Student Handouts
Beginning-Middle-End Chart
Track the plot of a book with a straightforward chart. Pupils write in the title of the book and then note down what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
Curated OER
Fairy Tales
Once upon a time are four words most children are familiar with when reading a fairy tale. But do they know that fairy tales are a great way to learn the literary elements of reading and writing? Use a thorough fairy tale unit to teach...
Curated OER
Goldilocks Live!!!
Study story elements with your young learners. Read Goldilocks and the Three Bears and discuss the order of events by making a story panel out of butcher paper. Sentences are given as suggestions for the panel, though you may compose...
Curated OER
Summarizing with Somebody Wanted But So
Teach your young readers how to summarize a text using a strategy called Somebody Wanted But So. Kids identify the character (Somebody), the motivation (Wanted), the conflict (But), and the resolution (So). The resource comes with...
Curated OER
Story Structure Slide Show
Analyzing the sequence of actions in dramatic stories leads to deeper comprehension of story structure. The class identifies the main actions in each section of a story and develops frozen tableau's for the identified actions of the...
McGraw Hill
Phonics Teachers Resource Book
Looking to improve your classes literacy program? Then look no further. This comprehensive collection of resources includes worksheets and activities covering everything from r-controlled vowels and consonant digraphs, to the different...
Soft Schools
Plot — 3rd or 4th Grade
After reading a version of "The Tortoise and the Hare," scholars complete a plot diagram. They pinpoint the tale's beginning, rising action, climax, falling action, and ending.
Scholastic
Story Board
Invite your pupils to tell and show what happened in a story that they read by filling out this organizer. Using images and words, kids can fill out the six panels provided here to demonstrate understanding of the sequence of events and...
Curated OER
Animal Diaries
Students read Diary of a Worm by Foreen Cronin. In this journal writing lesson, students research an animal and write a diary by their animal. Students apply the research they've completed in their writings. Students share their diaries....
Curated OER
Using Sequencing As A Reading Strategy
Sequencing is an important reading strategy students can use to unlock the meaning of a text.
Curated OER
What Did You Do?
English learners practice using the past tense by participating in a time description activity. They identify the differences between verbs when they are used to describe current events or past events. Students answer questions using...
Ned Show
Rainbow Fish and the Big Blue Whale
If friendship were a soup, what ingredients would be in it? As part of a study of Marcus Pfister's Rainbow Fish and the Big Blue Whale, kids engage in a series of friendship-themed activities using materials contained in this richly...
Do2Learn
Story Organizer
Kids can get all their plot points in line by filling out this graphic organizer with information from a story they have read. Pupils note down the title and author, the characters, the setting, and four events from the story.
Scholastic
Tell Us a Tale: Teaching Students to Be Storytellers
Encourage scholars to retell their favorite short story or folktale, adding personal details to make it their own. After reading their book of choice several times, story tellers retell a tale verbally to their classmates.
Curated OER
Acrostic Book Report
Students read the story Wild Horse Winter and construct acrostic poems. In this poetry lesson, students use adjectives and events in the text to develop an acrostic poem.
Curated OER
“THE LORAX” by Dr. Seuss
Few children's books convey the message of conservation as well as Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. Read the story aloud, emphasizing the interconnectedness of plants and animals in an ecosystem and discussing different ways people can help the...
Curated OER
Miss Nelson is Missing
Students examine the story elements in the book, Miss Nelson is Missing. In this literary elements lesson, students listen to the story and identify the sequence of events in the test. Students also use an online dictionary to define the...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Drawing Conclusions Based on Literary Elements
Students compare versions of Cinderella and draw conclusions based on the story elements identified. In this literacy comprehension and story elements lesson, students read several versions of Cinderella, complete a "Comparing Folklore"...
Scholastic
Holes Match 'Em Up Challenge
Upper graders read the book Holes as a class or by themselves. In groups, they identify symbols and discuss how they are connected among the many plots in the story. They create a timeline in which they sequence the main events to end...
Curated OER
Rosa Parks Dies
Students read a story called Civil Rights Leader Rosa Parks Diesand answer vocabulary and comprehension questions about it. In this current events Rosa Parks lesson plan, students respond to literature by answering questions, sharing...
Curated OER
Comic and Film Strip Writing
Students write a funny story and illustrate it in a comic strip. For this comic strip lesson, students study comic strips and determine the plot of each story. Students then write a short story and illustrate it using a comic strip...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Cinderella
Reading fairy tales is so much fun! Learners use dramatic play to assist them in defining and expressing the main theme found in the story of Cinderella. Each group is given a story card and will create a tableau based on the main point...
Curated OER
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Students identify the cause and effect in the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. In this cause and effect lesson, students listen to the story If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and discuss what the cause and effect is. As a follow-up,...
Curated OER
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" Lesson Ideas
There are many creative activities that can be done to extend the learning after reading "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas."