The Three
Billy Goats Gruff
Level
G
About the Tale
T
Word Count
his kid-pleasing tale, which originated in Norway many hundreds of
years ago, gained worldwide acclaim after it was written down by the
authors Asbjornsen and Moe. These two Norwegians published the oral
stories swirling around them just as they Brothers Grimm did. “The Three
Billy Goats Gruff” tops a long list of “beast fables” in which animals talk,
reason, and have human traits. When each of the three goats attempts to
cross the bridge, the mean troll threatens to eat them up. But—surprise,
surprise—the canny brothers manage to outwit him in the end.
239
Vocabulary
clomp, cranky,
rammed, troll
Supportive Features
repetitive, patterned text
Challenging Features
long sentences, use of
commas, difficult adjectives
and verbs (cranky, clomp,
sneaky, rammed), dialogue
Discussion Questions
1. How does each goat trick the troll into allowing him to cross the bridge?
2. What does cranky mean? Why do you think the troll is so cranky?
3. What makes you feel cranky?
Comprehension
Use this book with
the Problem/Solution
Chart on page 24.
Notable Retellings
B The Three Billy Goats-Gruff by Ellen Appleby (Scholastic, 1992).
Phonics
This whimsically illustrated, straightforward retelling is perfect for
the K–2 crowd.
long e (e, ea, ee, y): three,
billy, decided, eat, sweet,
mean, cranky, sneaky, green
B The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Stephen Carpenter (Harper Festival,
1998). Build phonemic awareness with the fun, repetitive rhymes in this
lively picture book.
B The Three Billy Goats Gruff/Just a Friendly Troll (Steck-Vaughn,
1995). Kids will love this unique version that tells the story from the
point of view of the goats and the troll.
Companion Reproducible
Writing
Have children write “Little,”
“Middle,” and “Big” on a large
sheet of paper. Beside each
word, ask them to draw a
picture of that billy goat and
describe it in a sentence.
Fluency
Focus Skills: Vocabulary Development, Critical and Creative
Thinking, Writing
Name ____
____
________
________
________
My Troll
________
_______
Use your
imagination
to draw a
Then writ
troll. Give
e five wor
your troll
ds to des
a name.
cribe him
or her.
Troll Nam
e ________
________
________
________
Words to
________
__
describe
my troll:
Invite children to use the reproducible on page 56 to
draw a picture of their very own troll. They should then
write five words to describe the creature.
1. ________
________
________
2. ________
__
________
________
3. ________
__
________
________
4. ________
____
__
5. ________
________
______
56
________
__
Folk &
Fairy Tale
Easy Reade
rs
________
Provide or make masks for
each character. Have
children chorally read the
narrator’s portion of the
story. Then, have the
students portraying each
character read and act
out their parts.
Teaching
Guide 56
55
Folk & Fairy Tale Easy Readers Teaching Guide © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Name _______________________________________________
My Troll
Use your imagination to draw a troll. Give your troll a name.
Then write five words to describe him or her.
Troll Name __________________________________________
Words to describe my troll:
1. __________________________
2. __________________________
3. __________________________
4. __________________________
5. __________________________
56
Folk & Fairy Tale Easy Readers Teaching Guide © Scholastic Teaching Resources
The Three Billy
Goats Gruff
A retelling by Violet Findley • Illustrated by Patrick Girouard
After that, the three brothers crossed the
bridge whenever they liked. And, my,
the sweet green grass was delicious!
Scholastic • Folk & Fairy Tale Easy Readers Teaching Guide • page 57
16
“Stop there! I am going to eat you up!”
yelled Troll.
“OK,” said Big Billy, for he had a
One day, they decided to cross the bridge
sneaky plan.
to eat the sweet grass on the other side.
14
3
Once upon a time, there lived three billy
When Troll climbed up on the bridge,
goat brothers. Their names were Little Billy,
Big Billy rammed him so hard that he fell
Middle Billy, and Big Billy.
into the water with a giant splash!
2
15
A
There was only one problem. A mean troll
started across the bridge. Then he heard a
lived under it.
cranky voice.
