Task Title
Grade Level
CCSS
Description
Materials
Considerations
for Planning
Mapping Kareem’s Surprise
2
LACC.2.RL.2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story, including
describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending
concludes the action.
The student will describe the overall chronological structure of a story and
describe how the story is introduced and how it ends.
 Passage: “Kareem’s Birthday Surprise” (1 copy per student and 1 copy
for teacher)
 Student handout “Mapping Kareem’s Surprise” (1 copy per student)
 Chart paper for Teacher’s story map (optional)
 This task may be bundled with two other tasks: RL.2.6 “How Would
YOU Say It?” and RL.3.7 “Picture Clues.” The recommended sequence
is “Mapping Kareem’s Surprise,” “Picture Clues,” and “How Would YOU
Say It?”
 Students have prior knowledge of basic story structure which includes
the beginning, middle and end of a story..
 Students have prior knowledge of story elements, including characters,
setting, and story events, .
 Students will have prior knowledge of how to identify shifts in time within
a text.
 Students have prior knowledge of describing how a story begins,
introducing the characters and setting.
 Students will have prior knowledge of describing how a story ends,
concluding the action.
 Teacher may use a different graphic organizer if students are familiar
with a different story map.
 Teacher may adapt task to any on level narrative text.
 Teacher should have materials prepared prior to assessment.
Time Allotment
English Language Learner Considerations:
 Refer to the ELL considerations on the passage “Kareem’s Birthday
Surprise.”
 ELL may need a vocabulary review: beginning, introduce, conclusion,
and ending.
20-30 minutes
Group Size
English Language Learner Considerations:
ELLs may need extended time.
Whole class
English Language Learner Considerations:
Teacher may pair ELL with lower or limited English proficiency with
English native speaker or ELLs with higher level proficiency to complete
the task.
Task Directions
FL ELFAS Task and Rubric -Pearson Confidential
1
1. The teacher explains that students will follow along as he/she reads a story, and then
the students will describe the structure of the story by completing a story map.
 The teacher explains, “Today you will listen and follow along as I read ‘Kareem’s
Birthday Surprise’ (or teacher selected alternate on level narrative text). After I
have read the story, you will complete a story map to describe the parts of the
story, including how the beginning introduces the story and how the ending
concludes the action. This skill is important because as you describe the different
parts of a story, you will better understand the text you read. Also, describing the
structure of stories you read will help you learn how to write your own stories.”
2. The teacher hands out passage, “Kareem’s Birthday Surprise”(or other on level narrative
task). The teacher reads aloud the story while the students follow along.
3. After reading the passage, the teacher hands out “Mapping Kareem’s Surprise” (or
different graphic organizer for recording story structure) for students to use to describe
the structure of the story.
 The teacher displays a copy of the story map using a projector or on chart paper.
The teacher explains, “On the first line (teacher points), you will write the names
of the characters in the story. Underneath you will write the setting. Remember,
the setting answers the questions Where? and When? In the first box you will
describe how the author introduces the story in the beginning. In the next box,
describe what happens in the middle of the story. Finally, in the bottom box,
describe how the author concludes the story.
4. While students engage in the task, teacher observes, asks questions, and assists
students. Teacher utilizes rubric to determine student performance based on common
misconceptions/errors, identify appropriate questions to ask students to elicit evidence of
student thinking, and determine next steps for instruction.
FL ELFAS Task and Rubric -Pearson Confidential
2
Rubric: Mapping Kareem’s Surprise
Level 1: The student demonstrates a beginning understanding of describing the overall structure of a story, including
describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
Misconception/Error
Questions for Eliciting Thinking
Instructional Implications
Student does not accurately describe Ask students questions for specific
Reteach story elements, including
the overall structure of the story using areas of difficulty on the map:
characters, setting, and plot.
the story map.
Characters: “Who was in the story?”
Setting: “Where was Kareem? Do you Model identifying the beginning, middle,
And
think this happened during the day or
and end of a story.
night? Why?”
Student does not describe how the
Plot: “What happened first, next, last?” Model describing how the beginning
beginning introduces the story.
introduces the story with another text.
“Where is the beginning of the story?
Include which characters are introduced
or
What did we learn in the first
and what we learn about the characters
paragraph?”
and setting and the main problem of the
Student does not describe how the
story.
ending concludes the action.
“What important event happened at
the end of the story? What problem
Model describing how the ending
did that solve?”
concludes the action with another text.
Reteach identifying the solution of a
problem in a story.
