This unit from the Yale University on elements of the short story is designed to develop student comprehension skills, particularly making inferences and generalizing. It also involves students in reading a number of short stories to...

During this lesson, learners will analyze what distinguishes the stories they love. Reading and reviewing their favorite books will help students begin to identify elements of a story. Learners have the opportunity to navigate the...

A lesson plan in which students read a narrative text and complete graphic organizers to map the story. Materials are included.

Analyzing a book takes the form of creating their own when pupils complete this activity. The stated goal is to help students "Read like writers." Includes link to a template for student use.

As you watch Nature Cat, use these tools to guide discussions and learning activities. Includes printables on story elements, alternate endings, vocabulary words, character traits, an episode map, and a Venn diagram.

A lesson plan in which young scholars read a narrative text and then turn a question wheel to answer questions about the characters, setting, conflict, and plot. Materials are included.[PDF]

Helping classrooms to utilize more technology, the University of Virginia has developed this website to provide a source for building digital storytellers.

This interactive game of "Match" assesses students' knowledge of story element definitions. Students will match the correct definition of a story element to its corresponding definition.

Students will engage in a Reader's Theater adaptation of Cinderella after reading several different versions that come from various cultures. Students will complete a graphic organizer with story elements that apply to the story Cinderella.

Contains plans for two lessons that ask young scholars to apply Freytag's Pyramid (also known as Freytag's Triangle) to pieces of writing, oral storytelling, and television shows. In addition to objectives and standards, this...

The "Reign of Terror" that overtook the Osage Reservation in 1921 is just one chapter in the long story of mistreatment of Native Americans by whites, but is one of the most horrifying. Before the chapter ends, untold dozens of Osage...

A lesson plan in which students read a narrative text and answer questions about the plot. Materials are included.

A series of 24 instructional videos, each about 30 minutes in length, designed to teach literary analysis. Topics include Responding to Literature, The Elements of Short Fiction, Tone and Style in Short fiction, The Elements of Poetry,...

Do your students' minds go blank when they confront a blank piece of paper? Speedwriting can help them get started with writing as well as come up with topics to write about. They can then incorporate their key ideas and phrases into a...

This learning module focuses on analyzing story elements including the order of events, character, conflict, resolution, and plot. It provides a model story with questions and answers and then a practice story with questions.

In this lesson middle schoolers create digital stories in cooperative groups using multimedia tools to demonstrate comprehension of the elements of grammar, literature, and technology introduced in the lesson. Students become actively...

This is a glossary entry for the term "Characterization" including a definition and the characteristics to be developed: Character's appearance, actions, thoughts, voice, and reaction from others.

This collection of activities gives students a chance to discover and compare fairy tales from around the world. It provides a wealth of links to resources, printable diagrams, discussion questions and the like.

These five activities allow students to explore the various Cinderella folktales, while comparing and contrasting the characters. They provide lesson extensions, links to charts, discussion questions and the like.

At this site choose between long version and a short version of these fairy tales translated from the Russian. Each one is illustrated. Be aware that there are advertisements on the page.