Ready Steady Read Together
Stories from Aesop: Fiction Lesson 4
What do you think you know?
What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?
Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.
Explore
What do you know and think?
The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape…
How might this extract link to the illustration?
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Today's Question(s)
A) Put the events from the story in the correct order.
B) Name two things the woman did when the dove was fluttering in the net.
C) Why did the Ant climb the oak tree?
Explore
Let me read today's text
Explore
The Ant and the Dove – Part Two
With the last of her strength, Ant swam over to the twig and clung on. She was swept past rocks and down waterfalls, until at last she came to rest by the side of the stream. Ant tottered from the twig and kissed the ground, relieved to be on dry land once more. “Oh that was close!” she muttered. “The water nearly had me there. If it hadn’t been for that dove, for that dear, kind dove…” She looked around, wishing to thank the dove, only to see a woman standing above her on the bank. She had a net in her hand, and the dove was in it. “Oh no!” thought Ant. “A bird-catcher!”
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape, but the woman only laughed and gripped the net tighter. Ant scurried over as fast as she could. “I must get there in time, I must…” she thought. When she reached the woman, she scampered over her shoe and up her leg. Then she bit her, as hard as she could. Ant heard the woman scream and scuttled out again. The woman had dropped the net and the dove was nowhere to be seen. Quickly, Ant ran on, until she reached an old oak tree. She scurried up its gnarly bark, and there, from an outstretched branch, looked out. In the distance, she could just see the dove, flying free. “I saved him,” thought Ant, with a smile, “just as he saved me.” Moral: One good turn deserves another.
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Common Exception Words
Explore
last
wild
past
fast
water
could
kind
old
only
Explore
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
tottered
scampered
scurried
scuttled
gnarly bark
outstretched
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
I will model the first.
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
tottered
Explore
Find Read Talk
With the last of her strength, Ant swam over to the twig and clung on. She was swept past rocks and down waterfalls, until at last she came to rest by the side of the stream. Ant tottered from the twig and kissed the ground, relieved to be on dry land once more.
Reveal Vocabulary
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
tottered
Your turn
scurried
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
scampered
scuttled
gnarly bark
outstretched
Use your text
Explore
Vocabulary Check & Re-read
Explore
Reveal Vocabulary
The Ant and the Dove – Part Two
With the last of her strength, Ant swam over to the twig and clung on. She was swept past rocks and down waterfalls, until at last she came to rest by the side of the stream. Ant tottered from the twig and kissed the ground, relieved to be on dry land once more. “Oh that was close!” she muttered. “The water nearly had me there. If it hadn’t been for that dove, for that dear, kind dove…” She looked around, wishing to thank the dove, only to see a woman standing above her on the bank. She had a net in her hand, and the dove was in it. “Oh no!” thought Ant. “A bird-catcher!”
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Reveal Vocabulary
The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape, but the woman only laughed and gripped the net tighter. Ant scurried over as fast as she could. “I must get there in time, I must…” she thought. When she reached the woman, she scampered over her shoe and up her leg. Then she bit her, as hard as she could. Ant heard the woman scream and scuttled out again. The woman had dropped the net and the dove was nowhere to be seen. Quickly, Ant ran on, until she reached an old oak tree. She scurried up its gnarly bark, and there, from an outstretched branch, looked out. In the distance, she could just see the dove, flying free. “I saved him,” thought Ant, with a smile, “just as he saved me.” Moral: One good turn deserves another.
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Fluency
Explore
Let me use my reader's voice...
“Oh no!” thought Ant. “A bird-catcher!” The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape, but the woman only laughed and gripped the net tighter. Ant scurried over as fast as she could. “I must get there in time, I must…” she thought."
What did you notice?
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
My Turn
Your Turn
Echo Read
“Oh no!” thought Ant. “A bird-catcher!”
The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape,
but the woman only laughed and gripped the net tighter.
Ant scurried over as fast as she could.
“I must get there in time, I must…” she thought.
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sound like a reader!
Stand up!
Choral Read
“Oh no!” thought Ant. “A bird-catcher!” The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape, but the woman only laughed and gripped the net tighter. Ant scurried over as fast as she could. “I must get there in time, I must…” she thought."
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Focus
Explore
Strategy: Sequence It, Look Around & Find and Take
Be a word thief and steal what you've been asked to find...
Put the events in the right order!
A) Put the events from the story in the correct order.
What's the question asking? Now, what are you looking for?
Teach
Let me show you
Reveal Text Marks
She was swept past rocks and down waterfalls, until at last she came to rest by the side of the stream. Ant tottered from the twig and kissed the ground, relieved to be on dry land once more.
Reveal Explainer
First, I will read all the events. Then I will ‘look around’ to see which event happened first. The story starts with the ant clinging to the twig and reaching dry land. I can start to ‘sequence’ the events with the first event as C) The ant was relieved to reach dry land again.
