Reading Unit of Study: Enchanted with the Magic of a Spellbinding Story (Traditional Literature)

Reading Unit of Study: Enchanted with the Magic of a Spellbinding Story (Traditional Literature) Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District Elementary Language Arts Department, Grade 3 5

Title TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE Overview of Lessons...ii MINI LESSONS Characteristics of Traditional Literature....1 Envisioning to Understand Setting... 2 Envisioning to Understand Characters... 3 Understanding the Lesson in a Fable... 4 Determining How We Can Identify the Story Problem in Fables... 5 Getting Hooked In to the Story s Problem... 6 Revisiting Story Exposition to Set the Stage... 7 Wrapping Up the Story with Conflict Resolution... 8 Determining the Important Events in a Story... 9 Experiencing the Excitement of the Story s Climax... 10 Rising to the Challenge: Examining Rising Action... 11 Falling Into Place: Examining Falling Action... 12 Sequencing Important Events... 13 Investigating the Parts of a Summary CPR... 14 Constructing a Well Crafted Summary with CPR... 15 Showing What You Know Story Elements... 16 Showing What You Know Sequence... 17 Showing What You Know Summary... 18

LESSONS INCLUDED IN THE UNIT OF STUDY: The following is a list of lessons that are included in the Traditional Literature unit. Each lesson has been assigned a number that correlates to a number found in the upper right corner of each lesson card, which signifies a suggested sequence or progression of the lessons. After analyzing the grade level expectations, district curriculum, and student needs, teachers should customize the mini lessons for their students. The mini lessons are based upon the gradelevel expectations found in the English Language Arts and Reading TEKS objectives. Lesson Title 1 Characteristics of Traditional Literature Purpose Thoughtful readers identify the characteristics of traditional literature to deepen their comprehension. 2 Envisioning to Understand Setting Thoughtful readers pay attention to details about the setting and use personal knowledge to create a mind movie of the setting. 3 Envisioning to Understand Characters Thoughtful readers pay attention to details about the character to create a mind movie while they read. 4 Understanding the Lesson in a Fable Thoughtful readers think about what the animal(s) can teach us to understand the lesson in a fable. 5 Determining How We Can Identify the Story Problem in Fables 6 Getting Hooked In to the Story s Problem 7 Revisiting Story Exposition to Set the Stage 8 Wrapping Up the Story with Conflict Resolution 9 Determining the Important Events in a Story 10 Experiencing the Excitement of the Story s Climax 11 Rising to the Challenge: Examining Rising Action Thoughtful readers can think about the characters and lesson learned in fables to determine the story problem. Thoughtful readers identify the conflict/problem in a story to aid in understanding and comprehension. Thoughtful readers consider story exposition and understand the importance of characters, setting, and problem in setting the stage in the beginning of a fictional story. Thoughtful readers relate the story problem in a story to its corresponding solution to aid in understanding and comprehension. Thoughtful readers sift out the important events in the story by thinking about how they connect to the problem and resolution. Thoughtful readers identify the climax, or high point, in a story to aid in understanding and deepen comprehension. Thoughtful readers identify the rising action that leads up to the climax in a story to aid in understanding and deepen comprehension. Curriculum Department Cypress Fairbanks I.S.D. DRAFT July 2012 Enchanted with the Magic of a Spellbinding Story (Traditional Literature) Reading Workshop Unit of Study

Lesson Title 12 Falling Into Place: Examining Falling Action Purpose Thoughtful readers identify the falling action in a story to aid in understanding and deepen comprehension. 13 Sequencing Important Events Thoughtful readers use knowledge of story elements to help sequence events in a fictional story. 14 Investigating the Parts of a Summary CPR 15 Constructing a Well Crafted Summary with CPR 16 Showing What You Know Story Elements Thoughtful readers use plot structure to aid in understanding the parts of a summary. Thoughtful readers use the plot structure to aid in writing an effective summary. Thoughtful readers interpret the unique language of formal assessments and use the knowledge of the language to respond to mulitple choice and shortanswer questions. 17 Showing What You Know Sequence Thoughtful readers interpret the unique language of formal assessments and use the knowledge of the language to respond to mulitple choice and shortanswer questions. 18 Showing What You Know Summary Thoughtful readers interpret the unique language of formal assessments and use the knowledge of the language to respond to mulitple choice and shortanswer questions. Curriculum Department Cypress Fairbanks I.S.D. DRAFT July 2012 Enchanted with the Magic of a Spellbinding Story (Traditional Literature) Reading Workshop Unit of Study

