This first grade lesson plan features the Monarch Award nominee Baa-Choo! by Sarah Weeks.

2. Students will be able to identify characters in a story.

4. 3.B.1a Use prewriting strategies to generate and organize ideas (e.g., focus on one topic; organize writing to include a beginning, middle and end; use descriptive words when writing about people, places, things, events).

7. White board and markers

10. Introduce Sam the Lamb and briefly describe the premise of the story. Let students know that they can join in during the “Baa… ahhh…” parts but that they should stop when I raise my hand.

12. Ask students what they notice about all of the characters’ names (they rhyme).

13. Tell students that we will now add to the story, creating our own characters and actions. Brainstorm new animals to include in the story. Make sure they have rhyming names. Brainstorm what the new characters can do to make Sam the Lamb sneeze.

14. On the chart paper, write out the new scenes with the added characters and their actions.