LAFS.1.RL.1.2Archived Standard

Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
General Information
Subject Area: English Language Arts
Grade: 1
Strand: Reading Standards for Literature
Idea: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts
Date Adopted or Revised: 12/10
Date of Last Rating: 02/14
Status: State Board Approved - Archived

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
7713010: Music: K-5 (Specifically in versions: 2013 - 2015, 2015 - 2019 (course terminated))
5010010: English for Speakers of Other Languages-Elementary (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022 (course terminated))
5010020: Basic Skills in Reading-K-2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
5010030: Functional Basic Skills in Communications-Elementary (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5010042: Language Arts - Grade One (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
7710012: Access Language Arts - Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5003020: Dance - Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5010210: Theatre - Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2020 (course terminated))
5001020: Art - Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2019, 2019 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5011010: Library Skills/Information Literacy Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2016 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
7701025: Access Art Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2018 - 2019, 2019 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
5004210: Theatre Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2020 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Lesson Plans

Getting to Know Andy and His Yellow Frisbee:

This lesson introduces students to a young boy, Andy, who has autism. Students learn about common characteristics of autism and how to act when they want to make friends with a child who has a disability. The literacy standards that are included in this lesson are: asking and answering questions about text, retelling stories, demonstrating understanding of the lesson in the story, describing story elements using text and illustrations, and writing an informative piece.

Type: Lesson Plan

Be Good to Eddie Lee:

This close reading lesson addresses both literacy standards and the topic of disability awareness. Using the text, Be Good to Eddie Lee by Virginia Fleming, this lesson helps children understand why they shouldn't use hurtful words when talking about a child with a disability. It shows how children can learn important things from children with disabilities. Finally, it addresses the following literacy standards: asking and answering questions about text, retelling a story, determining the lesson learned in a story, identifying story elements, and writing an opinion piece.

Type: Lesson Plan

Who Will Help the Little Red Hen?:

The Little Red Hen is a classic folktale that children always enjoy. Students will be exposed to new vocabulary, identify story elements, and then write a paragraph retelling the story. There are certainly some important lessons learned by the characters in this folktale. Students will identify the moral of this story and add these lessons to their writing.

Type: Lesson Plan

A Love for Koala Lou:

In this reading lesson, students will fall in love with the engaging book Koala Lou by Mem Fox. Through several readings, the students will increase their comprehension of the text by identifying and describing story elements, learning new vocabulary, and thinking about the moral of the story. Students will use their imagination to rewrite the ending of the story wondering what would have happened if Koala Lou she did win the race.

Type: Lesson Plan

What’s the Argument in "The Quarrel"?:

Students will listen to the poem The Quarrel by Maxine Kumin. They will analyze the story it tells, comparing and contrasting the characters' opinions and recording their findings on graphic organizers. They will write a paragraph retelling the story and explaining the moral or lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

Character Traits with Chrysanthemum:

During this reading lesson, students will analyze the text Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. The students will determine the moral or lesson of the story, be exposed to new vocabulary, and demonstrate knowledge about the character, Chrysanthemum. The students will choose one character trait of Chrysanthemum to write about using textual evidence. This writing can be attached to an art project celebrating this wonderful story about friendship and believing in yourself.

Type: Lesson Plan

Listen Up! A Closer Look at Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen:

In this lesson, students will listen to readings of Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen by Howard Binkow. They will complete a story map, a character analysis, and answer discussion questions. Students will be led to understand the change that the character makes and the lessons learned. Students will write an expository text to respond to a prompt while demonstrating grade-appropriate grammar, conventions, and spelling.

Type: Lesson Plan

What Do You Think About Cats and Dogs?:

In this lesson, the teacher uses the story Cat Stories that Dogs Tell by Robert G. Moons to help students focus on essential ideas of a story. Through pictorial reading and making predictions about the end of the story, students are given the opportunity to form their opinions about characters based on details given. The teacher uses sentence frames as scaffolded activities (activities to assist students initially so they can be gradually released to independence) to help students write their opinions.

Type: Lesson Plan

Close Reading of Tikki Tikki Tembo:

Enjoy sharing this enchanting Asian folktale while introducing your primary students to close reading. This story is filled with rich vocabulary and detailed describing words that allow students to interact with context clues and text-evidence to produce a character comparison. Students will be excited about the multi-tiered activities and extensions that will keep their interest throughout the entire lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

Are We There Yet? Take A Road Trip with The Relatives Came:

Your class will enjoy reading The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant. Through several readings, the students will increase their comprehension of the text by focusing on the story elements, discussion questions, and by composing a personal narrative after making connections to their own lives.

Type: Lesson Plan

Reading of Little Bear’s Friend:

In this lesson, the teacher will guide the students through two readings of Little Bear's Friend. Students will identify new vocabulary words, practice identifying story elements, and analyze characters in the story. For independent practice, students will write a letter responding to the letter written to Emily in the story.

Type: Lesson Plan

Let's Go to the Outback: Mem Fox's Possum Magic:

Your primary students will love this magical adventure with Possum Magic by Mem Fox. This wonderful Australian folktale shares delicious academic vocabulary that allows students to interact with context clues and discussion questions throughout the story. Students and teachers alike will be charmed by multi-tiered activities and extensions that will keep their interest throughout the entire lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

A Young Bird's Quest: A Study of Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman:

Children will be delighted by the funny and sweet book, Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman. They will participate in discussions about what happens, retell the story through drawings, and participate in an activity to identify the main story elements of this book.

Type: Lesson Plan

Anyone for Mouse Soup?:

In this lesson, the teacher will guide the students multiple readings of Mouse Soup by Arnold Lobel. This will be done as a read-aloud. Students will practice identifying story elements and learn new vocabulary words. For independent practice, students will retell this delightful story through writing.

