ALEX Classroom Resources

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (2) 23 :

23. Identify the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Explain the plot of a narrative, using textual evidence to list the major events in sequence.

b. Describe the characters' traits, feelings, and behaviors in a story.

c. Describe the setting of a narrative, using textual evidence.

d. Identify the central message or moral of a story.

e. Identify the theme in myths, fables, and folktales.

Become a detective and solve "The Case of the Missing Theme"!

When Carmen is given a class assignment to find a story's theme, she is stumped! Detective J. answers her call for help by showing her the difference between a theme and a topic. Carmen learns from Detective J. to find a theme by acting out the story's clues!

This resource teaches students how to identify the theme of a story. The resource uses a fable to model how to identify themes. 

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (2) 23 :

23. Identify the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Explain the plot of a narrative, using textual evidence to list the major events in sequence.

b. Describe the characters' traits, feelings, and behaviors in a story.

c. Describe the setting of a narrative, using textual evidence.

d. Identify the central message or moral of a story.

e. Identify the theme in myths, fables, and folktales.

Childhood is a time for laughing, learning, and playing with friends. Every day all around the world, children meet and make new friends. In this online book from the International Children's Digital Library, Monty the raccoon lies, breaking the trust his friend, Fritz the rabbit, had in him. This book highlights the importance of being a good friend and the consequences of lying.

See the supplemental materials for detailed teaching activities. The asset titled, "Forever Friendship—Making Friends Story Map" most closely aligns with the Alabama Course of Study.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (2) 23 :

23. Identify the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Explain the plot of a narrative, using textual evidence to list the major events in sequence.

b. Describe the characters' traits, feelings, and behaviors in a story.

c. Describe the setting of a narrative, using textual evidence.

d. Identify the central message or moral of a story.

e. Identify the theme in myths, fables, and folktales.

Childhood is a time for laughing, learning, and playing with friends. Every day all around the world children meet and make new friends. In this online book from the International Children's Digital Library, a lonely cat lives in a car with a kitchen on the dashboard. He delights in his work cleaning the highways. When he helps someone with car trouble in a traffic jam he makes a new friend. They then enjoy creating music together with a car horn. Author and Illustrator—Thacher Hurd.

This book highlights the many important aspects of making friends and being a good friend.

See the three supplemental assets for detailed teaching activities. The asset titled, "Forever Friendship- Making Friends Story Map," most closely aligns with the Alabama Course of Study.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (1) 23 :

23. Identify and describe the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Describe the characters and settings, using illustrations and textual evidence from a story.

b. Retell the plot or sequence of major events in chronological order.

[ELA2021] (2) 23 :

23. Identify the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Explain the plot of a narrative, using textual evidence to list the major events in sequence.

b. Describe the characters' traits, feelings, and behaviors in a story.

c. Describe the setting of a narrative, using textual evidence.

d. Identify the central message or moral of a story.

e. Identify the theme in myths, fables, and folktales.

[ELA2021] (3) 22 :

22. Describe literary elements within a story, including setting, plot, characters, and themes.

a. Describe in detail the characters' behavior, emotions, and traits and explain how their actions influence events in the story.

b. Explain how the characters' actions and dialogue contribute to the meaning of the story.

c. Identify the central message, theme, or moral in a story, including myths, fables, and folktales, and explain the meaning conveyed in the passage.

d. Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots from two texts.

A storyteller uses the elements of a story: who, what, and where, to create a rap. After watching the video, students use story elements to write and perform their own raps. Identifying story elements, such as the setting, characters, and motivation, helps readers interpret and respond to a text. Focusing on key details of story elements supports the understanding of the author's message and purpose.

A storyteller uses the elements of a story: who, what, and where, to create a rap. After watching the video, students use story elements to write and perform their own raps.

Identifying story elements, such as the setting, characters, and motivation, helps readers interpret and respond to a text. Focusing on key details of story elements supports the understanding of the author's message and purpose.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (2) 23 :

23. Identify the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Explain the plot of a narrative, using textual evidence to list the major events in sequence.

b. Describe the characters' traits, feelings, and behaviors in a story.

c. Describe the setting of a narrative, using textual evidence.

d. Identify the central message or moral of a story.

e. Identify the theme in myths, fables, and folktales.

