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The turtle and the Rabbit Save As Favorite
The turtle and the Rabbit Grade: Grade 3
Subject: English Language Arts
Created by: Angelica Swisher
Lesson Length: 45 minutes
Keywords/Tags: Vocabulary, Writing, Comprehension
Lesson Description: This lesson focuses on a short story, allowing students to evaluate and understand vocabulary, work on their writing abilities, and comprehension skills.
Common Core Standards Covered with This Lesson
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
  • 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.RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.3a: Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1b: Provide reasons that support the opinion.
 
     
     
 
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 (40 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: Challenge | Tier: 2 | Points: 10
Q1 The rabbit tells the turtle "I challenge any one here to race with me." What is a challenge?
A. A job
B. A picnic
C. A competition *
D. An animal
Which one of the sentences below uses the word "challenge" best?
A. This morning, Ryan did not want to get out of bed. He thought it was quite a challenge. *
B. After school the two girls went for a challenge.
C. The challenge was outside of the school, it was bright and shiny!
D. My mom was very tired last night, she forgot to make the challenge for dinner.
Word/Phrase: Victory | Tier: 2 | Points: 10
Q2 The rabbit says to the turtle "You will never be able to speed past me. You will not get the victory." What does the word "victory" mean?
A. A win *
B. A nice meal
C. A competition
D. A fancy dance
Which one of the following sentences correctly uses "victory"?
A. Yesterday night after the game, Rachel claimed her victory with first place. *
B. The victory last night was very long and hard.
C. I went to the store and purchases a victory.
D. Victory smells very weird, like lemons and broccoli.
Word/Phrase: Course | Tier: 3 | Points: 10
Q3 The author says in the story "So a course was fixed and a start was made." What does "course" mean in this story?
A. A classroom
B. A new notebook
C. A mouse
D. A trail for a race *
Select the sentence that uses the word "course" correctly.
A. The course that we ran this morning was long and curvy. *
B. The course I found had lots of information about bugs.
C. A new course just in- the teachers are getting a raise!
D. A course crawled across the floor while I got out of the shower.
Word/Phrase: Boasting | Tier: 2 | Points: 10
Q4 The rabbit says “Keep your boasting till you've beaten me." What does the word "boasting" mean?
A. To brag *
B. To giggle
C. To lie
D. To dance
Which sentence below best uses the word "beating"?
A. The girl saw a boasting this morning when she got on the bus.
B. A boasting filled the room when I fell off the ladder.
C. The boasting last night was very fun and filled with music.
D. This evening, I went home and heard my sister boasting about her A+ on her science test. *
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.3a,
 
     
     
 
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 Why was the rabbit so confident about winning the race?
The rabbit taunts the turtle by saying that he will win, but the turtle does not care. Why was the rabbit so confident that he would win the race?
Sent on: Feb 23, 2025 by: Angelica Swisher		 0
Message How was the turtle able to win the race?
The rabbit talks a lot about how he is much faster than the turtle. How was the turtle able to beat the rabbit in their race?
Sent on: Feb 23, 2025 by: Angelica Swisher		 0
Message Why does the turtle agree to the race?
The rabbit has been talking a lot about how super fast he is. If the turtle is so slow, why would he agree to race the rabbit?
Sent on: Feb 23, 2025 by: Angelica Swisher		 0
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3,
 
     
     
 
Task 3: Writing Activity (30 points)
Instructions: The story you read was about a turtle and a rabbit that got into a race. The rabbit was bragging and the turtle was tired of it! Explain the meaning of this story the best you can.
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1b,
 
     

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