Language Arts, Reading, Reading Comprehension

Grade 1- 3

Objective

Students describe the five elements of a story--setting, characters, problem, events, and resolution.

Directions

Introduce your students to Clifford by reading to them or having them read Clifford the Small Red Puppy, Clifford's Puppy Days, or Clifford the Big Red Dog.

Set the stage for reading the books by discussing the following questions:

• How many of you have a dog?
• Did you get him or her as a puppy?
• What are some of the memorable moments you have had with your dog?
• How has your dog been a good friend to you?
• How would it be different if you had a small dog (or a large dog)?

If you have all three books, display the covers. Ask the following questions about the covers:

• How are they alike?
• How are they different?
• How has Clifford changed on the three covers?
• How do you think this happened?
• What would you do if your dog grew to be this big?

Introduce the characters in the books: Emily Elizabeth and her parents, Clifford and his family, Emily Elizabeth's Aunt Martha, and the Baker. Introduce the five elements of a story: setting, characters, problem, events, and resolution. Help them to identify these elements in the Clifford story. Then have them fill out the work sheets with the information they have learned.

Resources

• The Bones of the Story activity pages
• pencils
• scissors
• colored paper
• Clifford the Small Red Puppy, Clifford's Puppy Days, or Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell