Languages and literacy
Billy Goats Gruff: story mapping and retelling
Read a six-panel Billy Goats Gruff comic, map its characters, setting and events, then retell the story in order. Pupils can finish by changing one story detail and creating a different ending with a partner.
Read the Billy Goats Gruff pictures in order, then use them to retell the story.
Read the complete materialRead the material
Read a six-panel Billy Goats Gruff comic, map its characters, setting and events, then retell the story in order. Pupils can finish by changing one story detail and creating a different ending with a partner.
Activity. Use the preview for diagrams and layout.
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NAME CLASS DATE LEARNING GOAL Know the beginning, middle and end of a story, and retell it in order. SUCCESS CRITERIA I can name the characters and the setting. I can put the main events in order. I can retell the story using joining words. 1 Read the comic Read the six panels in order: left to right, then the next row. Point to who is speaking. Story mapping and retelling Map the story ENGLISH AGES 6 TO 9 STORY MAPPING Billy Goats Gruff Read The Three Billy Goats Gruff, map the story, then retell it yourself. TRIP, TRAP! Three billy goats called Gruff lived on a hill. They were hungry. Across the river, the grass was long and green. Letās cross the bridge! Under the bridge lived a grumpy troll. Trip, trap! The little goat stepped onto the bridge. Who is that on my bridge? Iām going to eat you up! āWait for my bigger brother,ā said the little goat. So the troll let him go. Trip, trap! Here came the middle goat. Wait for my big brother! The troll let him go too. Then the great big goat stamped onto the bridge. TRIP, TRAP! Now I will eat YOU up! The big goat put his head down and charged. He knocked the troll off the bridge! SPLASH! The troll swam away and never came back. The goats ate the sweet green grass and grew fat and happy. Yum! NEXT 1 2 3 4 5 6 PageĀ 1Ā ofĀ 3
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2 Draw and write each part Draw a picture in each box. Then write a few words. Follow the arrows: the panels go in story order. Story mapping and retelling Retell it ENGLISH STORY MAP Mapping the story DRAW A Characters Who is in the story? DRAW B Setting Where does the story happen? DRAW 1 First, Beginning: why do the goats want to cross? DRAW 2 Next, Crossing 1: what happens to the little goat? DRAW 3 Then, Crossing 2: what happens to the middle goat? DRAW 4 After that, Crossing 3: what does the big goat do? DRAW 5 Finally, End: how does the story end? 6 Say it! Tell a partner Retell the story out loud. Tick each joining word you use. first next then after that finally NEXT PageĀ 2Ā ofĀ 3
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3 Make your own comic Write what happens in each caption box. Write what the character says in the speech bubble. GO FURTHER Change one thing in the story. What if the troll was kind? What if there were four goats? Write your new ending. HOW DID I DO? Not yet Getting there Got it Story mapping and retelling THE END ENGLISH RETELLING Retell it in your own words 1 First, THE LITTLE GOAT SAYS 2 Next, THE TROLL SAYS 3 Then, THE BIG GOAT SAYS 4 Finally, THE TROLL THINKS PageĀ 3Ā ofĀ 3
A teaching sequence
Identify characters and setting, sequence key events and retell a story in your own words using time-joining words.
Read the Billy Goats Gruff pictures in order, then use them to retell the story.
Read the complete materialMap who and where
Name or draw the characters and setting in the story map.
Which picture places the goats beside the bridge?
Read the Billy Goats Gruff pictures in order, then use them to retell the story.
Read the complete materialOrder the crossings
Draw or write a short note for each event: first, the little goat crosses; next, the middle goat crosses; then, the big goat confronts the troll; finally, show how the story ends.
What happens before the little goat crosses?
Tell it aloud
Retell the story aloud to a partner, using joining words such as first, next, then, after that and finally.
Which joining word makes the next event clear?
Make the comic your own
Use the four comic panels to retell the story in the pupilās own words, including a characterās speech or thought. Then for the extension, change one detail and write or tell a new ending.
Which speech bubble belongs to the character in this panel?
Before you teach
Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.
What to look for
Check that the retelling follows the event order and names who is speaking or acting. Ask pupils to point to a panel that supports their account and listen for joining words that connect events. Invite the pupil to retell without the pictures too.
Give a little support
Offer picture sequencing cards or a partially completed story map. Let pupils retell orally while an adult records key words, and practise one joining word at a time. Allow rehearsal with a partner.
Take the idea further
Ask pupils to compare their new ending with the original and explain how changing the trollās behaviour affects the story. They can add dialogue that makes a characterās motive clearer.
Things to keep in mind
This is one retelling of a traditional story, with a conflict and a troll knocked from a bridge. Consider whether the version and wording suit the group; pupils may use a different familiar story or change the ending.
Keep the idea. Make it yours.
Bring your topic, learning goal and class context to PLAIā¢, then review what you create.
Ideas to try with your class
Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.
Meet The Creators
Meet the creators whose teaching interests connect with this template. Find an approach to try with your class.
Hannah Wright
I put reading for pleasure at the centre of a shared conversation, offering passages, questions, partner exchanges and listening so pupils have different ways into the same book.
Meet the creator
Aisha Rahman
I look at how a pupil applies a sound or pattern and decide whether to revisit it, model another word or move on.
Meet the creator
Good Question
The three-page organiser for ages 6 to 9 uses a six-panel comic of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, then asks pupils to map characters, setting and events and retell the beginning, middle and end with joining words.
Chalk Dust & Checklists
Reading panels left to right and then the next row gives pupils a clear order before mapping the tale. The task links event sequence to a retelling in the pupil's own words.
Helpful Highlighter
Point to each panel while naming who is speaking, then use a story map before asking for an oral retell. Offer āfirst,ā āthenā and āfinallyā as prompts without dictating the exact retelling.
Extra Page
The organiser concerns this one familiar tale and its supplied comic. Check that the story version matches the class text and distinguish supported retelling from independent recall.