Unit 2 Story Elements Grade: 1st Content Area: Interactive Read Aloud
Lessons: 3 Duration: 6 weeks Date Created/Revised: June 8, 2020
Enduring Readers use story elements including characters, setting, and plot, to understand and
Understanding retell a story.
Essential What are story elements?
Questions How do story elements help readers retell a story?
How do readers use their own feelings and experiences to understand a story?
Stage 1
What do we want students to know?
Standards:
Inquiry.2.1 Engage in daily explorations of texts to make connections to personal experiences, other texts,
or the environment.
RL.7.1 Retell text, including beginning, middle, and end; use key details to determine the theme in a text
Standard 8: Analyze characters, settings, events, and ideas as they develop and interact within a
particular context.
RL.8.1 Read or listen closely to: a. describe characters’ actions, and feelings; b. compare and contrast
characters’ experiences to those of the reader; c. describe setting; d. identify the plot including problem
and solution; and describe cause and effect relationship
Factual Knowledge Procedural Knowledge Conceptual Knowledge
Students will be able to list Students will be able to identify Students will understand how story
parts of a story. the different story elements in elements affect the reader’s
a text and describe them comprehension of the story.
using evidence.
Stage 2
How will we know that students understand what has been taught and what should they be able to do?
Assessments: Projects/Research: Extensions/Differentiation:
Informal observation Scrapbook for students to
Questioning draw/describe various settings
Turn and Talk from books as you read them
Stage 3
What daily instructional strategies, activities, and resources will be used to facilitate student learning?
Strategies: Mini Lessons, Teacher modeling, Turn and Talk, Guided Practice, Independent Practice
Resources/Materials:
Books about friendship, school, family, community would work well.
Chart paper/markers, sticky notes, reading response journals for students
Stage 4
Lesson Plans
Each of these lessons are written as a general plan to be repeated with a variety of books over a period
of two weeks (unless specified otherwise) in order to dig deeper into the standard.
Lesson 1 (1 week)
DLO
I can use my schema to make useful connections.
Standards
Inquiry.2.1 Engage in daily explorations of texts to make connections to personal experiences, other
texts, or the environment.
Vocabulary
schema, connections
Mini Lessons
1a: Sample Scripted Lesson
* Tell students that when you read, you use your “schema” to help you understand the characters
and story. Schema is what you already have in your head: things you’ve done, things that have
happened to you, people you know, places you’ve been, other books you’ve read, information you
have learned, etc.
*Read book (think aloud, make connections, analyze pictures/text as you read)
* Create Schema Chart
1b:
* Read aloud chosen book.
* Students will listen to book and give signal (thumbs up) when they make a connection with
something.
* After reading, students share connections. Tell students to be sure and listen to what their friends say
so that you don’t have 5 people saying “I went to the beach before.”
* Don’t give much feedback on types of connections- acknowledge and praise all connections.
1c:
* Read aloud chosen book.
* As you make connections, jot some down (make sure some are not relevant).
* After reading, look back at connections with students to determine if they all helped with
understanding the story.
* Point out how some connections are useful, some are not, and we will practice making useful
connections
Book Suggestions:
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon* Amazing Grace* The Very Last Castle*
Giraffes Can’t Dance* Dragons Love Tacos*
Phonics:
Look for opportunities throughout books you read to point out/have students find Letterland phonics
skills
Unit 5: short e
Unit 6: short u
Lesson 2
* Book has questions/teaching point sheet and/or complete unit file on OneDrive
DLO
I can describe the setting of a story.
Standards
RL.8.1 Read or listen closely to
c. describe setting;
Vocabulary
setting
Mini Lessons
2a:
* Define setting- BrainpopJr video
* Look at cover/pictures in book to describe what the setting appears to be
*Read book (think aloud, analyze pictures/text as you read)
* Identify any changes to what students predicted to be the setting with evidence from pictures/text
* How would the story be different if it had a different setting, or if parts of the setting were different
(night instead of day, summer instead of winter, etc.)?
2b:
* Spend time identifying the setting in detail with books where the setting is the same throughout, then
move on to books where the setting changes.
* Did setting stay the same or change throughout the book?
Book Suggestions:
Setting Stays the Same: Setting Changes:
Thundercake* Make Way for Ducklings*
Nerdy Birdy* Rescue and Jessica
Ira Sleeps Over* How To Make and Apple Pie and See the World*
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Phonics:
Look for opportunities throughout books you read to point out/have students find Letterland phonics
skills
Unit 3: short i
Unit 4: short o
Lesson 3
* Book has questions/teaching point sheet and/or complete unit file on OneDrive
DLO
I can describe a character’s actions and feelings and compare them with my own experiences.
Standards
RL.8.1 Read or listen closely to:
a. describe characters’ actions, and feelings.
b. compare and contrast characters’ experiences to those of the reader;
Vocabulary
character traits, actions, feelings
Mini Lessons
* Define character- BrainpopJr video
* Start unit with a familiar book with strong character
* Look at cover/pictures in book to describe what character appears to look like (physical
characteristics, feelings)
* Identify outside (appearance) traits and tell students that we can also describe how a character is
on the inside. Use connections/schema to help identify inside (feelings, personality) character traits
with evidence from text (write on chart, bulleted list)
*Create chart of character traits/feelings using mostly average words (Sad, Happy, Mad, Pretty, etc.).
During a writing lesson on adjectives, you will refer back to this chart to make a chart of better words
for these “boring” words.
* Continue reading other books and describing characters over next 2 weeks to practice making
relevant connections and identifying character traits.
