Video: Retelling the Little Red Hen
I do, we do, they do
I love our Little Red Hen week! It’s a good story to begin with, with an important message from the author. I have several different versions of the story as well as related stories, such as Who Will Help?, The Little Yellow Chicken, The Little Yellow Chicken’s House, and The Little Green Hen. All of these titles get the students thinking about when it makes sense to be kind and share and when it might not.
In addition to the read alouds, throughout the week the students make the characters from the story. This could be done whole group, but we do it at Miss Lori’s morning center.
I plan time toward the end of the week for me to model retelling the story using the characters. The characters provide just the right amount of support for the students to think about the order of events in the story as well as stay focused and get through the entire story. Next, we do it together, with me being the Little Red Hen, three students helping with the other characters, and the remaining students saying, “And she did!” as needed. Last, the students spread out around the room with their four characters and practice retelling the story all by themselves. I rush around and listen to portions of the story as told by each student. It’s pretty impressive.
The students are proud of themselves and it’s easy to send the characters home so they can tell the story to their family.