[ELA2021] (3) 22 :

22. Describe literary elements within a story, including setting, plot, characters, and themes.

a. Describe in detail the characters' behavior, emotions, and traits and explain how their actions influence events in the story.

b. Explain how the characters' actions and dialogue contribute to the meaning of the story.

c. Identify the central message, theme, or moral in a story, including myths, fables, and folktales, and explain the meaning conveyed in the passage.

d. Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots from two texts.

Save the king! In this interactive game, students have to determine the theme (or lesson) in the short story. If the students are correct, they get to place one of the Kid Heroes on the battlefield. Using teamwork will lead to success. This classroom resource also includes a quiz, worksheet, and teaching video to help with understanding.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ARTS] VISA (2) 2 :

2) Explore personal interests and curiosities with a range of art materials.

a. Create two-dimensional art.

Examples: Paper-weaving, drawing, and resist painting.

Use book about weaving, The Goat in the Rug by Charles L. Blood & Martin Link.

b. Create three-dimensional art.

Examples: Clay animals and pipe cleaner sculptures.

Use a book about clay, When Clay Sings by Byrd Baylor.

[ELA2021] (2) 4 :

4. Orally answer who, what, when, where, why, and how questions about a text or conversation, using complete sentences to provide key ideas and details.

[ELA2021] (2) 23 :

23. Identify the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Explain the plot of a narrative, using textual evidence to list the major events in sequence.

b. Describe the characters' traits, feelings, and behaviors in a story.

c. Describe the setting of a narrative, using textual evidence.

d. Identify the central message or moral of a story.

e. Identify the theme in myths, fables, and folktales.

Students will brainstorm the beginning, middle, and end of artwork and a familiar story.  They will create a paper collage to illustrate the beginning, middle, or end of a story. Assessment rubric, letter to parents, examples of artwork, and lesson plan included in PDF.  

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (2) -5 :

R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.

[ELA2021] (2) 4 :

4. Orally answer who, what, when, where, why, and how questions about a text or conversation, using complete sentences to provide key ideas and details.

[ELA2021] (2) 12 :

12. Read and reread grade-appropriate text accurately, automatically, and with meaningful expression at a rate which supports comprehension.

[ELA2021] (2) 13 :

13. Read grade-appropriate poetry, noticing phrasing, rhythm, and rhyme.

[ELA2021] (2) 23 :

23. Identify the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Explain the plot of a narrative, using textual evidence to list the major events in sequence.

b. Describe the characters' traits, feelings, and behaviors in a story.

c. Describe the setting of a narrative, using textual evidence.

d. Identify the central message or moral of a story.

e. Identify the theme in myths, fables, and folktales.

[ELA2021] (2) 25 :

25. Identify and use various text features to locate ideas, facts, or supporting details in both written and digital formats.

a. Identify and locate captions, bold print, subheadings, indexes, graphs, maps, glossaries, and illustrations.

b. Explain how specific features can clarify a text or enhance comprehension.

[ELA2021] (2) 27 :

27. Identify the text structures within literary and informational texts, including cause and effect, problem and solution, and sequence of events.

This lesson gives second-grade students opportunities to interact with a thought-provoking story, as they also develop comprehension and critical-thinking skills. Students begin by listening to a read-aloud of Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman, with teacher modeling of the thinking process at key points. They then participate in partner, small-group, and whole-class discussions to revisit and respond to the text. Students finish by using the interactive Doodle Splash to visually represent the ideas they want to remember from the book. Helpful tips are embedded within the lesson for discussing difficult themes and guiding students to make respectful and thoughtful comments in a group setting.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (0) -1 :

R5. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

[ELA2021] (0) 2 :

2. Actively engage in teacher-led reading experiences and collaborative discussions with peers to build background knowledge needed to be successful as they learn to read and, later, read to learn.

