Text Talk: Goldilocks and The Three Bears

Text Talk Lesson for

Goldilocks and The Three Bears

Retold and Illustrated by James Marshall

Puffin Books, 1998

 

Summary: This story of Goldilocks and The Three Bears follows along the original story line that is very well known. Goldilocks is little girl who doesn’t follow her mother’s instructions to not go into the woods. Meanwhile, Mama Bear fixes her bear family some porridge for breakfast. All three bears decide the porridge is too hot so they decided to go on a bike ride to let it cool. While they are gone, Goldilocks finds their cozy empty cottage very amuzing. She invites herself in, makes a mess of the Bears’ porridge, breaks baby bear’s chair, and tries out all of their beds. She ends up falling asleep in baby bear’s bed. When the bears come home they are angry to find the mess. When they find Goldilocks asleep in baby bear’s bed, she wakes up frightened and jumps out the window!

Focus: To find out what happens when Goldilocks doesn’t listen to her mother and the trouble she causes. Another focus is to learn from Goldilocks’ mistake.

Comments and Questions:

Cover: Show the cover and read the title. Ask children if they know who the characters are on the book. Ask them to make a prediction of what may happen to see if they already know the story.

Page 1

What’s going to happen when Goldilocks falls in the water? ( The water will splash out and get everyone wet)

Page 2

What does it mean to be naughty? ( To not listen and do what you are supposed to do)

Page 3

The house does look very charming. It has plants in the windows and gardens on the outside. It looks very nice.

Page 9

Goldilocks walked right in the Bears’ house. What should she have done?? ( She should have knocked first)

Page 11

Oh my goodness! She is making a mess!

Page 12

What do you think the book means by coarse brown fur? ( rough, hard, not soft)

Page 16

The book says Goldilocks is “tuckered out” what does that mean by looking at the picture? (tired, sleepy)

Page 21

Do the bears look happy? ( no!)

Page 23

When reading “parlor” explain that it is a sitting area where the family can sit together much like a living room.

Wrap-up

What are some things goldilocks should and should not have done  from the beginning of the story? 

• Should have: listened to her mother, knocked before going into the the Bears’ home, gone home
• Should not have: Gone into the Bears’ home, made a mess, and fell asleep in their beds.

Why should we listen to our parents and teachers? ( answers will vary)

Vocabulary: naughty, coarse,  parlor

Naughty

In the story, Goldilocks is known to be a “naughty little girl who do exactly as they please”. Naughty means to not listen, or have bad behavior.  Say the word naughty.

Lets think of a time that we didn’t follow directions or listen to our parents, maybe about a time we were naughty.

What’s our word? Naughty

Coarse

In the story Goldilocks noticed ” a lot of coarse brown fur everywhere.” We have learned that coarse means something feels rough and not very soft. I am going to name some objects and you tell me “yes” if it’s soft by standing up or “no” its hard by sitting down. So everyone stand up and get ready.

• a kitten’s fur (soft, stand up)
• a paint brush ( hard, sit down)
• a teddy bear ( soft, sit down)
• the bottom part of a broom ( hard, sit down)

Parlor

Also, in our story the bears were shown sitting in the parlor. We learned that a parlor could be a sitting area or a place for your family to gather together. Where are some places in your home that your family likes to sit together and what do you do?

Those are great examples! What is the word we are discussing now? Parlor

Ok, we have talked about three words now: naughty, coarse, and parlor. Lets think about them a little more:

• was goldilocks naughty or nice in the story?
• is a kitten’s fur soft or coarse?
• What is a parlor?