Story Wheel

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Listen to a story.
  
• Identify what happened in the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
  
• Identify the main character.
  
• Create a story wheel to demonstrate their comprehension.
  
• Use their story wheel to help them retell the story to their peers.

Resources:

Materials

For the whole group:

• A book with a clear beginning, middle, and end, such as The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, Corduroy by Don Freeman, or Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
• Black marker

For each child:

• Paper plate divided into 3 sections
• Brass fastener
• An outline of an arrow to fasten to the middle of the plate, like a spinner (the arrow should be wide enough that they can draw the main character in it)
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Coloring materials, such as crayons, colored pencils, and markers

Resources:

Preparation

• Read through and familiarize yourself with the entire activity.
• Gather materials.
• Decide which book you will be using for the activity. Read the book prior to the activity and determine the beginning, middle, and end.
• Divide each paper plate into thirds using a black marker.
• Poke a hole in the middle of each plate to make it easier to attach the brass fastener.
• Print out or create arrows for the children to use as their spinners.

Resources:

Activity Steps

1. Tell the children that today they will have story time. Have the children gather around you on the floor. Explain that they will have to have their best listening ears on during the story. They should listen closely for the big things that happen in the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Introduce the book that you will be reading to them today.
2. Begin reading the story aloud. After you have finished the portion of the book that is considered the beginning, stop and ask the children to identify the main character, or who the story is about. Then ask them the big thing that happened at the beginning of the story.
3. Continue reading the story. Pause once you have finished the middle portion of the book and ask the children to tell you what the big thing was that happened in the middle of the book.
4. Finish reading the book. When you reach the end, have the children tell you the big thing that happened at the end of the book.
5. Tell the children that they are now going to create a story wheel to help them retell the story. Pass out the paper plates that have been divided into thirds. Tell the children that these plates have been divided into three sections for the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
6. Have the children pick one of the spaces to show the beginning of their story. Using a pencil, have them write a small capital B on it for beginning. Then have them go to the next space going clockwise and have them write an M on it for middle. Then in the final space have them write an E for end. While they are labeling their plates, circulate around the room to make sure they are labeling them correctly.
7. Once all the plates have been labeled, invite the children to start their drawings in the B section. Tell the children that their drawings should show what happened at the beginning of the story. Their picture does not have to include every detail, but it should be a picture that can help them retell the story later.
8. Have students continue to illustrate the middle of the story and the end of the story on their plates. Then, circulate around the room to help and answer questions.
9. When the children have completed the pictures on their wheel, pass out the arrows. Tell the children that they will draw the main character on the end of the arrow.
10. Have the children draw the main character. When their pictures are complete, have them cut out their arrows. Show them how to use a brass fastener to attach the arrow to the middle of the plate, like a spinner. Depending on the age of the children, you may need to be the one to attach the arrows.
11. Tell the children that the story wheel they have just created will help them to retell the story. As they move the arrow around the plate, they can easily retell what happens at the beginning, the middle, and the end of the story. Have the children partner up and retell the story to their partner using their story wheel.
12. Wrap up the activity by leading a brief discussion using the following questions:
    
    • Why is it important to be able to retell a story?
    • What is the most difficult part of retelling a story?
    • How can breaking a story into big chunks, such as the beginning, middle, and end, be helpful when retelling a story?

Resources:

Variations

1. Write beginning, middle, and end on each plate in the appropriate sections before handing them out.
2. Depending on writing capabilities, have the children write the full words beginning, middle, and end on their plate, as well as details from the story.
3. If there are more main parts to the story you chose, you could divide the plate into more sections.

Resources: