Jyoti Singh Visvanath has written for Highlights. In this retelling of a fable from India, a lion waits in a cave to eat a jackal. As students read, they take notes on the jackal’s actions.

Students will focus on the characters in stories; choose precise words and reasoning to describe characters and how their actions contribute to the story.

This resource, Character Perspective Charting, is an instructional method designed to reflect the actual complexity of many stories and is a practical instructional alternative to story mapping. This strategy delineates the multiple points of view, goals, and intentions of different characters within the same story. By engaging in Character Perspective Charting, students can better understand, interpret, and appreciate the stories they read.

In this retelling of the fable, “Cheese for Dinner,” a coyote hunts a rabbit. As students read, they take notes on the rabbit's actions towards the coyote.

In this lesson, students will review story components using the original Cinderella story. They will then compare and contrast Cinderella tales from a variety of cultures and backgrounds.

In this first lesson of two, students understand how a folk talke changes when its language is translated to another culture.

Students understand why the plot and setting of a story changes as it is translated into a different culture. Students also discover what literary elements of a story are universal and important to the overall meaning of a story.

During this PBL, students will read a text and make it come alive by creating a 3D story map that shows the major events of the plot and the obstacles that the main character faced throughout the story. Students will then code an Ozobot to maneuver through the story and the obstacles while explaining them to an audience or their peers.

In this lesson, students will see how artistic materials can extend knowledge. This lesson provides opportunities for students to explore and experience the meaning potential of everyday writing and drawing tools in their own writing. The lesson can adapted for older students.

In this lesson, students begin by working in small groups to analyze differences and similarities among a selection of comics from a variety of subgenres. Based on their discussion, they determine what subgenres are represented and divide the comics accordingly. Students then analyze the professional comics' uses of conventions such as layout and page design. Finally, they create their own comics using an online tool.

Students will read two different texts (an excerpt from Moondial by Helen Cresswell and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll) and compare them. Questions are provided for each passage.

In this lesson, sample cinquains are read aloud as a class, allowing students to familiarize themselves with the form. Students then write simple cinquain of their own as a follow-up to a subject they have been exploring in class. Although students can write about any subject, graphic organizers and other resources are available to support units on animals, community, fairy tales, healthy foods, picture books, and rainforest/habitats.

In this lesson, students participate in read-alouds and discussions about memories and family. After this exploration, students brainstorm questions to ask family members in order to learn more about important and/or memorable family events. Once students determine a list of questions, they interview family members, taking notes on the events and giving each a positive or negative rating. Using their interview notes, students create a graphic family timeline which includes illustrations or photographs.

Students will learn the characteristics of tall tales, reflect on a historical moment, and discover why David Crockett and others like him became important figures in American frontier history.

This lesson is for grades 4-5 on literacy. At Home Learning Lessons are a partnership between the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, PBS North Carolina, and the William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation. Each lesson contains a video instructional lesson, a PDF lesson plan with a transcript, and a PDF file of extension activities.

This lesson is for grades 4-5 on literacy. At Home Learning Lessons are a partnership between the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, PBS North Carolina, and the William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation. Each lesson contains a video instructional lesson, a PDF lesson plan with a transcript, and a PDF file of extension activities.

The teacher reads aloud Thank You, Mr. Falker. There is a follow-up whole-group instruction that provides a basis for improved higher-level reading comprehension. The teacher works with the whole class to model making predictions and personal connections, envisioning character change, and understanding the themes of the book. Response journals can also be used to further student connections to the characters and themes in the book.

This lesson will allow students to demonstrate comprehension of a text by using a wide variety of strategies and by making personal connections to stories. Students will learn how to develop deeper understanding of character and theme, as well.

In this lesson, students watch as the teacher models using details to describe a character in an Arnold Lobel fable.  Then students work to use details to describe a character in another fable.

Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (1875-1961) was a principal of an elementary school and wrote stories for her students. In this retelling of an old fable, one raindrop wishes to help a farmer water his crops. As students read, they take notes on what happens after the raindrop decides to help the farmer.