English Language Learner
Misconceptions:
ELL may have difficulty explaining
story structure, due to a lack of
language experience.
English Language Learner
Considerations:
“What is this story about? What
happens in the beginning of the
story?”
English Language Learner
Considerations:
Allow ELLs to describe the beginning
and the end of the story using gestures,
drawings, and basic vocabulary.
ELL may be able to identify the
beginning and end but may not be
able to describe how they introduce
the story and conclude the action.
“What happens in the middle of the
story? In the end?
Allow ELLs to illustrate the story and
label the events forming sentences.
He/she can organize them using the
story structure map.
“What is the problem in the story?
How is it solved?”
FL ELFAS Task and Rubric -Pearson Confidential
3
Level 2: The student demonstrates some understanding of describing the overall structure of a story, including
describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
Misconception/Error
Questions for Eliciting Thinking
Instructional Implications
“How did the author introduce the
Review and model identifying the
Student accurately describes the
characters and setting?”
characters and setting in the beginning
overall structure of the story, and
of a story using another text.
“What did we learn about the
characters and setting in the
 Student is able to accurately
beginning?”
describe how the beginning
Review and model identifying the
introduces the story, but is
unable to accurately describe “What was the problem of the story? problem and solution in order to
How was that solved at the end of
describe how the ending concludes the
how the ending of the story
the story?”
action using another text.
concludes the action.
OR

Student is able to accurately
describe how the ending
concludes the action, but is
unable to accurately describe
how the beginning introduces
the story .
English Language Learner
Considerations:
“In what part of the story are
characters introduced? (beginning,
middle, or end?) Show me.”
English Language Learner
Considerations:
Allow ELLs to describe the story
structure by using simple sentences to
describe the beginning and the end.
“What clues are in the story that tells
us about the setting?”
Allow ELLs to work with teacher or a
partner to learn sentences and how to
add words to make sentences
interesting.
“Tell me about the problem in the
story. How was it solved?”
English Language Learner
Misconceptions:
ELL may only be able to use simple
phrases when locating information to
answer questions due to the lack of
vocabulary.
FL ELFAS Task and Rubric -Pearson Confidential
4
Level 3: The student demonstrates a complete understanding of describing the overall structure of a story, including
describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
Misconception/Error
Questions for Eliciting Thinking
Instructional Implications
With self-correction or teacher
“How do you identify the different parts of Provide opportunities for student to
prompting, student is able to:
the story?”
describe story structure with more
complex text.
“Which parts are harder to identify?
 describe the overall structure
Why?”
Provide opportunities for student to
of the story,
use skill with nonfiction text, such as
 describe how the beginning
“What was the most important information biographies.
introduces the story; and
in the beginning?”
 describe how the ending
Have the student use the same type
concludes the action.
“What is another way the author could
of story map when writing his/her
have ended the story?”
own stories.
FL ELFAS Task and Rubric -Pearson Confidential
5
Level 4: The student demonstrates an advanced understanding of describing the overall structure of a story, including
describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
Misconception/Error
Questions for Eliciting Thinking
Instructional Implications
Student has no misconceptions or
“Why is it important to recognize how
Provide opportunities for student to
errors.
the beginning introduces the story and practice with higher level, more
the ending concludes the action?”
complex text.
“How does understanding the story
structure help you comprehend the
text?”
Have the student use the story map to
write a summary or retell a story.
“How will this help you when writing
your own stories?”
Have the student use a story map to
write a personal narrative about a
birthday surprise or other special
event he/she has experienced.
FL ELFAS Task and Rubric -Pearson Confidential
6
FL ELFAS Task and Rubric -Pearson Confidential
Q1
Q2
Observation notes
Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, or
Level 4
Q3 Does the student accurately
describe how the ending
concludes the action?
Student Name
Accurately describes how
the ending concludes the
action
Q2 Does the student accurately
describe how the beginning
introduces the story?
Accurately describes how
the beginning introduces
the story
Q1 Does the student accurately
describe the overall story
structure?
Accurately describes the
overall story structure
Teacher Checklist for
Mapping Kareem’s Surprise
Q3
7
Name: ___________________________________ Date:_________________________________
Mapping Kareem’s Surprise
Characters: ___________________________________________________________
Setting (Where? When?):_________________________________________________
Beginning (Introduction): How does the beginning introduce the story?
Middle:
End (Conclusion: How does the ending conclude the action?
FL ELFAS Task and Rubric -Pearson Confidential
8