Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Compare and Contrast: Literary Analysis

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders are able to use active listening skills, take notes and identify literary elements of a short story. They use/create graphic organizer, compare/contrast literary elements from various stories and compare and contrast traits.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identifying Structured Patterns in Folk Tales

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are introduced to the structure of folk tales. After working through an example, they identify as many folk tales as possible that follow the same pattern. In groups, they compare a folk tale and a fairy tale to identify the...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

A Story of Epic Proportions: What Makes a Poem an Epic?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners analyze the epic poem form and its roots in oral tradition. In this epic poetry lesson, students research the epic hero cycle and recognize the pattern of events and elements. Learners analyze the patterns embedded in the stories.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Story Pyramid and Summary

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students read a short selection of a story individually or as a class. On their own, they create a story pyramid for the selection and write a one page summary. They use text from the story for their supporting details. To end the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Short Story

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders identify the various elements of a short story. After reading Rudyard Kipling's short story, "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," students identify the author's purpose in writing the story as well as the elements that make it a short...
Lesson Plan
Pennsylvania Department of Education

Analyzing Literary Elements in Literary Nonfiction

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders identify the literary elements of a nonfiction text. In this literary elements lesson plan, 4th graders read the text Piano Starts Here--The Young Art Tatum and fill in a chart that includes the events from the book....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

One Pager

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students read the novel, Freak the Mighty and describe and illustrate the setting. They create a graphic organizer that demonstrates the major plot elements and character development.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building a Literature Pyramid

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Learners create a literature pyramid. They review and discuss their assessment task and rubric and select the literature for their pyramid. They read the literary selection and complete a pyramid sheet for one of the four literary...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Character Traits in Fables

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Combining art, music, dance, and reading comprehension, this instructional activity is geared to reach all ability levels. After reading a variety of fables and discussing story elements and character traits, class members select a moral...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identifying the Theme in a Story

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners recognize Theme through the use of simple, short stories. Using Pro Quest, students begin by researching the literary element, theme, and how it can be identified. They then identify the themes in Aesop's Fables and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Explore the Elements of Art

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students recognize elements of art such as texture, shape line and color.  In this elements of art lesson plan, students create a still life picture with oil pastel or crayons.  Students define elements of art vocabulary....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

One Story, Many Tales

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare and contrast various versions of the fairytale Cinderella. In this folktale lesson, students read The Korean Cinderella and The Egyptian Cinderella and analyze the differences between the two stories. Students identify...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Text Elements of Fiction and Nonfiction

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders examine the text elements associated with fiction and nonfiction texts. In this text elements instructional activity, 2nd graders listen to Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock by Eric A. Kimmel. They take formative...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details - The Stonecutter's Wish

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students identify details that support the theme of a story.  For this main idea or theme lesson, students view a video of "The Stonecutter's Wish."  Students are given a graphic organizer to use as they discuss the main idea...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Story Maps and Boxes

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Learners use a story map template to review the parts of a story and information about a book that they have read. The elements of the story are identified and placed into story boxes and shared with classmates.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Story Pyramid And Comparison

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the details of a chosen story of literature. They use a pyramid graphic organizer to record information. The information is used to write a summary of the story. Students use a rubric while writing the summary to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Beginning, Middle, and End

For Teachers 1st
First graders identify the beginning, middle, and ending of a story and describe the plot, setting, and the characters. As a class they read a picture story and identify the beginning, middle, and end. Students then draw a picture of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's the Big Idea?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students choose a paragraph from a book of their choice, identify the main idea, and draw an illustration of the main idea. They write original paragraphs, illustrate them, and trade with a partner, identifying the main idea of the...
Lesson Plan
Beacon Learning Center

What Goes Up Must Come Down

For Teachers 4th - 7th
After your class has completed The Cay by Theodore Taylor, assess understanding of the plot. First, model how to fill out a plot line for your class. Next, have class members fill in the plot of The Cay on the provided story map. Invite...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Goldilocks Live!!!

For Teachers K - 5th
Study story elements with your young learners. Read Goldilocks and the Three Bears and discuss the order of events by making a story panel out of butcher paper. Sentences are given as suggestions for the panel, though you may...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Storytelling: Writers' Workshop Learning Center

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Evaluating a variety of narrative texts can help build strong writers. Pupils identify plot elements and their relation to personal experience, then apply what they gleaned from the class discussion to create their own narratives.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Folktales and Ecology: Animals and Humans in Cooperation and Conflict

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Story elements such as conflict, character analysis, resolution, and moral are discussed and charted as elementary children read folktales involving animals. An element of science is also introduced as learners discover what a keystone...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Getting the Story

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners examine and discuss the basic elements of a newspaper article. They listen to articles, discuss the 'inverted pyramid' style of a breaking news article, and list imaginary current events based on mythological characters.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Fine Feathered Flock

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students role play different situations. In this respect lesson, students read Mr. Lincoln's Way, identify the story elements and answer comprehension questions. Students discuss how they can always treat others with respect and role...