Summary
First-grade students learn to identify the sequence of events in a story plot using the book “Stuck” by Oliver Jeffers as a guide. Students learn what beginning, middle, and end mean when referring to a story. Students will understand story sequencing.
Essential Question(s)
What is the sequence of events in a story? Why is it important?
Snapshot
Engage
Students listen to the story "Stuck" by Oliver Jeffers and make predictions based on the cover and last picture of the book.
Explore
Students listen and discuss the book "Stuck" by Oliver Jeffers. As a group, they use the strategy, "Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then (SWBST)" to summarize the story.
Explain
Students learn about the importance of sequencing events by watching a video about the beginning, middle, and end of a story. After watching the video, students participate in a fun activity called "Tree Sticking."
Extend
Students use a graphic organizer to write and illustrate the steps they would take to retrieve a balloon from a tree.
Evaluate
A Fish Story is read to students. Students then cut out corresponding pictures and place them in the correct story sequence.
Materials
"Stuck" by Oliver Jeffers or YouTube read aloud
YouTube video about sequence of events and/or beginning, middle, and end
Tree "Sticking" activity materials:
Large poster board of a tree picture or drawing, or b
rown bulletin board paper to make a 3D tree on a wall
Putty, tape, or Velcro dots for sticking the pictures
Laminated pictures of "stuck" items from the story (attached)
Graphic Organizer handout for balloon sequencing (attached)
Tree Handout for illustrating the story (attached)
Evaluation Story cut and paste handouts
(attached)
Engage
12 Minute(s)
Show the class the cover of the book "Stuck" and ask, "What do you see or think about the cover?" Give students a minute to discuss their answers with the class. Students may give simple answers such as, "I see a tree!" or "I think the boy wants to climb the tree!" Then show the class the last page of the book. Together, discuss and make predictions about what will happen in the story based on the last page. Ask questions such as, "Based on just this last page, what do you think will happen in the story?" or "What do you think will happen in the story?"
After this discussion, it is time to read aloud the book "Stuck" by Oliver Jeffers or show a read-aloud Youtube video
Explore
10 Minute(s)
After finishing the story, lead a discussion about it. You can use the strategy “Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then (SWBST)" to quickly orally summarize and help students understand the story. For example:
Sample Questions to ask students and sample Answers students may respond with:
Q) Somebody: "Who is the character in the story?" (A) "The boy named Floyd."
Q) Wanted: Now what does Floyd want?" (A) "He wants to fly his kite!"
Q) But: "He wants to fly his kite, but what is the problem?" (A) "It's stuck in the tree!"
Q) So: "So what does Floyd decide to do?" (A) "He throws his shoe at the kite to knock it down, but it gets stuck too."
Q) Then: "Then what does he do?" (A) "He throws other things at the kite, but they all get stuck."
Finally, ask the class to name a few things stuck in the tree at the story's beginning, at the middle, and at the end.
Explain
25 Minute(s)
Now that the class has summarized the story and you have checked for understanding, ask students, "What do you think the sequence of events means?" Take a couple of minutes to listen to the answers. Then, tell students that they will discuss the order in which things come in a story. We call this the sequence of events. (You can place the word wall card on the board.) Place the cards Beginning, Middle, and End underneath the sequence of events card.
Let's look back at the book and think: “What happened at the beginning of the story?” and "What is the middle of the story?" and "What is the end of the story?" Give students time to answer each question. Write their responses on the board if you wish
The students are now ready to learn more about the importance of sequencing events. To give students a little practice, let them watch and participate in the following video about sequencing. Use the terms Beginning, Middle, and End.
After the video, ask students to participate in a collaborative and fun activity called "Tree Sticking." Start by showing students a large tree. Next, give each student a laminated picture of an item stuck in the tree. (There is a handout with pictures available to reproduce.) Then have students stand in a large circle and work together to decide which student has the first item stuck in the tree. Once the first item (the kite) has been identified, the student will "stick" their picture onto the classroom tree. Students will continue this process, figuring out which image comes next until they identify the picture of the last item stuck. Through this activity, students practice sequencing events in a story.
Extend
25 Minute(s)
To help clarify the concept more concretely, have the students watch this second video. As the video plays, students will have a chance to practice using the sequencing words, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, First, Next, Then, and Last. Add these to your wall.
After the video:
Give each student a copy of the Sequence of Events-Graphic Organizer.
Explain that in this next story, there is a beautiful balloon stuck in a tree, and it is their job to write about how they would get it out.
Have students use the graphic organizer to describe step-by-step what things they would throw to retrieve the balloon.
Students will write out their steps.
Next, hand out the Sequence of Events Graphic Organizer-Tree handout. Tell students that it is a picture of a tree (similar to the one in the book) where students should draw the beautiful balloon and the items they would throw to get it down. Students should label which item to throw first, next, and last.
Evaluate
20 Minute(s)
Read to the students this simple fish story.
After reading the story, give each student the Fish Sequence 3 cards handout with the three pictures at the bottom. Students should cut out the pictures and place them in the correct sequence that happened in the story.
For more advanced learners, use the Fish Sequence 5 cards handout with five picture cards they should place in the correct sequence.
Opportunities for Advanced Learners
20 Minute(s)
Have students write "What-If" stories. Students may use the attached “My What If Story Stems” handout. This handout has prewritten sentence stems and a place for students' illustrations.
Students can generate their list of possible topics for "What-If Stories" or choose from this list: dog, cat, bird, cow, farmer, policeman, nurse, doctor, mom, dad, grandpa, grandma, Walmart worker, custodian, mower, builder, babysitter, veterinarian, teacher, and so many more choices.
Resources
"Stuck" by Oliver Jeffers
Beginning, Middle, and End: https://youtu.be/bS4bQ0gG8Oo
Sequence of Events: https://youtu.be/FKg1tAXC_-E
K20 Center (n.d.). Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then (SWBST). https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/2346