Minilesson: Characteristics of Traditional Literature TL 1 Familiar fictional texts (traditional literature) Traditional Literature Genre Comparison anchor chart (Appendix C) Chart paper Students Reader s Notebooks Note: This lesson should be taught over two days, exploring the various types of traditional literature. Teachers are encouraged to read a variety of mentor texts that reflect the different genres categorized as traditional literature. The TEKS assessed on STAAR for each grade level include the following genres/examples: 3 rd grade: fairy tales, fables, myths, and legends 4 th grade: as above and trickster tales 5 th grade: as above and origin myths Note: In preparation for TL 3 and TL 4, make sure to share a variety of multicultural fairy tales and fables with students during the initial lessons. (see Resources for Teaching Fairy Tales Appendix A and Resources for Teaching Fables Appendix B) Purpose: Thoughtful readers identify the characteristics of traditional literature to deepen their comprehension. TEKS: 3.5, 3.8, 4.3, 4.6, 5.3, 5.6 Remind students that all genres have certain characteristics. Inform them that knowing the characteristics of a certain genre helps thoughtful readers to know what to expect while they are reading. Tell the students that today you are going to look at the characteristics of a genre with which they are already familiar traditional literature. Inform students that traditional literature is a genre in which stories were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. (Name a few examples here: Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Anansi the Spider, Jack and the Beanstalk, etc.)these oral stories were often told to entertain an audience and/or to teach a lesson. In contrast to modern stories, traditional literature does not have an identifiable author, and the stories were written down at a later date. There are many types of traditional literature. Some of them include folktales, tall tales, fables, myths, legends, and fairy tales. Use a familiar text to begin explaining and pointing out some of the characteristics of traditional literature. Read aloud from the familiar text. Model for students by thinking aloud when you notice a characteristic that tells you this is traditional literature. As you encounter a characteristic of traditional literature you may add it to an anchor chart, similar to the one that follows. Characteristics of Traditional Literature Plots that are straightforward Conflict that is quickly evident Concentrated and fast paced action, which adds interest Characters that are easily identified as good or bad Settings without much detail Good vs. Evil or Right vs. Wrong Lessons learned at the end of a story Happy endings Resolutions that wrap up the tale Do not discuss all of the characteristics of traditional literature. Allow students the opportunity to try to add some ideas to the chart during their active engagement. It is suggested that teachers create a chart to compare the different genres found in traditional literature (Appendix C). Give the partnerships a reproduced version of, or display with a projector, a familiar traditional literature text that you have already read in class or other easily readable examples of stories that fall within this genre category. Invite them to look through the text searching for any characteristics they have noticed that have not yet been added to the Characteristics of Traditional Literature anchor chart. Listen to students conversations with each other, so that you are able to discuss and record their thoughts about additional genre characteristics to the anchor chart. Remind students that when thoughtful readers pay attention to the specific characteristics of a genre, they are able to know how a story will go, which helps deepen their comprehension. Encourage them to do this with any book they read, no matter the genre. Option 1: Students may reread some of the traditional literature books for which they have already been exposed and try to find more features that could be added to the anchor chart. Option 2: Students may read their independent reading books to determine whether their books have characteristics of traditional literature and whether they may be categorized within that genre. Sticky Note Option: I know this is traditional literature because... Reader s Notebook Option: Title: Page no. Traditional Fiction genre features I have noticed: What are you noticing as a reader today? What have you noticed about the genre features of your story? How does keeping track of the genre features help you as a reader?

Minilesson: Understanding Envisioning to Understand the Expository Setting Writing Rubric (4s and 3s) TL 2 Familiar traditional literature previously shared with students Strategies to Envision anchor chart (Appendix D) Purpose: Thoughtful readers pay attention to details about the setting and use personal knowledge to create a mind movie of the setting. TEKS: 3.8, 4.6, 5.6 Figure 19C Remind students that they have already become experts at naming the time and place in a story. Although that is an important skill, inform them it is even more important to truly picture and imagine the setting as if they were there. Congratulate students because you know that they are now ready to do that big work! Inform them that today they will explore how to envision the story as if they were there to create a true mind movie where they do more than just see things. They will explore how thoughtful readers also use hearing, smelling, feeling, and noticing small details to help bring the story alive for them. Remind students that creating a vivid mind movie will help them better understand their stories and make the reading much more interesting. Tell them that before they practice in books, however, they re going to practice creating a mind movie from their own personal experience. Model thinking of a place that matters to you (mine is at my grandparents old house). Think aloud about all the details you recall about that place. Then, think of a moment from that place. Vividly describe what you recall in your mind to students the sights, sounds, emotions attached. Really focus on making the moment come alive for students. Now let students know that they will have a turn. First, invite them to recall a special place in their mind. It doesn t have to be a big place like Splashtown or Sea World. It can be any place that has a special meaning to them. Once they have a place in mind, ask them to describe that place in detail to themselves. Next, invite them to think of a special moment at that place. Give them a minute to really put themselves there and recreate the memory in their minds. Now, ask them to turn and share with their partner about that moment. Remind them to use details about sights, sounds, smells, emotions to help the other person feel like they are there. Listen in on conversations and coach students that need help with describing in detail. After a couple of minutes, call the class back to attention and let them know they are ready for the next step. Congratulate students on the great job they did creating mind movies of a personal experience. Inform them that they are now ready to practice that strategy with a story. Remind students that creating a vivid mind movie will help them better understand their stories and make the reading much more interesting. Explain to students that as they read, thoughtful readers activate their schema and use their own personal knowledge and experience to help them envision the setting of the story. However, readers MUST also use the details the author provides. Inform them that thoughtful readers first use the author s details and then fill in with their own personal experience when needed. At this time, you may present the Strategies to Envision anchor chart (Appendix D), discussing it with students. Model this strategy for students using a familiar piece of fiction text. Read aloud a short portion, pausing to think aloud about the details the author gives and how that helps you imagine the setting. If needed, explain how you can add in some details from your own experience to help make the movie in your mind clearer. Remember to include more than just what you see in your description. Read aloud another short portion from the same text or another familiar fiction story to students. Ask them to listen carefully and consider: What details is the author giving me about the setting? What can I see, hear, smell, feel? What do I need to fill in from my own knowledge? As you read, students need to work on creating a vivid mind movie that they can describe to their partners. After reading, ask students to share what they envisioned with their partners. Listen in on conversations to assess understanding and coach students. After a couple of minutes, call the class back to attention. Remind students again that today they have learned a new strategy for envisioning the setting. It is one they can add to their toolkit of strategies. While they are reading, they may want to stop and describe the setting and draw a quick sketch on a sticky note (large) or in their reading response journals. What are you working on as a reader today? What details does the author give you about the setting? What ideas/experiences do you have that are helping you create a movie in your mind? Describe what you are picturing to me.

