WHAT and WHO is the Big Idea?

By: Kayla Hylton

2nd grade/ English language arts

Common Core Standards:

Key Ideas and Details

RL.2.1. Ask and answer questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate
understanding of key details in a text.
RL.2.3. Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges

Craft and structure

RL.2.6. Distinguish between points of view when referring to narrators and characters, recognizing when the
narrator is a character in the story

Integration of knowledge and ideas

RL.2.7. Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or a digital text to demonstrate
understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

Lesson Summary:
In this lesson, students can grow their knowledge of stories. They will participate in activities to answer
questions like (Who are the characters? What is the main idea? How did they solve the problem? Where are
they? How did this happen? What is the Point of view? Is the narrator a character?). They will hear a reading
of a book first and receive in-class copies of the same book. They will analyze the plot, characters, and
settings using this book. They will use worksheets to answer the same questions they answered before. They
will receive an assessment that contains a printed or digital image and text.

Estimated Duration:

Five 50-minute class periods.

Commentary: We will learn the new vocabulary for this week’s curriculum at the beginning of our lesson.
We’ll hear a reading of the book “A bad case of stripes.” Students will answer the 5W’s and H regarding the
book they just heard. Throughout the week, I will ask students to answer different questions about the
various elements of a story. Students will receive an assessment at the end of the week to show their
knowledge. A way to get engaged or hooked will be by playing trivia games and doing scavenger hunts. We
will take some completing worksheets for practice and to show understanding. A challenge of this lesson
that I expect is time management and keeping everything on a strict schedule.
Instructional Procedures:
Day 1:
First 15 minutes: I will introduce the review of the 5Ws and H with students. Students will participate in an
activity where they place different cards in their assigned categories: who, what, where, when, why, and
how.
15 minutes: I will play a video from the website Storyline Online. Students will hear the reading of “A Bad
Case of Stripes.”
25 minutes: I will give students two pieces of paper. One paper will ask six questions: Who is the main
character? Where did this happen? Why was she sick? When did she get sick? What was her last shape?
How did she turn back to normal? On the other paper, there will be illustrations. Students will cut out and
glue them next to the questions on the other page. This is also an assignment to get children to grasp the
vocabulary of Plot, characters, and setting.
Day 2:
First 10 minutes: We will review the book quickly and get a refresher on the character and the story.
30 minutes: I will teach students the definition of plot, significant events, and main ideas. From here, I will
start a game on the website Bamboozle. This game is called “What is the main idea?” I will separate students
into two teams. During this game, they will play Jeopardy style. Once all categories are clear, the team with
the highest points will be deemed the winner.
15 minutes: I will replay the reading of “A Bad Case of Stripes” while the students write down the story's
significant event or central idea. I will review these papers to gather the necessary data to see if students
grasp this information.
Day 3:
First 15 minutes: I will introduce the three Points of view to students.
15 minutes: I will give students a 3-sentence short passage and a paper that asks them what the point of view
is and why. Students will read this, give the point of view, and provide evidence.
25 minutes: Students will receive their copy of “A Bad Case of Stripes” and “Whisper Phone.” They will use
these materials to read aloud to themselves. Then, they will determine what point of view this story is in.
Day 4
First 10 minutes: a review of the vocab and elements of stories.
30 minutes: I will separate students into 6 groups of 5’s. I will explain the rules of a scavenger hunt and what
they need to do in this specific scavenger hunt. They will go through this scavenger hunt to build a story.
They will use the elements we’ve gone over, such as Plot, settings, characters, and point of view while using
questions like Who? Why? What? Where? When? And how?
20 minutes: students will receive different short passages along with an illustration; they will use the
material from the last three days to answer the questions that come after this short story.
Pre-Assessment:
On Day 1, they did a craft to show their comprehension of the 5 W’s and H's along with the comprehension
of plot, character, and setting.

Scoring Guidelines:
After reviewing the papers from Day 1 I will grade students based on how well their comprehension
of these elements are. If they completely understand the elements of a story,
if they kind of understand the elements, or if they don’t get it at all. I will use this to alter the assignment that
could help them grasp the information over the next 3 days, and providing them with the help they need.
Post-Assessment:
Students will receive their own passage and illustration on the 4th day. They will answer various questions
that fall under plot, setting and characters. This assessment will also include the 5 W’s and H that students
will answer. This assessment will consist of 10 questions.

Scoring Guidelines:
Students with 5 or more questions correct has passed the assessment. Students with 6 or more
answers wrong has failed. Students with lower scores will need to revisit the content.

Differentiated Instructional Support

Describe how instruction can be differentiated (changed or altered) to meet the needs of gifted or accelerated
students: An accelerated student will receive and extra “challenge” assignment on their chromebooks. they
will listen to another story that will have a different point of view, setting, plot, and characters.

Discuss additional activities you could do to meet the needs of students who might be struggling with the
material: I can do group activities with the students who are struggling with the material. During the group
time with these specific students, I will engage matching games, different videos on their chromebooks
explaining plot, setting,and character.

Extension

https://storylineonline.net/library/
This is Storyline online students can watch pre recorded videos of books being read this will help them point
out story elements.

Homework Options and Home Connections

Students will receive a packet with the days of the week listed on top each page consist of practice we did in
class on the specific days.
Interdisciplinary Connections
During this lesson students will be analyzing a book and breaking it down by asking questions. Knowing the
plot, setting, and the characters. This can be used for a history project.

Materials and Resources:

For teachers Internet, working computer, Class storybook, printer, printer paper, smartboard,
whiteboard, dry erase markers, markers, pen, and pencils.

For students Pencils, scissors, glue sticks, crayons, markers, Chromebooks, class storybooks, and
headphones.

Key Vocabulary

Plot, Setting, Character, Point of view, Narrator.

Additional Notes