Three great graphic organizers guide readers to see how the elements of plot and main idea can be charted to reveal the theme of a story. Model the process on the provided Direct Teaching Teacher Graphic Organizer using Aesop’s The...

Model for young learners how to determine the theme of a story. Read aloud Aesop’s The Fox and the Stork. Chart the plot and the main idea of the fable, showing class members how these elements support the theme. Fable titles for...

Second graders identify the events in a story using story elements. In this story elements lesson, 2nd graders review the story elements and read Dav Pilkey's book, Dog Breath: The Horrible Trouble with Hally Tosis. Students practice...

Have your class read the story "The Magic Lake," retold by Liana Romulo, from Filipino Children's Favorite Stories. Guide them to identify the problem, solution, and universal theme. They compare the theme of this story to the theme of...

Third graders understand how to find the theme of a fable. In this theme lesson, 3rd graders use graphic organizers to record the events of a fable. Students use that information to determine the lesson of the story. Students do a guided...

Read aloud to your class the fable "The Lion and the Mouse" as you explore characters' choices and the effects they have on a story. Apply what is discussed to finding a theme of the chapter "Not Giving Up" from The Wizard of...

Fifth graders read to find the purpose of a piece of writing. They explore the theme of Bridge to Terabithia through events in the story. Furthermore, they consider how they would find a theme and examine a new text for its theme.

Help your class identify story elements. They will discuss character, setting, problem, and solution after reading a story. A graphic organizer will help them to identify various elements with guided practice and independent practice...

Fifth graders explore the theme of a story by identifying the effects of a character's decision. In this theme study lesson, 5th graders refer to the events in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Students discuss as a whole class how...

Sixth graders identify components of the setting in science fiction text. In this compare and contrast settings lesson, 6th graders read Only You Can Save Mankind and identify similarities and differences between science fiction...

Kindergartners identify where a story takes place. In this literature lesson plan, learners take a picture walk and discuss how pictures can provide clues to the location of the story. They then illustrate where a new story of their own...

Practice distinguishing biography from autobiography through point of view. Tell a brief story of your morning. Have a class member retell the story to you (using second person). And have another retell the story to the class (using...

Do the actions of a character in a story change based on the setting the writer provides? Learners explore the concept of character action in relation to story setting by investigating the setting and events in the story Science...

Young learners explore the antagonist. They retell Hansel and Gretel and identify the witch and the stepmother as antagonists. They then brainstorm common character traits of an antagonist, and then write a paragraph describing...

Students draw the setting of a story.  For this setting and context clues lesson, students learn how to use textual clues to determine and visualize the setting of stories.  Students discuss the context clues they use to...

Fourth graders look at the importance of setting in a story. For this setting lesson, 4th graders see how the setting of a story affects the actions of the characters and how you can predict these actions based on the setting. They read...

  Learners study the elements of fantasy in fiction as a whole group by dissecting fiction stories.  In this story elements lesson plan, students work through a handout about fantasy to point out the elements that point to the...

How do you know the book you are reading is a fantasy? Explore the characteristics of the fantasy genre as you read the story Zathura with your class. Together you'll create a class chart that identifies the fantasy genre while building...

Are you working onevent sequence in your kindergarten class? Use a reading activity to have your kids discuss events from the story, and put them in order. They then cut and paste them in the correct order. A great project for any story!

Third graders use context clues from the text of the story Rainy Day to determine the setting. In this setting lesson plan, 3rd graders determine the time and place by visualizing.

Practice identifying the setting with a reading activity. Kindergartners find the setting of a story by observing when the story takes place. They read the book Look! Snow! by Kathryn O. Galbraith and decide in which season the story...

Rising and falling actions are big parts of how a plot moves through the course of a story, narrative, or novel. Youngsters use examples from their texts as they examine where the action rises and falls in the book, How My Parents...

Fourth graders see how the setting affects the plot. In this setting lesson, 4th graders listen to The Three Brothers : A German Folktale by Carolyn Croll and see how the setting affects the outcome of the story. They read a new...

Students explore the connection between analyzing a character and the character plot conflict. In this plot conflict lesson students role play two characters in the story, The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Students also pretend to be a...