Minilesson: Envisioning to Understand Characters TL 3 Familiar fables previously shared with students (see Resources for Teaching Fables Appendix B) Strategies to Envision anchor chart (Appendix D) Character Trait Words Note: It will work best for this lesson to have already shared a variety of fables with students. Purpose: Thoughtful readers pay attention to details about the character to create a mind movie while they read. TEKS: 3.8B, 4.6B, 5.6B, Figure 19C Compliment students on their hard work exploring strategies to create mind movies while they read a variety of traditional literature. Remind them that it is important to envision when they read so they can better understand the story and make it come alive! Inform them that today, they will continue exploring making mind movies while reading and becoming one of the characters this time, in a fable. Share with students that animals are typically the characters in fables, but they have been given human like qualities. This is called personification. Inform students that thoughtful readers imagine the characters as people that talk, move, and behave in certain ways as they read fables. Tell students that they need to use what they know about human behavior to help them imagine and understand the characters in fables. To demonstrate this, read aloud a section from a familiar fable to students. It is important to choose a portion of text that offers enough character behavior for you to visualize. Plan places to pause frequently and describe to students what you imagine how you can imagine the character moving, what it might sound like, what kind of expressions and gestures it makes, etc. Act out what you visualize to make the story come alive for students and share with them what is going on in your mind as you read the text. After you have read and modeled your thinking, you can share with students how that helps you better understand the character, as well. Explain what you can tell about the character based on how it behaves. You may want to make the Character Trait Words available to students who are having difficulty expressing a character s traits or feelings. Summarize what you did for students. You may say something like, Did you see how I paused frequently while I was reading to put myself in the character s shoes? Refer to the Strategies to Envision anchor chart. Tell students that it is now their turn to try it out! Read another portion of the fable, or text from a different familiar fable. Again, it needs to lend itself toward strong visualizing. Pause throughout your reading to prompt students to create mind movies. You may ask them to think about how the character looks, what it is doing, what it sounds like, etc. Invite students to turn and talk with their partner about what they are envisioning in their minds. Encourage them to describe in detail and act out what they imagine in their conversations. For a different approach, you may assign partners to be Partner A and Partner B. Each partner takes on a different character and describes and acts out what they envision. Listen in on conversations to assess ability to grow a deeper understanding of the characters. After a minute, call the class back to attention. You may choose to have a couple of students share what they envisioned or recap what you noticed yourself. To push the level of independence, you may choose to read the same portion of text again, asking students to stop and jot (or sketch) what they picture when you are done into their reader s notebooks. This is helpful in getting them ready for the work they will do in their independent reading. Remind students that today they worked on making a movie in their minds while reading by becoming one of the characters. This is an important strategy for thoughtful readers to do as it helps them better understand the story and it can also help them better understand the character. Invite students to look for places in their reading today where they can really envision the character so well they become the character. Direct them to mark with a sticky note that part of the text and then write and/or sketch about what they envision in their reader s notebooks. Reader s Notebook Option: Title: Page # (or brief description of what is happening) What I imagine in my mind (written description, sketch, or both) What I can tell about the character What are you working on as a reader today? Can you describe to me what you are envisioning as you read? What do you envision the character looking like/sounding like/behaving like? What does that show you about the character?

