Printables
Curated OER

Elements of Fiction

For Teachers 1st - 8th
The metaphor of a pot of soup and a series of colorful templates remind young writers of the elements that make for a rich story. Pepper the plot with carrot/character, potato/point of view, corn/conflict, tomato/theme, and season with...
Handout
Vanier College

Analyzing Short Stories/Novels

For Students 9th - 12th
Good questions can help focus readers' attention on the elements writers use to add depth to their stories. The questions on this worksheet do just that and encourage readers to think critically about a story and author's purpose.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Applying Ahimsa to Traditional Stories

For Teachers 2nd - 8th Standards
Investigate the life of Mahatma Gandhi by researching non-violent lifestyles. Learners define the word ahimsa and discuss the personal characteristics that made Gandhi a peaceful warrior. They also create a poster about the story "The...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Different Strokes For Different Folktales

For Teachers K - 1st
Young readers use graphic organizers, such as Venn diagrams and story maps, to analyze a variety of folktales and the elements of a story. They use writing, sequencing activities, and creative art to identify the morals learned from a...
eBook
Library of Congress

A Selection of Stories from The Æsop for Children

For Students K - 8th Standards
Read and incorporate a variety of Aesop's Fables into a fable genre study with an eBook produced by the Library of Congress. The interactive eBook contains 146 fables written by Aesop and includes colorful interactive illustrations...
Worksheet
K5 Learning

The Story of a Wise Woman

For Students 3rd - 5th Standards
The Story of a Wise Woman tells the tale of South Carolina's, Eliza Lucas Pinckney and how she persevered to plant and harvest indigo. With this short story and questions worksheet, your early readers test their comprehension with...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comprehension Skills: Evaluate Using Fiction Stories and Aesop's Fables

For Teachers K
Primary readers investigate several comprehension skills in the ten lessons of this unit. Forming opinions about stories, comparing stories to each other, using Venn Diagrams, and applying the ideas from a story to real life situations...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

And the Moral of the Story is...

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Young scholars retell a story using computer software. In this story elements lesson, students retell the story giving the plot, setting, characters and moral using Pixie software.
Lesson Plan
Lied Center of Kansas

The Ugly Duckling and The Tortoise and the Hare

For Teachers Pre-K - 3rd Standards
Both The Ugly Duckling and The Tortoise and the Hare are great additions to an elementary language arts lesson. Young readers focus on the literary elements of each story, including characters and plot development, and apply...
Lesson Plan
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Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary

Benjamin Franklin and Learning a Lesson

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Examine stories with a moral in a character development instructional activity. The class reads a short story written by Benjamin Franklin in which he pays too much for a toy whistle. Individuals then make text-to-self connections and...
Activity
PBS

The Little Red Hen: A Tale of Cooperation

For Teachers K - 2nd
Ensure that your kids don't even consider saying "Not me!" when it comes time to read by engaging them in this set of lesson plans based around "The Little Red Hen." The class reads the story together before starting in on additional...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Problematic Situation

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Present your pupils with some moral dilemmas to examine. The scenarios, which learners rank by seriousness individually and then in groups, require learners to think about right and wrong.
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Becoming Visible

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
The television and interstate highways both came of age in 1950s America. Scholars use film, text, and discussion to explore how these and other cultural icons shaped the literature of the time. Pupils also create a family history...
Lesson Plan
August House

The Contest Between the Sun and the Wind

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd Standards
Learn the moral of the story with a series of activities about Aesop's fables. Focusing on The Contest Between the Sun and the Wind, learners complete a graphic organizer to discuss who, what, how, and why the events occur. Additionally,...
Organizer
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Writing Educators Symposium

Asking the Right Questions

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
It can be difficult to find the theme of a book or story if you don't know the questions to ask. Teach your kids to discern the universal theme in works of literature with a set of activities that promote critical thinking and...
Worksheet
Royal Society of Chemistry

Gimli Glider—Anecdotes for Chemistry Teachers

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
What's the moral of this story? Units save lives! Teach measurement conversion through storytelling in a quick math-based lesson. Young scientists learn how one country's decision to swap from imperial to metric standard units caused an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

And the Moral of the Story is...

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students discover the parts of a story through the retelling of a fable as well as characters, plot, and setting. This lesson is completed using the program Pixie to create an online storybook.
Worksheet
K5 Learning

Fortune and the Beggar

For Students 3rd - 4th Standards
Enhance reading comprehension strategies with a tale about a beggar's run in with a fortune. Scholars read, answer comprehension questions, and consider the moral of the story. 
Worksheet
PBS

The Lorax

For Students K - 6th Standards
Accompany a reading of Dr. Seuss' tale, The Lorax, with a five-item worksheet. Questions challenge scholars to list characters' names, use text details to answer inquiries, and describe the moral of the story. 
Lesson Plan
Global Oneness Project

The Consciousness of Nature

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Scholars voice their opinions about animal consciousness with an article that challenges common ideas about nature. After reading the article, learners engage in a thoughtful discussion before writing out their arguments...
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Slavery and Civil Disobedience: Christiana Riot of 1851

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
When is it a moral obligation to disobey the law or to fight back? Using primary sources that document the "Christiana Riot" of 1851, learners consider these questions. The firsthand accounts tell the story of the riot, which happened...
Interactive
Curated OER

Recognizing Elements of a Short Story

For Students 4th - 5th
In this short story elements worksheet, students recognize the elements of short story by reading the sentences and selecting the correct story element. Students complete 10 online questions.
Interactive
Curated OER

Recognizing Elements of a Short Story

For Students 6th - 8th
In this elements of a short story worksheet, students are given definitions and must choose the element being defined.  Students are also given a selection to read and answer questions about.
Lesson Plan
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Scholastic

Teaching with Aesop's Fables

For Teachers 1st - 3rd Standards
Bring the applicable morals of Aesop's Fables to your classroom with a series of reading comprehension activities. With 12 different fables with activities and exercises, the packet focuses on the ways learners can apply the fables...