[ELA2021] (0) 3 :

3. Actively participate in teacher-led choral and shared reading experiences.

Examples: reciting nursery rhymes, songs, poems, stories

[ELA2021] (0) 27 :

27. Identify and describe the main story elements in a literary text.

a. With prompting and support, retell a text orally, including main character(s), setting, and important events in logical order.

[ELA2021] (0) 28 :

28. With prompting and support, use text clues to determine main ideas and make predictions about an ending in a literary text.

[ELA2021] (0) 37 :

37. Actively participate in shared and independent writing experiences, for varied purposes and audiences, across different genres.

a. Actively participate in shared writing experiences to create messages, lists, and labels for a drawing or illustration.

b. Actively participate in shared writing experiences to create narratives with the events in chronological order and share feelings about the story, using drawing, dictating, and/or writing.

c. Actively participate in shared writing experiences to create opinion pieces about a topic or text, state the opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide a sense of closure, using drawing, dictating, and/or writing.

d. Actively participate in shared writing experiences to create explanatory texts or provide factual information about a topic, using drawing, dictating, and/or writing.

e. With prompting and support, compose writing for varied purposes and audiences, across different genres.

[ELA2021] (1) -1 :

R5. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

[ELA2021] (1) 2 :

2. Actively participate in shared reading experiences and collaborative discussions to build background knowledge and learn how oral reading should sound.

Examples: read-alouds, oral dramatic activities

[ELA2021] (1) 23 :

23. Identify and describe the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Describe the characters and settings, using illustrations and textual evidence from a story.

b. Retell the plot or sequence of major events in chronological order.

[ELA2021] (1) 27 :

27. Make predictions using information found within a literary text.

[ELA2021] (1) 34 :

34. With prompting and support, write a narrative that recounts two or more appropriately sequenced events using transitions, incorporating relevant details, and providing a sense of closure.

[ELA2021] (2) -1 :

R5. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

[ELA2021] (2) 23 :

23. Identify the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Explain the plot of a narrative, using textual evidence to list the major events in sequence.

b. Describe the characters' traits, feelings, and behaviors in a story.

c. Describe the setting of a narrative, using textual evidence.

d. Identify the central message or moral of a story.

e. Identify the theme in myths, fables, and folktales.

[ELA2021] (2) 27 :

27. Identify the text structures within literary and informational texts, including cause and effect, problem and solution, and sequence of events.

[ELA2021] (2) 40 :

40. Write a personal or fictional narrative using a logical sequence of events, including details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings and providing a sense of closure.

After exploring a variety of circle plot storybooks, students identify, explore, and apply the elements of circle plot structures to their own stories. "Reading like writers," students will explore the ways that stories are structured; then, "writing like writers," students explore organizational structures in their own writing. Students first examine the attributes of circular shapes and brainstorm things with a circular pattern, such as seasons. After exploring how Cynthia Rylant's Long Night Moon might be a circular story, students listen to a circle story read aloud. Students discuss why the story is called a circular story and make connections to Rylant's book. They then read several more examples and, using circle plot diagrams as their tools, students write their own circular plot stories. Finally, students share their work with peers, revise their work using a checklist for self-evaluation, and compare their self-evaluation to teacher assessment.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (1) -5 :

R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.

[ELA2021] (1) 8 :

8. Apply previously-taught phoneme-grapheme correspondences to decodable words with accuracy and automaticity, in and out of context.

[ELA2021] (1) 21 :

21. Identify the main topic and key details of literary and informational texts.

[ELA2021] (1) 23 :

23. Identify and describe the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Describe the characters and settings, using illustrations and textual evidence from a story.

b. Retell the plot or sequence of major events in chronological order.

[ELA2021] (2) 13 :

13. Read grade-appropriate poetry, noticing phrasing, rhythm, and rhyme.

[ELA2021] (2) 23 :

23. Identify the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Explain the plot of a narrative, using textual evidence to list the major events in sequence.

b. Describe the characters' traits, feelings, and behaviors in a story.

c. Describe the setting of a narrative, using textual evidence.

d. Identify the central message or moral of a story.

e. Identify the theme in myths, fables, and folktales.

