Legends

Objective & content

This sheet on legends teaches the characters and things of legends, such as knight, wizard, giant, dragon, sword, shield and treasure, with brave, magic and fight. Pupils name pictures, read Owen's text about the legend of the red dragon of Wales, then use the words. By the end, they can name the people and things of a legend and follow a short legend told in the present.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 names twelve characters and six things; each word box holds two extra words, so pupils must choose. Page 2 is Owen's text: a king's new castle falls down every night, and the young wizard Merlin says that two dragons fight under the hill; the red one wins. Six multiple-choice questions follow, then six characters to match with a sentence (a giant "is very, very tall"). Page 3 has fourteen sentences where pupils unscramble the word in brackets (SWORD, BRAVE, LEGEND), then the legend of Saint George with twelve three-way choices; the words around each bracket decide the answer (afraid of, the king's daughter). Every task tests words only. The legends are told in the present simple: there is no past tense on the sheet.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask pupils for characters from fairy tales they know; write the English words on the board.
2. (8 min) Page 1: pupils write the words under the pictures alone, then compare in pairs.
3. (10 min) Read Owen's text aloud; pupils answer the questions.
4. (5 min) Pupils match the characters and the sentences.
5. (8 min) Page 3: pupils unscramble the words and complete the sentences.
6. (8 min) Pupils read the legend of Saint George and circle the right words.
7. (5 min) Check with the answer key on page 4.

Adaptations

[S] Show the flags of Wales and England before reading the two legends.

[A] Pupils tell the legend of the two dragons in four sentences.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 to 3 per pupil; pictures of the Welsh and English flags help. Page 4 is the answer key and teacher notes: keep it. Pupils need the present simple and there is / there are. To take it further, pupils invent a legend about a place near their school.