Fables: Lessons to Be Learned
English Language Arts and Literacy, Grade 3
This is the fourth unit in a series of 10 and focuses on the traditional literature genre of fables. It is a 10-day unit. For the first five lessons, students read
classic fables attributed to Aesop. They read these fables to examine and understand the characters, events, and moral of fables. They discuss how and
why the same fable can be told differently although they end with the same basic moral. Students rewrite the morals for the fables they have read in their
own words based on their understanding and experiences. The next five lessons focus on modern fables written by an author they may know: Arnold
Lobel. Since these fables are written mostly in dialogue, students practice reading them with partners to develop fluency, expression, and physical
gestures. They learn about Readers Theater and select one fable to rewrite as a script and perform in a small group on the final day. By the end of the unit,
students will understand the characteristics of a fable, why fables have endured over thousands of years, and how fables connect to human behavior and
their own lives.
These Model Curriculum Units are designed to exemplify the expectations outlined in the MA Curriculum Frameworks for English Language Arts/Literacy
and Mathematics incorporating the Common Core State Standards, as well as all other MA Curriculum Frameworks. These units include lesson plans,
Curriculum Embedded Performance Assessments, and resources. In using these units, it is important to consider the variability of learners in your class
and make adaptations as necessary.
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This document was prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, an affirmative action employer, is committed to ensuring that all of its programs
and facilities are accessible to all members of the public. We do not discriminate on the basis of age color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, or
sexual orientation.
© 2015 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE). ESE grants permission to use the material it has created under the
terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Additionally, the unit may also contain other third party
material used with permission of the copyright holder. Please see Image and Text Credits for specific information regarding third copyrights.
The contents of this Model Curriculum Unit were developed under a grant from the U. S. Department of Education. However, those contents do not
necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 75 Pleasant St, Malden, MA 02148-4906. Phone 781-338-3300, TTY: N.E.T. Relay
800-439-2370, www.doe.mass.edu
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Table of Contents
Unit Plan……………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………….….4
General Resources and Notes…………………………………………………………………………………………..………….………………8
Lessons 1–5…………………………………………………………………………...……………………………………….……..…….……………..10
Lessons 6–10………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….…….19
CEPA Teacher Instructions………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..28
CEPA Student Instructions.…………………………………….……………………………………………………………..………………..…30
CEPA Rubric.…………………………………….……………………………………………………………..………………..……………………...32
Unit Resources.…………………………………….……………………………………………………………..………………..………………… 33
Appendices.…………………………………….……………………………………………………………..………………..…………………….....35
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Stage 1 – Desired Results
ESTABLISHED GOALS
G
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.2 Recount stories,
including fables, folktales, and myths from
diverse cultures; determine the central
message, lesson, or moral and explain how
it is conveyed through key details in the
text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3 Describe
characters in a story (e.g., their traits,
motivations, or feelings) and explain how
their actions contribute to the sequence of
events.
MA.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.8.a Identify elements
of fiction (e.g., characters, setting, plot,
problem, solution) and elements of poetry
(e.g., rhyme, rhythm, figurative language,
alliteration, onomatopoeia).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.10 Write routinely
over extended time frames (time for
research, reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day
or two) for a range of discipline specific
tasks, purposes, and audiences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1 Engage effectively
in a range of collaborative discussions (oneon-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on third-grade topics and
texts, building on others’ ideas and
Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to…
T1. Understand the power of words and images to transform lives and provide
insight into the experiences of other people, cultures, and historical periods.
T2. Communicate ideas effectively in writing to suit a particular audience and
purpose.
T3. Communicate ideas effectively in discourse and oral presentations to suit
various audiences and purposes.
UNDERSTANDINGS
Students will understand that…
Meaning
U ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
T
Q
Q1. What is a fable?
U1. Fables are a type of traditional literature
that are believed to have originated over a
thousand years ago with Aesop.
U2. Fables are brief, simple stories originally
told both to entertain and to teach people a
lesson, or moral.
U3. Characters in fables are often animals
that behave and talk like humans.
U4. The main characters in a fable often
have opposite traits and characteristics
important to understanding the plot and the
moral.
U5. The moral of a fable helps us to
understand the human experience and
lessons about life.
Q2. Why have some fables lasted over a
thousand years?
Q3. How do the characters in fables help us
to learn about ourselves?
Acquisition
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July 2015
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expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.a Come to
discussions prepared, having read or
studied required material; explicitly
draw on that preparation and other
information known about the topic to
explore ideas under discussion.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.b Follow
agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g.,
gaining the floor in respectful ways,
listening to others with care, speaking
one at a time about the topics and texts
under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.c Ask
questions to check understanding of
information presented, stay on topic,
and link their comments to the remarks
of others.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.d Explain their
ideas and understanding in light of the
discussion.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.4 Report on a topic
or text, tell a story, or recount an experience
with appropriate facts and relevant,
descriptive details, speaking clearly at an
understandable pace.
Students will know…
K
K1. The characteristics of fables: short
stories, animal characters, a simple plot, and
concluding with a moral.
K2. The purpose of telling stories as fables:
common themes and morals depicted in
fables.
K3. How morals reflect life lessons.
K4. The themes that most reflect their own
lives.
Students will be skilled at…
S
S1. Identifying and inferring character traits
and motivations.
S2. Inferring common themes from the
moral and explaining them in their own
words.
S3. Retelling fables after reading to include
the story elements and moral.
S4. Reading fables and relating a fable’s
moral to their lives.
S5. Acting out a fable with a small group of
peers.
Stage 2 – Evidence
Evaluative Criteria
The Readers Theater script and
presentation will be evaluated on:
Assessment Evidence
CURRICULUM EMBEDDED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT (PERFORMANCE TASKS) PT
For the final performance assessment, students will act out a fable in a Readers Theater
format to other groups; they will use a prepared script or one they have written from a
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






Inclusion of appropriate dialogue to tell
the story
Inclusion of introduction and final
comments on moral
Speaking clearly at an understandable
pace
Reading fluently and with expression
Active, focused participation in wholeclass and small-group discussions
Use of text to support their ideas orally
and in writing
Written responses that include
supporting evidence from the text
fable that was read to them. The goal is to give an oral presentation of the story and to
clearly explain the moral in their own words. Each presentation will include an
introduction to the fable, a reading of the script, and a brief discussion of how they connect
the moral in some way to their own lives.
OTHER EVIDENCE:
OE
 Participation in discussions
 Written responses that indicate understanding of fable morals
 Use of specific lines of text to support their ideas in discussions and written responses
 Discussions of Essential Questions
 Final written reflection
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction
Lessons 1–5: Understanding Aesop’s Fables
On the first day of this unit, students will be assigned to a small group. Each day, after a whole-class lesson and discussion, they will read
and respond to different fables and/or versions of fables in their small group, with a partner, or individually.
Lesson 1: Characteristics of fables. Students learn about the origin of fables and what we know about Aesop. The teacher reads aloud a
version of “The Hare and the Tortoise” and students discuss characteristics of fables based on this story. Students read additional versions
of this fable in small groups with a whole-class text and several copies of other texts on Aesop’s fables. They practice retelling “The Hare
and the Tortoise” with a partner.
