”, “Where was Wandi?” and “How did Wandi feel?” Students work independently for a short period, then share each section with the teacher or one peer. Students may use words, labelled drawings or a combination.

4. 27–37 min · Strengthen sentences. Teacher demonstrates turning a simple note into a complete sentence, for example, “Wandi found the track” becoming “First, the careful Wandi found a narrow track.” Teacher briefly identifies the noun group the careful Wandi and verb group found a narrow track, then displays sentence frames on the sentence-building slides. Students orally expand one event using an adjective, a precise verb or a feeling word, while the teacher checks that the event remains accurate.

5. 37–49 min · Partner rehearsal. Teacher pairs the four students and explains the rehearsal routine on the partner-retell instruction slide: Partner A retells while Partner B listens for sequence words; then they swap. Students use their organisers and practise a retell lasting about one minute. Listeners give one specific compliment and one helpful reminder, such as “You used then clearly” or “Remember to say what happened after that.” Teacher circulates, prompting students to speak audibly, face their partner and pause between events.

6. 49–56 min · Share and improve. Teacher invites each student to retell to the small group, or to present to the teacher if confidence is developing. Students listen and show a finger for beginning, middle and end when they hear each part. After each retell, the class identifies one effective linking word and the speaker improves one sentence by adding a detail, feeling or descriptive noun group.

7. 56–60 min · Exit check. Teacher displays the plenary and exit-question slide and asks students to complete the oral prompt: “First Wandi…, and finally Wandi…”. Each student gives the response to the teacher or partner, then points to the matching beginning and end sections on their organiser. Teacher records whether each student sequenced events and used a linking word.

Resources

• the Wandi’s Word Adventure teaching deck
• the beginning–middle–end retell organiser
• Class text or previously used Wandi story images
• Whiteboard and markers
• Pencils, coloured pencils and erasers
• Teacher observation checklist
• Timer

Assessment

• During discussion and organiser work, check whether students identify accurate events and place them in the correct beginning–middle–end sequence.
• During partner rehearsal, listen for linking words, complete sentences, clear volume and an appropriate pace. Note students who need prompts to recall events or maintain sequence.
• Use the final oral prompt to assess each student’s independent ability to connect two events with a sequence word.

Differentiation

• Support students by providing the story images, orally rehearsing each event before writing, and offering frames such as “First, Wandi…”, “Next, Wandi…” and “Finally, Wandi…”. Accept labelled drawings or key words before expecting full sentences.
• For EAL learners, pre-teach beginning, middle, end, journey, first, next, then, after that and pair each word with a gesture or visual. Allow rehearsal with the teacher before partner presentation.
• For students requiring additional support, reduce the choice to three clearly illustrated events, scribe their ideas, and use pointing, gesture or repeated sentence frames.
• Challenge confident students to include all five linking words, explain how Wandi’s feelings changed, and add an expanded noun group or precise verb to each event.