National Simultaneous Storytime is an annual event that promotes literacy and storytelling across Australia. Each year, a new children’s book is chosen to be read aloud in classrooms and libraries across the country. For National Simultaneous Storytime 2023, the book “The Speedy Sloth” by Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie has been selected. This delightful story follows a determined sloth who is determined to win a race against faster animals.
In addition to reading the book, there are many fun and educational activities that teachers can do in their classrooms to further engage with the story. Here are some activities that you can try:
Research and Writing: Encourage students to research sloths and write a report about their habitat, diet, and unique features. This will help them understand the context of the story and appreciate the character of the sloth even more.
Sloth Craft Display Wall: Create a sloth craft display wall where students can write about a time they used perseverance. This will help them identify with the sloth’s determination and how it relates to their own experiences.
Compare Real Sloths: Compare the characteristics of real sloths to the sloth in the story. This will help students understand how the author has personified the animal for the purpose of storytelling.
Write a Newspaper Article: Ask students to write a newspaper article about the events on the race day. This will encourage them to practice their writing skills while also exploring the story in greater detail.
Design a Special Medal: Challenge students to design a special medal for perseverance and grit. This will help them understand the value of determination and hard work, which are key themes in the book.
Design a Sloth Speed Suit: Encourage students to design their own sloth speed suit. This will help them explore the story in a creative way and use their imagination.
Sloth Race: Have a sloth race or reenact the race from the story. This will encourage students to move their bodies and have fun while also learning about the story.
Rhyming Words: Encourage students to match the rhyming words in the story. This will help them understand the rhythm of the story and appreciate the clever wordplay.
“The Speedy Sloth” by Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie is a wonderful book that can inspire children to never give up and keep trying their best. By engaging in these activities, children can deepen their understanding of the story while also having fun and being creative.
Check out these fun activities I’ve created to go along with the story!
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