Lesson 2: Character traits. After a teacher read-aloud of “The Lion and the Mouse,” students discuss how the characters are different and
why these differences are important to the moral of the story. They read additional versions of this fable in their groups and write a
description of the two main characters focusing on their opposite characteristics and using words and phrases from the text.
Lesson 3: Focus on plot/events. Students practice retelling “The Lion and the Mouse” in small groups using their written descriptions and
understanding from previous day’s reading. They discuss how fables change with each oral retelling, but still focus on the same moral.
Students read different versions of a new fable, “The Grasshopper and the Ants.” They outline the events in this fable and write what the
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characters said during each event.
Lesson 4: Comparing different versions of fables. Students discuss how the fables they have read and listened to are the same and
different. They read different versions of “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse” and compare/contrast how they are alike and how
they are different in characters, setting, plot, and moral. They discuss how each one leads to a similar moral.
Lesson 5. Moral. Students discuss what they have learned about fables and how the story elements led to the moral. The teacher reads
aloud “The Fox and the Crow” and students discuss the moral. The teacher discusses the morals of the fables read this week and asks
students to rewrite them in their own words.
Lessons 6–10: Modern Fables and Readers Theater Presentation
Lesson 6: Reading modern-day fables. Distribute Arnold Lobel’s book, Fables. Preview the table of contents and illustrations, telling
students that these fables have the same characteristics as Aesop’s fables but are current. Students read “Madame Rhinoceros and her
Dress” with a partner or individually. After reading, discuss how this fable and the moral are like “The Fox and the Crow” from Lesson 5.
Lesson 7: Understanding fables in different formats. Discuss Essential Questions, focusing on Q3. Students read “The Camel Dances” from
Lobel’s book with partners. After this initial reading, show the video from PBS Learning Media. Students discuss how the text, the video,
and their oral reading/acting out helped them to understand the story and how it might relate to their own lives.
Lesson 8: Free reading and Introduction to Readers Theater. Introduce students to Readers Theater, providing a prepared script to review
format and practice reading in parts. Model how to read fables in parts with voices that illustrate the characters’ traits and lead to the
moral. Students read other fables from Lobel’s book in their groups and practice reading in small groups. After practicing their parts, they
write in their RRJs how acting out a fable helped them to understand the story and moral.
Lesson 9: Prepare for CEPA. Students work in groups either to read prepared scripts for traditional fables or to decide which fable they
want to turn into a script for the CEPA presentation. Model how to turn a fable into a Readers Theater script with groups who will write
their own scripts. Students practice reading prepared scripts or begin writing their selected fable as a script with their groups.
Lesson 10: CEPA presentation. Students practice reading their fable script before the final presentation. Divide the class into two with
three or four smaller groups in each half. Students present their fable to their groups. The unit culminates with a discussion of the
Essential Questions and a written reflection on how acting out the fable helped them to understand the characters, events, and moral as
well as their own lives.
Understanding by Design®. © 2012 Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. Used with permission.
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General Resources and Notes
This unit is written to provide students with:
 An understanding of the characteristics of fables
 An understanding of why fables were told to people long ago
 An opportunity to read fables and relate the morals to their own lives
 An opportunity to prepare and present a fable in a small group
Preparation:
 Research information about Aesop in preparation for Lesson 1. Two good websites to start with are:
o Aesop's Fables: www.umass.edu/aesop/
o Aesop's Fables: Background Reading: www.mythfolklore.net/3043mythfolklore/reading/aesop/background.htm
 Review the characteristics of fables to use throughout the unit.
 Organize student texts for small-group reading with at least one copy of each text in each group (see the Appendices and Lesson Overviews).
 Meet with specialists (ELL, special education, reading) to discuss the unit and how they can support their students in the classroom and in their small
groups.
Instructional Tips/Resources:
 Create a list of students who will work together in small reading groups to read fables. These may be heterogeneous or homogeneous depending on
the range of readers in your class.
 Give students opportunities to process their ideas—with a partner or in a small group—before the whole-class discussion. Use strategies such as
Turn and Talk and Think/Pair/Share.
 Supporting English language learners: You may need to work individually or in small groups before or after the lesson with ELL students to discuss
and clarify the morals and wording of the morals of each fable. For example, provide examples of when you might do something “slow and steady”
and ask students to provide their own examples. Clarify the meanings of any unfamiliar words before or after reading new fables.
 Make sure that students have a Reading Response Journal (RRJ) for written responses and reflections on reading. These may be commercially
produced notebooks or teacher-made with stapled pages.
 Copy the Student Fables Chart for each student to record and outline the fables they read during the unit.
 Have chart paper available to record student responses in whole-class discussions.
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
For the final CEPA, students will perform a fable, using a script they have written or a published script. Select and copy one or more Readers Theater
scripts as a model for the CEPA presentation or as one students will present. The following websites describe Readers Theater and include scripts:
o Teaching Heart: http://www.teachingheart.net/readerstheater.htm
o Scholastic: What Is Readers Theater?: www.scholastic.com/librarians/programs/whatisrt.htm
o Aaron Shepard’s RT page: http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/index.html#RTE. Includes scripts and information on using Readers Theater with
children as well as some translations into Spanish and Chinese.
o Reader’s Theater Scripts: http://rtscripts.weebly.com/index.html. Lists are organized by number of readers: 2–4, 5–9, and 10+.
Prepared scripts for fables can be found at:
 Timeless Teacher Stuff: http://www.timelessteacherstuff.com/. These are short scripts for a few characters and include:
o The Ant and the Grasshopper
o City Mouse, Country Mouse
o Belling the Cat
o The Bad Kangaroo (by Lobel)
Time: Lessons are designed for approximately 50–60 minutes. This will allow time for additional reading and writing instruction required by the district
(guided reading, writing workshop, word study, etc.) for the remainder of the literacy block.
Key Terms


Fables. Fables are a form of traditional literature that began thousands of years ago. An early form of oral storytelling, fables were meant both to
entertain and to teach a lesson. It is widely accepted that fables began in ancient Greece with the slave, Aesop. They are brief tales with only a few
characters, most of which are animals that talk and behave like humans. Fables end with a moral that summarizes the lesson that one or more
characters learned in the story.
Readers Theater. Readers Theater is an engaging response format in which students orally read and act out a script based on a piece of literature.
Students may read from a prepared script or develop one on their own after reading a text. The purpose is to develop oral reading fluency and
expression and to enhance understanding of a story. Therefore, readers do not need to memorize the lines of the script, use props, or wear costumes.
It is an effective practice for providing students with opportunities to work cooperatively.
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Fables: Lessons to Be Learned
English Language Arts, Grade 3
Lessons 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
Brief Overview of Lessons: The focus of these lessons is on Essential Questions 1 (What is a fable?) and 2 (Why have
some fables lasted over a thousand years?) In Lesson 1, students learn about the origin of fables and about Aesop. They
discuss characteristics of fables based on a teacher read-aloud and read other versions of this fable in small groups. They
practice retelling “The Hare and the Tortoise” to understand that fables began with oral storytelling. In Lesson 2,
students discuss how the characters in fables are different and why these differences are important to the moral of the
story. In Lesson 3, they discuss how fables change with each retelling, emphasizing different events that lead to the same
moral. They read several versions of a new fable, outline the events, and write the character dialogue. In Lesson 4,
students compare and contrast different versions of fables. Lesson 5 focuses on the moral of every fable. Students
practice writing the moral of fables in their own words. By the end of Lesson 5, they will be able to articulate what a
fable is and why fables have lasted for so long. As you plan, consider the variability of learners in your class and make
adaptations as necessary.
