The Plot Chickens

Have you ever read this story?!  It is so cute and hilarious, it might just be a new favorite!  I've already put it in my cart to purchase on Amazon!  If you've not read this, you have to pick up a copy at the library and check out "The Plot Chickens" by Mary Jane and Herm Auch.  

I originally checked this book out to work on the Standard:  I can name the characters, main events and setting in a story.  It was great for that because we had 2 stories to identify the characters, main events and setting - the story "The Plot Chickens" and the story the chickens were writing!!  

I think you could also use this book as a way to teach children to "write a good, quality story."  

First we read the story, talked about it and then used our hands to retell the story.  I found this great poster on Pinterest this Spring and made one for my classroom.  The original post/idea came from the gals over at First Grade Buddies!  We've used it so many times and I have found it really helps the kids in retelling a story.  If nothing else, they've given 5 details from the story!  However, I find that they usually remember what to retell by saying, "somebody, wanted, but, then, so."  

To continue to remember what our fingers were for, we made these paper plates.  In hind site, I would have had students trace their right hand instead of their left so that it would read from left to right.  Instead, we numbered the fingers in order so we would remember to always start retelling with our thumb!

After our whole group work, we broke down into small groups to do some learning centers.  Out of the 5 learning centers, 2 of them were with my instructional para and myself.  In one group we read "The Saturday Triplets in The Pumpkin Fair Problem" by Katharene Kenah and in the other group we read "The Saturday Triplets in Teacher Trouble!" by Katharene Kenah.  After listening to and discussing the story, the students worked together to retell the story, using their hands.  They were so excited and proud to be successful on their own!

Do you have any good tips for teaching children to summarize or retell a story?  Please share in the comments below!