Reading and Comprehending Simple Stories

Introduction

Guiding Questions

  1. Who are the characters and what do they do in the story?
  2. What happens first, next, and last in the story?
  3. How do the characters feel and what made them feel that way?
  4. What is the main message of the story?
  5. Can you tell the story in your own words?

Learning Objectives

  1. Identify characters, settings, and major events in the story.
  2. Describes the sequence of events in the story (beginning, middle, end).
  3. Ask and answer questions about key details in a story.
  4. Make connections between the story and personal experiences.
Task

Teacher assigns or students choose a familiar story from the class library.

  1. Group Reading:

    In small groups (3–4 students), children read the story together, using reading strategies like partner reading.

  2. Story Remake Planning:

    Students complete a story map identifying:

    • Characters

    • Setting

    • Beginning, middle, and end

    • Main idea or lesson

  3. Story Recreation:

    Each group creates 5–7 images or drawing:

    • Slide 1: Title & Author

    • Slide 2: Characters

    • Slide 3: Setting

    • Slides 4–6: Beginning, Middle, End

    • Slide 7: Personal connection or lesson learned

  4. Narration Practice:

    Students practice reading their parts while showing emotions. Teacher help when needed. (How does Sam feel when his cat ran away? should you have a sad face pr smile?)

  5. Presentation Day:

    Groups present their narrated story to the class or another grade level.

Process

Step 1: Pick Your Story

Step 2: Read and Talk About the Story

Step 3: Make a Story Review Board

Step 4: Go Over Reading with emotions & Board with Teacher

Step 5: Recreate Board for Perfection

Step 6: Practice & Present!

Role Responsibilities
Reader Reads the story aloud to the group and helps with pronunciation.
Story Mapper Leads the group in identifying the characters, setting, and main events while making the board
Board Creator Uses different colors and objects to write text and insert images to match.
Narrator(s) Read the story and express the emotions clearly with the reading. (All students may share narration.)
Artist (Optional) Draws pictures or helps choose images to align the board to flow with the story that being read.
Evaluation
Category 4 🌟 Excellent 3 ✅ Good 2 🔄 Needs Help 1 ❌ Not Yet
Story Elements (characters, setting, events) All story elements are clear and correct Most story elements are clear and correct Some story parts are missing or confusing Few or no story elements included
Organization (beginning, middle, end) Events are in perfect order with good details Mostly in order with some details Some order but missing key parts No clear order or confusing
Speaking & Expression Voice is clear, loud, and with great expression Voice is mostly clear and easy to understand Voice is too quiet or hard to follow Voice not heard or didn’t record
Teamwork Everyone helped and worked together well Most group members helped Only 1–2 members did most of the work Group did not work well together
Visuals & Board Board is neat, colorful, and match the story Board are mostly neat and related Some parts are messy or missing parts Board is hard to understand or mostly missing
Conclusion

This project helps 1st graders practice reading comprehension by retelling a simple story through a fun, collaborative Board presentation. Students build literacy skills by identifying story elements, sequencing events, and using speaking skills to narrate the things shown on the board. 

After retelling a familiar story, students create their own original storybook using  tools such as images, crayons, markers, and a board. This supports creative thinking, writing, and publishing skills at an early age.

Activity: “Make Your Own Online Storybook”

Students write and illustrate their own simple story using:

📎 StoryJumper – Free Storybook Maker for Kids