Prior Knowledge Required:
 Knowledge of the story elements in narrative text
 Knowledge of the genre of traditional literature that began with oral storytelling and was later written down (from
Folktales Unit, Grade 2)
Estimated Time (minutes): 60 minutes per lesson
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Instructional Model: In Lessons 1–5, students meet as a whole class and in small groups to read and respond to fables.
The small groups may be heterogeneous or homogeneous depending on the range of reading needs of students. For
example, if students are reading significantly below grade level, they may read and perform best in a homogeneous
grouping with significant teacher support. Students reading within or above grade level could work in heterogeneous
groups. Each lesson is structured around before, during, and after reading. Before reading, the teacher provides a wholeclass mini-lesson on daily topics, and students discuss their reading of fables. Following the mini-lessons, students read
texts in their small groups to apply their learning. The teacher meets with one to two groups each day to provide
support and guidance in reading and comprehending the text. After reading, they record what they have learned about
their fables and respond in their Reading Response Journals. The lessons conclude with a whole-class review of what
they learned and a preview of what they will do the next day. Preview any Tier 2 key vocabulary for the fables, using the
instructional steps by Beck, McKeown, and Kucan (2008) described in the September unit on Realistic Fiction. Preview
any Tier 1 words for ELL students that may need clarification in understanding the fables.
The success of this model will depend upon:
 Grouping students who will work well together and maximize student learning
 Creating a schedule for meeting with groups each day based on which groups will work well independently and
which groups will require more teacher support
 Planning necessary support in collaboration with ELL teachers, special education teachers, and/or reading specialists
Resources for Lessons:
Student texts:
 Class set of Aesop’s Fables, retold by Ann McGovern, for individual and small-group reading (Lexile level 780L)
This is a collection of 68 of Aesop’s fables, many of which are well known and others that are not as familiar. Most
fables are no longer than one page, and each one ends with the moral.
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 Copies of the following fable anthologies, one for each small group (estimated four copies for each title):
o Aesop’s Fables, by Jerry Pinkney (Lexile level 760L, Guided Reading level P, DRA 38)
This anthology includes 60 of Aesop’s fables, accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Jerry Pinkney. The average
tale is no longer than one page.
o Aesop’s Fables, by Charles Santore
Santore’s illustrations highlight the fables and morals of 24 of Aesop’s most well-known fables.
o The Classic Treasury of Aesop’s Fables, illustrated by Don Daily
Twenty of Aesop’s fables are beautifully illustrated to bring the stories to life.
NOTE: The individual fables to be read in each anthology by lesson are listed in a chart under Appendices.
Teacher read-aloud text:
 One copy of Aesop’s Fables, by Jerry Pinkney (Lexile level 760L, Guided Reading level P, DRA 38)
This anthology includes 60 of Aesop’s fables, accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Jerry Pinkney. The average
tale is no longer than one page.
Websites to research Aesop:
 University of Massachusetts Amherst. Aesop’s Fables: www.umass.edu/aesop/
 Aesop’s Fables: www.mythfolklore.net/3043mythfolklore/reading/aesop/background.htm
Materials
Reading Response Journals
Graphic organizer – Fables
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Content Area/Course: English Language Arts and Literacy, Grade 3
Unit: Fables: Lessons to Be Learned
Time (minutes): 50–60 minutes
Lessons 1–5: What Is a Fable?
By the end of these lessons, students will know and be able to:



Identify characteristics of fables
Understand why fables have lasted over a thousand years
Understand and discuss the morals of fables
Essential Questions addressed in these lessons
Q1. What is a fable?
Q2. Why have some fables lasted over a thousand years?
Standard(s)/Unit Goal(s) to be addressed in these lessons
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and
myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or
moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits,
motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the
sequence of events.
MA.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.8.a Identify elements of fiction (e.g., characters,
setting, plot, problem, solution) and elements of poetry (e.g., rhyme,
rhythm, figurative language, alliteration, onomatopoeia).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on third-grade topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.a Come to discussions prepared, having
read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that
preparation and other information known about the topic to explore
ideas under discussion.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.b Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions
(e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with
care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under
discussion).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.c Ask questions to check understanding of
information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the
remarks of others.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.d Explain their ideas and understanding in
light of the discussion.
Instructional Tips/Strategies/Notes for the Teacher
 Give students opportunities to process their ideas—with a partner
or in a small group—before the whole-class discussion. Use
strategies such as Turn and Talk and Think/Pair/Share.
 Prepare an anchor chart for each of the Essential Questions—one
per page—for periodic reference during discussions.
 Review with the class the kinds of information to include on their
Fables handout, explaining they will use this each day in their
reading.
 Make copies of “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse” from the
anthologies by Jerry Pinkney and Charles Santore for use in Lesson 4.
 Have students bring their whole-class text with them to use in
discussions. Model how to use portions of the text to support your
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ideas (e.g., This is what I think. I know this because the character
says, the character does…)
Anticipated Student Preconceptions/Misconceptions
 Fables are just stories about animals.
 The moral of a fable is just about how animals should act toward
each other.
Lesson Sequence
Lesson 1 (60 minutes) Characteristics of fables
Before Reading (20 minutes, Whole Class)
 Class discussion: Explain to students that they will be reading and
writing about fables for a new unit. Ask if they have read fables
before and what they know about fables. Review and discuss the
Essential Questions on chart paper and have students share with a
partner what they already think or know about these questions.
 Based on your research from websites and texts, provide
background on Aesop (most of the anthologies used in this unit
include an introduction that tells about Aesop). Some of the key
ideas about his life might include:
o He was a slave in ancient Greece who lived almost 3,000 years
ago.
o He was known to be very clever because of the animal stories he
told. These stories both entertained people and taught them a
lesson about how to behave for a better life.
o His slave masters freed him because of his intelligence and
cleverness.
He never wrote down the stories he told, but others retold his
tales, and they were finally written down as fables.
o No one knows for sure much else about his life, or even if he
created all of the well-known fables we know today.
Distribute the whole-class text, Aesop’s Fables, by Ann McGovern.
Allow three to four minutes for students to preview the book to see if
there are any fables they already know. Then, turn to the last page
and read the author’s note on Aesop as students follow along. Have
students Turn and Talk to a partner about what they have learned
about Aesop.
Present the other collections of Aesop’s Fables, explaining that they
will work in small groups to read fables from each of these texts.
o


Reading and Response (25 minutes)
 Teacher read-aloud. Read aloud the fable, “The Tortoise and the
Hare” on page 19 of Aesop’s Fables, by Jerry Pinkney. Before reading,
discuss the differences between a hare and a rabbit (a hare is bigger
and has longer ears and longer legs. It is also faster than a rabbit.).
Then, explain that a tortoise is another name for a turtle. Read the
fable and discuss the characters, events, and moral of the story.
 Distribute the Student Fables Chart and explain that students will
use this to record a fable they read each day along with the moral.
 Assign students to their small-group areas and explain what they
will do: 1) First, they will read “The Hare and the Tortoise” in their
whole-class text. 2) Then, they will choose at least one other book to
read the same fable. They may read independently, with a partner, or
with the whole group. 3) After reading, they retell the fable with a
partner and record the title and moral on their Student Fables Chart.
After Reading and Closure (15 minutes)
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

Review the lesson outcomes by asking students questions related to
what they know about fables from today's reading. What did they
notice about the versions of “The Hare and the Tortoise” they read
(e.g., they were all short, the characters were animals that talked and
acted like human beings, the fable ended with a moral)? Begin a
Characteristics of Fables chart on chart paper to record their
responses.


Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Tomorrow we will look more
closely at the characters in a fable, how they are different, and how
these differences contribute to the story.
Formative Assessment
Assess students’ ability to read and comprehend the texts and their
participation in discussions.
Lesson 2 (50 minutes) Understanding character traits
Before Reading (15 minutes, Whole Class)
 Class discussion: Review the Characteristics of Fables Chart that you
began at the end of Lesson 1.
 Ask students to discuss these characteristics using a
Think/Pair/Share response format with the following questions:
Why do you think fables are short? Why do you think Aesop used
animals with human characteristics instead of humans? Why do
they end with a moral?
 Explain that today they will look more closely at the characters and
their traits in fables. Discuss how the hare and the tortoise were
different and how these differences led to an ending that was not
expected.

Read “The Lion and the Mouse” from Jerry Pinkney’s book. Briefly
discuss how a lion and mouse are different. Then, read the first four
paragraphs. Stop to ask what they know about each character. (The
mouse is small, but bold, and clever to escape the lion’s grip. The lion
is strong, grumpy, and proud and cannot believe a mouse could ever
help him.)
Finish reading the fable. Have students discuss other traits for each
character and how the differences led to the moral of the fable. Have
students: 1) select a pair of characters; 2) make a chart listing their
character traits; 3) look at the results; and 4) draw conclusions (e.g.,
because the hare was fast and the tortoise was slow, we learned
about not giving up.)
Set a purpose for student reading. They will read the same fable in
their whole-class text and then read other versions in the books in
their small groups.
Reading and Response (30 minutes)
 Students read “The Lion and the Mouse” in their whole-class text
independently, with a partner, or in a small group. Then, they find
and read other versions of this fable in their small groups.
 After reading, students discuss what they learned about each
character from the multiple versions they read in their groups. They
will select one version from which to write a character description
for the mouse and the lion. Hand out a two-column chart to take
notes. They will write their descriptions in two paragraphs in their
RRJs, ending with a statement about the lesson that the lion learned.
 If some students finish early, they may read other fables in the books
at their group area.
After Reading and Closure (10 minutes)
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


Reconvene the whole class to discuss what they have learned about
characters in the two fables they have read (e.g., they are opposites
in physical characteristics and in personality). Some students may
share their written responses with the class. Discuss why it is
important to the story to use animals that are opposites and how
these characteristics lead to an unexpected ending and to the moral.
Add this information to the Characteristics of Fables chart.
Review the lesson outcomes by asking students questions.
Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Tomorrow you will read more
fables to understand the sequence of events and how the events lead
to the moral.
Lesson 3 (55 minutes) Identifying important events in a fable
Before Reading (15 minutes, Whole Class)
 Class discussion: Have one student retell “The Lion and the Mouse”
from Lesson 2. As a class, list the important events on the board: 1)
The mouse climbed on the lion. 2) The lion grabbed the mouse and
threatened to eat it. 3) The mouse promised to help the lion in the
future if he would let him go. 4) The lion is trapped in a net by
hunters. 5) The mouse finds the lion in this trap and frees the lion by
gnawing through the ropes, carrying out his promise.
 Then, ask students to work with a partner to discuss what the
characters said for each event. Students share what they discussed
with the whole class. Write the dialogue they provide next to each
event and ask several students to act out the fable using this dialogue
(NOTE: This is a preparation for the final CEPA presentation in
Lessons 9 and 10).
Reading and Response (25 minutes)
 Set a purpose for reading. Explain that students will read several
versions of a new fable today: “The Ant and the Grasshopper.” After
reading, they will work with a partner or in their small groups to list
the important events in this fable. After listing these events, they will
discuss what the characters said during each event and write this
next to the event. Hand out a chart to record this information.
 Students read different versions of “The Ant and the Grasshopper” in
their whole-class and small-group texts.
 Working with a partner or in their small groups, they identify the
important events and write them in their RRJs. They discuss what
each character said or would say during each event and record that
next to each event. They may copy the dialogue from the text or
make up their own.
After Reading and Closure (15 minutes)
 Students work in small groups to read the dialogue for each event
that they recorded with their partners.
 Review the lesson outcomes by asking students questions.
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: You have read different
versions of three fables. Tomorrow you will read more closely to
compare how the different versions are the same and different.
Lesson 4 (60 minutes) Comparing different versions of fables
Before Reading (20 minutes)
 Class discussion: Discuss how the fables students have read so far
have been the same and different. Explain that they will read more
closely today to compare two versions of the fable “The Town Mouse
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and the Country Mouse.” You read the first version, and they discuss
the characters, events, and moral. Then, students read another
version with a partner or with their groups and compare these story
elements with the read-aloud.
 Read aloud “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse” in The Classic
Treasury of Aesop’s Fables, by Don Daily. As you read, stop
periodically to have students suggest information for the characters
and events. Record their suggestions on the board or a chart (see
suggested outline at the end of this unit). After reading, have
students read all of the information on the chart and use this
information to retell the fable to a partner.
Reading and Response (25 minutes)
 Tell students they will read another version of this story and
compare it with the one they just listened to. Explain that they will
read to find out which information is the same and which is different
and will record their understanding on a note-taking worksheet.
Hand out copies of the fable from Aesop’s Fables by Jerry Pinkney and
by Charles Santore and the note-taking worksheet (see Appendix for
the form). Students will also have access to the story in the books in
their groups.
 Students read another version of the fable independently or with a
partner.
 During or after reading the fable, students complete their handout
with information on the differences between their fable and the
read-aloud.
 Circulate among students and partner groups to ensure that they are
able to identify the important events and details in the fable and
compare them with the class read-aloud. Clarify the meaning of any
words that may be unfamiliar (e.g., larder, acquaintances,
abundance).

You may want to hand out the outline of the read-aloud provided in
the Appendix for students to read at their seats rather than on the
class chart.
After Reading and Closure (15 minutes)
 Students meet in their small groups to discuss how the fable they
read differed from the initial read-aloud, using the charts they
completed.
 Review the lesson outcomes by asking students questions.
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Tomorrow we will look at the
morals of the fables we have read. You will rewrite them in your own
words to reflect your understanding of the fable and moral.
Lesson 5 (55 minutes) Understanding the moral
Before Reading (20 minutes)
 Class discussion: Explain that today students will look closely at the
moral of fables. Present the three morals that are slightly different in
their wording from the three versions of “The Town Mouse and
Country Mouse.” Clarify the meaning of the words “peril” and
“abundance.”
 Have students Turn and Talk to discuss which moral they think best
describes the lessons learned in the story and why. Then, students
restate the moral in their own words. Have several students share
what they discussed. Ask why they think Aesop included a moral at
the end of each story and if the moral of the fable helped them to
understand the story.
 Read aloud “The Fox and the Crow” from the Jerry Pinkney book.
