The Sandcastle Levels 1-2

The Sandcastle tells the story of a girl who builds a sandcastle, only to see it washed away by the sea. This charming narrative introduces procedural language with a predictable structure that young readers can follow and replicate. The repeated phrase œHere is the¦ supports sentence structure development, and the use of content words like sand, sea, shell, and flag helps build topic-specific vocabulary. Phonics features include strong ˜s' and ˜sh' sounds, perfect for sound discrimination activities. The text also models punctuation such as full stops and exclamation marks. This story not only supports early literacy but also opens discussion about impermanence and resilience. It encourages hands-on learning through creative sandcastle-themed activities and expressive art responses.

Educational Benefits:

• Enhances understanding of simple procedural text
• Develops topic-specific vocabulary around beach and nature themes
• Reinforces key phonemes such as ˜s' and ˜sh'
• Supports comprehension through illustration-based storytelling

Classroom Ideas:

• Set up a sand tray for students to create their own miniature sandcastles
• Sort words by initial sound on a œs and œsh chart
• Write or draw a personal sandcastle story using similar structure
• Discuss the tide and changes at the beach as part of a science link

Safety & Information:

• Ages: 4+
• Book dimensions: 14.5cm x 16.5cm; 16 pages
• Use non-toxic, classroom-safe materials for sand and art activities
• Sand play should be supervised and conducted in a hygienic environment