Minilesson: Understanding the Lesson in a Fable TL 4 Familiar fables previously shared with students (see Resources for Teaching Fables Appendix B) Chart paper Note: This lesson is a stepping stone for the lesson about the problem in a fable. Purpose: Thoughtful readers think about what the animal(s) can teach us to understand the lesson in a fable. TEKS: 3.5A, 4.3A, 5.3A, Figure 19D Compliment students on their hard work digging deeper to envision what a character is experiencing so they become the character. Remind students that thoughtful readers use many strategies to understand the human traits of characters in fables. Inform them that today, they will be focusing on the characters again to determine the lesson in the story. Remind students that the animals play an important role in the overall message of a fable. Their actions and experiences are used to teach a lesson. We already know how to visualize the characters and ask ourselves this question What does this show me about the character? Today we are going to focus on characters with a new question What might this character be teaching me? Read aloud a short, familiar fable to the class. Before you start, inform students that you will be thinking about what this animal can teach you. After reading, pause and focus on thinking about one character in the story. Model this for students by thinking aloud about your answers to the following questions: What was the lesson learned in story? Which character learned the lesson? What did that animal teach me? Afterwards, review and discuss with the students the steps you completed: 1) Read the story as you think about what the animal can teach you. 2) When you finish reading, think about your answers to the above questions. You may choose to list these questions on an anchor chart similar to the one that follows. Understanding Fables What is the lesson learned in the story? Which character learned the lesson? What did the animal teach me? Inform students that they are now going to have the opportunity to use this strategy. Remind students, as they listen to the story, to think about what the animals can teach them. Depending on the level of experience of your students, you may choose to tell them which character you want them to focus on. Reread another short, familiar fable to the class. After reading the text, give students a moment to think about their answers to the questions you used in the teach portion of the lesson. Direct them to write their thoughts and ideas onto sticky notes or into their reader s notebooks. After a few minutes, invite the students to turn and share their answers with their partner. While they are talking, you should be moving around the group to assess understanding. Bring the class back to attention and share a couple of students responses with the class. Restate what you worked on today thinking about what the animals in fables can teach us. Remind students that they can reflect upon the lesson in a story and what they learn from a character every time they read. Invite students to continue with that work today in their independent reading. You may choose to assign a fable or have a collection for students to choose from. They should read a fable and write their thoughts about the lesson presented in the fable. Sticky Note or Reader s Notebook Option: Title: Lesson: Character: What I learned from the character: What are you working on as a reader today? What do you think is the lesson in the story? Which animal learned that lesson? What can the characters in your story teach you?

Minilesson: Determining How We Can Identify the Story Problem in Fables TL 5 Familiar fables previously shared with students (see Resources for Teaching Fables Appendix B) Optional: Teacher made anchor chart for Understanding Fables Students reader s notebooks Purpose: Thoughtful readers can think about the characters and lesson learned in fables to determine the story problem. TEKS: 3.5A, 4.3A, 5.3A, Figure 19D Compliment students for their hard work exploring characters. Recap for students how they previously learned to understand the lessons in fables by thinking about what the animals are teaching us. Inform students that today, they are going to add on to that thinking by exploring how to use their ideas about the characters and lessons to determine the problem in a fable. Explain to students that the problem in a fable is usually not the obvious. For example, in The Lion and the Mouse, the lion gets trapped and needs help. Students would be quick to state that is the problem in the story because in the end, he gets free. However, the true problem in the fable is connected to the lesson learned and the flaws in the characters. The problem in the story is connected to the lesson in the story and the character that learns the lesson. Revisit a familiar fable with students. It would be most effective if you use a text presented during the Understanding the Lesson in a Fable lesson. Model for students how you use the guiding questions listed below to determine the problem in a fable. You may choose to add these questions to your Understanding Fables anchor chart, similar to the one that follows, to provide a visual for students. Understanding Fables What is the lesson in the story? Who learns the lesson? What was the character like at the beginning of the story? The end? What changed in the character? The problem was When thinking about your response to the last question, point out to students that the change in the character is usually associated with a flaw. For example, in the beginning of The Lion and the Mouse, the lion was arrogant. Being helped by a little mouse helped him to be more humble. The problem in the story was that the lion was arrogant. Recap the thinking you did to determine the problem in a fable. Did you see how I? Inform students that they are now going to have the opportunity to use this strategy. Revisit another familiar fable with students. It would be most effective if you use a text presented during the Understanding the Lesson in a Fable lesson. Ask them to pause for a moment to retell the story to themselves. After two or three minutes, prompt them to think about the guiding questions for determining the problem. After giving them a minute to think, have them turn and talk with their partners. Listen in on conversations so you can assess understanding and coach students. Bring the class back to focus. You may choose to have a couple of students share their discussion, or you may share what you heard in conversations. Name again what you worked on today thinking about the characters and the lesson learned in a fable help you determine the story problem. Remind students that they can use this strategy every time they read to help determine the story problem. Invite students to continue their work from the previous lesson, revisiting the same fable they read yesterday. Ask them to create a page in their reading notebooks to respond to the guiding questions. Sticky Note Option: At first I thought the problem was..., but then I thought... The reason I changed my mind is... Reader s Notebook Option: In the beginning, the character was..., but at the end the character was... At first I thought the problem was..., but then I realized the problem was... How s it going? What are you working on as a reader today? What are you noticing about the fables you have been reading? What do you think is the problem in this story? What makes you think that?

