Understanding and Discussing Stories: Making Connections
Understanding and Discussing Stories: Making Connections Objective: Students will read a story and be able to describe characters, settings, and major events to demonstrate comprehension and make connections between parts of the story.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the main characters in a story.
- Describe the setting of the story.
- Retell major events in the order they happened.
- Make simple connections between characters and events.
Materials Needed
- Age-appropriate storybook (fiction)
- Paper and crayons or colored pencils
- Story sequencing cards (optional)
Key Vocabulary
- Character
- A person, animal, or figure in a story.
- Setting
- Where and when the story happens.
- Event
- Something important that happens in the story.
Detailed Activities
Read and Explore the Story
- Read the chosen story aloud to your child, showing pictures and pausing to discuss.
- Ask your child who the story is about and where it takes place.
- Use questions like ‘What happened first?’ and ‘What happened next?’ to help your child recall events.
- Encourage your child to describe their favorite part or character.
Draw and Describe
- Give your child paper and crayons to draw their favorite character or scene from the story.
- Ask your child to tell you about their drawing and why they chose it.
- Write down some of their words about the drawing to help connect spoken and written language.
Story Sequencing
- Use story sequencing cards or paper to help your child put events from the story in order.
- Talk about how the events connect to each other and affect the characters.
- Praise your child for their efforts and ask them to retell the story using the sequence cards.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on helping your child understand the story by talking about characters, settings, and events.
- Encourage your child to express their thoughts in their own words to build confidence and comprehension.
- You don’t need to finish all activities at once; feel free to spread them over a couple of days.
Assessment Questions
- Who is the main character in the story?
- Where does the story take place?
- Can you tell me what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story?
- What was your favorite part and why?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child act out the story using simple props or toys.
- Create a new ending together, encouraging creativity and critical thinking.
- Read a similar story and compare the characters or settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try asking simple, open-ended questions and give them time to think. You can also relate the story to their own experiences to make it more interesting.
Use visual aids like pictures or cards and break the story into smaller parts. Practice retelling shorter stories to build this skill gradually.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children may think the first event they remember is the story’s beginning, even if it’s not.
- Some children may focus only on pictures and not listen to the whole story.
- Children might confuse characters and settings, mixing their descriptions.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter stories with clear pictures.
- Give more time for responses and use yes/no or multiple-choice questions.
- Read the story multiple times to build familiarity.
For Advanced Students:
- Ask your child to compare two characters or two different settings.
- Encourage your child to write a short story inspired by the one read.
- Discuss the author’s purpose or the moral of the story.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend about 15 minutes reading and discussing the story.
- Use 10-15 minutes for drawing and describing activities.
- Allow 10-15 minutes for sequencing and retelling the story.
- Adapt time based on your child’s attention and interest levels.
Standards
- 3.RL.10 — By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, in the grade 3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed.
Printable Worksheet
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