Some problems are so big it takes an entire community to solve them. So was the case in the children's book Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story by Wendy Tokuda and Richard Hall. This primary grade instructional activity uses a...

This is a strange question; but what kind of vessel would you be and why? After examining images of a large Inca jug, the class sets to writing a creative narrative that answers that very interesting question. They start by researching...

If you're reading Eve Bunting's A Turkey for Thanksgiving, take a look at these activities to follow the story. Kids complete a crossword puzzle, word search, event sequence activity, and multiple choice reading quiz before...

Students write a story about their achievements in a sport, or their dreams for success in other areas. They create original works of art depicting their goals or anticipated achievements. They then display their stories and art.

Second graders explore sequencing by drawing events of a story in order.  In this sequence of events instructional activity, 2nd graders are read a story such as "The 3 Little Pigs", they recall the events from the fairy tale in...

Students describe the five elements of a story--setting, characters, problem, events, and resolution. They use the Clifford series of books, and a worksheet imbedded in this lesson to help them explain the five elements of a story.

Learners discover the parts of a story through the retelling of a fable as well as characters, plot, and setting. This activity is completed using the program Pixie to create an online storybook.

Starting at the very beginning may be a very good place to start, but it can also be very difficult for emergent writers. Help them get started by providing them with a setting, a main character, and a basic plot.

Use this worksheet on setting to help guide learners as they read a book with their family. As they read, they answer four questions about when and where the book takes place. This worksheet is designed to be signed by reader and parent...

Students discuss their favorite book. In this book discussion lesson, students name the title and tell what makes the book special. Students also review the setting, plot, conflict, and resolution. Students make a book that tells all of...

Look for the signal words! Scholars get both instruction and practice comparing and contrasting. Although it is completely scripted, it can also serve as a detailed outline. Demonstrate this as you read a passage (included) and search...

ESL/ELD learners are provided extra support with the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt thematic units on silly stories by this packet of activities, exercises, and practice sets.

Follow any story and record each step on the graphic organizer provided here. There are lines to record the title, author, and illustrator, boxes where pupils can fill in character and setting, and six boxes in which learners can note...

Young readers bring characters to life by working in small groups to script and perform stories that contain a community concept. Detailed questions and activities are outlined for the class. Consider having your groups create...

If you are reading Judy Freeman's Oh No! or your class loves animals, use a reader's theater exercise to bring the story to life. After assigning 12 parts to your young actors, have them act out the story with a script that will be...

A great companion assignment to your class lesson about Stone Soup, this set of storybook pages help your class to recall the tale in their own book. Each page provides a line of the story and a picture for kids to color.

Engage your pupils in a plot activity based on the favorite Dr. Seuss book, The Cat in the Hat. There are two pages included here. The first is a list of plot elements and the second is a grid of plot points and other information. Class...

Introduce young writers to the process of writing a book. Start by reading a book of your choice and discussing the essential elements of any book such as the cover, story, and illustrations as well as who is responsible for each...

Learners work in groups to identify the major characters and events found in a Nevada Native American folklore story. Each of the groups takes on the role of a different tribe, and they are given a story from that tribe's oral history....

Intended for kids with autism, this set of slides shows different characters wearing different pieces of green clothing for St. Patrick's Day. As suggested, use this to reinforce clothing vocabulary. 

Water is the source of life. It appears in poetry in both peaceful and torrential descriptions; it appears in earth science in its liquid, gaseous, and solid states. Combine these interpretations of our planet's most precious and...

Read then role-play the characters from story of If You Give A Pig a Pancake. Young actors use improvisation and characterization to create the characters from the story. They will also write and role play original version of the...

Students write a story. In this genre lesson, students read a science fiction story and discuss its characteristics. Students brainstorm a list of things that if scientifically changed would alter the way we live our lives. Students...

Students complete a graphic organizer about themselves and write a short auto-biography. They share their work with a classmate and draw a portrait of a classmate be displayed in the classroom.