Minilesson: Getting Hooked In to the Story s Problem TL 6 Familiar fictional texts (traditional literature) Story Elements & Plot PowerPoint, slides 6 & 7 Story Map Graphic Organizer (see Story Elements Graphic Organizers file). Teacher s and students readers notebooks Note: If conducting a multi day study of story elements, you may want to return to the same story and the same partially filled out graphic organizer that you began on a previous day. Purpose: Thoughtful readers identify the conflict/problem in a story to aid in understanding and comprehension. TEKS: 3.8, 4.6, 5.6, Figure 19D Compliment students on their hard work digging deeper into the text to identify the problem and lesson in a fable. Explain to students that all fictional stories have the same story elements. These story elements include characters, setting, problem, events, and solution. Inform them that today they will explore growing a deeper understanding of the conflict or problem in the story. Display the Story Elements & Plot PowerPoint, slides 6 & 7. Inform the students that conflicts are the difficulties or challenges characters face and work to solve in a story. Conflicts or problems are introduced towards the beginning of a story, in the exposition, because this is what grabs the readers attention and makes them want to continue reading the story. The problem (or conflict) hooks the reader and keeps them reading until the problem is resolved. Refer to the example from the PowerPoint of The Three Little Pigs (slide 7) to illustrate the concept of hooking the reader. Revisit one of the familiar texts and read aloud the portion where the problem/conflict is first introduced. Pause and think aloud about the problem, what makes it interesting, and how it hooks you as a reader. Model writing your thoughts into your reader s notebook. Recap the thinking you did to identify how the problem hooks you. Did you see how I? Tell the students that they are going to have a turn trying this on their own. Invite the students listen for the problem/conflict as you read aloud from another familiar text. After you read aloud from the section that identifies the problem, pause and ask the students think about the problem/conflict in the story and write it into their reader s notebook. After a minute or two, invite them to think how this problem is interesting and hooks them as a reader. Ask them to also write these thoughts into their reader s notebook. After a few minutes, ask them turn to a partner and share what makes it an interesting conflict and how it hooks them as a reader and encourages them to continue on. Listen in on students conversations so you are able to record their thoughts about the problem/conflict on the Story Map graphic organizer. Remind students that thoughtful readers identify the story problem and reflect about how it hooks the reader to help deepen their comprehension. Invite students to continue exploring the conflict/problem in their independent reading, reminding them that this is work they can do every time they read. Students should be taking some type of notes as they read (see sticky note and reading response journal option below): Sticky Note Option: (character) has a problem because. This problem hooks me as a reader because it makes me. Reader s Notebook Option: Title: Page Conflict/Problem Number How It Hooks Me as a Reader What are you noticing as a reader today? What have you noticed about the conflict/problem in the story? How does keeping track of the conflict/problem help you as a reader?

Minilesson: Revisiting Story Exposition to Set the Stage TL 7 Two familiar fictional texts (traditional literature) Story Elements & Plot PowerPoint, slides 10 13 Enlarged Story Structure Map & Plot Line Graphic Organizer and individual student copies (see Story Elements Graphic Organizers file) Note: If conducting a multi day study of story elements, you may want to return to the same story and the same partially completed graphic organizer that you began on a previous day. Purpose: Thoughtful readers consider story exposition and understand the importance of characters, setting, and problem in setting the stage in the beginning of a fictional story. TEKS: 3.8A, 4.6A, 5.6A, Figure 19D Compliment students on their hard work exploring story elements during the previous lessons. Explain to students that authors of fiction typically organize their stories in a similar format. They usually begin by introducing the reader to the characters, the setting, and the problem so that the reader can understand the time, place, and people that make the rest of the story possible. Thoughtful readers know that it s important to orient themselves to these story elements before anything exciting really happens in the story because, otherwise, they might become confused. It would be like going on vacation and waking up to a new place in the morning, having forgotten that you re not in your own bed. It can lead to confusion! Inform students that thoughtful readers know it is important to pay attention to the opening details of a story to orient themselves to the story s characters, setting, and problem or conflict, avoiding confusion. Display and discuss Story Elements & Plot PowerPoint, slides 10 13, which illustrate this concept with Little Red Riding Hood. Next, read aloud the beginning portion of a familiar piece of traditional literature. Pause and think aloud about how the author sets the scene for the story by providing information about the characters, the setting, and the problem. Model how to record this information by writing the important information on the far left side of an enlarged Story Structure Map & Plot Line graphic organizer. Then, use this information to create a short sentence or two that summarizes the gist of these elements in the box designated for the exposition. Describe how this information helps you as a reader get oriented to the story before the main events ever begin to happen. Inform students that you are going to read aloud the beginning portion of another familiar piece of traditional literature while they try this out themselves. Invite the students to listen to compare how this story uses the characters, setting, and problem to set the scene for the rest of the story. After reading, pause and ask students to think about the characters, setting, and problem. With their help, enter that information on another enlarged Story Structure Map & Plot Line graphic organizer. Next, have students turn and talk to their partners about the types of details the author included in the exposition that gave them specific information about the characters, setting, and problem, and create a short sentence or two that can go in the exposition box. Listen in and coach as needed. After a few minutes, guide the students to create a class sentence and record it in the exposition box. as well as how this information. Remind students how paying attention to the characters, the setting, and the problem engaged them in the story as readers and helped them get ready to read what will happen next. Invite students to continue this work during their independent reading, reminding them that this is work they can do every time they read. Students should take some type of notes as they read (see sticky note and reader s notebook option below): Sticky note option: The fact that the author tells me about (character/setting/problem) helps get me ready to read the story because. Reader s Notebook Option: Page Character/ Number Setting/Problem How This Helps Me As a Reader How s it going? What are you noticing as a reader today? What have you noticed about the exposition in the story? How does keeping track of the exposition help you as a reader?

