TCNJ Lesson Plan

Understanding the Narrative Structure of Fiction

Student Name: Nikita Garbayo School Name: Parkway Elementary School

Grade Level: Second Grade Host Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Cornelius

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

● What is a traditional tale?

● What happens in the beginning, middle, and end of a story?
● Why is it important to pay attention to the structure of a story?

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge (ex. background knowledge,

possible misconceptions, prior lesson content)

● Previously in reading students have learned about different genres of fiction such as
traditional literature, fantasy, and realistic fiction.
● Students may remember that traditional literature are stories that have been told orally for
many generations

Standards:
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1
○ Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2
○ Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and
determine their central message, lesson, or moral.
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5
○ Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning
introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.9
○ Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella
stories) by different authors or from different cultures.
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.2
○ Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information
presented orally or through other media.

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

 Learning Objectives Assessment

For students to understand and identify the The student's Story Structure worksheet will
narrative structure of a story and the different allow me to see their understanding of
story elements. narrative structure and story elements.

For students to understand that the beginning,
middle, and end of a story are important story
elements and how certain things are revealed
during each.
During one-on-one conferences I will ask
students to describe the overall structure of a
story, including the story elements that are in
the beginning, what happens in the middle,
and how the ending has a resolved problem.

Resources: (List materials, include any online or book references and resources)

● Little Red Riding Hood A Newfangled Prairie Tale by Lisa Campbell Ernst
● Story Structure worksheet
● Independent reading books
● Chromebooks
● Pencils

Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

● When it is time to read independently students will make their own choice to read on
their chromebook which is kept in their seat pouches, or to go to their cubby and get their
reading basket which has independent reading books based on their level picked out for
them.
● I will hand out copies of students' Story Structure charts when independent reading starts.
● When it is time to clean up, students will put away whatever they are reading and I will
come around to collect their Story Structure worksheets after we discuss them.

Step by Step plan (numbered):

1. Lesson beginning: I will begin the lesson by telling students we are taking a look at a
traditional tale, retold in a new way. I will then ask students “what do we already know
about traditional tales?”. (Traditional tales are stories from around the world, passed
down from generation to generation, usually shared orally).
2. I will then explain that we will read Little Red Riding Hood A Newfangled Prairie Tale
by Lisa Campbell Ernst. I will ask “what do we know about the traditional folktale of
 Little Red Riding Hood?”. We will then take a minute to think about what we already
know. When we talk about the traditional version of Little Red Riding Hood, we should
reflect on the way the story is organized and told. Fiction stories follow a chronological
structure, meaning they have a beginning, middle, and end.
3. I will then display the Story Structure worksheet for students to see using the smartboard.
I will discuss with them how in the beginning we meet characters. I will ask students who
these characters are and where this story takes place (Little Red Riding Hood is in the
forest, meets a bad wolf who wants to eat her etc.). I will then tell students that in the
middle of the story the action moves along and I will ask what happens (the wolf eats or
tries to eat grandma to fool Little Red Riding Hood). I will then tell students that at the
end of the story, the problem, which is that the wolf wants to eat Little Red Riding Hood,
is resolved. That means that the problem is worked out. I will ask students how is the
problem worked out in the traditional version (the wolf is beaten and flees).
4. I will then display the cover of the story we are reading today and tell students this is a
newfangled version of the story. I will ask students after talking about the traditional
story, what do you think is going to happen in this version? I will allow students to make
some shared predictions with the class.
5. I will then read the story to the students stopping throughout to ask students questions
and point out what we know and don't know.
a. We know who our character is and how it is different from the traditional version,
but we don't know what our problem is yet so lets keep reading.
b. Just like in the traditional tale, the girl has met a bad wolf, but he doesn't want to
eat her. What does he want?
c. This grandma is quite different from the one in the traditional tale. How is she
different?
d. How do you think the problem is going to be resolved since this grandma is so
different?
i. Students will make predictions
e. We will read to the end of the story.
i. The resolution of the problem was very different for the world in this
version. How was the problem worked out?
6. I will then tell students that we looked at the story structure and elements and were able
to use them to think about this new version. Fiction stories are told in chronological
order.
a. At the beginning they introduce the readers to the characters, the setting and the
problem.
b. The middle of the story describes the actions and events that move the story
forward to work out the problem.
c. At the end of the story we are presented with the resolution to the problem.
 d. Understanding the structure and the elements within each part of the story will
help as we retell our own stories to others.
7. I will then remind students that it is important to remember the story structure and
elements as you read and retell stories to your family and friends and continue keeping
the traditional and newfangled tales alive.
8. We will then move into independent reading time where students will choose books out
of their book basket or from on their chromebook to read. While doing this each student
will get their own copy of the Story Structure worksheet. They will fill this out to go
along with a book that they are reading and fill out the beginning, middle, and end section
as we had just talked about.
9. Closing Activities: When independent reading time is over I will gather students back
and ask them about the story structure they noticed in their own books. I will ask for a
few volunteers to share their story structure charts.

Key Questions (that you will ask):

● What do we already know about traditional tales?

● What do we know about the traditional folktale of Little Red Riding Hood?.
● What do you think is going to happen in this version?
● What does the wolf want?
● This grandma is quite different from the one in the traditional tale. How is she
different?
● How do you think the problem is going to be resolved since this grandma is so
different?
● The resolution of the problem was very different for the world in this version.
How was the problem worked out?

Key Vocabulary
● Fiction
● Traditional tales
● Newfangled Tales
● Story Structure

Logistics:
● Timing: 9:30-10:25
○ Lesson Beginning: 5 minutes
○ Read Aloud (plus discussion): 25 minutes
○ Independent Reading: 20 minutes
○ Closure: 5 minutes
● Transitions:N/A students stay at desks the entire time
 ● Classroom Management: I will keep students engaged and paying attention by asking
questions. While students read independently they are allowed to sit on the floor by their
desk. I will be walking around the room to check on students and briefly conference
about what they are reading and aid them with filling out their story structure as needed. I
will remind students as needed to keep their voices off and that this is their time to read
quietly and independently.

Differentiation Notes

● Content: All students will have the same content

● Process: All students will have the same process. However, I will be walking around the
classroom to ensure that multiple students will get help if needed and to keep others on
task. Simply reminding them of what they should be doing will get them on task again.
● Product: All the students will read independently and fill out their own Story Structure
chart.