Key Ideas
What Is Retelling?
Retelling means telling a story again in your own words after you have read or heard it. You include the most important parts — who, what, and what happened.
Beginning, Middle, End
Every story has three parts. The beginning introduces the characters and setting. The middle has the main problem or events. The end shows how things are resolved.
Retelling Words
Use special words to order your retelling: First… tells the beginning. Then… and Next… tell the middle. Finally… or At the end… tells how the story finishes.
Key Details to Include
A good retelling mentions: characters (who), setting (where), the problem (what went wrong), and the solution (how it was fixed). You don't need every detail — just the important ones.
Read This Story
The Lost Kite
Zara and her little brother Leo went to the park on a sunny afternoon. Zara had a beautiful red kite with a long yellow tail. She was very excited to fly it for the first time.
Zara threw the kite up into the air and it soared high above the trees. Then suddenly a gust of wind came. It pulled the string right out of Zara's hands! The kite flew up, up, up and got caught in a tall oak tree.
Zara felt sad. Leo had an idea. "Let's ask the park keeper," he said. The park keeper had a long ladder. She climbed up and carefully lifted the kite free from the branches. Zara thanked her and gave her a big smile. At the end of the day, the two children flew the kite together all the way home.
Retelling Guide
Zara and Leo went to the park. Zara had a brand new red kite and wanted to fly it.
The kite got caught in a tree when the wind pulled the string away from Zara.
Leo had the idea to ask the park keeper, who used a ladder to rescue the kite.
Key Vocabulary
To tell a story again in your own words after you have read or heard it.
The order in which things happen — beginning, middle, then end.
The difficulty or challenge that the main character faces in the middle of a story.
How the problem is fixed or resolved, usually near the end of the story.
Knowledge Check
1. Which part of the story is this: "Zara and Leo went to the park. Zara had a new red kite."
2. What was the problem in "The Lost Kite"?
3. Which word is best to use when retelling the ending of a story?
4. How was the problem solved in "The Lost Kite"?
Lesson Summary
- • Retelling means telling a story again in your own words, keeping the key details.
- • Every story has a beginning (characters/setting), middle (problem), and end (solution).
- • Use sequence words: First…, Then…, Next…, Finally… to order your retelling.
- • A great retelling includes who the characters are, where the story happens, and what the problem and solution were.