Objective:
The students will identify the beginning, middle and end of a story.

Materials

• A book which contains a monkey as one of the main characters.   Some good choices are The Monkey and the Crocodile by Paul Galdone, Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina, Fifty Red Nightcaps by Inga Moore, The Turtle and the Monkey by Paul Galdone, or The Bird, the Monkey, and the Snake in the Jungle by Kate Banks.

• Chart Paper or Chalkboard (for younger students)

• The Beginning, Middle, and End Worksheet

Procedure

1. Instruct the students to listen carefully as they are read the chosen book.  They will be asked to retell the story upon its completion.

2. Show the cover of the book and ask the students what they think the story is going to be about.

3. Read the story aloud.

4. Depending on the age of the students, discuss what happened at the beginning the middle and end of the story.  If appropriate record the students responses on the chalkboard or chart paper for the students to copy onto their Beginning, Middle, and End Worksheet.  Older students may go right to the worksheet without prior discussion.

5. Pass out the Beginning, Middle, and End Worksheets and have the students complete them.

Other Lesson Ideas

1. Read Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina and Fifty Red Nightcaps by Inga Moore.  Have the students complete a venn diagram comparing the two stories.

2. Read The Turtle and the Monkey by Paul Galdone and The Monkey and the Crocodile by Paul Galdone.  Have the students complete a venn diagram comparing the monkeys in each of the stories.

3. Have a lesson on any of the phrases that include monkey.  Examples are "monkey business", "monkey around", "more fun than a barrel of monkeys", "monkey see, monkey do".   The students may write on one of these topics.  For example, "One day I had more fun than a barrel of monkeys..."  Or "One day I got in trouble for monkeying around..."