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What's the lesson?: 3rd to 5th reading & writing

Theme, moral and character in fables, folktales and stories. A free 3rd to 5th lesson plan with a hook, practice that links to free activities, and an exit ticket. Copy it and make it yours.

Lesson plan

Goal

  • Students work toward: theme, moral and character in fables, folktales and stories.

Hook (5 min)

  • Ask the class: What lesson does the story teach?
  • Take two or three answers and write them where everyone can see them.

Teach (15 min)

  • Say the big idea in one plain sentence: what's the lesson?
  • Show one example, then one that is not an example, and ask how the two differ.
  • Have students tell a partner or a small group the idea in their own words.

Practise (20 min)

  • Choose one for the whole class or let groups pick:
  • Read: Aesop's fables (https://peabody.kids/aesops-fables-for-kids)
  • Read: 3rd grade short stories (https://peabody.kids/short-stories-for-3rd-graders)
  • Play: Character traits (https://peabody.kids/words/c3-character-traits)
  • Print: Theme chart (https://teach.peabody.kids/anchor-charts/theme)

Exit ticket (5 min)

  • On a slip or aloud: one thing I learned about what's the lesson?, and one question I still have.
  • Sort the slips into: got it, nearly, not yet. Start tomorrow with the last pile.

Written by Peabody from its own skill pages. Free, no ads, no sign-in. Children can practise this on Peabody. More from teachers: teacher-shared resources.