Thumbelina’s Story Path

Overview

Students listen to a brief retelling of Thumbelina and discuss the settings, characters and challenges she experiences. They then draw and label three settings in sequence, using oral rehearsal, phonics knowledge, time connectives and a sentence stem to record related ideas.

Learning intentions

• We are learning to trace settings and character challenges in Thumbelina.
• We are learning to retell story events using some exact story language and some of our own words.
• We are learning to draw and label sequential settings from Thumbelina.
• We are learning to use time connectives and conjunctions to link ideas in a simple sentence.

Success criteria

• I can name who, what and where in parts of the story.
• I can put three settings in the correct order.
• I can use the word wall, displays and my phonics knowledge to build labels.
• I can leave finger spaces, write from left to right and use so or because in a sentence.

Curriculum links

• Oral language and communication: retelling familiar stories and recalling details using who, what, when, where, why and how.
• Oral language and communication: using interpersonal conventions and language when speaking with familiar peers and adults.
• Creating written texts: creating a story or recount with at least two related ideas.
• Creating written texts: using drawing or images to plan, sequencing events with time connectives, and writing simple sentences.

Lesson structure (25 minutes)

1. 0–3 min · Hook and recall. Open with the story hook and setting images and show three contrasting images from Thumbelina without naming them. Students turn to a partner, use a quiet listening voice and predict where Thumbelina might be and what problem she could face.

2. 3–8 min · Interactive retell. Briefly retell the familiar story, pausing at the flower, the frog’s pond, the underground home and the flower-filled meadow. Use the story sequence and question prompts to ask: “Who is here?”, “Where are they?”, “What happens?”, “Why is Thumbelina worried?” Students repeat a short exact phrase such as “Thumbelina was very small” and retell one event in their own words.

3. 8–12 min · Trace the settings. Display the settings in mixed order using the mixed-up setting pictures. Think aloud: “First, Thumbelina is in the flower. Next, she is near the pond. Finally, she reaches the meadow.” Students help reorder the settings and explain how Thumbelina’s challenge changes in each place. Practise the time connectives first, next and finally with actions.

4. 12–15 min · Model drawing and writing. Model the first box on the three-setting story path worksheet. Draw the flower, label it with a phonics-supported word and say the sentence aloud: “First, Thumbelina is in a flower.” Demonstrate left-to-right writing, finger spaces and checking the classroom word wall. Add: “She is tiny, so the flower is her home.” Explicitly identify so as the joining word.

5. 15–22 min · Independent story path. Distribute the three-setting story path worksheet. Students draw and label three settings in order, then complete a supported sentence stem for one setting: “Thumbelina is in the ______ because ______.” Encourage students to use first, next or finally, and to reread their sentence by pointing to each word. The teacher circulates, prompting children to orally rehearse before writing and checking details with individual students.

6. 22–25 min · Share and assess. Invite two or three students to share one setting and sentence with the class, using the sharing prompt and reflection slide. Students show a finger rating: one finger if they need help, two if they are getting there, three if they can explain a setting and challenge. Collect worksheets as the exit evidence.

Resources

• the Thumbelina story and discussion deck
• the three-setting story path worksheet
• Enlarged Thumbelina storybook or teacher retelling notes
• Classroom word wall and alphabet/phonics display
• Pencils, crayons and erasers
• Visual cards or props representing the flower, pond and meadow
• Teacher checklist for oral responses and writing behaviours

Assessment

• During retelling, listen for students naming characters, settings and events, and answering who, what, where and why questions.
• During worksheet work, check whether students sequence three settings, use drawings and labels, leave spaces and write from left to right.
• Use the completed sentence to assess whether students can express two related ideas with a sentence stem and so or because.

Differentiation

• Support: provide picture choices for the three settings, orally rehearse each sentence, scribe a child’s ideas when needed and offer sentence stems with selected words to copy or sound out.
• Support EAL/D and students requiring additional communication support with gestures, repeated story language, visual prompts and partner talk before whole-class sharing. Accept drawing, pointing, key words or alternative communication alongside spoken responses.
• During writing, prompt with “Say it, count it, write it, read it” and use a visual finger-space reminder. Do not mark developmental spelling as incorrect when the child has applied plausible phonics knowledge.
• Extension: invite confident writers to add a second sentence explaining a challenge, such as “Thumbelina feels worried because the frog takes her away.”