Lesson 4
* Book has questions/teaching point sheet and/or complete unit file on OneDrive
DLO
I can organize major events in order from beginning, middle, to end.
Standards
7.1 Retell text, including beginning, middle, and end; use key details to determine the theme in a text
Vocabulary
transition words
Lesson 3a (Week 1)
Mini Lesson
Prepare beforehand:
- Create T chart (can be done on pocket chart with sentence strips) with the following on the left,
blank on the right: First, Next, Then, Last
- Copy illustrations from chosen book to represent important events in story
- Place a butcher paper retell path on the floor with time order words drawn down the retell path
* Introduce lesson by stating that when readers retell a story, they pick out the most important events
from the story, not just interesting details. Then, they put the events in order using special words called
“transitional words” such as first, next, then, after that, last, finally.
* Teacher will model how to retell using personal events, such as getting to school this morning.
Teacher will physically move and progress through the steps on the retell path using the time order
words to indicate each part of her routine of getting to school this morning.
* Students will repeat the sequence words on each finger, turning to a partner to check.
* Watch Brainpop Jr video on Sequence.
* Show students cover of book, discuss what they think the setting is and what book is about
* Students will be listening for events, things that actually happen in the text and what order they take
place.
* Students will refer to posted anchor chart for organization and time order words.
* Read book (think aloud, analyze pictures/text as you read)
* After listening to book, students will work with a partner to put selected illustrations from the text in
order.
* Students will turn and talk with a partner about how the illustrations are organized and why that
organization is important.
Book Suggestions:
Big Mama’s When I Was Young in the Mountains*
Pumpkin, Pumpkin* The Relatives Came*
Phonics:
Look for opportunities throughout books you read to point out/have students find Letterland phonics
skills
Unit 7: ch, qu
Lesson 3b (Weeks 2-3)
Mini Lesson
* Book has questions/teaching point sheet and/or complete unit file on OneDrive
Prepare beforehand:
- Create T chart (can be done on pocket chart with sentence strips) with the following on the left,
blank on the right: Opening sentence, First, Next, Then, Last, Concluding Sentence
- Writ/type sentences from chosen book to represent major events in story including an
opening/beginning sentence that starts with This story is about….and includes the main characters
and setting.)
* Review what retelling is
* Tell students that they are going to organize important events from a story into a retelling using
sentences
* Read book
* Start with only the Opening Sentence and the First sentence, and put them up in the wrong order.
Ask which one comes first and how do we know?
* Students will turn and talk with partner to decide which sentence is the opening and which
sentence actually describes the first event that happened.
* Explain how the opening sentence starts with: This story is about …
* Scramble the remaining four sentences and look at them together to figure out the correct order
* In pairs, students can walk the retell path on the floor and retell each part using the sequence words
as they move to each section of the path.
*Subsequent days, you can make a copy of the sentences for students to work with while you do it on
the document camera instead of using chart. Students can glue the sentences in order in their
reading journal once you have ensured they are correct.
Book Suggestions:
Pumpkin Jack* If Your Monster Won’t Go To Bed*
Scarecrow* Crankenstein*
The Gruffalo
Phonics:
Look for opportunities throughout books you read to point out/have students find Letterland phonics
skills
Unit 8: Open Vowels (me, hi, my, she, no, I, why)
Unit 9: -all
Stage 5
How many students met the learning target?
* Book has questions/teaching point sheet and/or complete unit file on OneDrive
*Revisit the standards and reflect on instruction
*Analyze student work
*Discuss progress toward proficiency
*Discuss strengths, weakness, and misconceptions identified
*Determine reteach and extend
* Book has questions/teaching point sheet and/or complete unit file on OneDrive
Lesson 1 Schema Chart back to Lesson 1
Lesson 3 Character Traits back to Lesson 3
Sample Scripted Lesson Plan back to Lesson 1
Unit of Study: Unit 2: Story Elements Lesson 1
DLO: I can use my schema to make useful connections.
Chart: Schema
Standard: 2.1 Engage in daily explorations of texts to make connections to personal
experiences, other texts, or the environment.
Materials: short book that you can make several connections with (prepare ahead of time places
you will stop and think aloud)
Mini Lesson: (8-10 minutes total)
Activator: (< 1 minute)
*Teacher: “Readers, did you know that when we read books, we are not only reading the words,
we are thinking at the same time?”
Teaching Point: (7-8 minutes)
* Teacher: “I’m going to read this book to you today and show you how I’m thinking while I read it.
When I hold it in the air, I’m just reading it. When I’m thinking, I will put it in my lap.
Readers can understand characters and what is happening in a story because of our ‘schema’.
Schema is a fancy word that describes what you already have in your head: things you’ve done,
things that have happened to you, people you know, places you’ve been, other books you’ve
read, information you have learned, etc..
* Use a gesture to help students remember what schema is, such as putting your hands to your
head, and tell students to copy your gesture and repeat what you say: “Schema is the stuff already
in my head.”
* Then add another gesture to remind students that schema helps readers understand a story, such
as index finger to temple for thinking, then open hands to represent a book: “Schema helps me
think while reading a story.”
* Read book aloud, stopping to model thinking.
Guided Practice: (1-2 minutes)
Repeat the gestures and short explanation and have students copy. Then, students will take turns
teaching their neighbor what schema means and why it’s helpful, using the same format.
Independent Practice: Students will practice using their schema as they read their own books. Have
them use sticky notes to mark places where they make connections. As students are reading, walk
around and observe, reminding students to make useful connections, and pointing out how you’re
noticing lots of students really using their schema.
Share: Have students meet back at meeting place, and let 2-3 students share a couple of
connections (or tell students to share their connections with a partner).
