Scott Foresman Reading Street

Literature in Reading

Examine features of a fable.
Practice a test-taking strategy.
Compare and contrast across texts.

PREVIEW

As students preview "The Hare and the Tortoise," have them identify the animal characters in the story. After they preview, ask:

As you look at the illustration, what can you say about the hare and the tortoise? (They are facing each other and Hare's arms (or front legs) are crossed. They may be confronting each other.)

Link to Reading

Help students use the online library catalog to find other fables or the same fable from different cultures, in the library.

Whole Group Discuss the Question of the Day.

Group Time
Differentiated Instruction

"The Hare and the Tortoise." See pp. 224f–224g
for the small group lesson plan.

Reading

Language Arts
Use pp. 249e–249h and
249k–249m.

Whole Group Use pp. 249a
and 249j.

Grouping Options

FABLE

Use the sidebar on p. 248 to guide discussion.

A fable is a short story, usually
with animal characters, that has a clearly stated lesson.
Animal characters in fables are personified and often have one
character trait that relates to the lesson being taught.

AudioText

Possible response: It is more important to be persistent than to be fast.

CONNECT TEXT TO TEXT

Reading Across Texts

Write the characters' names from each story as students name them. Put a star next to winners and a sad face next to losers. Discuss what happened in each story and why the winners won and the losers lost.

Writing Across Texts Students may find it helpful to use a chart, such as a Venn diagram, a compare-contrast chart, and a four-column chart (Graphic Organizers 17, 18, and 27).

Find other fables in
the library. Report
other morals or lessons
you find to your class.

Link to Reading

The moral is usually
stated at the end of the
story, highlighting its
importance.

The author tells a very
brief story that clearly
points to a moral or
a lesson.

Animals are often
the main characters in
a fable.

Genre

Fable

Writing Across Texts Write
a short paragraph comparing
the losers.

Reading Across Texts
Who were the winner and the loser
in this story and in Tops and Bottoms?
Why did the loser lose each time?

Slow and steady wins the race.

     One day a quick-footed Hare was
making fun of a slow-moving Tortoise.
Much to the Hare’s surprise, the
Tortoise began to laugh. “I challenge
you to a race,” said the Tortoise, “and
I bet that I will win.”
     “Very well,” said the Hare, “I will
dance rings around you all the way.”
     It was soon agreed that the Fox
would set the course and be the judge.
The race began and the Hare ran so
quickly that he soon left the Tortoise far
behind. Once he reached the middle
of the course, the Hare decided to take
a nap.
     While the Hare slept, the Tortoise
plodded on and on, straight toward
the finish line. When the Hare awoke
from his nap, he was surprised that the
Tortoise was nowhere in sight. Racing
to the finish line as fast as he could, the
Hare was shocked to find the Tortoise
waiting for him with a smile on his face.

illustrated by Michael Hague

by Aesop

What lesson is the author trying to teach?

Author’s Purpose

hare	an animal with long ears, a short tail, and long hind legs, a little bit larger than a rabbit
tortoise	a turtle

Test Practice Call attention to the words quick-footed and slow-moving in the first line of the story, and make sure students can explain the contrast between the two characters. To clarify the story ending, ask students which character would most likely win the race (Hare) and why he didn't (he took a nap).