Circle Plot Story Writing Free Lesson
This is a link to a free lesson I wrote on ReadWriteThink that includes using the story Long Night Moon.
The entire lesson and all the printables are at this link.
You know the stories such as If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, If You Give a Moose a Muffin, and If You Give a Pig a Pancake are circle (or circular) stories. They begin and end in the same situation. We tell children they begin by going in one door, and by the time the story is finished, it ends up at the same door. Children naturally understand this kind of plot when hearing books, and can apprentice themselves to writing stories like this as emergent writers. There are adult books and stories with circular plots, also. We also call this “the craft of writing” so children know it is something to aspire to learn. The craft of writing sounds important! They can go home and share their stories and rattle off some impressive-sounding vocabulary by the end of a unit.
When teaching a certain craft or plot structure at writing time, be sure to also read books with similar plots at storytime. Did the children think the story was a circle plot, or not? Why or why not?
The children will tell you they are sitting in a circle, point out circles, bring circular things to show and tell, and comment on other observations. A vocabulary chart could be kept for additions when words such as concentric circles and semi-circle when they come up in class.
Here is a free coloring page with circles for your fast finishers!
mandala-page-to-color free instant download
The lesson and free downloads are on ReadWriteThink.org — thank you!
Carolyn
