Pourquoi stories: Creating tales to tell why
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=324
A lesson plan for grades 3–5 English Language Arts
In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students are introduced to pourquoi stories (stories and folktales that explain how or why something exists) and work in cooperative groups to write their own stories. In this lesson, through varied readings of pourquoi stories, students internalize the style and elements of a pourquoi story and use the literature as a framework on which to build their own stories. Final production is either a skit or illustrated narration of each group’s story.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 3
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
- considering the differences among genres.
- relating plot, setting, and characters to own experiences and ideas.
- considering main character's point of view.
- participating in creative interpretations.
- making inferences and drawing conclusions about characters and events.
- reflecting on learning, gaining new insights, and identifying areas for further study.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
- Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
- Objective 4.03: Share written and oral products in a variety of ways (e.g., author's chair, book making, publications, discussions, presentations).
- Objective 4.04: Use planning strategies (with assistance) to generate topics and to organize ideas (e.g., drawing, mapping, discussing, listing).
- Objective 4.06: Compose a draft that conveys major ideas and maintains focus on the topic by using preliminary plans.
- Objective 4.09: Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., personal narrative, short report, friendly letter, directions and instructions).
Grade 4
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections with text through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
- analyzing the impact of authors' word choice and context.
- examining the reasons for characters' actions.
- identifying and examining characters' motives.
- considering a situation or problem from different characters' points of view.
- analyzing differences among genres.
- making inferences and drawing conclusions about characters, events and themes.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
- Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
- Objective 4.05: Use planning strategies to generate topics and organize ideas (e.g., brainstorming, mapping, webbing, reading, discussion).
- Objective 4.06: Compose a draft that conveys major ideas and maintains focus on the topic with specific, relevant, supporting details by using preliminary plans.
- Objective 4.09: Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., personal and imaginative narrative, research reports, learning logs, letters of request, letters of complaint).
Grade 5
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
- analyzing word choice and content.
- examining reasons for a character's actions, taking into account the situation and basic motivation of the character.
- creating and presenting a product that effectively demonstrates a personal response to a selection or experience.
- examining alternative perspectives.
- evaluating the differences among genres.
- examining relationships among characters.
- making and evaluating inferences and conclusions about characters, events and themes.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
- Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
- Objective 4.05: Use a variety of preliminary strategies to plan and organize the writing and speaking task considering purpose, audience, and timeline.
- Objective 4.06: Compose a draft that elaborates on major ideas and adheres to the topic by using an appropriate organizational pattern that accomplishes the purpose of the writing task and effectively communicates its content.
- Objective 4.09: Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., clarification, essay, feature story, business letter).


