You will learn
- Say what retelling is.
- Retell a story using beginning, middle and end.
- Include characters and setting in a retelling.
- Use order words when retelling.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Retelling means telling a story again.
- Use your own words.
- Include who, where and what happens.
- Keep the events in order.
Words to know
tell again in your own words
the important parts
not the exact words
one after the other
1. Discover: Tell it again
Ayo hears the story of the tortoise and the bird. His friend asks, “What was it about?” Ayo says, “First, a tortoise could not climb a hill. Next, a bird helped him. At the end, the tortoise got to the top and said thank you.” He has retold the story.
Think: Which order words did Ayo use?
2. Understand: Retelling
Idea 1: What is retelling?
To retell is to tell a story again in your own words.
Idea 2: Key details
Include the important parts: the characters, the setting and the main events.
Idea 3: In order
Use words such as first, next, then, last so your listener can follow.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Retell the start
Retell the beginning of the tortoise story.
- Who is in it?
- What is the problem?
Answer: A tortoise could not climb a hill.
Example 2 (We do it together): Retell the middle
Retell the middle.
- Who helped?
- What did they do?
Answer: A bird helped him.
Example 3 (You try): Retell the end
Retell the end.
Show the steps and answer
- How does it finish?
- What did he say?
Answer: He got to the top and said thank you.
Did you know?
Retelling stories is how many cultures keep their stories alive.
Why this matters
Retelling shows that you understand a story and helps you remember it.
4. Explore: Story partners
Retell to a partner.
- Listen to or read a short story.
- Think of beginning, middle and end.
- Tell it to a partner using first, next, last.
- Your partner tells it back.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can retell a story in order.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- First, ___.
- Next, ___.
- Then, ___.
- At the end, ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Retell the start.
a tortoise could not climb a hill
Question 2. Retell the middle.
a bird helped him
Question 3. Retell the end.
he got to the top
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Retell means to tell a story ___.
- Use your own ___.
- Who is in the tortoise story?
- Where does the story happen?
- Use first, next and ___.
Level 2: Grow
- Retell the tortoise story in three sentences.
- What should we include?
- What order words can we use?
Level 3: Stretch
- Retell a story you know in your own words.
- Why do we retell in order?
- Kofi retells the end first. What should he do?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Retell a story you know to a family member.
Show a sample answer
First, a girl found a lost puppy…
Another one. Draw and label a retelling in three boxes.
Show a sample answer
Pictures with first, next, last.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Tell the important parts.
Fix: Use your own words.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what retelling is.
- I can retell a story in order.
- I can include characters and setting.
- I can use order words.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Retell in your own words.
- Include characters, setting and events.
- Keep events in order.
- Use order words.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Identifying important details. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What does retell mean? [1 mark]
- Name two things to include in a retelling. [2 marks]
- Name three order words. [1 mark]
- Retell the tortoise story. [3 marks]
- Explain why we retell in order. [3 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- tell a story again in your own words [1]
- characters [1]; setting or events [1]
- first, next, last [1]
- beginning [1]; middle [1]; end [1]
- so the listener can follow [1]; so the story makes sense [1]; example [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Retell means telling a story ___.
- We use our own ___.
- Include the characters and ___.
- Start with the ___.
- End with the ___.
- Order word at the start
- Order word at the end
- True or false: retell in any order.
- Retell a story you know.
- Draw a retelling in three boxes.
Homework
Retell a story to a family member using first, next and last.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Retell means telling a story ___. | again | 1 |
| 2. We use our own ___. | words | 1 |
| 3. Include the characters and ___. | setting | 1 |
| 4. Start with the ___. | beginning | 1 |
| 5. End with the ___. | end | 1 |
| 6. Order word at the start | first | 1 |
| 7. Order word at the end | last | 1 |
| 8. True or false: retell in any order. | false | 1 |
| 9. Retell a story you know. | a clear retelling | 1 |
| 10. Draw a retelling in three boxes. | three drawings | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 again; 2 words; 3 the tortoise and a bird; 4 on a hill; 5 last. Level 2: 1 three sentences in order; 2 characters, setting and events; 3 first, next, last. Level 3: 1 a clear retelling; 2 so the listener can follow; 3 start with the beginning.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what retelling is | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Retell a story using beginning, middle and end | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Include characters and setting in a retelling | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Use order words when retelling | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Telling every tiny detail. Tell the important parts.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use picture cards in order.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns to tell a story again in their own words. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Ask for a retelling after reading.
- Praise order words.
- Do not worry about exact words.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what retelling is; retell a story using beginning, middle and end; include characters and setting in a retelling; use order words when retelling.
Prerequisite knowledge. Beginning, middle, and end.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Read a story, then retell it as a model.
Explanation (10 min). Teach key details and order words.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise in pairs.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners retell to the class.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Who? Where? What happened first, next, last?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use picture cards in order. Extension. Retell with expression.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Telling every tiny detail. Tell the important parts.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use picture cards in order. Enrichment. Retell a story with more detail and expression. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Reading: Foundational Skills; Grade 1 » Reading: Literature; Grade 1 » Reading: Informational Text. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RL.1.2 (retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson); IES What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade; Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (reading comprehension). These sources informed the lesson.