Support your students’ comprehension and story structure knowledge with our engaging The Speedy Sloth: Story Map activity. Designed to accompany a whole class reading of The Speedy Sloth by Rebecca Young, this resource encourages students to identify and organise the key elements of the story.

Story maps are a fantastic tool for visual learners and early writers, helping them break down a narrative into its key parts. These no-prep worksheets guide students to reflect on the characters, setting, and major events from the book. By organising this information visually, students will deepen their understanding of the story while developing skills in sequencing and retelling.

This resource includes multiple worksheet options to suit a variety of abilities and classroom contexts. Whether students are cutting and pasting images, drawing key scenes, or drawing and labelling, each option supports comprehension in an interactive and accessible way. It’s ideal for small group tasks, independent work, or scribing with teacher support.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Identify key elements of a story: characters, setting, and plot
• ✅ Organise story information in a visual and logical format
• ✅ Strengthen sequencing and retelling skills
• ✅ Develop drawing, labelling, and early writing skills
• ✅ Build confidence in responding to shared texts

What’s Included:

• Three differentiated worksheet versions:
•     - Cut and paste pictures into the correct boxes
•     - Draw pictures in each story element box
•     - Draw and label pictures in each box

Materials Needed:

• Printed story map templates
• Pencils, crayons, or markers for drawing and labelling
• Scissors and glue for cut-and-paste version
• Optional: A3 paper for enlarging templates

How to Use:

1. Read The Speedy Sloth as a class and discuss the characters, setting, and important events.
2. Model how to complete a story map by identifying each element in the correct sequence.
3. Select the worksheet version that best suits your students’ needs.
4. Have students complete the story map by cutting, drawing, or labelling the story elements.
5. Use finished story maps as a visual comprehension check or display in your reading area.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use during a comprehension lesson to reinforce story elements
• 💡 Include as part of a literacy rotation or Book Week display
• 💡 Laminate blank templates for repeated use with whiteboard markers
• 💡 Encourage oral retells based on students’ completed story maps
• 💡 Pair with other Speedy Sloth resources for a themed comprehension unit

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Enlarge worksheets to A3 for younger students or those needing more space
• 💛 Use in scribing sessions for students developing writing confidence
• 💛 Add sentence stems to support students in labelling or writing about each box
• 💛 Turn into a partner activity where students discuss and complete the map together

Check out more amazing resources related to The Speedy Sloth in our The Speedy Sloth Book PACKAGE.

Available in our basic fun font and all Australian state fonts.