Write the moral on the board (“Never trust flatterers”) and discuss
the meaning in the context of the characters and events (e.g., the
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July 2015
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characters are enemies and the crow should have known the fox was
tricking her). Using Think/Pair/Share, have students discuss a time
when they flattered someone but didn’t really mean it or a time
when someone flattered them but didn’t really mean it. What was
the outcome?
Formative Assessment
Review the morals students rewrote in their own words to assess their
understanding of the fables.
Reading and Response (25 minutes)
 Set a purpose for reading: Today they will read the same fable in
their whole-class book and another version from one of the group
books.
 After reading, students will review all of the morals recorded on
their Student Fables Chart and rewrite them in their own words in
their RRJs. They should think about the characters and story events
as they do this. Then, they may read any fables of their choice from
their small-group books.
 Students read two additional versions of “The Fox and the Crow.”
 They review the morals of the five fables read this week and rewrite
each one in their own words to reflect their understanding of the
fable.
 Students select other fables to read.
After Reading and Closure (10 minutes)
 Review the lesson outcomes by asking students questions.
 Discuss Essential Questions 1 and 2 to summarize their learning for
the week. Have students suggest possible answers and record their
suggestions on the chart paper for each Essential Question.
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Next time, we will discuss
what you will do for your final performance assessment. Then, we
will read a new book of fables that were not written by Aesop, but by
Arnold Lobel.
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July 2015
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Fables: Lessons to Be Learned
English Language Arts, Grade 3
Lessons 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10
Brief Overview of Lessons: Lessons 6–8 will focus on Essential Question 3: How do the characters in fables help us to
learn about ourselves? Students read and respond to new, humorous fables written by Arnold Lobel to understand this
question. Lessons 9 and 10 will emphasize all three Essential Questions as students prepare and present a Readers
Theater for a fable. In Lesson 6, students learn what they will be doing for the CEPA by reading “Madame Rhinoceros and
Her Dress” and connecting it to “The Fox and the Crow” from the previous lesson. In Lesson 7, they read another Lobel
fable and watch a video of it. Students discuss the moral and how it relates to their own lives. They practice reading the
fable in small groups and discuss how reading, viewing, and acting out a fable helped them to understand the story. In
Lesson 8, students learn about Readers Theater, an introduction to the CEPA. They read other fables from Lobel’s book
to decide which fable they want to prepare as a script and perform. In Lesson 9, students begin writing the script and
practice it with their groups. In Lesson 10, they present their fables to other groups in the class. They then write in their
RRJs about how acting out a fable helped them to understand the characters, events, and moral of the story and what
lessons they learned. As you plan, consider the variability of learners in your class and make adaptations as necessary.
Prior Knowledge Required:
 Knowledge of the characteristics of a fable
 Knowledge of how readers know about a character (by what they do and say) from the Realistic Fiction unit
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Estimated Time (minutes): 50–60 minutes per lesson
Instructional Model: In Lessons 6–8, students read modern fables from a whole-class text by Arnold Lobel. They read
independently, with a partner, or in their small groups. These groups may be the same as the previous week, or you may
want to regroup students for reading this new text, considering those students who worked well together in Lessons 1–5
and the range of reading levels in your classroom. In Lessons 9 and 10, students prepare for their Readers Theater
presentations. Some students will read prepared scripts for four fables that you provide. Other students may choose a
fable from Arnold Lobel’s book to write their own script using the dialogue in the text.
Resources for Lessons:
Student text:
 Class set of Fables, by Arnold Lobel (Lexile level 540L, Guided Reading level N, DRA 30)
This is a collection of 20 original fables written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel. Each fable is one page with an
accompanying illustration and illustrates the foibles of human behavior. Many contain significant lines of dialogue
between two characters, making these fables ideal for reading aloud and acting out the story.
Websites:
 The Camel Dances: http://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/btlc10.ela.early.camel/the-camel-dances/
 Timeless Teacher Stuff: http://www.timelessteacherstuff.com/. These are short scripts for a few characters and
include:
o The Ant and the Grasshopper
o City Mouse, Country Mouse
o Belling the Cat
o The Bad Kangaroo (Lobel)
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July 2015
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Materials
Reading Group chart
Chart paper
Reading Response Journals
Access to computers
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July 2015
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Content Area/Course: English Language Arts and Literacy, Grade 3
Unit: Fables: Lessons to Be Learned
Time (minutes): 50–60 minutes
Lessons 6–10: Modern Fables by Arnold Lobel
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount
an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details,
speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
By the end of these lessons, students will know and be able to:
Instructional Tips/Strategies/Notes for the Teacher
 Refer to and discuss the anchor chart for each of the Essential
Questions so students can add any new information they learn in
these modern fables.
 Review with the class how to take turns while partner reading.
 Read the fables for each day and determine which vocabulary will
need instruction or clarification.
 You may want to make copies of individual fables for students to
mark up or highlight their parts when acting them out.
 Find a Readers Theater script to introduce this practice and make
copies for each student.
 Determine which students will perform best by reading a prepared
script and which students will be able to write their own script from
a fable in Arnold Lobel’s book and form groups.
 Enlist the support of specialists or paraprofessionals to assist
students in writing their scripts of a fable.



Understand and discuss the morals of modern fables
Understand how these fables relate to their own lives
Practice reading a fable with peers
Essential Questions addressed in these lessons
Q1. What is a fable?
Q2. Why have some fables lasted over a thousand years?
Q3. How do the characters in fables help us to learn about ourselves?
Standard(s)/Unit Goal(s) to be addressed in these lessons
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and
myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or
moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits,
motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the
sequence of events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a
single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline specific tasks,
purposes, and audiences.
Anticipated Student Preconceptions/Misconceptions
 All fables come from Aesop.
 Fables tell us about how animals or other nonhuman characters act
toward each other. They don’t tell us about human behavior.
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Lesson Sequence

Lesson 6 (60 minutes) Reading modern-day fables
Before Reading (25 minutes, Whole Class)
 Ask students which of Aesop’s fables they enjoyed most last week
and why. Which ones had morals that taught them something about
their own lives? Present Essential Question 3, telling students to look
at how characters in fables behave or have the same problems that
they do for the next three days.
 Present and discuss the CEPA. Explain to students that they will
work in a small group to act out a fable for presentation to other
groups on the final day of the unit. They will read the moral and then
restate it in their own words. The purpose of this performance is to
retell the fable to demonstrate what they know about the characters,
events, and moral.
 Hand out the new texts, Fables, by Arnold Lobel. Tell students these
are fables that are like those told by Aesop, but are current and
reflect current settings, problems, and events. Provide time for
students to preview the text using the table of contents and
appreciating the illustrations. Ask how these fables look like the
Aesop fables they read last week.
 Tell students they will read the fable, “Madame Rhinoceros and Her
Dress” two times—first, independently (or with you in a group) and
next with two or more other students. Explain that this fable has
three parts: Madame Rhinoceros, the salesperson, and the narrator.
Clarify that the narrator tells what happens between the characters’
dialogue. The narrator’s lines do not have quotation marks. After
reading the fable, they will read it aloud in parts with two other
students: Madame Rhinoceros, the salesperson, and the narrator.


Turn to page 26, read the moral, and discuss how this reminds them
of another fable by Aesop (“The Fox and the Crow”). After reading
with their small groups, they will write how this modern fable is the
same and different from Aesop’s ancient fable in two paragraphs.
