Tiny Tales - Goldilocks and the three bears

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Preparation:

  1. Prepare the classic storybook Goldilocks and the Three Bears with clear, large illustrations showcasing the size differences.

  2. Prepare size and character-themed vocabulary flashcards: Bear, Chair, Small, Medium, and Big.

  3. Bring physical story props: 3 plush bears of varying sizes (Big Papa Bear, Medium Mama Bear, and Small Baby Bear) and 3 toy chairs matching those exact sizes.

 

 

Part 1: Story Introduction and Vocabulary Activity

"Goldilocks and the Three Bears" Size & Spatial Tracking Integration

Target Vocabulary:

  1. Bear

  2. Chair

  3. Small

  4. Medium

  5. Big

Target Sentence Structures:

  • “I like that [noun].”

  • “The [noun] is next to the [noun].”

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

  1. Identify and point to the three different sizes (Small, Medium, Big) on command.

  2. Respond to sizing questions using the sentence frame “I like that [noun].” to express a preference.

  3. Use the spatial structure “The [noun] is next to the [noun].” to track where the bears are sitting or standing.

  4. Participate actively in the narrative of Goldilocks exploring the bears' house.

Class Details:

1. Warm-Up (5 mins)

Sing a simple teddy bear action song (to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus"):

"The big papa bear goes stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp... All through the woods!"

Encourage the children to stomp their feet loudly for the Big bear, tap their knees gently for the Medium bear, and tiptoe quietly for the Small bear to introduce sizes physically.

2. Story & Vocabulary Introduction (5 mins)

Introduce the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Show the cover page and point out the characters. Use your voice to differentiate sizes: use a deep voice for Big, a normal voice for Medium, and a high squeaky voice for Small. Point to a picture of their furniture and teach "Chair" by patting a tiny classroom chair.

3. The Interactive Story-Size Match Game (20 mins)

Read the book Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Bring the story pages to life across the circle mat using the real physical plush toys and miniature chairs:

  • The Papa Bear Setup: Place a very large toy chair on the mat. Put the largest plush Bear right on top of it. Say, "Wow, look at Papa Bear! He is Big!" Prompt the toddlers to touch it and practice saying: “I like that bear.”

  • The Mama Bear Lineup: Place a middle-sized chair directly beside Papa Bear's chair. Sit the middle-sized plush on it. Ask the class: "Where is Mama Bear?" Guide the toddlers to point and practice saying: “The medium bear is next to the big bear.”

  • The Baby Bear Break: Introduce the tiniest plush and the tiniest toy chair. Place it directly next to Mama Bear's furniture. Act out Goldilocks sitting down with a little "Crash!" sound effect. Ask the class: "Where is the small chair?" Lead them to call out: “The small chair is next to the medium chair.”

4. Vocabulary Review (5 mins)

Lay down the size flashcards (Small, Medium, Big) on the floor. Play an interactive size-matching game where children take turns hugging the Big bear, sitting on a child-sized Chair, or curling up small like Baby Bear on command.

Assessment:

  • Observe if children can correctly differentiate and point to the Small, Medium, and Big plush toys upon teacher prompt.

  • Listen for the approximation of the target structure “I like that...” or “...is next to...” during object manipulation.

  • Evaluate student engagement during the physical storytelling and chair-crashing sequence.

Remarks & Reminders for Teachers:

Concept progression for 2-year-olds is most effective when side-by-side visual contrasts are highly obvious. Ensure your physical props have dramatic size disparities so that Big and Small are immediately recognizable to a toddler. Treat the spatial sentence structure as a fun structural chant to repeat as a team.

 

 

 

Part 2: Art and Craft Activity

Making a "Fuzzy Bear Family"

Learning Objectives: 

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

  1. Create a textured paper plate bear craft using a stamp-painting technique.

  2. Advance fine motor muscles by gripping clothespin sponges and pasting large paper face elements.

  3. Apply size or spatial vocabulary by indicating where elements go using the phrase “...is next to...” or choosing their favorite with “I like that bear.”

Materials List:

  • Paper plates (prepared in distinct Big, Medium, and Small sizes to match the character themes).

  • Brown paint

  • Sponge stamps

  • Pre-cut construction paper face elements: light brown circle as snout, inner/outer ear shapes

  • Large googly eyes

  • Black markers

  • Safe school glue sticks or liquid glue bottles

Class Details:

1. Introduction (5 mins)

Show the completed brown bear plate samples. Hold up a big and a small brown plate side-by-side. Ask the children: "Which one do you want to make?" Prompt individual children to point and say: “I like that bear!”

2. Dabbing the Fur Texture (10 mins)

Distribute the paper plate bases. Hand out the sponge stamps and paint trays. Demonstrate how to hold the wooden handle, dip it into the paint, and press it firmly down onto the plate to create the beautiful mottled "fur" pattern. Guide the toddlers as they happily dab paint around their entire plate base.

3. Building the Bear Face (10 mins)

While the dabbing dries slightly, help the toddlers apply glue to their pre-cut paper ear cutouts. Guide them to stick the ears onto the top rim of the plate. Next, have them paste down the large pinkish-brown circular snout circle right into the center of the plate. Help them add the googly eyes above the muzzle. Practice spatial phrasing by pointing out the ear pairs: "Look! This ear is next to that ear!"

4. Spatial Presentation & Language Integration (5 mins)

Have the children hold up their finished face creations. Line up a child's completed Big bear plate right next to a neighbor's Small bear plate on the table surface. Ask the table group: "Where is the baby bear?" Prompt the toddlers to point to the side-by-side plates and chant: “The small bear is next to the big bear!”

5. Clean-Up (5 mins)

Pass out wet wipes to instantly clean paint off little hands. Assist the toddlers in dropping their used clothespin dabbers into a wash bin, capping glue sticks, and carrying their completed plates over to the drying shelf.

Assessment:

  • Evaluate if the toddler can correctly choose or name a preferred size base using the target structure “I like that...”

  • Assess fine motor control during the pincer grip execution of holding the clothespins and pressing down the paper face pieces.

  • Listen for target vocabulary recall (Bear, Small, Big) during the final table line-up check.

Notes for Teachers:

  • Keep the paint on the trays thin; over-saturating the pom-poms will lead to puddles rather than the distinct, clean textured dots showcased in the reference image.

Follow-Up:

  • Mount the completed paper plate faces on the classroom wall arranged by size orders: Big Papa Bears, Medium Mama Bears, and Small Baby Bears side-by-side.

  • Use these colorful wall creations during morning registration tomorrow to point and ask: "Who wants to say good morning to the small bear today?"