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The Turtle and the Rabbit Export Lesson as PDF | Save As Favorite
The Turtle and the Rabbit Grade: Grade 3
Subject: English Language Arts
Created by: Shannon Stephens
Lesson Length: 1 hour
Keywords/Tags: Reading, Writing, Animals
Lesson Description: Once the students read "The Turtle and the Rabbit", they will then use context clues to learn new vocabulary and have discussions with their classmates by using information from the story and their opinion and respect others when replying. The students will also write a short passage on the moral of the story and something that they took away from it.
Common Core Standards Covered with This Lesson
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.2: Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1b: Provide reasons that support the opinion.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.4a: Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
 
     
     
 
Lesson Content: Reading
Instructions: Please read the following reading passage as many times as needed (aloud and silent) before starting to go through other lesson pages. Understanding the content of this passage is very important since the lesson activities will be all about this content. Feel free to print the passage if needed.

The Turtle and the Rabbit

The Rabbit was once boasting of his speed before the other animals. "I have never yet been beaten,” said he, "when I put forth my full speed. I challenge any one here to race with me. I am the best.” 

The Turtle said quietly, "I accept your challenge. I am tired of your bragging. I am confident that I can beat you.” 

“That is a good joke," said the Rabbit; "I could dance around you all the way. You will never be able to speed past me. You will not get the victory." 

“Keep your boasting till you've beaten me,” answered the Turtle. "Shall we race? I know that I can defeat you.”

So a course was fixed and a start was made. The Rabbit darted almost out of sight at once, but soon stopped and, believing that the Turtle could never catch him, lay down by the wayside to have a nap. The Turtle never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. 

When the Rabbit awoke from his nap, he saw the Turtle just near the winning-post. The Rabbit ran as fast as he could, but it was too late. He saw the Turtle had reached the goal. He was very surprised. He had never lost a race before.
 
     
     
 
Task 1: Vocabulary Activity (30 points)
Instructions: Please complete the following vocabulary activity by choosing the correct meaning of each word selected from the passage and use of each word correctly in a sentence.
Vocabulary Questions
Word/Phrase: Boasting | Tier: 3 | Points: 10
Q1 In the first sentence, "The rabbit was once boasting of his speed before the other animals," what does the word "boasting" mean?
A. Happy
B. Upset
C. Scared
D. Bragging *
Use the word "boasting" correctly in a sentence.
A. My little sister was boasting about her straight A's. *
B. My dog was boasting with his new toy.
C. I'm boasting when I sleep.
D. We were boasting chicken for dinner.
Word/Phrase: Confident | Tier: 3 | Points: 10
Q2 The turtle said, "I'm confident that I can beat you." "Confident" means what?
A. Doubtful
B. Excited
C. Certain *
D. Afraid
Use the word "confident" correctly in a sentence.
A. The confident walked down the street.
B. Everyone was confident that they passed the test. *
C. Get the confident out of the kitchen.
D. The chairs color is confident.
Word/Phrase: Defeat | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q3 "I know that I can defeat you." What does the word "defeat" mean in the sentence?
A. Lose
B. Hurt
C. Carry
D. Beat *
The sentence where the word "defeat" is used correctly is:
A. The cat defeat her food.
B. Defeat is the best dessert.
C. Our defeat is on Friday.
D. This year we're going to defeat the team we lost to last year. *
Word/Phrase: Challenge | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q4 The turtle said, "I accept your challenge" and "challenge" in this sentence means:
A. Test *
B. Answer
C. Defeat
D. Race
"Challenge" is used correctly in which sentence?
A. The brand of my car is a Challenge.
B. Challenge is on the third floor.
C. The game was not a challenge. *
D. Challenge can not beat me.
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.4a,
 
     
     
 
Task 2: Discussion Activity (30 points)
Instructions: This discussion forum will have questions for students to respond. Read the posted questions, and respond to each. Students are responsible for posting one initial and and two peer responses for each topic.
  Topic Title Replies
Message Main Idea
Explain what the main idea is for this story. 
Sent on: Feb 18, 2015 by: Shannon Stephens		 0
Message Who's the winner?
Who did you think was going to win the race? Why? Did they win? Explain your answer.
Sent on: Feb 18, 2015 by: Shannon Stephens		 0
Message Turtle
Do you think the turtle did the right thing by standing up to the rabbit and accepting his challenge for a race? Why?
Sent on: Feb 19, 2015 by: Shannon Stephens		 0
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1b,
 
     
     
 
Task 3: Writing Activity (40 points)
Instructions: What do you believe the moral of the story is? Did you learn a lesson from the rabbit and turtle? Write two paragraphs and use examples from the story.
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1b,
 
     

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