Level 1 • Lesson 56 — Reading different story types

Objective

Notice and name different story types (real-life stories, animal stories, funny stories, adventure stories) and tell what clues show the type.

Materials

At least 3 short storybooks (for example: one real-life, one animal, one funny or adventure)
Chart or paper with four boxes: “Real-life story”, “Animal story”, “Funny story”, “Adventure story”
Sticky notes or small labels to mark which type each book is
Pencil ✏️ and crayons

Mini-lesson — Stories can be different kinds

All stories have characters, events, and a beginning, middle, and end.

But stories can still feel different from one another. We can think about story types — the kind of story you are reading.

Here are four story types you will see a lot:

Real-life stories — about kids, families, school, and things that could really happen.
Animal stories — animals are the main characters (sometimes they act and talk like people).
Funny stories — something silly or surprising happens that makes you laugh.
Adventure stories — characters go somewhere, try something new, or solve a problem in an exciting way.

When you read, you can ask yourself:

“Who are the characters? Are they people or animals?”
“Where are they? At school, at home, in the woods, in space?”
“What happens that makes it everyday, silly, or exciting?”

Good readers can say:

“I think it is a real-life story because it could really happen.”
“I think it is an animal story because the main characters are animals.”
“I think it is a funny story because something silly happens.”
“I think it is an adventure story because they go on a trip or a big mission.”

Today, you will read tiny stories and practice saying what kind of story each one is and why you think so.

Picture strip: Four different story types

Guided Practice — Mini-book: Four story types

How to use this mini-book:

Read each little story together.
After each page, ask: “Is this mostly a real-life story, an animal story, a funny story, or an adventure story?”
Have your child point to or say the type, and explain one clue.

On your chart, write the title of each mini-story under the story type that fits best.

Story type words

real-life animal funny adventure silly

Frames: “I think it is a ___ story because ___.”

Mini-Book: Four story types

1

Real-life: The school garden

Amir and Lila plant seeds at school. They water the dirt every day. After a few weeks, tiny green leaves pop up.

Could this really happen in a real school?

2

Animal: The late rabbit

A rabbit wakes up late for the forest picnic. She hops, hops, hops so fast that her carrots fly out of her basket.

Is the main character an animal?

3

Funny: The backward day

When Jamal gets dressed, he puts his socks on his hands and his hat on his foot. His mom laughs and says, “Try that again!”

What makes this story silly or funny?

4

Adventure: The treehouse bridge

Two friends build a bridge from one treehouse to another. They test it slowly, step by step, until they can cross all the way together.

What makes this feel like an adventure?

Reading Practice — What kind of story is it?

Read each tiny story. Choose the best story type. Then press “Check answers”.

1) “Sam and his dad make soup for dinner. They cut carrots and stir the pot together.”
What kind of story is this?

2) “Two cats open a little shop and sell fish to their friends.”
What kind of story is this?

3) “When Rosa wakes up, her cereal is on the floor and her shoes are in the fridge. She and her brother laugh and fix the mix-up.”
What kind of story is this?

4) “Two friends walk through the woods to find a path to the lake. They climb over logs and cross a small stream.”
What kind of story is this?

5) “Lena puts on skates at the park. She holds the rail, then slowly lets go and glides on her own.”
What kind of story is this?

6) “A fox and a bear build a snowman and give it a carrot nose and a scarf.”
What kind of story is this?

7) How can you tell what kind of story you are reading?

8) Which sentence is the best way to talk about a story type?

Quick Check (10 questions)

1) What is a “story type”?

The kind of story you are reading (real-life, animal, funny, adventure) How heavy the book is The name of the author

2) Which story sounds like a real-life story?

“A talking tree sings a song.” “A dog drives a bus.” “A child visits the dentist for a checkup.”

3) Which story sounds like an animal story?

“A boy cleans his room.” “A bear and a bird share a picnic in the forest.” “Two kids ride the bus to school.”

4) Which story sounds like a funny story?

“A boy puts his coat on backward and thinks the tag is a tiny flag.” “A girl reads a book quietly.” “A teacher writes the date on the board.”

5) Which story sounds like an adventure story?

“A child brushes their teeth before bed.” “A cat naps on the couch.” “Two friends follow a map to find a hidden treehouse.”

6) To tell the story type, you should…

think about who is in the story and what happens only look at the last page close your eyes and guess

7) Which sentence is a good way to talk about story type?

“The cover is blue.” “I think it is an animal story because the main characters are dogs.” “This book is big.”

8) Can one story fit more than one type (for example, animal and funny)?

No, stories can only be one type Only if the teacher says so Yes, stories can fit more than one type

9) If you are not sure what type a story is, you should…

read again and look for clues like characters and events stop reading only look at the pictures on the cover

10) To practice at home, you can…

read without thinking at all tell someone, “I think this is a ___ story because ___.” only read the first word of each page

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Can name a simple story type (real-life, animal, funny, or adventure) after listening to a short story Uses at least one clue from the story (who, where, what happens) to explain the type Notices that stories can feel different (everyday, silly, exciting, or about animals) Enjoys trying different kinds of stories and talking about them

Exit ticket (student)

😀 I can tell what kind of story I am reading 🙂 I need more practice with story types 😅 It still feels tricky

I will practice…

Looking for clues about who the story is about Noticing if the story is real-life, animal, funny, or adventure Saying, “I think this is a ___ story because ___.”

Lesson 56: Reading different story types