4
B
13
Scholastic • Folk & Fairy Tale Easy Readers Teaching Guide • page 58
Clomp, clomp, clomp! Big Billy
Clomp, clomp, clomp! Little Billy started
“What a fine idea,” said Troll, licking his lips.
across the bridge. Then he heard a cranky
And with that, Middle Billy crossed the bridge.
voice.
Scholastic • Folk & Fairy Tale Easy Readers Teaching Guide • page 59
12
5
“Stop there! I am going to eat you up!”
“Wait for my brother. He is bigger and much
yelled Troll.
more delicious than I!” cried Little Billy.
10
7
“Stop there! I am going to eat you up!”
“Wait for my brother. He is bigger and much
yelled Troll.
more delicious than I!” cried Middle Billy.
6
11
C
“What a fine idea,” said Troll, licking his lips.
started across the bridge. Then he heard a
And with that, Little Billy crossed the bridge.
cranky voice.
8
D
9
Scholastic • Folk & Fairy Tale Easy Readers Teaching Guide • page 60
Clomp, clomp, clomp! Middle Billy
Making the Mini-Books
3. Position the pages so that the lettered
le
The Litt
Red Hen
Cravath
by Lynne
Illustrated
Findley •
by Violet
A retelling
spreads (A, B, C, D) are face up. Place
the B spread on top of the A spread.
Then, place the C and D spreads on
top of those in sequence.
1. Make doublesided copies of the
I will just
not help,
use you did
said
“No! Beca
by myself,”
this bread
have to eat
hen.
red
little
top!
the
jam on
did, with the dog.
she
so
And
said
“Not me!” 16
said the cat.
“Not me!”
.
said the duck
“Not me!”
mini-book pages.
at was tall.
, all the whe
d
Before long
this?” aske
help me cut
“Who will
hen.
the little red
5
12
(You should have
• page 33
Teaching Guide
Tale Easy Readers
• Folk & Fairy
Scholastic
copies for
each one.)
• page 35
Teaching Guide
Tale Easy Readers
• Folk & Fairy
Scholastic
two double-sided
.
said the dog
“Not me!”
said the cat.
“Not me!”
.
ed.
said the duck
lazy.
d was bak
“Not me!”
e all quite
, all the brea
wer
d
long
they
re
Befo
this?” aske
You see,
said
3
help me eat
it by myself,”
“Who will
have to cut
hen.
“I will just
the little red
said
hen.
14
by myself,”
the little red
to grind it
7
have
“I will just
hen.
red
the little
10
Before long, all the wheat was cut.
“Not me!” said the dog.
“Who will help me grind this?” asked
“Not me!” said the cat.
“Notthe
me!”
dog.
Before
the the
wheat
was ground.
littlesaid
redthe
hen.
“Notlong,
me!”allsaid
duck.
“Not me!” said the cat. 8
this into bread?”
D “Who will help me bake
9
“Not me!” said the duck.
asked the little red hen.
“I will just have to bake 11
it by myself,” said
“I will just have to plant6 it by myself,” said
C
Once
a time,
“Me!”
said red
the dog.
the little
hen.
theupon
little red
hen.a little red hen decided
to plant some wheat. 4
B “Me!” said the cat.
13
“Who will help me plant this?” she asked.
“Me!” said the duck.
D
le
The Litt
Red Hen
Cravath
by Lynne
Illustrated
Findley •
by Violet
A retelling
C
B
2
A
15
A
16
Guide • page 33
Tale Easy Readers Teaching
Scholastic • Folk & Fairy
along the dashed line.
I will just
not help,
use you did
said
“No! Beca
by myself,”
this bread
have to eat
hen.
the little red
jam on top!
with
did,
And so she
✃
2. Cut the pages in half
was baked.
Before long, all the bread
this?” asked
“Who will help me eat
the little red hen.
“Not me!” said the dog.
“Not me!” said the cat.
“Not me!” said the duck.
quite lazy.
You see, they were all
4. Fold the pages in half
along the solid line.
Make sure all the pages
are in the proper order.
Staple them together
along the book’s spine.
The Little
Red Hen
A retelling by
Violet Findley
• Illustrated by
Lynne Cravath
3
14
Book Badge Reproducibles
✃
✃
Let me read
Let’s read
______________________________ .
______________________________ .
to you!
together!
29
Folk & Fairy Tale Easy Readers Teaching Guide © Scholastic Teaching Resources