English Year 1/2 Spring Myths and Legends
Chinese New Year
Share written and oral versions of traditional tales including The Great Race, The Runaway Wok and The Race Across the River. Have fun retelling the stories and creating your own versions using story maps. Learn how to use co-ordinating and subordinating conjunctions and apostrophes in sentences.
Start with the core unit to introduce key texts. Then select from comprehension, SPAG and composition units.
Unit 1 Core: Oral and written versions of traditional tales
(suggested as 5 days)
Group Readers
The Race Across the River
This beautifully illustrated retelling of the traditional tale explains how each year came to be named after an animal. The Jade Emperor’s birthday celebration turns into an exciting race across the river. Which order will the animals arrive in? This lovely story offers an opportunity to discuss place numbers, as well as fitting in perfectly with teaching about Chinese New Year.
You Will Need
Essential Texts
The Great Race by Emily Hiles
The Runaway Wok by Ying Chang Compestine
River Race Hamilton oral story on our YouTube channel
Hamilton Group Reader
The Race Across the River by Ruth Merttens
Unit 2 SPaG: Subordinating Conjunctions
(suggested as 3 days)
Lesson Planning
SPaG: Grammar and Punctuation
You Will Need
Essential Texts
The Great Race by Emily Hiles
Hamilton Group Reader
The Race Across the River by Ruth Merttens
Group Readers
The Race Across the River
This beautifully illustrated retelling of the traditional tale explains how each year came to be named after an animal. The Jade Emperor’s birthday celebration turns into an exciting race across the river. Which order will the animals arrive in? This lovely story offers an opportunity to discuss place numbers, as well as fitting in perfectly with teaching about Chinese New Year.
Unit 3 SPaG: Apostrophes for contracted forms
(suggested as 2 days)
Lesson Planning
SPaG: Grammar and Punctuation
There is no spelling and grammar presentation for this unit.
You Will Need
Essential Texts
River Race Hamilton oral story on our YouTube channel
Unit 4 Composition: Write a story based on a traditional tale
(suggested as 5 days)
Lesson Planning
Group Readers
The Race Across the River
This beautifully illustrated retelling of the traditional tale explains how each year came to be named after an animal. The Jade Emperor’s birthday celebration turns into an exciting race across the river. Which order will the animals arrive in? This lovely story offers an opportunity to discuss place numbers, as well as fitting in perfectly with teaching about Chinese New Year.
You Will Need
Essential Texts
River Race Hamilton Oral Story on our YouTube channel
Dinosaur/Dragon Hamilton Oral Story on our YouTube Channel
Hamilton Group Reader
The Race Across the River by Ruth Merttens
Optional Texts
Selection of non-fiction books about animals for reference