Teddy Bear Tales

Overview

This 45-minute introductory lesson invites Year 1 students to explore teddy bears through a story read-aloud and interactive discussion. It focuses on developing vocabulary, understanding descriptive language, and sharing personal experiences, all woven into an engaging, hands-on environment to consolidate prior learning and inspire curiosity.

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National Curriculum Links

English - Spoken Language

• Listen and respond appropriately to adults and peers.
• Ask relevant questions to extend understanding and knowledge.
• Articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions.

English - Reading (Word Reading and Comprehension)

• Develop pleasure in reading, motivation to read, and vocabulary.
• Participate in discussion about what is read to them, taking turns and listening to others.

English - Writing

• Use vocabulary and grammar taught so far.
• Say out loud what they are going to write about.

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT explore and enjoy a story about teddy bears.
• WALT use and understand descriptive vocabulary.
• WALT share ideas and personal stories with confidence.

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Success Criteria

• I can listen carefully to a story and talk about my favourite parts.
• I can use interesting words to describe a teddy bear.
• I can speak clearly when sharing my own teddy bear story.

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Resources

• A high-quality picture book about teddy bears (e.g., “Peace at Last” by Jill Murphy or another teddy bear themed story with clear text and colourful images).
• A large soft teddy bear for demonstration.
• Vocabulary cards with adjectives (soft, fluffy, brown, cuddly, spotty, big, small).
• ‘Talk Tokens’ (small objects or cards) to encourage turn-taking in discussions.
• Dyslexia-friendly version of the text printed on cream-coloured paper with a dyslexia-friendly font (e.g., OpenDyslexic).
• Paper and crayons or colouring pencils.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction & Engagement (10 minutes)

• Gather students in a circle and introduce the teddy bear theme. Show the large soft teddy bear and encourage children to describe it using simple adjectives (soft, fluffy, brown).
• Introduce the WALT and success criteria visually on a board or chart.
• Quick warm-up: Each child says one word to describe their own teddy bear or favourite toy.

2. Read-Aloud with Dyslexia-Friendly Access (15 minutes)

• Read the chosen teddy bear story aloud, showing the pictures clearly.
• Provide a dyslexia-friendly version of the story for students who benefit from it to follow along.
• Pause periodically to ask predictive and descriptive questions: "What do you think the teddy feels like?" "How does he look?"
• Use vocabulary cards to reinforce descriptive words from the story.

3. Group Discussion & Sharing (10 minutes)

• Use ‘Talk Tokens’ to manage turn-taking. Each student shares a sentence or two about their teddy bear or favourite soft toy, using descriptive vocabulary encouraged during the story. Model language scaffolding as needed.
• Prompt by asking questions: “What colour is your teddy? Is it big or small? Why do you like it?”

4. Hands-On Activity: Describing Our Teddy (8 minutes)

• Children draw their teddy bear or favourite soft toy.
• Write 2-3 descriptive words around the picture with the teacher’s help if necessary.
• Encourage use of vocabulary from the lesson.

5. Plenary & Reflection (2 minutes)

• Recap the WALT and success criteria together.
• Celebrate sharing and new words learned.
• Optional: Teacher models what the next lesson will explore (“Tomorrow, we’ll go on a Teddy Bear Picnic adventure!”).

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Differentiation

Learner Type	Strategies
EAL (English as an Additional Language)	Use picture vocabulary cards; model sentences; buddy support.
SEN & Children with Speech & Language Needs	Provide vocabulary in small chunks; use gesture & visuals; extra think-time.
Dyslexic Learners	Provide dyslexia-friendly reading copies; coloured overlay options; assistive technology use.
More Able / Advanced	Encourage use of more complex adjectives (shaggy, tiny, enormous); work on sentences with “because”. Ask them to help peers with vocabulary.

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Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Write a short descriptive sentence or two about their teddy bear using conjunctions like “and” or “because.”
• Create a mini “adventure story” about their teddy bear, orally or in pictures.
• Use a simple thesaurus (provided by the teacher) to find synonyms for common adjectives.

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Notes for the Teacher

• Maintain a lively, encouraging tone to motivate shy speakers.
• Use visual, auditory, and kinesthetic methods to engage diverse learners.
• Reinforce vocabulary tactilely by passing around teddy bears or soft toys during discussions.
• Model full sentences and praise verbal contributions to build confidence and consolidate language skills.

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This lesson lays a strong foundation for expanding vocabulary, storytelling skills, and confident verbal communication through an engaging thematic context that children readily relate to and enjoy.