Cara Carroll

Follow the Yellow Brick Road Retelling

I’m back today to report to you that I DID NOT have to suck it up and eat the larva for snack today.  And…PTL…I remembered my math & literacy stations AND I got a full 7 hours sleep…minus 30 minutes here and there thanks to a cover hogging husband :)  Yes friends, today was MUCH better than yesterday…well, except for having to control the LOUDNESS that is my classroom while our 4th graders took the STARR test today.  Bless their hearts. This week we’re working on retelling.  I feel like EVERY teacher does a pretty stinkin’ great job at driving home this concept.  I’m pretty sure we’re constantly asking questions before/during/after reading and encouraging to summarize stories in their own words.  Did y’all see Kelli’s post last night about Retelling Ropes??  Am I the ONLY teacher who’s NEVER heard of this?!?!?  I absolutely LOVED this idea!!!!! Retelling Rope image via Kelli @ Castles & Crayons GENIUS idea.  Absolutely GENIUS!!!  I saw her precious idea late last night while I was promising myself I’d get to bed early.  HA.  Clearly, I didn’t have enough time to head to the Lob and pick up my goodies to make my own retelling rope…which I swear I’m doing AS SOON as I leave school tomorrow…so I decided to play a little game of “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” Retelling with my kids instead.  wizardretell1-1  wizardretell2-1 We read the story, Bear’s Loose Tooth by Karma Wilson, and I had the kids follow the “yellow brick road” to retell the story in their own words.  Ohmiword.  They LOVED it.  A few of my girls were even singing the song in between rounds of retelling.  As a whole group, we worked to “retell” the story together. wizardretell3-1 I used stickies so that we can reuse our chart throughout the week!  When we finished adding to our chart, I had the kids retell the story in their own words using this recording sheet…. {click on the pic for your copy} Slide1 I left the yellow brick road out all day so that the kids would be able to practice retelling stories after reading to self/someone.  They were slightly *obsessed*.  I went ahead and hung up the yellow brick road at the end of the day so that we could use this visual as we continue practice our retelling skills.  wizardretell4-1 I can’t wait to make Kelli’s Retelling Rope to hang up, too!  The kids will LOVE it! I went ahead and made these Retelling Anchor Charts for the kids.  I’m going to run off a few copies, laminate them, and leave them in the reading center for the kids to use after they read.  I also included a little mini copy…a desk version of the charts.  I think I’m going to put these in the reading center also and let the kids use counters to “walk” on the yellow brick road as they retell the story as an option, too.  {Click on the pic for your download.} Slide1 If you’re looking for some more Wizard of Oz themed units, check out Abby’s Wizard of Oz Math & Literacy Unit and Kelly & Diane’s Wonderful Wizard of Oz Math & Literacy Centers.  They are BOTH to-die-for!!!  Can’t wait to put them to use in a few short weeks!!

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Comments

  2. Gladys says

    I also adored Kelli's retelling rope! My firsties are lovin' it! Thanks so much for the additions…these will work perfectly with read to someone!

    Gladys

    Reply

  12. Ms. D says

    I was so excited I may have peed a little when I read your post. I LOVE IT! I blogged about it and hope more people use your idea!!

    Erica
    littlesoaringeagles.blogspot.com

    Reply

  20. Meghan says

    Amazing!!! Thank you soooo much for sharing, and for the free downloads! I think I'm looping with my kids next year to 2nd grade… can you do the same?!?! 🙂

    Reply

  21. Erica says

    These are wonderful! Thank you. 🙂
    I am glad you survivied the STAAR test. I am in kinder and we are in the middle of two rooms that had testing – I was told to day that the paper towel dispenser in my room was too loud and we couldn't use it anymore. I am just glad it's timed and we only had to hold out until 12:30. Enjoy the rest of your STARR free week. 🙂

    Erica

    Sprinkles to Kindergarten

    Reply

  22. sheila says

    Glad you survived your Monday and are back on track. I have used the retell rope. HA! the teacher who told me about just used a hunk of rope. This is so-o-o much better. Can't wait to refine a great idea! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  23. Miss Kristan King says

    LOVE THEM!! The Wizard of Oz unit was a F.A.V. that I have to repeat again, my kids loved it. These Retelling Road & Retelling Rope are great things I have to make…off to Hobby Lobby (PTL for a 2 week spring break)!

    Reply

  30. darcey hooper says

    I have to tell you these are fabulous. I will be using them next week. They loved the Wizard of Oz theme we finished right after Kansas Day the beginning of February and haven't stopped talking about it. Thank you so much for the great Freebies and your Tpt store is great!! You are one blog I got to every week!! Thanks again you are amazing!!!

