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      Sequencing 'Yoshi the Stonecutter' and making connections

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can make connections linked to my own experiences and sequence events in a story.

      Key learning points

      1. Traditional tales often have a theme that is central to the story.
      2. The theme often leads to a moral that can teach us a lesson about something.
      3. Thinking about the moral can help us change something in our lives.
      4. When we sequence events in a story, we put them in chronological order.
      5. Sequencing the main events of the story helps to summarise the whole story.

      Keywords

      • Theme - a big idea, topic or message that appears in a story

      • Moral - a lesson that can be learnt from a story or experience

      • Sequence - place events in order

      • Chronological - following the order in which a series of events happened

      Common misconception

      Children may find it difficult to identify the main events in the story and they may try to include too much information.

      Explain that the main events are the most important moments in the story. Without these moments, the story would not flow. Pick out some elements of the text that are minor moments and share these as non-examples.

      Teacher tip

      For Task B, provide children with the story map from page 24 of the book. Give them the opportunity to talk through the pictures in pairs.

      Equipment

      You need a copy of the 2011 Oxford University Press edition of ‘Yoshi the Stonecutter’ by Becca Heddle and Meg Hunt for this lesson.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Which of these adjectives best describes Yoshi at the start of the story?

      happy
      Correct answer: poor
      rich

      Q2.
      Which of these are often features of traditional tales?

      Correct answer: heroes and villains
      rhyme
      headings
      Correct answer: themes

      Q3.
      What mode of transport does Yoshi get given when he becomes a prince?

      a donkey
      a horse and cart
      a racing car
      Correct answer: a carriage

      Q4.
      Which of these can help us to build our comprehension of a text?

      Correct answer: skimming and scanning
      reading a text as quickly as possible
      Correct answer: having discussions
      Correct answer: summarising events
      ignoring unfamiliar words

      Q5.
      Why do you think the spirit "smiled" at the end when Yoshi asked to return to being a "stonecutter"?

      The spirit smiled because it found Yoshi's wish silly.
      The spirit smiled because Yoshi gave it a gift to say thank you.
      Correct answer: The spirit smiled because it was happy that Yoshi had learned about happiness.
      The spirit smiled because it was planning to trick Yoshi.

      Q6.
      True or false? Yoshi became a king at the end of the story.

      Correct Answer: false, False

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      What is a theme in a traditional tale?

      a summary of a story
      Correct answer: a big idea, topic or message that appears in a story
      the reader's favourite part of a story

      Q2.
      Which of these is a theme in 'Yoshi the Stonecutter'?

      wisdom
      courage
      love and family
      Correct answer: greed

      Q3.
      What is a moral?

      a piece of interesting information from a story
      a summary of a story
      Correct answer: a lesson that can be learnt from a story

      Q4.
      What is the moral of 'Yoshi the Stonecutter'?

      If you lie often, people won't believe you when you tell the truth.
      If you ask, you won't get it.
      Correct answer: Be grateful for the things you have.
      Hard work and preparation pay off.

      Q5.
      Place these events in chronological order.

      1 - Yoshi made a wish and was turned into a rich person.
      2 - Yoshi made a wish and was turned into a prince.
      3 - Yoshi made a wish and was turned into the Sun.
      4 - Yoshi made a wish and was turned into a cloud.
      5 - Yoshi made a wish and was turned into a rock.
      6 - Yoshi made a wish and was turned back into a "stonecutter".

      Q6.
      Which of these is a main event in 'Yoshi the Stonecutter'?

      Yoshi wore expensive clothes.
      Correct answer: Yoshi wished to return to being a "stonecutter".
      Yoshi has a "bent" back.

      To help you plan your 2 English lesson on: Sequencing 'Yoshi the Stonecutter' and making connections, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...