Turtles Take Charge

Curriculum Information

• Learning Area: English
• Curriculum Level: New Zealand Curriculum Level 2
• Strand: Speaking, Writing, and Presenting
• Achievement Objective:
  Students will form and express ideas in writing using appropriate vocabulary and structure to recount a personal or fictional event, using simple planning strategies.

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Lesson Overview

• Title: Writing a Recount of Yertle the Turtle
• Year Level: Year 3
• Duration: 45 minutes
• Class Size: 22 students
• Focus Text: Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

We are learning to plan and write a recount of a story, using the correct structure and vocabulary.

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Success Criteria

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Retell the beginning, middle, and end of Yertle the Turtle using a three-part picture plan.
• Use sequencing words like "First", "Then", and "Finally".
• Include descriptive vocabulary appropriate for the story.
• Write at least one paragraph of their recount using correct punctuation and spelling.
• Stay on topic and use ideas from the planning sheet to guide their writing.

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Materials Needed

• Big book or digital display of Yertle the Turtle
• Whiteboard and markers
• A3 picture plan template (beginning, middle, end with drawing and notes boxes) – 1 per student
• Vocabulary brainstorm chart (either class shared or individual)
• Student writing books or lined paper
• Pencils, erasers, coloured pencils
• Highlighters (optional)

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction / Tuning In (10 minutes)

Purpose:
To activate prior knowledge and engage students with the story’s content

Teacher Actions:

• Re-read Yertle the Turtle aloud to the class using expression, pause to ask key questions:
  • "What do we know about Yertle?"
  • "How did the other turtles feel?"
  • "What was the big problem and how was it solved?"

Student Involvement:
Whole-class discussion, sharing thoughts.

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2. Modelling the Writing Process (15 minutes)

Purpose:
To demonstrate planning and writing strategies

Teacher Actions:

1. Planning:

   • On the whiteboard or large chart paper, model filling out the Three-Part Picture Plan:
     • Beginning: Yertle rules the pond.
     • Middle: He stacks turtles to make a higher throne.
     • End: Mack burps, topples Yertle, turtles are free.
   • Draw simple sketches and add key words underneath each.

2. Vocabulary Brainstorm:

   • Work with students to generate and record key words on a class chart:
     • Verbs: climbed, ruled, stacked, burped, toppled
     • Nouns: pond, turtles, throne, king, sky
     • Descriptive Words: selfish, proud, squashed, high, free

3. Writing Model:

   • Write the first part of the recount using the plan and vocabulary:
     • "First, Yertle the Turtle was the king of a small pond. He sat on a stone and looked over his land. But Yertle wanted more. He wanted to see far and wide."

Think Aloud:
Model how to stretch out ideas and re-read for meaning and punctuation.

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3. Guided Practice – Planning Time (5 minutes)

Purpose:
For students to independently create their own three-part plan

Student Actions:

• Use the A3 Picture Plan template to draw and label the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
• Some students may use the class vocabulary chart or refer to the book.

Teacher Role:
Circulate to question, prompt, and support individuals as needed.

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4. Independent Writing (10 minutes)

Purpose:
To apply planning and writing skills independently

Student Actions:

• Begin writing their recount using their story planner.
• Focus on writing the beginning and as much of the middle as possible before time ends.
• Use sequencing words and vocabulary from the brainstorm chart.

Teacher Role:

• Support hesitant writers with sentence starters.
• Encourage all students to use capital letters and full stops.

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5. Sharing & Reflection (5 minutes)

Purpose:
To foster pride and reinforce learning

Student Actions:

• In pairs, students read their story beginning aloud.
• Share one great sentence from a few students to the whole class.

Teacher Prompt Questions:

• “What did you like about your partner’s writing?”
• “Did they remember their full stops and capital letters?”
• “Can you hear the sequence of the story clearly?”

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Differentiation Strategies

For Emerging Writers:

• Provide sentence starters (e.g., "First Yertle sat on...", "Then he said...").
• Offer one-on-one planning support
• Use images-only planning templates before adding words
• Scribe student ideas if needed

For Confident Writers (Extension Activities):

• Challenge them to add speech marks and dialogue
• Ask them to write from Mack’s perspective
• Rewrite the ending differently – "What if Yertle never fell?"

English Language Learners:

• Provide bilingual word banks or translated vocabulary where possible
• Use picture prompts to support understanding
• Allow verbal retelling before writing

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observe students during planning for ability to summarise story events
• Collect writing and assess for:
  • Story sequence (beginning, middle, end)
  • Use of vocabulary
  • Sentence structure
  • Punctuation use

Writing samples can be used as evidence for writing progress and next steps under Level 2 expectations from The New Zealand Curriculum.

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Reflection for Future Teaching

• Who met the success criteria confidently?
• Who needs more support breaking down story structure?
• Could we do a follow-up lesson on editing or publishing their recount?

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This lesson creates an engaging space for tamariki to build literacy skills around a beloved character, while modelling structured storytelling and celebrating student voice. By recognising foundational learning progressions, we empower ākonga to craft meaningful writing with purpose and pride.