I Found a Wallet - Basic Elements of a Story
Objectives:
Understand the following parts of a book utilizing the picture book I Found a Wallet: front cover, spine, back cover, title, and title page.
Understand the following five basic elements of a story utilizing the picture book I Found a Wallet: setting, character, plot, conflict or problem, and theme.
Before Reading
Show the front cover. Read the information given and then ask: What is the title of this book?
Who is the author? Who is the illustrator? (Depending on the age of the children, you may want to read some or all of the information about the author in the back of the book.)
Review the following terms with the children: character, setting, plot, conflict/problem, and theme.
Who do you think is the main character in the story? What do you think I Found a Wallet is going to be about?
Read I Found a Wallet.
After Reading:
Review what a character is. (The who the story is about – usually people or animals.) Ask who the main character is (Ethan). Then, write down on your whiteboard who some of the other characters are as well. (two policemen, postal clerk, couple of friends, ice cream clerk)
Review what setting is. (Where and when the story takes place.) Discuss: Where does I Found a Wallet take place? (on a bike ride, the police station, the post office, an ice cream shoppe, outside near his house)
When does I Found a Wallet take place? What clues in the story tell you? (Sometime during the day, specific time not given)
Call on a student to sum up the plot in the story. (The events that happen/take place in I Found a Wallet.)
What are the four problems/internal conflicts/challenges in the story?
(What was Ethan going to do with the wallet? What about the extra book of stamps? What about the super-duper hot fudge sundae? And lastly the puppy?)
What do you think are some themes from I Found a Wallet? (Theme is the idea or message of the story. What can we learn from the story?
Possible Themes
Sometimes it can be challenging to decide what is the right thing to do.
Making the right choice is up to each one of us.
Making the right choice is reflective of our character – the person we are deep inside.
It is important to make the right decision whether we are by ourselves, with an adult, or with our friends.
Being a member of the police force is an important job. They are here to help and serve.
Application: Think about how you can apply I Found a Wallet to your own life.
Possible Art Project Ideas:
Have the students draw/color a picture of a time they made the right decision. (Older children may title their picture or even write a story about it. Remind them to include setting, character, plot, conflict or problem, and theme in their story.)
Have the students draw/color a picture of one of the story elements from I Found a Wallet (setting, character, plot, conflict/problem, theme).
Have the students draw/color a picture of a time when the police force helped them, or it could be from the news when they saw police helping someone.