Bear and Turtle Race - Children's Story

# Bear and Turtle Have a Race ## Session 1: Read ### Stop & Discuss Why does Bear think he can beat Turtle in a race? Underline the sentences that show why Bear thinks he will win the race. Then discuss those sentences with a partner. Bear calls himself "____". He thinks he is ____. ### Retold...

# Bear and Turtle Have a Race ## Session 1: Read ### Stop & Discuss Why does Bear think he can beat Turtle in a race? Underline the sentences that show why Bear thinks he will win the race. Then discuss those sentences with a partner. Bear calls himself "____". He thinks he is ____. ### Retold by Pat Betteley 1. It was winter and the river was frozen. Bear had not yet learned that it was wiser to sleep through the White Season. As he walked through the woods, he began to brag about himself, as usual. "I am Bear the speedy. I am the fastest animal in the forest," he said. 2. A little voice piped up. It was Turtle. "Pardon me, Bear, but I think I am faster." 3. "Turtle? You are the slowest of all animals. If we raced, I would leave you far behind." Perhaps Bear forgot that Turtle's greatest speed was in his wits. 4. "Let me swim in the river while you run on land," said Turtle. "I will make holes in the ice and peek up through the holes so you will know where I am." 5. Bear agreed. ## Lesson 1 6. The next day, the woodland animals lined the riverbank to watch the race. Turtle's head appeared in a hole by the starting line. Fox gave the signal to start. 7. Turtle's head disappeared into the first hole. Bear walked at an easy pace. 8. "I will easily beat Turtle," he thought. Ahead in the river, Bear saw Turtle's little green head poke through a hole in the ice. 9. "I am here, Bear. Catch up to me!" called Turtle. 10. How did he get ahead of me? Bear wondered. He began to walk briskly. 11. Farther ahead, Turtle's little green head popped through another hole in the ice. 12. I cannot believe it. Turtle is beating me, thought Bear. 13. Bear ran as fast as he could, but Turtle reached the finish line far ahead of him. Bear was so embarrassed that he dragged himself back to his den and slept through the rest of the White Season. 14. After Bear had left, Turtle turned to face the river. 15. "My dear family," he began. Many little green heads popped up in holes along the riverbank. Each looked identical to Turtle. "You helped me beat Bear. Now we will not have to listen to him brag anymore. When we work together, we can accomplish things we could never do alone." **Pace = speed** **Briskly = quickly** ### Stop & Discuss How does Turtle beat Bear? Find details that help you understand how Turtle tricks Bear. Discuss those details with a partner.