Materials and preparation

Make 1 rectangle per student by using 8 ½ x 11” white paper, folded to make 4 small rectangles 4
¼ x 5 ½ (cut apart)
Chart paper
Chart paper markers
Amazing & Incredible Counting Stories by Max Grover (or alternate text selection to use within
modeling component of lesson)
3 x 3” sticky notes (at least one per student).
Dooby Dooby Moo by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin (or alternate text selection that contains
abundant examples of realism and fantasy)
Class set of the Sorting It Out: Real or Fantasy? worksheet
Index cards or exit slips
Related books and/or media
BOOKS:

Dooby Dooby Moo by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin

Amazing & Incredible Counting Stores by Max Grover
Here Comes McBroom! by Sid Fleischman
Find interactive books for each child’s level.
Key terms
realism
fantasy
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to use details in a text to distinguish between elements of realism and
fantasy.
Introduction (10 minutes)
Give each student ¼ sheet of a piece of white paper, in the shape of a rectangle.
Invite students to take five minutes to draw any picture they want to draw-- real or fantasy.
After five minutes has passed, have students share their drawings and discuss whether the pictures
could happen in real life. Encourage students to justify their responses. Do one example with the
class to model justifying a response.
Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (10 minutes)
Post a two-column chart on the board with one column labeled “Realism” and the other column
labeled “Fantasy.” Explain the difference between the two categories, using an example for each.
Read one or two pages from the book Amazing and Incredible Counting Stories (or other self-
selected text).
After you read each story, think aloud and tell the students how you know that certain events are
real or fantasy.
Write these details in the corresponding column on the chart, under “Realism” or “Fantasy.”
Guided Practice (10 minutes)
Distribute at least one sticky note to each student and tell the students that you would like for them
to find examples of realism and fantasy as you read the story aloud.
Begin reading aloud the story Dooby Dooby Moo.
Stop periodically to add students’ sticky notes to the two-column chart and discuss their reasons
for classifying certain parts as fantasy or realism.
Independent working time (10 minutes)
Distribute the Sorting It Out: Real or Fantasy? worksheet.
Direct the students to identify which sentences show realism and which sentences show fantasy.
Tell the students that they should explain and give the reason for their answer in the space below
each sentence.
Differentiation
Enrichment:

Encourage students to write their own stories that include elements of reality and fantasy. Have
two students exchange stories and try to identify elements of realism and fantasy in their partner’s
story.
Support:

Have students create illustrations that match the sentences and ask the students if it would be
possible to see the action.
Technology Integration
Have students create a digital drawing that portrays either realism or fantasy and create a story that
goes along with the picture.
Utilize interactive whiteboard software for students to sort events that fit under realism or fantasy.
Assessment (5 minutes)
Distribute index cards or exit slips.
Have the students name several examples of realism and fantasy using texts of their choice. (These
could be leveled readers, library books, or any texts that the students access.)
Review and closing (5 minutes)
Invite students to share their examples of realism and fantasy with the group.
Encourage students to compare and contrast ideas as well as give reasons for their thinking.