A) The dove was flapping wildly in a net.
B) The woman dropped the net freeing the dove. C) The ant was relieved to reach dry land again.
D) The ant scurried over and bit the woman.
Teach
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?
Teach
Your Turn
A) The dove was flapping wildly in a net.
B) The woman dropped the net freeing the dove. C) The ant was relieved to reach dry land again.
D) The ant scurried over and bit the woman.
A) Put the events from the story in the correct order.
B) Name two things the woman did when the dove was fluttering in the net.
C) Why did the Ant climb the oak tree?
Text mark
Find the answers
Explore
Acceptable Answers
C) The ant was relieved to reach dry land again.
A) Put the events from the story in the correct order.
A) The dove was flapping wildly in a net.
D) The ant scurried over and bit the woman.
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
B) The woman dropped the net freeing the dove.
Practise & Apply
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence laughed
B) What did the woman do when the dove was caught in the net?
Text Mark Evidence gripped the net tighter
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Practise & Apply
Acceptable Answers
C) Why did the Ant climb the oak tree?
Text Mark Evidence she scurried up its gnarly bark and…looked out…she could just see the dove, flying free
to see if the dove escaped
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Practise & Apply
Quiz Time
Start
Picture Me
Which image is the best match for ‘gnarly’?
Find Me
Find two words that show Ant ran with quick steps:
Ant scurried over as fast as she could. “I must get there in time, I must…” she thought.
When she reached the woman, she scampered over her shoe and up her leg.
1 Discuss then check
2 Discuss then check
scurried
scampered
Which One's Right?
She scurried up its gnarly bark, and there, from an outstretched branch, looked out.
Which word best completes the sentence?
The word ‘outstretched’ means the branch is...
B short.
A long.
C thick.
D broken.
Tick Me
Moral: One good turn deserves another.
What does this moral mean?
Tick one:
A Only help someone if they will help you.
B If someone is kind to you, you should be kind to them.
Check
C Helping someone once is enough.
Click if correct
D Being kind is its own reward.
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
join a book club.
Reveal
Talk to others about books you've read to get new perspectives.
Copyright Notice
This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.
RSRT Y2 L4 Stories from Aesop
Literacy Counts
Created on November 11, 2025
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Urban Illustrated Presentation
View
3D Corporate Reporting
View
Discover Your AI Assistant
View
Vision Board
View
SWOT Challenge: Classify Key Factors
View
Explainer Video: Keys to Effective Communication
View
Explainer Video: AI for Companies
Explore all templates
Transcript
Ready Steady Read Together
Stories from Aesop: Fiction Lesson 4
What do you think you know?
What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?
Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.
Explore
What do you know and think?
The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape…
How might this extract link to the illustration?
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Today's Question(s)
A) Put the events from the story in the correct order.
B) Name two things the woman did when the dove was fluttering in the net.
C) Why did the Ant climb the oak tree?
Explore
Let me read today's text
Explore
The Ant and the Dove – Part Two
With the last of her strength, Ant swam over to the twig and clung on. She was swept past rocks and down waterfalls, until at last she came to rest by the side of the stream. Ant tottered from the twig and kissed the ground, relieved to be on dry land once more. “Oh that was close!” she muttered. “The water nearly had me there. If it hadn’t been for that dove, for that dear, kind dove…” She looked around, wishing to thank the dove, only to see a woman standing above her on the bank. She had a net in her hand, and the dove was in it. “Oh no!” thought Ant. “A bird-catcher!”
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape, but the woman only laughed and gripped the net tighter. Ant scurried over as fast as she could. “I must get there in time, I must…” she thought. When she reached the woman, she scampered over her shoe and up her leg. Then she bit her, as hard as she could. Ant heard the woman scream and scuttled out again. The woman had dropped the net and the dove was nowhere to be seen. Quickly, Ant ran on, until she reached an old oak tree. She scurried up its gnarly bark, and there, from an outstretched branch, looked out. In the distance, she could just see the dove, flying free. “I saved him,” thought Ant, with a smile, “just as he saved me.” Moral: One good turn deserves another.
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Common Exception Words
Explore
last
wild
past
fast
water
could
kind
old
only
Explore
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
tottered
scampered
scurried
scuttled
gnarly bark
outstretched
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
I will model the first.
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
tottered
Explore
Find Read Talk
With the last of her strength, Ant swam over to the twig and clung on. She was swept past rocks and down waterfalls, until at last she came to rest by the side of the stream. Ant tottered from the twig and kissed the ground, relieved to be on dry land once more.
