Read books with different endings to the students. Besides just wrapping up the story, an ending should express feelings or lessons learned from the events that took place. Have students start a new story, or revise an old one, and try three different endings to see which works best. Not every ending works for every story. Encourage students to use at least two or three sentences to bring the story to an effective ending.
|
Author |
Title * Indicates Out of Print |
Summary |
Curriculum
|
Character
|
|
Battle-Lavert, Gwendolyn |
The Barber?s Cutting Edge (Ending: surprise) |
Rashaad gets a haircut and discovers the joy of learning new words. |
Social Studies |
|
|
Brown, Marc |
Arthur's
Computer Disaster |
Arthur disobeys his mother by playing his favorite game on the computer. |
Social Studies |
Self-discipline |
|
Bunting, Eve |
Fly
Away Home |
A homeless boy who lives with his father in an airport, moving from terminal to terminal and trying not to be noticed, is given hope when he sees a trapped bird find its freedom. |
Social Studies |
Courage |
|
Burningham, John |
Hey!
Get Off Our Train |
At bedtime a young boy takes a ride on his toy train and rescues several endangered animals. |
Science |
Respect |
|
Cecil, Ivon |
Kirby Kelvin and the
NOT-Laughing Lessons |
Kirby giggles during his spelling tests and gets sent to the office for NOT-laughing lessons. |
|
Self-Discipline |
|
Clement, Rod |
Grandpa?s
Teeth |
Soon after Grandpa?s teeth disappear from a glass beside his bed, the whole town is under investigation. |
Social Studies |
Honesty |
|
Herman, Emily |
Hubknuckles |
Each Halloween a ghost named Hubknuckles dances around the outside of the house. The oldest daughter decides she is not afraid and thinks her mom and dad are just playing a trick. She finds out she is wrong. |
Social Studies |
Courage |
|
Herriot, James |
Moses the
Kitten |
Dr. Herriot finds Moses near a farm pond in winter nearly frozen to death and takes him home where something unusual happens. |
Social Studies |
Compassion |
|
Hest, Amy |
How
to Get Famous In Brooklyn* |
A young girl observes the goings-on in her neighborhood and writes everything in her notebook. |
Social Studies |
|
|
Hoffman, Mary |
Henry?s
Baby
|
Henry wants to belong to the "in" crowd and thinks he has to act tough and cool. Thinks his baby brother doesn?t help his image, but a surprise is in store. |
Social Studies |
Responsibility |
|
Hooks, William |
The
Mighty Santa Fe* |
At Christmas, William has to leave behind his cherished train set when his family goes to visit his frightening great grandmother. |
Health |
Courage |
|
Houston, Gloria |
My
Great-Aunt Arizona |
Arizona grows up and teaches in the same one room schoolhouse she attended as a child. |
Social Studies |
Caring |
|
Houston, Gloria |
The
Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree |
Since Papa left the Appalachian Mountains to go to war. Ruthie and her mom wonder how they will fulfill his obligation of getting the perfect tree for the town celebration. |
Social Studies |
Responsibility |
|
Howard, Arthur |
When
I Was Five |
A six-year-old boy describes things he liked when five and compares them to things he likes now. |
Social Studies |
|
|
Howard, Ellen |
Log
Cabin Quilt |
When a family moves to a cabin in Michigan, something even more important than Granny?s quilt pieces makes the house a home. |
Social Studies |
Respect |
|
Hughes, Monica |
A
Handful of Seeds |
Forced into the barrio by the death of her grandmother, Concepsion takes with her a legacy of corn, chile, and bean seeds and finds they hold the key to survival. |
Multicultural |
Courage |
|
Kimmel, Eric |
Charlie Drives the
Stage* |
Nothing keeps the stagecoach driver from delivering Senator McCorkel to the train station or time. |
Social Studies |
Dependability |
|
Kraft, Erik |
Chocolatina |
Tina eats so much chocolate that she turns into chocolate. |
Health |
Self-Discipline |
|
Munsch, Robert |
The
Paper Bag Princess |
Elizabeth outwits a dragon to save her prince. |
|
Integrity |
|
Polacco, Patricia |
Chicken
Sunday |
Grandchildren figure out how to get their Grandmother a hat for Easter. |
Social Studies,
Art |
Compassion |
Rylant, Cynthia |
The Relatives
Came |
The relatives come from Virginia and everyone has a wonderful time. |
|
|
|
Soto, Gary |
Too Many
Tamales |
Christmas Eve will be ruined of Maria doesn?t find Mama?s ring! |
Social Studies |
Honesty |
|
Trivazas, Eugene |
The Three Little Wolves and
the Big Bad Pig |
A great version of the old fairy tale |
Science |
Courage |
|
Van Allsburg, Chris |
The
Stranger |
A mysterious stranger recuperates at Farmer Bailey?s house and affects the weather. |
Science |
Compassion |
|
Van Allsburg, Chris |
The Sweetest
Fig |
After being given 2 magical figs that make dreams come true, Monsieur Bobit's plans for the future are spoiled by his dog. |
Health |
Respect |
|
Yolen, Jane |
Letting Swift River
Go |
The town of Swift River is dismantled and flooded to create a reservoir. |
Social Studies |
Compassion |
|
Zolotow,
Charlotte |
William?s
Doll |
William?s father resists the idea of his son having a doll. |
Social Studies |
Respect |