📖 ReadingGrade 2Lesson 31
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Retell a Story in My Own Words

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Learning Objectives

  • 1Identify the four key parts of a story — who, setting, problem, and solution
  • 2Retell a story in your own words using the four parts in the correct order
  • 3Use retell starter sentences to organize your retell clearly
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Mini Lesson

When you finish reading a story, can you tell someone what happened — without looking at the book? That is called a retell. A good retell covers the four key parts of every story.

The four key parts of a story

  • Who — the main character (or characters). Who is the story about?
  • Setting — where and when the story happens. Is it a farm? A city? Long ago or today?
  • Problem — the challenge or conflict the main character faces. What goes wrong or what does the character need?
  • Solution — how the problem is fixed. What does the character do? How does the story end?

How to retell in the right order

  • Start with Who and Setting — introduce the character and the world.
  • Then explain the Problem — what challenge did the character face?
  • Finally, describe the Solution — how was the problem solved, and how did the story end?
  • Use retell starters: "This story is about… The story takes place… The problem is… In the end…"

Retelling vs. summarizing

  • A retell includes the main events in order — it is a little longer.
  • A summary gives just the most important idea in one or two sentences.
  • Both use your own words — not the exact words from the book.
The four key parts of a story retellFour connected boxes labeled Who (character), Setting (where and when), Problem (the challenge), and Solution (how it is fixed), arranged top to bottom with downward arrows linking them.The Retell FrameWHOThe main character(s)↓SETTINGWhere and when the story happens↓PROBLEMThe challenge the character faces↓SOLUTION — How it is fixed
The four-part retell frame — Who, Setting, Problem, Solution — shown in the order a retell should follow.
Retell starter sentences for each partFour sentence-starter cards showing example phrases for each retell part: This story is about, The story takes place, The problem is, and In the end.Retell Starter SentencesWHO"This story is abouta character called ___."Start here!SETTING"The story takes placein / on / at ___."Where + whenPROBLEM"The problem is that___ needs to ___."The challengeSOLUTION"In the end,___ solves it by ___."How it ends
Four starter-sentence cards — one for each retell part — with sample phrases to organize a clear retell.
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Ask yourself: "Who? Where and when? What was the problem? How was it solved?"

Vocabulary
Retell
Telling what happened in a story using your own words, covering the main parts in ordere.g. After reading, I retold the story using who, setting, problem, and solution.
Who
The main character or characters of the storye.g. The main character is Old Ben, the lighthouse keeper.
Setting
Where and when the story takes placee.g. The story takes place on a rocky island on a foggy December night.
Problem
The challenge or conflict the main character facese.g. The warning bell broke and a boat was heading for the rocks.
Solution
How the problem is fixed — how the story endse.g. Pip the dog barked loudly and the captain turned the boat away.
Retell frame
The four-part structure (who, setting, problem, solution) that helps organize a retelle.g. Using the retell frame, I could tell the whole story in order.
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