Comprehension is an essential component of successful reading. Through modeling and progressive levels of independent work, students become aware of the importance of retelling and essential story elements. Students demonstrate their understanding of stories through the use of online interactive graphic organizers and present story elements of an individual book through a book talk.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] LWT1 (1) 6 :

6 ) Compare ways individuals and groups in the local community and state lived in the past to how they live today. (Alabama)

•  Identifying past and present forms of communication

Examples: past—letter, radio, rotary-dial telephone

present—e-mail, television, cellular telephone

•  Identifying past and present types of apparel

•  Identifying past and present types of technology

Examples: past—record player, typewriter, wood-burning stove

present—compact diskette (CD) and digital video diskette (DVD) players, video cassette recorder (VCR), computer, microwave oven

•  Identifying past and present types of recreation

Examples: past—marbles, hopscotch, jump rope

present—video games, computer games

•  Identifying past and present primary sources

Examples: past—letters, newspapers

present—e-mail, Internet articles

[SS2010] LWT2 (2) 3 :

3 ) Use various primary sources, including calendars and timelines, for reconstructing the past.

Examples: historical letters, stories, interviews with elders, photographs, maps, artifacts

[SS2010] ALA (4) 6 :

6 ) Describe cultural, economic, and political aspects of the lifestyles of early nineteenth-century farmers, plantation owners, slaves, and townspeople.

Examples: cultural—housing, education, religion, recreation

economic—transportation, means of support

political—inequity of legal codes

•  Describing major areas of agricultural production in Alabama, including the Black Belt and fertile river valleys

[ELA2021] (1) 23 :

23. Identify and describe the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Describe the characters and settings, using illustrations and textual evidence from a story.

b. Retell the plot or sequence of major events in chronological order.

[ELA2021] (2) 23 :

23. Identify the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Explain the plot of a narrative, using textual evidence to list the major events in sequence.

b. Describe the characters' traits, feelings, and behaviors in a story.

c. Describe the setting of a narrative, using textual evidence.

d. Identify the central message or moral of a story.

e. Identify the theme in myths, fables, and folktales.

[ELA2021] (4) 15 :

15. Analyze in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.

a. Identify and explain attitudes and influences of multiple characters within a text.

b. Explain how the main character changes throughout the story, using explicit evidence from the text.

c. Make an inference about a character's behavior, the setting, and/or specific events, using explicit details from the story.

In this learning activity, students read Dakota Dugout by Ann Turner. They look at an object that would have been important to a woman living in a sod house and try to determine what the object is.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] LWT2 (2) 11 :

11 ) Interpret legends, stories, and songs that contributed to the development of the cultural history of the United States.

Examples: American Indian legends, African-American stories, tall tales, stories of folk heroes

[SS2010] ALA (4) 11 :

11 ) Describe the impact of World War I on Alabamians, including the migration of African Americans from Alabama to the North and West, utilization of Alabama's military installations and training facilities, and increased production of goods for the war effort.

•  Recognizing Alabama participants in World War I, including Alabama's 167^th Regiment of the Rainbow Division

•  Identifying World War I technologies, including airplanes, machine guns, and chemical warfare

[ELA2021] (2) 23 :

23. Identify the main story elements in a literary text.

a. Explain the plot of a narrative, using textual evidence to list the major events in sequence.

b. Describe the characters' traits, feelings, and behaviors in a story.

c. Describe the setting of a narrative, using textual evidence.

d. Identify the central message or moral of a story.

e. Identify the theme in myths, fables, and folktales.

[ELA2021] (4) 15 :

15. Analyze in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.

a. Identify and explain attitudes and influences of multiple characters within a text.

b. Explain how the main character changes throughout the story, using explicit evidence from the text.

c. Make an inference about a character's behavior, the setting, and/or specific events, using explicit details from the story.

In this activity, students will increase their knowledge about slaves, slavery, and the underground railroad by reading Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeannette Winters. Students will write and illustrate a poem or letter playing the role of a conductor, agent, or passenger on the underground railroad.