Type: Lesson Plan

I Love You Just the Way You Are: Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino:

In this lesson, students will enjoy listening to Unlovable by Dan Yaccarino and think deeply about the moral of this story. In addition to participating in a story mapping activity, students will answer discussion questions about the story to gauge their comprehension and expand their vocabulary. This set of lessons will be concluded with students writing an opinion piece about Unlovable’s biggest lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

A Close Reading of The Little Red Hen:

In this lesson, the students will listen to the teacher read aloud the folk tale The Little Red Hen. The students will collaborate with their teacher and peers during a close reading in order to determine the story elements and the moral or lesson that the story teaches. The students will work in pairs to describe the characteristics of the Little Red Hen and write a sentence about it.

Type: Lesson Plan

It’s Mine! A Book About Sharing and Cooperation:

In this lesson students will use details from the story It's Mine! by Leo Lionni to describe story elements, determine unknown words, and understand the moral or lesson of the text. This will be done with teacher support, in pairs, and by working independently. The lessons will conclude with a piece of opinion writing to show students’ perspective on the text.

Type: Lesson Plan

Be Brave and Fearless: A Closer Look at Sheila Rae, the Brave:

In this reading lesson, students will identify and describe story elements and retell the major events in the story Sheila Rae, the Brave by Kevin Henkes. Students will also identify the moral or the lesson learned in the story and write an opinion paragraph about the main characters as they explore the concept of bravery.

Type: Lesson Plan

When You Are Pocketless: A Closer Look at Katy No-Pocket by Emmy Payne:

In this lesson, the teacher will read the book Katy No-Pocket by Emmy Payne. Through separate readings of the book, students will identify new vocabulary and practice identifying story elements. For independent practice, students will retell the story by writing a narrative that offers a new and different solution to the main character's problem.

Type: Lesson Plan

Mr. Duck Means Business: A Reading and Writing Lesson:

Students will be engaged with the adorably illustrated and written children's book, Mr. Duck Means Business. They will discuss the story elements, practice retelling it, and create an expository writing piece about how the main character changed from the beginning to the end of the book.

Type: Lesson Plan

Who Will Win? A Race Between the Tortoise and the Hare:

In this lesson, the students will listen to the teacher read aloud the fable The Tortoise and the Hare. The students will play a story cube game to record the story elements of the beloved fable, study the main characters, and write an opinion piece on which character they would be friends with and what they would do.

Type: Lesson Plan

Caps For Sale, Come and Get Them!:

In this lesson, students will work with the text Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina. They will identify and describe the characters, settings, and major events using a graphic organizer. The students will then have an opportunity to retell the story by recalling the sequence of events. Finally, the students will write a narrative of the text using their own words to explain what happened first, next, then, and finally to the peddler.

Type: Lesson Plan

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge Finds a Memory:

After students read the delightful book Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, they will discuss the story elements and retell this tale. As the teacher guides the class through activities and discussion, students will learn about the significance of memories and the importance of friendship. The students will write an opinion piece about their definition of a memory.

Type: Lesson Plan

A Closer Look at Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes:

In this lesson, students will examine character development based on the events of the book Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. During multiple readings of the text, students will take a deep dive into text dependent questions and participate in group activity determining how Chrysanthemum felt during different parts of the story. Finally, students will take the perspective of the character, Victoria, to write a letter of apology to Chrysanthemum to say that she was sorry for the way she treated her.

Type: Lesson Plan

Lesson Learned Using the Text Jamaica and Brianna:

In this lesson, students will retell the major events of the story Jamaica and Brianna by Juanita Havill. Students will then use details from the story to identify and explain the moral or lesson learned from the story. This lesson can follow as lesson 2 in a series using the same text.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

Once Upon a Retelling:

Identify and retell the main elements of a story in this interactive tutorial. Join Walter Wolf to find the characters, setting, and major events in his favorite story, The Three Little Pigs, and retell what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Exploring Fables:

Recount the important details using story elements and determine the central message, lesson, or moral of the fable in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Student Center Activities

Comprehension: Story Book:

In this activity, students will sequence events in a story using a graphic organizer.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Story Line-Up:

In this activity, students will sequence events in a story.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Retell Recap:

In this activity, students will retell or summarize a story.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Retell Review:

In this activity, students will retell or summarize a story.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Retell Ring:

In this activity, students will retell a story using story question cards.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Retell Wheel:

In this activity, students will retell a story using a question retell wheel.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Sequence-A-Story:

In this activity, students will sequence events in a story.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Story Question Cube:

In this activity, students will discuss and record the elements of a story using a question cube.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Story Sequence Organizer:

In this activity, students will write the main events of a story in sequential order using a graphic organizer.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: The Main Events:

In this activity, students will sequence events in a story using a graphic organizer.

Type: Student Center Activity

Original Student Tutorials for Language Arts - Grades K-5

Exploring Fables:

Recount the important details using story elements and determine the central message, lesson, or moral of the fable in this interactive tutorial.

Once Upon a Retelling:

Identify and retell the main elements of a story in this interactive tutorial. Join Walter Wolf to find the characters, setting, and major events in his favorite story, The Three Little Pigs, and retell what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story.

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorials

Once Upon a Retelling:

Identify and retell the main elements of a story in this interactive tutorial. Join Walter Wolf to find the characters, setting, and major events in his favorite story, The Three Little Pigs, and retell what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Exploring Fables:

Recount the important details using story elements and determine the central message, lesson, or moral of the fable in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.