Reveal Vocabulary
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
tottered
Your turn
scurried
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
scampered
scuttled
gnarly bark
outstretched
Use your text
Explore
Vocabulary Check & Re-read
Explore
Reveal Vocabulary
The Ant and the Dove – Part Two
With the last of her strength, Ant swam over to the twig and clung on. She was swept past rocks and down waterfalls, until at last she came to rest by the side of the stream. Ant tottered from the twig and kissed the ground, relieved to be on dry land once more. “Oh that was close!” she muttered. “The water nearly had me there. If it hadn’t been for that dove, for that dear, kind dove…” She looked around, wishing to thank the dove, only to see a woman standing above her on the bank. She had a net in her hand, and the dove was in it. “Oh no!” thought Ant. “A bird-catcher!”
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Reveal Vocabulary
The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape, but the woman only laughed and gripped the net tighter. Ant scurried over as fast as she could. “I must get there in time, I must…” she thought. When she reached the woman, she scampered over her shoe and up her leg. Then she bit her, as hard as she could. Ant heard the woman scream and scuttled out again. The woman had dropped the net and the dove was nowhere to be seen. Quickly, Ant ran on, until she reached an old oak tree. She scurried up its gnarly bark, and there, from an outstretched branch, looked out. In the distance, she could just see the dove, flying free. “I saved him,” thought Ant, with a smile, “just as he saved me.” Moral: One good turn deserves another.
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Fluency
Explore
Let me use my reader's voice...
“Oh no!” thought Ant. “A bird-catcher!” The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape, but the woman only laughed and gripped the net tighter. Ant scurried over as fast as she could. “I must get there in time, I must…” she thought."
What did you notice?
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
My Turn
Your Turn
Echo Read
“Oh no!” thought Ant. “A bird-catcher!”
The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape,
but the woman only laughed and gripped the net tighter.
Ant scurried over as fast as she could.
“I must get there in time, I must…” she thought.
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sound like a reader!
Stand up!
Choral Read
“Oh no!” thought Ant. “A bird-catcher!” The dove was fluttering wildly inside the net, beating his wings as he tried to escape, but the woman only laughed and gripped the net tighter. Ant scurried over as fast as she could. “I must get there in time, I must…” she thought."
Explore
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Focus
Explore
Strategy: Sequence It, Look Around & Find and Take
Be a word thief and steal what you've been asked to find...
Put the events in the right order!
A) Put the events from the story in the correct order.
What's the question asking? Now, what are you looking for?
Teach
Let me show you
Reveal Text Marks
She was swept past rocks and down waterfalls, until at last she came to rest by the side of the stream. Ant tottered from the twig and kissed the ground, relieved to be on dry land once more.
Reveal Explainer
First, I will read all the events. Then I will ‘look around’ to see which event happened first. The story starts with the ant clinging to the twig and reaching dry land. I can start to ‘sequence’ the events with the first event as C) The ant was relieved to reach dry land again.
A) The dove was flapping wildly in a net. B) The woman dropped the net freeing the dove. C) The ant was relieved to reach dry land again. D) The ant scurried over and bit the woman.
Teach
From: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?
Teach
Your Turn
A) The dove was flapping wildly in a net. B) The woman dropped the net freeing the dove. C) The ant was relieved to reach dry land again. D) The ant scurried over and bit the woman.
A) Put the events from the story in the correct order.
B) Name two things the woman did when the dove was fluttering in the net.
C) Why did the Ant climb the oak tree?
Text mark
Find the answers
Explore
Acceptable Answers
C) The ant was relieved to reach dry land again.
A) Put the events from the story in the correct order.
A) The dove was flapping wildly in a net.
D) The ant scurried over and bit the woman.
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
B) The woman dropped the net freeing the dove.
Practise & Apply
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence laughed
B) What did the woman do when the dove was caught in the net?
Text Mark Evidence gripped the net tighter
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Practise & Apply
Acceptable Answers
C) Why did the Ant climb the oak tree?
Text Mark Evidence she scurried up its gnarly bark and…looked out…she could just see the dove, flying free
to see if the dove escaped
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Practise & Apply
Quiz Time
Start
Picture Me
Which image is the best match for ‘gnarly’?
Find Me
Find two words that show Ant ran with quick steps:
Ant scurried over as fast as she could. “I must get there in time, I must…” she thought. When she reached the woman, she scampered over her shoe and up her leg.
1 Discuss then check
2 Discuss then check
scurried
scampered
Which One's Right?
She scurried up its gnarly bark, and there, from an outstretched branch, looked out.
Which word best completes the sentence? The word ‘outstretched’ means the branch is...
B short.
A long.
C thick.
D broken.
Tick Me
Moral: One good turn deserves another. What does this moral mean?
Tick one:
A Only help someone if they will help you.
B If someone is kind to you, you should be kind to them.
Check
C Helping someone once is enough.
Click if correct
D Being kind is its own reward.
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
join a book club.
Reveal
Talk to others about books you've read to get new perspectives.
Copyright Notice
This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: Illustrated Stories from Aesop by Susanna Davidson © 2013 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.