Preview Tier 2 key vocabulary for this fable (using the instructional
steps by Beck, McKeown, and Kucan (2008): Alluring, glamorous,
admiration, envy.
Assign students to groups of three for the second reading.
Reading and Response (25 minutes)
 Students read “Madame Rhinoceros and Her Dress” at their seats or
with you in a small group.
 After reading, they reread the fable with their partners, each taking
one of the parts.
 Circulate among the student groups as they read the fable aloud in
parts.
 Following their oral reading, students write how this modern fable is
the same and different from Aesop’s “The Fox and the Crow” in their
RRJs. They should use the texts of Aesop’s fables to support their
ideas.
After Reading and Closure (10 minutes)
 Reconvene class to discuss their understanding of this fable. Why do
you think Arnold Lobel chose to use a rhinoceros as the main
character? What did Madame Rhinoceros first think about the dress?
Why was she so willing to accept the flattery of the salesperson? Did
she learn a lesson from the story? How are the characters, events,
and moral similar and different from “The Fox and the Crow”?
 Review the lesson outcomes by asking students questions.
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
Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Tomorrow we will read a new
fable and watch of video of it. You will practice reading it with
partners and discuss how reading, viewing, and performing a fable
helps you to understand the story and the moral.
Lesson 7 (50 minutes) Understanding fables in different formats
Before Reading (10 minutes)
 Class discussion: Discuss Essential Question 3 in the context of
“Madame Rhinoceros and Her Dress.” What did they learn from the
fable that they could use in their own lives?
 Tell students they will read another fable today, then watch a video
of the fable, and, finally, act it out with two partners. Remind
students that any time a line has quotation marks, a character is
speaking, and that when there are no quotes the narrator is
speaking.
 Model how to take turns reading with a partner for the first time.
Then, tell students they will select which part they want to orally
read and act out.
 Introduce “The Camel Dances” and tell students this is a fable about a
camel that wants to be a ballet dancer. Why would a camel be an
unlikely ballet dancer? Point out the Tier 3 words: pirouettes,
relevés, and arabesques. List the procedures for partner work on the
board: 1) read the fable two times, taking turns by paragraphs; 2)
discuss the moral of the story and what the camel learned; 3) decide
what role you will read and act out; and 4) read the fable again in
your parts with expression. (NOTE: Hand out copies of the fable to
students who need to highlight their parts.)
Reading and Viewing (30 minutes)
 Students read “The Camel Dances” two times in their partner groups
of three. Then, they decide which part they want to take in orally
reading and acting out the fable and read the fable again in their
parts.
 Show the video of “The Camel Dances” from PBS Learning Media
[http://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/btlc10.ela.early.camel
/the-camel-dances/] on a Smart Board or LCD projector as students
remain in their groups.
 After viewing, students discuss how this video illustrates the
character traits of the camel and the audience.
 Students reread the fable, acting it out with expression based on the
text and the video.
 Students select another fable or fables from the text to read silently.
After Reading and Closure (10 minutes)
 Reconvene the class with their texts to discuss their understanding
of this fable. Ask: How do you know the camel was a hard worker?
What in the text tells you the camel was confident in her ballet skills?
Why did the audience laugh at the camel’s performance? What does
the moral tell you about our own lives? When have you worked hard
at something even though others did not think you could do it?
 Review the lesson outcomes by asking students questions such as,
How did reading the fable aloud help them understand the
characters and the moral?
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Tomorrow you will learn
more about your final project, called Readers Theater. We will talk
about how to read in parts with voices that show how the characters
are feeling. You will work in your small groups to read a script of a
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July 2015
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fable or to write your own script for a fable and present it on the
final day of the unit.
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Lesson 8 (60 minutes) Free reading/planning for CEPA
Before Reading (20 minutes)
 Discuss Readers Theater. Review the final CEPA information
introduced in Lesson 6. Explain to students the characteristics of
Readers Theater:
o Readers read a script adapted from a story. They do not have to
memorize the lines.
o Readers perform the script so an audience can visualize the
characters and events.
o Unlike a play, there are no sets, props, or costumes.
o The purpose is to bring a story alive using voice expression,
facial expression, and gestures or movements.
 Hand out an RT prepared script from the suggested websites
(included are Aesop’s “The Hare and the Tortoise,” “The Ant and the
Grasshopper,” “Belling the Cat,” and Arnold Lobel’s “The Bad
Kangaroo) to illustrate the format of a script. Note the script format
and the number of characters. Have students read through the entire
script once. Then, ask for volunteers to read the script in character
parts to the class. Discuss voice and gestures that are appropriate to
the story and ask another group of volunteers to reread the story in
parts.
 Tell students that today, they will have time to read more fables to
decide which ones they want to present on the last day of the unit.
Some of them will read prepared scripts for fables that you give
them (see Overview for Lessons 1–6 for website for these scripts).
Others will read fables in Arnold Lobel’s book with their groups to
decide which one they want to rewrite as a script and present. They
will work with other students (three to four depending on number of
characters) in a group to decide on the fables.
Reading and Response (30 minutes)
 Some students work with a teacher to read prepared scripts. They
discuss which one they would like to present in a Readers Theater
format.
 Other students read fables from Arnold Lobel’s book and decide
which one they want to rewrite as a script for Readers Theater.
Circulate among the groups to help them to decide on a fable that can
easily be written as a script (e.g., with a lot of dialogue).
 Students list the characters (including the narrator) and decide
which role they would like to take.
After Reading and Closure (10 minutes)
 Review the lesson outcomes by asking students questions about the
fables they chose for a Readers Theater presentation. What were
some of the morals they learned in their reading? Why did they
choose the fables they want to present? Did they make any
connections to the characters, plot, or moral of the fable?
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Tomorrow you will practice
reading your scripts or turn your fable into a script and practice it in
parts with your group.
Lesson 9 (60 minutes) Preparing a Readers Theater script
Before Reading (20 minutes)
 Students reading from a prepared script independently read fables
from Aesop or Arnold Lobel while you work with students who will
write their own scripts. Explain that they will work with their groups
during reading time to practice their scripts.
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



Meet with students who will be writing their own scripts for a fable
from Arnold Lobel’s book. Model how to turn a fable into a Readers
Theater script using “Madame Rhinoceros” from Lesson 6. Review
the characters (Madame Rhinoceros, salesperson, narrator) and
assign each role to a student. Have the students read aloud the text,
by part, as other students follow along in their books.
Record their reading on a projector or Smart Board. Point out that
the names may be abbreviated (e.g., MR for Madame Rhinoceros, SP
for salesperson, N for narrator) and list these codes on the top of the
script. Discuss if any of the lines from the characters are not
important to include (e.g., “If only I were sure,” said Madame
Rhinoceros).
Using the script, have three more students read the fable in parts.
Students suggest possible introductions to the fable (e.g., “This fable
is about…”).
Explain what students will do for the remainder of the lesson: 1)
First, they reread their fable. 2) Next, they rewrite the fable as a
script with their group. One person will be assigned as the recorder.
3) Then, they will decide on their roles in performing the fable. The
narrator provides an introduction to the fable and reads the moral at
the end. 4) Finally, they will use the script to read through their
parts. Write the steps above on the board or prepare them as a
handout. Make copies for the final day’s presentation.
