Classroom Read Aloud of the Month: So Tortoise Dug

So Tortoise Dug by Emmy Kastner is the perfect elementary classroom read aloud to explore misunderstandings, gratitude, learn how many backyard critters take advantage of tortoise burrows, and to get kids giggling. Tortoise keeps digging burrows while waiting for his best friend and burrowmate, Mouse, to reappear, and soon almost every animal in the forest has a new burrow, but where is Mouse?! Tortoise learns that his best friend and the other animals are more grateful than they appear in this hilarious and heartfelt tale.

The book features large illustrations and spreads ideal for sharing with groups. Use these discussion questions during your next school outreach event, classroom visit, elementary book club, or book party for even more fun. For preschool through 3rd grade.

Setting the Stage

This book is designed for a performance and features fun outbursts by Tortoise and wolf spiders alike. Here is an intro blurb to set the stage before reading the book aloud:

“At the library, we have books about all kinds of things. You can learn about people, places, sports, animals and so much more. Raise your hand if you like animals or learning about animals? Great! If you had to guess, which animal digs the most impressive tunnels or burrows? The gopher tortoise! It digs deep underground burrows that at least 350 species of animals and insects use as homes. Do you think the tortoise likes making homes for other creatures? I’ll let you decide…

So Tortoise Dug Discussion Questions

Here are some follow-up questions for further engagement:

1. What did you think? Thumbs up or thumbs down for So Tortoise Dug?
2. Were you surprised to learn that all of these animals live underground? Which was the most surprising and why?
3. What happened in this book that you do NOT think is true?
4. Was Mouse a good friend?
5. If you had to be a burrowmate with one of the animals from this book, which would it be? Which would you NOT want to live with?

Watch Gopher Tortoises in Action

Watch this short video featuring gopher tortoises. What do your students think – is the gopher tortoise creepy or cute?

You can also share fun facts about gopher tortoises, such as these from the Chattahoochee Nature Center:

• Gopher tortoises live 40-80 years
• Their burrows can be up to 40 feet long
• They’re typically found in southern US states, such as South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana

Take Home Activity Sheet

Providing an extension activity for students to enjoy after you leave, OR to take home, will cement your visit in their minds and increase the likelihood that caregivers become aware of the library. In Emmy Kastner’s Author’s Note, she provides the perfect extension activity: challenge readers to create their own pourquoi tale (“a fictional explanation of why something is the way it is”)!

For grades 2-3, use this Sentence Starters worksheet from Simon & Schuster’s So Tortoise Dug Activities. For grades K-2, use the Help Tortoise and Rabbit Reunite! Maze or a blank sheet to draw a picture of their favorite animal or scene from the story.

On the back of the sheet, include a note for parents and caregivers with your library’s contact information, read-alikes for the story you read, and a list of upcoming library events tailored to their age group.

So Tortoise Dug Read-Alikes

If your readers loved So Tortoise Dug, they will also enjoy:

If you read So Tortoise Dug and decide it’s not your cup of tea, that’s ok! Visit The Youth Desk’s Outreach page for more great classroom read-alouds and tips.

Did you try So Tortoise Dug? How did it go??