Pig Day

Objective:
The students will complete story maps and compose their own fictional story about pigs.

Materials

• Any version of the "Three Little Pigs".
• Story Map Worksheet for the "Three Little Pigs"
• Blank Story Map Worksheet
• Paper
• "Idea Boxes", explained below in step #5.

Procedure

1. Read or retell the "Three Little Pigs".
2. Discuss the terms Characters, Setting, Plot.  Plot may be broken down into Events 1, 2, 3, etc.
3. Have the students complete a Story Map for the "Three Little Pigs".  This could be done as a whole class, in pairs, or individually, depending on the grade level.
4. Give each student a Story Map to create their own stories. (The Kindergarten level may want to do this as a whole class activity.)  Tell them one of the characters needs to be a pig, but they may choose their other characters, the setting and the plot.  
5. As an alternative for younger children, or those who need help thinking of ideas.  Have "idea boxes" created ahead of time.  There will be a "Character Idea Box", a "Setting Idea Box", and a "Plot Idea Box".  Have slips of paper in each box with appropriate suggestions written on them.  Here are some examples:
   - Character Ideas - A dog, an alien, a whale, a child, a bear, a cow...
   - Setting Ideas - A farm, a candy store, a park, a beach, a school, a backyard...
   - Plot Ideas - Are meeting each other for the first time, are fighting over a toy, are looking for something to eat, are inventing a special machine...  Allow the students to pick an idea out of the boxes.
6. Once the story map is complete, the students will write their stories using the map as a guide.

Other Lesson Ideas

1. Have a lesson on adjectives, listing words used to describe pigs. 
2. Have the students write a sequel to "The Three Little Pigs".
3. Have a phonics lesson on the letter 'P', or on 'ig' family words.
4. Write some "Pig Poetry".