Reading and Writing the Script (35 minutes)
 Students reading prepared scripts practice reading their parts. They
decide on an introduction to their fable and who will present this.
They discuss the moral and how it reflects something in their own
lives.



Students writing their own scripts work in their groups to read
through their fable and turn it into a script with the narrator and
character parts. They decide on an introduction to the fable. You may
want to work with a group to write on the computer as they dictate
the lines for the script.
Circulate among the groups to make sure they are on task and to
answer any questions.
Students practice reading their scripts.
After Reading (5 minutes)
 Review the lesson outcomes by asking students questions.
 Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Tomorrow you will practice
reading your script again with expression and gestures to make the
fable come alive. Then, you will present your fable to other groups in
the class.
Lesson 10 (60 minutes) Final CEPA presentation
Before Presentations (15 minutes)
 Convene the whole class to review procedures for the lesson.
Students will practice reading their scripts again, focusing on the
expression of characters’ dialogue and any gestures that illustrate
how the characters are feeling. Then, they will present their fables as
a Readers Theater in four parts: 1) introduction to the fable
(narrator); 2) reading the fable in parts; 3) reading the moral of the
fable (narrator); 4) discussing how the fable relates to their own
lives (all students).
 Students work in their groups to practice reading their scripts with
all components of the presentation.
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Presentations (25 minutes)
 Divide the class into two groups with three to four Readers Theater
groups in each. (e.g., a total of eight Readers Theater groups would
meet in two groups of four) and designate two areas of the
classroom where students will meet for their presentations.
 Students decide the order of group presentations.
 Each group reads its script and acts out their fable, using their
scripts and including an introduction, reading, and discussion of the
moral.
After Presentations (20 minutes)
 Convene the whole class to review and discuss their presentations
and what they learned about fables. Frame the discussion around the
three Essential Questions.
 Students write in their RRJs a response to the questions: How did
acting out a fable help you to understand the characters and events?
What lesson did you learn?
Summative Assessment
Use the CEPA Rubric to assess each group’s performance. Make
individual note of students who excelled at their performance. Review
and assess student reflections in their RRJs for evidence of
understanding the unit.
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Curriculum Embedded Performance Assessment (CEPA)
Teacher Instructions
Performance Task: Students present a fable of their choice as a Readers Theater to other groups. Each presentation will include an introduction to the
fable, a reading of the script, and a brief discussion of how they connect the moral in some way to their own lives. Some students will present a prepared
script, while others will present a script they have written for an existing fable.
Goal: The goal is for students to give an oral presentation of the fable and to explain the moral in their own words. This will demonstrate their
understanding of the characters, events, and moral of the fable.
Audience: Each group presents their Readers Theater to several other (three to four) groups.
Directions: Students will:
 Read fables from a prepared script or student-written script from Arnold Lobel’s book, Fables, in their small groups and select one fable to perform in
a Readers Theater format. (NOTE: Determine which students are able to write their own scripts from a fable and which students will perform more
effectively from a prepared script).
o Some students will write a script in a small group for a selected fable from Arnold Lobel’s book. One student in the group will be assigned as the
written recorder.
o Other students will work in a small group to read several prepared scripts and select one to perform (see websites for available scripts below).
 Determine the number of characters (including narrator) in the fable and form a group with that number of students.
 Decide which parts they want to read in their presentation.
 Practice reading the fable with their Readers Theater group.
 Using copies of their script, practice reading the script in parts with fluency, expression, and gestures appropriate to the characters.
 Write a general introduction to the fable and decide which group member will present this introduction.
 Discuss the moral and how it reminds them of something or someone in their lives. They will decide how to share this discussion with their audience
after their presentation.
 Perform their Readers Theater to several other small groups.
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Suggested Websites for Prepared Scripts:
 Timeless Teacher Stuff: http://www.timelessteacherstuff.com/. These are short scripts for a few characters and include:
o The Ant and the Grasshopper
o City Mouse, Country Mouse
o Belling the Cat
o The Bad Kangaroo (Lobel)
Standards Assessed:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral
and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the
sequence of events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting
or a day or two) for a range of discipline specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking
clearly at an understandable pace.
Criteria for Success:
The organization of the presentation includes:
 An introduction
 The Readers Theater performance
 A final discussion of how the characters, events, and moral connect to their lives in some way
The performance of the Readers Theater script demonstrates that students read their parts:
 Clearly and audibly
 Fluently
 With expression
 With appropriate gestures as necessary
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This work is licensed by the MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (CC
BY-NC-SA 3.0). Educators may use, adapt, and/or share. Not for commercial use. To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.
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Curriculum Embedded Performance Assessment (CEPA)
Student Instructions
Performance Task: You will read several fables and select one to perform in a Readers Theater presentation. Some of
you will write your own script for a fable of your choice and some of you will choose a fable from a script that has
already been written. Then, you will present the fable with your group to other groups in the class.
Goal: Your goal is to give an oral presentation of the fable you chose with other members of your group. After your
presentation, you will explain the moral of your fable in your own words.
Audience: You will present your fable to several other Readers Theater groups in the classroom.
Directions:
 You will work in small groups to read several fables and choose one you want to perform for others in the class.
o Some of you will read several fables that are already written as a play and choose the one you like best and want to
perform.
o Some of you will read fables from Arnold Lobel’s book and write your own script with your group to make it into a
play. You will need to choose one person in your group to be the written recorder of the script. All members of the
group will decide what information and dialogue is important to include. I will be available to help you as you
write your script.
 Count the number of characters (including the narrator) in the fable you have chosen and decide which part(s) you
want to read in your presentation.
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 Practice reading the script for your fable several times in parts for the character you have chosen. With each practice,
think about how to read your parts clearly so other students can hear and understand your words. Then, think about
how your character would say those lines with expression. Finally, think about any body movements the character
might use as he/she is saying those lines.
 Write an introduction to the fable with your group. This should include a short description of the setting, characters,
and problem in the fable. Decide which member of your group will present this introduction.
 With your group, discuss the moral of your fable and how it reminds you of something or someone in your lives.
Decide how your group will discuss this after your presentation.
 Perform your Readers Theater presentation to other small groups in the classroom.
