Lesson 68: Listening carefully to stories

📖 READING (40 Lessons) • 🟣 D. Reading Together

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Objective

Listen carefully to a story being read aloud by using a good listening body and remembering important characters, setting, and events.

Materials

Mini-lesson — How do we listen carefully?

Sometimes you are the reader. Other times, someone else reads and you are the listener.

Listening carefully is an important reading skill. When you listen carefully, your brain still does the work of reading.

Good listeners use a good listening body:

  • eyes on the book or speaker
  • ears ready and quiet
  • hands and feet calm
  • mouth closed while others read

Good listeners also use a listening brain:

  • picture the story in their mind
  • notice the characters, setting, and big events
  • listen for important words or repeated ideas

Good listeners do not:

  • talk while the story is being read
  • play with toys or make noise
  • look away and think about something else

You can use these frames:

“My body is still and my eyes are on the story.”

“I will remember who, where, and what happened.”

Today, you will practice using your listening body and brain to follow a story.

Picture strip: Good listening body

Guided Practice — Mini-book: Being a careful listener

How to use this mini-book:

  • Read each page and picture yourself listening to a story.
  • Notice what your body and brain should be doing.
  • Think about how careful listening helps you remember the story.

On your paper, draw yourself using a good listening body. Then write one sentence that starts, “When I listen to a story, I remember…”.

Useful listening words
listen focus quiet details story characters setting

Frames: “My eyes are on ____.” “I remember ____ from the story.”

Mini-Book: Being a careful listener

1

Listening body

When someone reads a story to you, your body can help you listen.

Your eyes look at the book or the reader. Your hands and feet are calm.

When your body is still, it is easier for your brain to follow the story.

2

Listening brain

Your brain listens for the characters, setting, and what happens first, next, and last.

You can picture the story like a movie in your mind.

Careful listening helps you remember the story after it is finished.

3

Blocking out distractions

Sometimes there are noises or people moving while you listen.

A careful listener keeps their eyes on the story and does not join the distraction.

You can quietly remind yourself, “I am listening to the story right now.”

4

Thinking after you listen

After the story, you can think or talk about what you heard.

You might remember your favorite part, something funny, or something you learned.

What do you want to remember the next time you listen to a story?

Reading Practice — What would a careful listener do?

Read each story-listening situation. Drag the answer that shows what a careful listener would do. Chips stay in their own question. Then press “Check sentences.”

Your teacher starts reading a story to the class.
A careful listener will .

sit still with eyes on the book and mouth quiet talk to a friend and look out the window play with toys on the floor and ignore the story

At the beginning of the story, the reader introduces a new character.
A careful listener will .

listen for who the story is about and remember their name yell out random names during the reading close their eyes and try not to hear it

The reader says, "They walked into the dark forest."
A careful listener will .

notice where the story takes place and picture it in their mind stand up and walk around the room ignore the words and think about a video game

Some kids at the back of the room start whispering while the story is read.
A careful listener will .

keep eyes on the story and stay quiet instead of joining the noise turn around and start whispering with them shout at them in the middle of the story

The reader tells about three things that happen to the main character.
A careful listener will .

listen for what happens first, next, and last only listen to the funny part and forget the rest think about lunch instead of the story

In the middle of the story, something interesting happens.
A careful listener might .

quietly think, “This reminds me of…” or “I wonder why…” start talking out loud about a different topic cover their ears so they do not hear it

Before reading, the teacher says, "Be ready to tell me your favorite part at the end."
A careful listener will .

try to remember one important thing to share after the story decide not to listen because they do not want to share only listen to the last sentence

A partner reads a short story out loud to you.
A careful listener will .

look at their friend, stay quiet, and listen to the whole story talk over their friend while they read walk away before the story is finished

You did not hear one sentence clearly because someone coughed.
A careful listener might .

ask politely if the reader can repeat the part you missed guess something wild and change the story get angry and yell at the person who coughed

Your teacher asks, "How can you be a careful listener during stories?"
The best answer is to .

use a calm body, focus eyes and ears, and think about the story as you listen talk, move, and think about something else only listen if the story is your favorite

Quick Check — Listening carefully to stories

What is one sign of a good listening body?

What does a good listener's brain do during a story?

Why is it important to stay quiet while someone reads a story?

What should you do if you miss a small part of the story?

What is the most important habit of a careful listener?

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)

I will practice…

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