Minilesson: Wrapping Up the Story with Conflict Resolution TL 21 8 Two familiar fictional texts (traditional literature) Story Solution (slides 8 & 9) OR Resolution slides (slides 21 & 22) from Story Elements and Plot PowerPoint Analyzing Story Elements Graphic Organizer (see Story Elements Graphic Organizers file) Story Map OR Plot Line Graphic Organizer (see Story Elements Gra phic Organizers file) Note: If conducting a multi day study of story elements, you may want to return to the same story and the same partially completed graphic organizer that you began on a previous day. Purpose: Thoughtful readers relate the story problem in a story to its corresponding solution to aid in understanding and comprehension. TEKS: 3.8, 4.6, 5.6, Figure 19D Explain to students that all fictional stories have the same story elements. These story elements include characters, setting, problem, events, and solution. Tell them that today you brought them together to just focus on how the main problem in the story is solved, or the solution (resolution). For students on a more novice track in their study of Story Elements (students that previously discussed The Three Little Pigs) display the Solution slides from the PowerPoint (slides 8 & 9). For students delving deeper into plot structure (students that have been examining Little Red Riding Hood), display the Resolution slides (slides 21 & 22). Tell the students that fiction stories have problems and that the solution (or resolution) refers to the way the main problem is solved. Explain that the resolution to the problem comes at the end of the story. Revisit the first familiar text and reread the portion where the main problem is first introduced. This will help the students prepare to find the resolution. Then, skip ahead to the portion of the story where the main problem is resolved. Read this portion of text aloud. Have the students listen for how the problem is solved. Share your own reflections about whether this solution surprised you or whether it was what you predicted would happen when you first came to the problem in the story. Reflect upon whether you thought the author did a good job in resolving the story or whether the resolution needs more work. Revisit the second familiar text, the text associated with the Story Map or Plot Line graphic organizer. Reread the portion where the main problem is first introduced. This will help the students prepare to find the resolution. Then, skip ahead to the portion of the story where the main problem is resolved. Read this portion of text aloud. Have the students listen for how the problem is solved. Have students turn to a partner, identify the solution, and share their thoughts about the resolution, noting whether they felt the author did a good job of solving the main problem in the story. Listen to student conversations, and record their thoughts about how the problem is resolved on both the Analyzing Story Elements and the Story Map graphic organizer (novice learners) or Plot Line graphic organizer (more advanced learners). (It is not necessary to record the main events of the story on the graphic organizers prior to completing this step. These can be recorded later when students delve deeper into plot and/or study sequence). Have students examine how the problem is resolved in independent reading. Students should take some type of notes as they read (see sticky note and reading response journal option below): Sticky Note Option: (problem) is solved when. I like/dislike this solution because. Reader s Notebook Option: Solution/ Problem & Resolution & Page # Page # My Reaction What are you noticing as a reader today? What have you noticed about how the problem in the story is resolved? How does keeping track of the problem and solution/resolution help you as a reader?