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CEPA Rubric: Readers Theater Presentation
Oral presentation
Performance
4 Exceeds expectations
Speaks or reads fluently
3 Meets expectations
Speaks or reads fluently
2 Developing
Speaks or reads with
some fluency
1 Emerging
Speaks or reads with
little fluency
Reads/speaks fluently,
audibly, with expression;
makes eye contact (if
appropriate); makes
relevant connections with
topic
Audible, with good
expression and frequent
eye contact
Audible, with some
expression and eye
contact
Usually audible, with
some expression and eye
contact
Mostly inaudible and/or
with little expression or
eye contact
Little connection to topic
Adequate topic
development
Makes basic connections
with topic
Rudimentary topic
development
Logical organization
Good organization
Basic organization
Lacks organization
Strong supporting details
Supporting details
Basic supporting details
Lacks key details
Vocabulary and
language
Effective use of language
and rich vocabulary to
support ideas
Adequate variety in
language and vocabulary
that support ideas
Some errors in use of
Simple language and
language and vocabulary; vocabulary that may not
rudimentary support for support ideas
ideas
Readers Theater script
Includes all information
necessary to recount the
fable
Includes most
information that
recounts the fable
Includes some
information required to
recount the fable
Topic and ideas are
particularly well
connected
Topic/idea development Full/rich topic
Introduces and organizes
development
the topic and ideas,
provides key details, and
may include visuals
Uses vocabulary effectively,
including academic
vocabulary; uses rich
language to supports ideas
Stays on topic
Little/weak topic
development
Includes minimal
information required to
recount the fable
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Unit Resources
Lessons 1–5
Student texts:
 Class set of Aesop’s Fables, retold by Ann McGovern, for individual and small-group reading (Lexile level 780L)
 Approximately four copies of the following fable anthologies (each small group should have one copy of each book)
o Aesop’s Fables, by Jerry Pinkney (Lexile level 760L, Guided Reading level P, DRA 38)
o Aesop’s Fables, by Charles Santore
o The Classic Treasury of Aesop’s Fables, illustrated by Don Daily
o The Rabbit and the Turtle, retold and illustrated by Eric Carle (Lexile level 650L)
Teacher read-aloud text:
 One copy of Aesop’s Fables, by Jerry Pinkney (Lexile level 760L, Guided Reading level P, DRA 38)
Websites to research Aesop:
o www.umass.edu/aesop/
o www.mythfolklore.net/3043mythfolklore/reading/aesop/background.htm
Materials
Chart paper
Reading Response Journals
Graphic organizer – Fables
Lessons 6–10
Student text:
 Class set of Fables, by Arnold Lobel (Lexile level 540L, Guided Reading level N, DRA 30)
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This is a collection of 20 original fables written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel. Each fable is one page with an accompanying illustration and
illustrates the foibles of human behavior. Many contain significant lines of dialogue between two characters, making these fables ideal for orally
reading and acting out the story.
Websites:
 The Camel Dances: http://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/btlc10.ela.early.camel/the-camel-dances/
 Scholastic: What Is Readers Theater?: www.scholastic.com/librarians/programs/whatisrt.htm
 Reader’s Theater Editions: http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/RTE.html (multicultural folktales/fables/tall tales from different countries and traditions;
stories by Aaron Shepard and others)
 The Tortoise and the Hare: http://rtscripts.weebly.com/scripts-for-2-4-students.html (Readers Theater scripts)
 The Ant and the Grasshopper, an Aesop’s Fable: http://www.timelessteacherstuff.com/ (and many other folktales and fables)
Materials
Reading Group chart
Chart paper
Reading Response Journals
Access to computers
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BY-NC-SA 3.0). Educators may use, adapt, and/or share. Not for commercial use. To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.
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Appendices
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Daily Fables Chart (Lessons 1–7)
Student Fables Chart (Lessons 1–5)
“The Lion and the Mouse” Chart (Lesson 2)
“The Ant and the Grasshopper” Chart (Lesson 3)
“The City Mouse and the Country Mouse” Outline (Lesson 4)
Comparing Fables (Lesson 5)
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BY-NC-SA 3.0). Educators may use, adapt, and/or share. Not for commercial use. To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.
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Appendix A: Daily Fables Chart
Fable
The Tortoise
and the Hare
Texts
Pinkney, p.
19
Santore, p. 50
(The Hare
and the
Tortoise)
Daily, p. 43
The Lion
and the
Mouse
McGovern, p.
60 (The Hare
and the
Tortoise)
Pinkney, p.
41
Santore, pp.
14–15
Moral(s)
Slow and
steady wins
the race
Slow and
steady wins
the race
Videos
Notes
Lesson 1
Slow and
steady wins
the race
Slow and
steady wins
the race
Even the
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/btl07.rla.early.aloud.mouse/little-big-mouse/
strongest
can
sometimes
use the help
of the
smallest
No act of
kindness,
no matter
how small,
is ever
Lesson 2
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BY-NC-SA 3.0). Educators may use, adapt, and/or share. Not for commercial use. To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.
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wasted
Daily, p. 47
McGovern, p.
42
The
Grasshopper
and the Ants
Pinkney, p.
12
Santore, p. 47
McGovern, p.
13 (The Ant
and the
Grasshopper)
The Town
Mouse and
the Country
Mouse
Pinkney, p.
62
Little
friends may
become
great
friends
In time of
need, the
weak may
help the
strong
Don’t put
off for
tomorrow
what you
can do
today
Idleness
brings want
It is best to
prepare for
today for
the needs
of
tomorrow
Poverty in
safety is
better than
riches in
Lesson 3
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/btl10.ela.early.citymouseandcountrymouse/city- Lesson 4
mouse-and-country-mouse/
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BY-NC-SA 3.0). Educators may use, adapt, and/or share. Not for commercial use. To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.
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Santore, pp.
42–43
The Fox and
the Crow
Daily, p. 13
(The City
Mouse and
the Country
Mouse)
Pinkney, p.
68
Santore, p. 27
Daily, p. 40
McGovern, p.
67
Madame
Rhinoceros
and Her
Dress
Lobel, p. 26
The Camel
Lobel, p. 22
peril
Better a
little in
safety, than
an
abundance
surrounded
by danger
To each his
Own
Never trust
flatterers
Do not trust
flatterers
Never trust
a flatterer
Remember
not to trust
those who
praise you
falsely
Nothing is
harder to
resist than
a bit of
flattery
Satisfaction
Lesson 5
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/btlc10.ela.early.camel/the-camel-dances/
Lesson 6
Compare
with The
Fox and
the Crow
Lesson 7
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Dances
will come
to those
who please
themselves
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BY-NC-SA 3.0). Educators may use, adapt, and/or share. Not for commercial use. To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.
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Appendix B: Student Fables Chart
Text/Author
Fable
Moral
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). Educators may use, adapt, and/or share. Not for
commercial use. To view a copy of the license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.
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Appendix C:
“The Lion and the Mouse” Chart
The Mouse
The Lion
Physical Characteristics
Physical Characteristics
Personality Traits
Personality Traits
What lesson did the lion learn?
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Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). Educators may use, adapt, and/or share. Not for
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Appendix D:
“The Ant and the Grasshopper” Chart
Event
The Ant
The Grasshopper
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Appendix E: “The City Mouse and the
Country Mouse” Outline
The Classic Treasury of Aesop’s Fables, by
Don Daily)
Characters:
Two mice who are cousins; Country Mouse lives in the country and City Mouse lives in the city
Events:
1. City Mouse visits Country Mouse at his barn in the country.
2. Country Mouse prepares a meal of seeds, greens, fruits, and nuts for his cousin.
3. City Mouse does not care for the meal and suggests he could provide a better one for his cousin in the
city.
4. When they go to bed at night, City mouse is frightened by the sounds of the country and cannot sleep.
5. Country Mouse goes back to the city with his cousin.
6. The two mice go into the city streets to find food at a dumpster.
7. Country Mouse is frightened by the sounds of the city.
8. They return to City Mouse’s apartment and find leftover food from a party.
9. As they are enjoying this food, a dog comes in the room, barking and frightening both mice.
10. Country Mouse says he wants to go home so he can eat in peace and quiet.
Moral:
To each his own.
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ELA
Appendix F: Comparing Fables
Title of my fable__________________________________________________________________________________
What was different in my fable?
1) Characters
2) Events
3) Moral
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July 2015
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