# Lesson 55: Moral or lesson of a story

📖 READING (40 Lessons) • 🔵 B. Understanding Stories

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## Objective

Find a simple moral or lesson of a short story and tell which story events show that lesson.

## Materials

- Pencil/Paper for writing the story’s lesson
- The Sound Pad (bottom right corner) to hear letter and digraph sounds

## Letter & Sound Pad

Tap any button to hear its sound.

### Short vowels

### Long vowels

### Consonant sounds

### Digraphs

## Mini-lesson — What is the story trying to teach?

Some stories are just for fun. Other stories are also trying to teach us something.

The moral or lesson of a story is:

- a short idea about how to act (be kind, be honest, keep trying)
- or how to treat others (share, help, forgive)

When you finish a story, you can stop and ask:

- “What problem did the character have?”
- “What did the character learn by the end?”
- “What can we learn from this story?”

Here are some simple lessons that show up in many stories:

- “Be kind to others.”
- “Tell the truth.”
- “Don’t give up.”
- “Share with your friends.”
- “Help others when they need it.”

Sometimes there can be more than one good lesson if you can explain it with story events.

Good readers can say:

- “I think the lesson is _____ because _____ happens.”
- “The story teaches us to _____.”

Today, you will read a tiny story, tell what lesson it teaches, and name at least one thing that happens that shows that lesson.

Picture strip: Story events and lesson

## Guided Practice — Mini-book: The Lost Lunch

How to use this mini-book:

- Read the story together, one page at a time.
- Ask: “What problem happens?” “What do the characters do?”
- At the end, ask: “What lesson can we learn from this story?”

On your paper, write or complete: “The lesson is ________.” Under it, draw or write one thing that happens in the story that shows that lesson.

Lesson words
kind sharing honest helping others don't give up

Frames: “The lesson is…”, “We learn to…”, “The story teaches us to…”

### Mini-Book: The Lost Lunch

1

It is lunchtime at school.

Jade opens her bag and looks inside.

“Oh no,” she says. “I forgot my lunch at home.”

2

Jade sits quietly at the table.

Her friend Omar opens his lunchbox.

He has a sandwich, an apple, and two cookies.

3

Omar looks at Jade's empty spot on the table.

He cuts his sandwich in half and breaks one cookie in two.

“You can share with me,” he says.

4

Jade smiles and takes the half sandwich and half cookie.

“Thank you for sharing,” she says.

They both feel full and happy.

What lesson does this story teach?

## Reading Practice — What is the lesson?

Read each tiny story or sentence. Drag the word or phrase that makes the best lesson or moral into the box. Chips stay in their own question. When you are done, press “Check sentences.”

Story: The Lost Lunch (mini-book above). At the end, Omar shares his food with Jade.
The lesson is to when someone needs help.

run away share with others hide your food

A child says, “The dog broke the vase,” but really they did it. Later they feel bad and tell the truth.
The lesson is to tell the .

truth joke secret

A girl falls off her bike many times. She feels upset but keeps trying. At last, she rides all the way down the sidewalk.
The lesson is: Don't when something is hard.

give up start sleep

A boy finds a little bird with a hurt wing. He gently cares for it and gives it food and water. When it is strong, he lets it fly away.
The lesson is to be .

kind to animals loud near animals mean to animals

In the classroom, one child drops a box of crayons. Two other children bend down and help pick them up.
The lesson is to , even when it is not your mess.

help others laugh at others walk away

A new student sits alone at recess. A girl walks over and says, “Do you want to play with us?” Soon they are all playing a game together.
The lesson is to so no one feels left out.

include others play alone ignore others

A boy loses a board game and feels upset. At first he says, “You cheated!” but then he stops and says, “I'm sorry. You won. I just don't like losing.”
The lesson is to be .

honest bossy noisy

A girl bumps into her friend and makes him drop his drawing. She says, “I'm really sorry,” and helps him make a new picture. He smiles and says, “It's okay.”
The lesson is to when someone says sorry.

ignore forgive laugh

A boy wants to run into the street to get his ball. His dad says, “Stop! Wait for me.” The boy stops and holds his dad's hand before crossing.
The lesson is to to trusted adults who keep you safe.

race listen shout

A girl keeps forgetting her library books. She feels bad when she cannot check out a new one. That night, she puts a note on the door and sets a little alarm so she remembers.
The lesson is to be with your things.

responsible silly messy

## Quick Check (5 questions)

#### What is the “moral” or “lesson” of a story?

The longest sentence in the book A short idea about what the story teaches us The name of the main character

#### Which could be a lesson from a story?

“The book has ten pages.” “The dog is brown.” “Be kind to your friends.”

#### To find the lesson, you can ask…

“How many pictures are there?” “What is my favorite color?” “What did the characters learn by the end?”

#### Why is it helpful to think about the lesson of a story?

It tells you how heavy the book is It helps you read faster but not understand It helps you understand how the story connects to real life

#### To practice at home, you can…

read books without thinking about them tell someone, “I think the lesson is… because…” after a story only read the last word of each story

## Assessment (parent/teacher)

Can say a simple moral or lesson for a short story in their own words Connects the lesson to at least one story event Uses frames like “The lesson is…” or “The story teaches us to…” Begins to connect story lessons to real-life situations

## Exit ticket (student)

😀 I can find the lesson of a story 🙂 I need more practice with story lessons 😅 It still feels tricky

#### I will practice…

Asking “What did the character learn?” Saying “The lesson is… because…” after I read Thinking how the lesson can help me in real life
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