Minilesson: Determining the Important Events in a Story TL 9 Familiar fiction text previously shared with students Story Map Graphic Organizer (see Story Elements Graphic Organizer file) OR teacher made story mountain chart Note: If conducting a multi day study of story elements, you may want to return to the same story and the same partially completed graphic organizer that you began on a previous day. Purpose: Thoughtful readers sift out the important events in the story by thinking about how they connect to the problem and resolution. TEKS: 3.8A, 4.6A, 5.6A, Figure 19D Compliment students on their continuing hard work exploring story elements. Remind students again that most fictional stories have the same story elements. You have already worked on characters, setting, problem, and resolution. Today, you are going to show them how to figure out which events in the story are most important. Explain to students that authors include many events in their stories. And while all of the events serve a purpose in the story and help make it interesting, not all of them are important in leading up to the resolution. When determining which events are most important, we have to ask ourselves: Did this event need to happen in order for the resolution to occur? Does it help cause the resolution? Model thinking through this process by revisiting the same familiar text and graphic organizer you have been using in previous lessons. Briefly recap the events in order as they occur in the story between the problem and resolution by flipping through the text and thinking aloud about the events. Use post it notes, sentence strips, or index cards to share the events in written form with students. Choose the first event and ask yourself: Did this event need to happen in order for the resolution to occur? Think aloud about your answer and reasoning. If it was important, place it on the graphic organizer. If not, set it aside. Choose one more event to model the same thought process. Point out to the student what you did. Did you see how I thought about the events in the story and then for each one asked myself, Did this need to happen? Let students practice sifting out important events by going through the remaining events in the same manner. Read each event separately and ask them to consider if it needed to occur for the resolution to happen. You may choose to have them turn and talk, or simply think to themselves and then show their answer by using thumbs up. For each event, make sure you point out why or why not it is important in the story. Finish placing the remaining events where they belong. Restate your teaching point. Today you showed students how to determine the important events in a story by asking yourself if it helps lead to the resolution. Let them know they will be trying it out today in their own reading. They should revisit a story they have used on a previous day. They should already have identified the problem and resolution in their story. See reading response options below. Sticky Note Option: Title: I think the important events are because. Reader s Notebook Option: Completed story map, chart, or graphic organizer. What are you working on in your reading today? Tell me about the events in your story. Which events do you think are important? Why? Which events do you think are not important? Why? How are the events connected to the resolution?

Minilesson: Experiencing the Excitement of the Story s Climax TL 10 Familiar fictional text (traditional literature) Story Elements and Plot PowerPoint, slides 23 & 24 Plot Line Graphic Organizer (see Story Elements Graphic Organizers file) Note: If conducting a multi day study of story elements, you may want to return to the same story and the same partially completed graphic organizer that you began on a previous day. Display Story Elements and Plot PowerPoint, slide 23. Tell the students that we know the climax is the high point of the story. It is often the moment of highest interest and greatest emotion. Refer to the example from the PowerPoint of Little Red Riding Hood (slide 24). Have students begin to collect the most exciting events in their independent reading that occur between the main problem and solution, with the intent of eventually choosing which might qualify as the climax. Students should take some type of notes as they read (see sticky note and reading response journal option below): Purpose: Thoughtful readers identify the climax, or high point, in a story to aid in understanding and deepen comprehension. TEKS: 3.8, 4.6, 5.6, Figure 19D Explain to students that all fictional stories have the same story elements. These story elements include characters, setting, problem, events, and solution. Explain that we also know that there is always a high point in a story. Let them know that today you brought them together to focus on the high point, or climax in the story. Return to the text that you have been using to teach story elements and the partially completed plot line for that text (see Revisiting the Exposition & Identifying Solution ). Quickly recap the key events that occur between the introduction of the main problem (exposition) and the solution (at the end of the story). Jot down these events on a piece of chart paper. Give students a few moments to consider which event is the most exciting, attention grabbing thing that happens in the story. Have them turn to a partner and share which event they believe best qualifies as the climax of the story and what makes this part so engaging to them as readers. Circulate amongst the partnerships and indicate the class consensus by recording the climax on the plot line. Sticky Note Option: I m thinking that (event) could possibly be the climax of the story because. Reader s Notebook Option: Title: Page No. Event Rank Order In Terms of Excitement What are you noticing as a reader today? What have you noticed about the climax in the story? How does keeping track of the problem and the climax help you as a reader?

Minilesson: Rising to the Challenge: Examining Rising Action TL 11 Familiar fictional text (traditional literature) Story Elements and Plot PowerPoint, slides 25 & 26 Plot Line Graphic Organizer (see Story Elements Graphic Organizers file) Note: If conducting a multi day study of story elements, you may want to return to the same story and the same partially completed graphic organizer that you began on a previous day. Purpose: Thoughtful readers identify the rising action that leads up to the climax in a story to aid in understanding and deepen comprehension. TEKS: 3.8, 4.6, 5.6, Figure 19D Explain to students that all fictional stories have the same story elements. These story elements include characters, setting, problem, events, and solution. Explain that we also know that there are certain things that happen in a story that lead you to the climax, or the big event. The events that lead you up to the climax are called the rising action. Tell students that today you brought them together to focus on the rising action in the story. Display the Rising Action definition slide from the PowerPoint (slide 25). Tell the students that the rising action is where the problem is developed through events leading up to the most exciting part, or climax, of the story. Refer to the example from the PowerPoint of Little Red Riding Hood (slide 26). Revisit your familiar text and begin rereading the portion of events that occur after the story exposition (characters, setting, & main story problem). Stop when you reach the climax of the story. Think aloud about the first event that comprises the rising action and record your thinking on your plot line graphic organizer. Let students know that the rising action typically is comprised of a series of sequenced events that immediately follow the story s main problem and get progressively more exciting/more troublesome as they approach the climax. Have them turn to a partner and retell the events from the story, beginning with the event that immediately follows the first rising action event leading up to the climax of the story. Listen to the student conversations and record a synthesis of their thoughts on the plot line graphic organizer. Have students examine the rising action in independent reading. Students should be taking some type of notes as they read (see sticky note and reading response journal option below): Sticky Note Option: I believe (event) is part of the rising action because it adds trouble to the problem by. Reader s Notebook Option: Title: Page Number Event How It Adds More Trouble to the Problem What are you noticing as a reader today? What have you noticed about the rising action in the story? How does keeping track of the problem, the rising action, and the climax help you as a reader?