    Reply

  32. secondgradetchr says

    I absolutely love the retelling idea. I taught my students a cadence that I made up for retelling story elements. We haven't reviewed it in awhile and I was amazed that they still remembered it! Would you mind sharing your template for the rabbits? We are in the middle of a fraction unit and I would LOVE to do some engaging math before spring vacation! Thank you for all of your wonderful ideas! :o)

    Reply

  33. Angela says

    I love, love, LOVE this! Thanks for sharing! I can't wait to use this with my class after spring break! I was also contemplating having a class theme for my class next year. After reading this post, I'm thinking maybe Wizard of Oz! Thank you!

    Reply

  39. Amber Unger says

    Oh…my…goodness! I just found out about these via Pinterest. I am in LOVE! I have always loved the "Wizard of Oz" (was in the play twice) and any way I can incorporate the movie into my classroom, I'll take it! Thank you so much for sharing for free!! 🙂

    Reply

  44. ashleemccormick says

    Wowee Cara, you've outdone yourself yet again!!! This is such an amazing idea. I saw that you provided downloads for your icons to the yellow brick road. Is there any way that you can send me or upload the icons w/out the (very cute yellow background). I would love to use them, but simply didn't want to use all my color ink. If so, my email address is hama@duvalschools.org.

    Thanks SO much!!!
    Ashlee

    Reply

  45. emmecj says

    This is awesome!!!.. My school is T.W. Ogg … We have the Wizard of Oz theme.. Home of the Twisters..I so love this… I teach pre-k but I am sure I can use picture cards to start understanding story retelling…thank you!

    Reply

  46. Alexis says

    You have such amazing ideas!! I'm so glad you shared all your resources as well. By any chance do you have the clip art of the pictures by themselves? I would love to create the anchor chart too. If you dont mind sending them to me, my email is aburns1@live.com. Thanks a bunch!

    Reply

  47. Katie Shininger says

    I LOVE THIS! Thank you so much for sharing. I have a huge favor to ask, I would love to make them like you did with the yellow construction paper. My school won't be too thrilled with me using that much ink and neither will my wonderful husband. If you don't mind could you please send me that? My email is shiningerk@gmail.com Thank you soooooo much!!

    Reply

  48. Lindsey says

    Oh. My. Goodness!!! I am in love with your Yellow Brick Road Retelling. I might have squealed when I saw the download. Thank you so much!!!

    Reply

  51. Stephanie says

    Hi, I absolutely love these!! When I printed them out the little questions under the headings weren't there (I tried printing from google docs and downloading it first).
    I was wondering if you could email me the PDF's and then I can print them. (secianciosi@gmail.com)
    I really wanted to use this tomorrow! hehe

    Great Blog!!
    Stephanie

    Reply

  55. Marion says

    OMG. Thank you so much for this I was thinking how wonderful this resource was and how I would be able to create my own when I saw the download. Thank you so much for sharing. It has made my day so much easier. Thank you again.

    Reply

  61. Ellen Mask says

    This is wonderful!!!! I cannot wait to begin using this with my library lessons! Like several others, I would really like to have the clipart without the background it if is available. My e-mail address is ellendmask@gmail.com.

    I can't wait to explore your blog more to find other great ideas!

    Thanks!

    Reply

  64. Julie Marciniak says

    I just found this post today and boy do I feel like I hit the jackpot! Cara, I am a devoted "newer" follower of yours and I think you have one of the most fascinatingly fun and comprehensive teaching blogs ever created! (Jumping up and down at this point!) You are so lovely to share these retelling posters with us! Thank you so much. It is EXACTLY what I was looking for.
    Julie
    Ms. Marciniak's First Grade Critter Cafe

    Reply

  68. Sara says

    I downloaded the PDFs but some of the small print doesn't come through… so instead of saying "Finally How did the story end? What event happened last?" it just says "Finally". Both the worksheet PDF and the signs did this.

    Reply

  69. Jennifer says

    I am so excited to teach The Wizard of Oz this year for the first time! Thank you, for sharing the adorable freebies. I wanted to know which Wizard of Oz book you read to your students? I am unsure of which book to purchase.

    Reply

  71. amy grant says

    I think your theme on the storytelling rope is absolutely amazing!!! Super cute, I love it so much I am using for my lesson during my pre-student teaching and I am super excited! I love how you have the characters on the white backdrop on the poster so that you are able to reuse it. Is there any way you could email me those pictures against the white? My school would not love it so much if i had to waste a ton of yellow ink. If you could that would be FANTASTIC!!

    love love your blog

    grant1as.cmu@gmail.com
    Amy Grant

    Reply

  72. Linda says

    Hi! I love your modification of the retelling rope. This is a fantastic strategy to use with my English Language Learners! Can you please email me what the smaller print on each card says. I want to make this before the new school year starts. Thanks a million for your creativity!

    Linda Arias
    linarias@sbcglobal.net

    Reply

  75. Kathy says

    I love the Wizard of Oz pictures. Do you have the colored pictures that are not on the yellow background? I am not allowed to use that much yellow ink.

    Reply

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