Lessons & Units :: Plot Kindergarten Unit

Lesson 3: Identifying the Solution in a Story

Lesson Plan

My Red Balloon | 550L

My Red Balloon
Learning Goal
Identify and describe the solution in a story.
Duration
Approximately 50 minutes
Necessary Materials
Provided: Independent Practice Worksheet
Not Provided: My Red Balloon by Eve Bunting and Olivia . . . and the Missing Toy by Ian Falconer

  • Teacher Modeling

    will explain that problems usually have a solution and give examples of solutions to problems students may face in the classroom. For example, if the problem is that a student forgot his/her lunch, the solution may be that the teacher buys lunch for him/her that day. I will explain that usually stories also have a solution. I will review My Red Balloon by Eve Bunting reminding students of the problem and identifying the solution: the balloon floats up to the little boy’s father.

    TIP: Be careful not to mix up the terms “ending” and “solution”. Solutions do not always come at the end of the story.

  • Think Check

    Ask: "How did I find the solution in the story?" Students should respond that you read the text and thought about what happened to fix the problem in the story.

  • Guided Practice

    will identify solutions in other books previously read in class. We will do a picture walk of Olivia . . . and the Missing Toy from yesterday’s read-aloud (Lesson 2). We will turn and talk to a partner about the problem in the story.

  • Independent Practice

    will draw a picture and write a sentence about the solution in Olivia . . . and the Missing Toy. (Independent Practice Worksheet is provided.)

Build Student Vocabulary waiting

Tier 2 Word: waiting
Contextualize the word as it is used in the story The boy in the story wakes and sees a balloon by his bed. He says that, “It’s waiting.” He also says, “Mom and I have been waiting, too.”
Explain the meaning student-friendly definition) Waiting means to stay in place until a person comes or something happens.
Students repeat the word Say the word waiting with me: waiting
Teacher gives examples of the word in other contexts I was waiting for the bus at the bus stop. This means that I was staying at the bus stop until the bus came. Once the bus came, I went on the bus. I was waiting for my friend by the tree. I stayed by the tree until my friend came and then we played on the playground.
Students provide examples What have you waited for? Start by saying, “I have waited for _______________________.”
Students repeat the word again. What word are we talking about? waiting
Additional Vocabulary Words clouds, printed

Build Student Background Knowledge

After reviewing the problem in My Red Balloon during the Direct Teaching, ask your students why balloons float away. Explain that while sometimes humans blow up a balloon with the air in their lungs, other balloons are blown up by tanks of a gas called Helium. Helium is lighter than air, so balloons can float away.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

(To see all of the ReadWorks lessons aligned to your standards, click here.)

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