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A Wolf's Tale
Third graders are introduced to the story elements of fairy tales. As a class, they rewrite the story Little Red Riding Hood, told from the wolf's perspective. Then they create a class PowerPoint of the story, each partner group creating...
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Five Elements of a Story
Here’s a graphic organizer that permits learners to chart the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution of a story. The PDF file can be customized to work with any narrataive.
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Trumpet of the Swan Story Elements
In this literature learning exercise, students complete a chart with key details about the book Trumpet of the Swan. Students fill out a circular chart with information about the setting, characters, problem and conclusion.
IPDAE
Themes in Short Stories
"What is the theme of this story?" The very question can spark fear in the minds of readers and incinerate confidence. Here you will discover an exercise that shows how writers use the tools of setting, plot, conflict, and...
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Elmer by David McKee
Students explore individual differences. For this literacy and self-esteem lesson, students listen to the story Elmo by David McKee, then describe what characteristics make Elmo special. Students complete a T chart showing how Elmo...
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Map Making
Young scholars examine a variety of strategies to identify the structure of a story. They listen to the book Where the Wild Things Are and, as a class, complete a story element chart. Students independently read a passage from...
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"User Friendly" Cause and Effect
Bring literature to life with your SMART board and this literary analysis lesson. While reading "User Friendly" by T. Ernesto Bethancourt (from the Holt Elements of Literature textbook by Kylene Beers), have your class discuss the theme...
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Elements of a Mystery
Students write mystery stories. In this writing lesson, students review the definition and components of a mystery. They look at a photo and write a mystery to explain the picture.
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Let's Retell This Story
Fourth graders identify story grammar elements of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff." The elements are recorded on a chart and students use the story grammar elements from the chart to retell the story.
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Where Is Your Story Set?
Students explore the concept of setting in literature by identifying their own current setting, and imagining what their ideal setting would be. They read a piece of literature, identify the setting and record the information on a chart.
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Story Map 1
In this literature response worksheet, students create a story map to display the important elements in a book they have read. On this graphic organizer chart, students record setting, time, place, characters, problem, events (plot) and...
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Problems and Their Solutions in Stories and Everyday Life
Students identify story elements. In this stories instructional activity, students read a story and identify the chracter, character traits, plot, setting and theme. Groups of students match problem and solution cards.
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Twice Upon a Time: Multi-Cultural Cinderella
Engage your learners in a cross-cultural study by having them read, compare, and contrast various Cinderella stories from different cultures around the world. From this exercise, they will learn that plot element can seem different, but...
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Printing and Publishing
Explore African literature and artwork in a multicultural literacy and art lesson. Begin with a read aloud of Tiger and the Big Wind: A Tale from Africa, and afterward, have kids retell the main events in the story. They identify and...
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Author Study - Mo Willems
Students listen to books written by Mo Willems each day and discuss the story elements of each. In this reading strategies lesson, students decide after reading through the whole series of books, what their favorite book is and why.
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Sequencing / Story Events
Students read a story and use sentence strips to order story events. In this sequencing lesson, students learn new vocabulary words centered around the story Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, preview the story, make predictions about...
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Making Inferences
Students discover how making inferences helps people solve problems. In this inference instructional activity, students read a story aloud and discuss problems as they occur in the story. Students work in small groups and use events in...
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Characterization
In this characterization worksheet, students fill out a graphic organizer chart. Students write the character's name in the center and an example of each of the 4 characterization methods by the author. There are instructions to help.
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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...
Museum of Disability
Ian’s Walk and Apples for Cheyenne
Help young learners understand friendship and empathy with two reading comprehension lessons. Each lesson focuses on a story about a child with autism, and encourages readers to compare and contrast the characters to each other and to...
EngageNY
Planning for Writing: Revisiting “Key Elements of Mythology” and Determining a Theme in the Myth of Cronus
Refresh my memory please. Scholars quickly read over the Myth of Cronus to refresh their memories of the story. They then get in groups and write parts of the myth on sticky notes that relate to the elements of mythology, sticking their...
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Read Aloud- Literary Elements- Prediction
First graders read two stories. In this literary elements instructional activity, 1st graders read The Hat by Jan Brett, notice patterns of prediction, identify the setting, problem and solution and compare the story to the book The...
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Story Setting - The Art Lesson by Tomi dePaola
Students read the book The Art Lesson by Tomi dePaola and analyze the story. In this setting lesson, students discuss the importance of the setting and how it helps us understand the story. Students answer questions and chart their...
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Genre Lesson: What is a Mystery?
Students identify the characteristics of the genre of mystery. In this genre lesson plan, students discover the elements of a mystery story and begin recording the elements on a class chart of the book entitled Two-Minute Mysteries: The...