Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Retell It as the Villain: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Retell It as the Villain is a free printable English worksheet for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children put the events of a familiar tale in order, then tell the story again as the wolf, in the first person. Page 2 gives the grown up notes, help for children who find it hard, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children sort the events of the tale into the right order by numbering the steps. They draw the wolf at the straw house and at the brick house, using the boxes for drawing or notes. Then they use the lines to write the wolf's own version of events in the first person. The task asks them to keep the events in sequence while deciding how the wolf would explain what he did.
- The wolf cannot blow the brick house down.
- The wolf knocks on the door of the straw house.
- The wolf tries the chimney and runs away.
- The wolf blows down the stick house.
- The wolf blows down the straw house.
- Draw the wolf at the straw house.
- Draw the wolf at the brick house.
Why retell a story as the villain?
Many traditional tales are told from the hero's side, so the villain is rarely heard. Retelling from the villain's view asks children to look at the same events in a new way. They must decide what the character wants, what he would say in his own defence, and which details to keep, add or leave out. It is a useful step from reading a story to shaping one.
Writing in the first person means the narrator says I, me and my. The reader sees only what that character knows and feels, and that changes the tone and the word choices. Because the events stay the same, children can focus on voice instead of inventing a plot. Putting the events in order first gives them a secure plan to write from.
Fun facts about storytelling
- A story can sound very different depending on who tells it.
- The narrator is the voice that tells a story.
- Traditional tales were told aloud for a very long time before many of them were written down.
- Fairy tales often exist in many versions, and small details change from one teller to the next.
- When a story is told in the first person, the narrator uses words such as I, me and my.
Skills and curriculum link
- Sequencing events
- Point of view
- First person writing
- Planning ideas
- Writing narratives
Ideas for helping with the retelling
- Talk firstLet your child say out loud what the wolf wants and how he feels before any writing starts. Spoken ideas are easier to catch than written ones.
- Use the boxesThe boxes for drawing or notes are a place to plan. A quick sketch or a few words can hold an idea until it is time to write.
- Give the wolf a voiceAsk whether the wolf is cross, sorry, sneaky or sure he is right. A clear mood helps every sentence sound like the same character.
- Listen for IRead the finished writing aloud together. Stop whenever the wolf is called he or the wolf, and change it to I.
Key words
- SequenceThe order in which things happen, from first to last.
- Point of viewHow a story looks to one particular character or narrator.
- First personWriting as the character, using words such as I, me and my.
- NarratorThe voice that tells the story.
- VillainA character who causes trouble for the hero of a story.
- Time wordA word such as first, then, next or finally that shows the order of events.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the tale aloud first if your child needs a reminder. Talk about who the characters are and what happens.
- Ask your child to number the events in order, then draw the wolf in the boxes and jot down any ideas.
- Let them write the wolf's version on the lines, in the first person. Use the sentence starter on page 2 if they get stuck.
- Check the order against page 2 and read the writing aloud together. Come back another day to try again. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Let your child tell the wolf's story out loud before writing. Use the sentence starter 'I only went to the house because I...' Sort the events first, then write one sentence for each event in the wolf's voice. Use the drawing boxes for quick notes if ideas run out.
To stretch confident children
Retell the whole story as the wolf in a short paragraph. Use time words such as first, then and finally. Add what the wolf thinks and feels at each house, and give him a reason for his choices. Read it aloud and check it stays in the first person.
Make it a game
Act out the story in pairs. One plays a pig and one plays the wolf. Tell the same event twice, first as the pig, then as the wolf. Swap roles and see how the two versions differ. Can your partner guess which character is speaking?
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forThe child writes he or the wolf instead of I, so the piece slips into the third person.
Try thisUnderline every he and the wolf in the draft. Swap each one for I, me or my, then read the piece aloud to hear the difference.
Watch forThe retelling copies the original story in different words, with nothing of the wolf's own thinking.
Try thisAsk, "What did the wolf want? Why did he think he was right?" Add one sentence of reasons or feelings to each event.
Watch forThe child numbers the events by guessing from how they are printed, not from the story.
Try thisRead the tale aloud again. For each step, ask, "What had to happen before this?" Then change the numbers if needed.
Talk about it
- Who is the villain in this story, and how do you know?
- What do you think the wolf wanted most?
- Would the wolf say he did anything wrong? What would he say instead?
- How does the story change when we hear it from the wolf and not the pigs?
- Which words show that someone is writing in the first person?
- What happens to the story if the events are in the wrong order?
Take it off the page
Hot seat
One person sits as the wolf. Everyone else asks questions, such as why he visited each house. The wolf must answer in the first person and stay in character.
Paper bag puppets
Make a wolf and a pig from paper bags. Use them to tell one event from each point of view, then swap puppets.
Another villain
Pick a different story with a villain. Say the first three events from the villain's side, using I, me and my.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Read the tale aloud if they need a reminder. Praise the thinking as well as the neat writing, and let them talk before they write.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary in a unit on narrative, as an early finisher task, or as a supply resource. The sequencing task suits all learners, while the first person retelling gives you something to extend more confident writers.
Home educators
Pair it with a picture book or a read aloud of the tale. It works well alongside everyday talk about how different people see the same event, and you can reuse it for brothers and sisters or for revision later.
Where this fits in children's writing
Before this, children practise retelling familiar stories in order and writing in the third person. They learn to plan, to use time words and to keep events in sequence. Sorting events, as on this sheet, makes that planning step concrete.
After this, children can write longer narratives from a chosen viewpoint, such as a diary entry, a letter or a short chapter told by another character. They can also compare how different narrators change the way a reader feels about the same events.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Retell It as the Villain for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10) in Key Stage 2. It can also work for older Year 4 children who enjoy writing, or for Year 6 children who need practice with point of view.
- What will children practise?
They practise putting events in order, thinking about point of view and writing in the first person. They also plan ideas by drawing or noting them, then write a short narrative as the wolf.
- Does my child need to know the story first?
It helps if they know the tale. If they are unsure, read it aloud before they start. A quick reminder of who the characters are and what happens is enough.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Start with talk. Give the sentence starter 'I only went to the house because I...' and let them say their ideas aloud. Then write one sentence at a time, using the boxes for quick notes.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision, and share it with a class.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has help and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, and children only need a pencil. It is a screen free activity, so it suits quiet time, rainy days and school holidays.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.