Minilesson: Falling Into Place: Examining Falling Action TL 12 Familiar fictional text (traditional literature) Story Elements & Plot PowerPoint, slides 27 & 28 Plot Line Graphic Organizer (see Story Elements Graphic Organizers file) Note: If conducting a multi day study of story elements, you may want to return to the same story and the same partially completed graphic organizer that you began on a previous day. Purpose: Thoughtful readers identify the falling action in a story to aid in understanding and deepen comprehension. TEKS: 3.8, 4.6, 5.6, Figure 19D Explain to students that all fictional stories have the same story elements. These story elements include characters, setting, problem, events, and solution. Explain that we also know that there is always the falling action in a story. Let them know that today you brought them together to focus on the falling action in the story. Display the Falling Action definition slide from the Story Elements & Plot PowerPoint (slide 27). Tell the students that the climax is the highpoint of the story. Then after the climax, we know there is the falling action, or where the story events wind down as the story problem is resolved. Refer to the example from the Story Elements & Plot PowerPoint of Little Red Riding Hood (slide 28). Revisit your familiar text and begin rereading the portion after the climax, where the events start to wind down. Stop when you reach the solution of the story. Think aloud about the first event that comprises the falling action and record your thinking on your plot line graphic organizer. Let students know that the falling action typically is comprised of a series of sequenced events that immediately follow the story s climax and gradually begin to fix the problem as they near the solution. While the climax gets us excited, the falling action starts to calm us down. Have them turn to a partner and retell the events from the story that follow the one that you have just recorded and that lead up to the solution of the story. Listen to their conversations so that you are able to determine the class consensus and record a synthesis of their thoughts on the plot line graphic organizer. Have students examine the falling action in independent reading. Students should take notes as they read (see sticky note and reading response journal option below): Sticky Note Option: I believe (event) is part of the falling action because it fixes the problem by. Reader s Notebook Option: Title: Page No. Event How It Calms Me Down as a Reader How s it going? What are you noticing as a reader today? What have you noticed about the falling action in the story? How does keeping track of the climax and the falling action help you as a reader?

Minilesson: Sequencing Important Events TL 13 Familiar fictional text (traditional literature) Story Map Graphic Organizer (see Story Elements Graphic Organizers file) Waking Up, Jack and Jill, or Three Little Pigs sentence strips (see Additional Resources file) Crafty Fox story from Sequence PowerPoint (slides 1 4) Sentence Strips one set for each student partnership (see Additional Resources file) Story Events Flow Chart (see Story Elements Graphic Organizers file) Note: If conducting a multi day study of story elements, you may want to return to the same story and the same partially filled out graphic organizer that you began on a previous day. Purpose: Thoughtful readers use knowledge of story elements to help sequence events in a fictional story. TEKS: 3.8A, 4.6A, 5.6A Explain to students that fictional stories are typically arranged in a sequential fashion in which one action typically has to happen before another can take place. Tell students that today you will be exploring the sequence of a story and how it provides organization for the piece. Display the Waking Up or the Jack and Jill sentence strips and model placing these in order for students, thinking aloud about what you know about the plot elements and how they appear in fictional stories, as well as your thoughts about the events that must happen before others for the story to make sense. Locate The Crafty Fox story (slides 1 4 in the Sequence PowerPoint) or another short, traditional tale and read aloud to students. Then, have turn to one another and discuss the correct order of events from the story, arranging sentence strips from the story in the correct order. Encourage them to discuss why certain events had to come before/after others. Walk around the partnerships as they are discussing, listening in and noticing student observations. Then, call the group s attention back to the front and use what you have observed to fill out a Story Events Flow Chart for The Crafty Fox. Return to the familiar text that you ve been reading and the partially completed story map and use everything that you ve learned to fill in the rest of it with events from the story that reflect the important pieces in plot structure, as well as sequence, to help you. Have students examine sequence in independent reading. Students should be taking some type of notes as they read (see reading response journal option below): Reader s Notebook Option: Title: Story Event Why It s Important What would happen if it happened in a different order? What are you noticing as a reader today? What have you noticed about the order of events in the story? How does keeping track of the story sequence help you as a reader?