Lesson # 1 of 1 Grade Level: 2

Central Focus Asking questions about the story elements

Standard 2RL: Develop and answer questions to demonstrate an understanding of key ideas and details in a text.

Learning Students will be able to keep track of what they’re reading by utilizing the 5 w’s (who, what, when, where & why)
Objective to create questions
Whiteboard, Looseleaf, Story Elements Chart, The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (passage), My Tree, Chicken Beat,
Materials
Imogene’s Antlers, Red Riding Hood, Hatty and Tatty and the Polar Bear, 5 w’s + elements chart

The purpose of asking a question about story elements is so students can make sense of the story so they can
Purpose
continue to seek, pursue, and search for answers or deeper understanding.

Introduction:
The teacher starts the class by asking the students if they’ve ever heard of the 5 w’s. Once students share their
responses, the teacher will write on the board the 5 w’s.

Inform the students the 5 w’s can be helpful when trying to comprehend a story. Have students shift their
attention to the story elements chart. Convey to the students that the 5 w’s can help develop questions about
our reading.

Ask students why they think asking questions is important. Confirm that good readers ask questions because it
helps them make sense of something they might not understand and it helps keep track of the story.

Bring out the 5 w’s question + story elements sheet.

Each “w” can focus on a story element: (The story elements that are highlighted in orange below will be covered
with post-its. As you go over each “w,” remove the post-it)

1. “who” questions are asking about characters

2. “what” questions are asking about events/problems
3. “why” questions are asking about the events/solution (reason)
Instruction 4. “where” questions are asking about the setting: (place)
5. “when” questions are asking about setting (time)

State that questions that start with “who” are great questions when trying to ask about characters (pull post-it
out) Questions that start with “what” are great questions when trying to ask about the events and problem (pull
post-it out). Questions that start with “why” can also be for events but also for the solution - point out that why
focuses more on the reason behind the solution and events. (pull post it)

Call on students to think and share about what story element with questions that start with “when” and “where”
are good for. Remove post-its for each “w” once students convey answers.

Tell students that you will ask practice being a good reader by asking questions about the passage The Wolf in
Sheep’s Clothing

Who
Point out you’re having trouble remembering the character that took care of the sheep. Therefore, you’re going
to ask a question. Model thought process out loud - The first step is to see which of the 5 w’s helps ask a
question for characters which would be “who” (use the 5 w’s chart). Next, tell students that you’re going to
create a question with “who” and the character took care of the sheep. Hence, you ask the question: “who
took care of the sheep?”
 What
Repeat the previous procedure and focus on “what” and the problem of the story which was the wolf wanting to
eat the sheep so the question “what was the wolf trying to do in the story” can be asked. Additionally, “what”
can focus on events so the question “what did the wolf do to take the sheep?” can also be asked.

When
Tell students the next question you want to ask is remembering the time the wolf took the fleece. Have students
recall the first step which is determining which of the five w’s you’re going to use. Afterward, guide the students
into understanding “when did the wolf take the fleece?” can be asked.

Point out that you didn’t create generic questions. Instead the question were very specific and can only
apply to this story.

Guided Practice
Have students turn and talk to their partner to think of a question with where and a question with why

Possible questions:
● Where: where did the sheep live? where did the wolf live? in the forest
● why: why did the wolf put on the fleece? Why did the shepherd chase the wolf away? Why did the
Shepherd eat the wolf?

Next, when the students are done discussing, call on students to share their questions. Review student
responses and analyze whether their questions are appropriate. Provide guidance and feedback.

Students will break into their reading groups. Each group is assigned a different book. Students should
independently develop 5 questions for their assigned book based on the strategy and write down the questions
on a page of looseleaf - one question for each W.

Book for each group:

Learning
Orange group - Chicken Beat
Tasks
Blue group - Imogene’s Antlers
Green group - Red Riding Hood
Yellow group - Hatty and Tatty and the Polar Bear
Red group - The Tree

Ask students to recall the importance of asking questions. If time permits, call on students to share their
Closing
questions for their book - a student for each group.

1. The questions written down on the looseleaf from the learning task.
Assessments 2. The turn and talk where students had to answer the two questions
3. Their response to the question in the closing

For ELLs, IEP, and struggling students, they will be provided a book that is on their reading level,
Differentiation
For gifted students or students who finish early, instruct them to continue creating questions. To further
challenge, tell these students to think of questions that don’t utilize the five w’s

Academic
Character, Setting, Problem, Solution. Story Elements, Events
Language