Lesson Plan and Worksheets with Fables

A Funny Dolch Word Book #2 (with all of the second grade words)
Amazon.com, BN.com, PayPal, check or purchase order See excerpts.

A Funny Dolch Word Book #3 (with all of the third grade words)
Amazon.com, BN.com, PayPal, check or purchase order See excerpts.

Worksheets #1 and #2 (Scoll down for them.)

The only non-Dolch words in the books are essential words such as donkey. The fables in the books concentrate on Dolch words more than the fables in the lesson's worksheets.

Age group: This can be adapted for all school ages. Discussion of the psychology presented in the fables can range from classroom and family issues to world issues depending on the ages and interests of the students. Discuss real life examples of how the morals can be helpful. Point out the fact that these fables have lasted for centuries because they teach important truths.

Purpose: Especially for children, stories are compatible means of teaching important truths. We have gotten many familiar expressions from fables, e. g. the wolf in sheep's clothing; who will bell the cat(?); he that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends; you can't please everyone; sour grapes rationalization; any excuse will serve a tyrant (a bully or other abusive person); work together for the common good; treat others the way you would like to be treated; if we hurt others, we hurt ourselves in the process; don't make a mountain out of a molehill; it can be better to share than to fight; one good turn deserves another. Let's remember that fables were originally aimed at adults.

Instructions: Have children rewrite, retell, or even act out fables. Ask them to write or tell the fables in their own words. Let them feel free to rephrase the moral as long as they understand the main idea. Published authors often do this.

Each page has a place for the student to put his or her name, i.e. An Aesop's Fable as Told by (student's name here). This is a good opportunity to teach about literary honesty. Even if a story is in the public domain, credit should be given to the original individual or group who created it.

Worksheet #1

Use this worksheet for fables in A Funny Dolch Word Book #2,   A Funny Dolch Word Book #3, or other books. This worksheet does not have a fable on it. Many lines for writing are below the heading.
From: (name of book) _________________________________________
Title of the Fable: ______________________________________
A (An) ________________Fable as Told by _______________________
Ask them to put Aesop's, Native American, Irish, etc. to describe the type of fable as told by (the student's name). See Fables with Dolch Sight Words for a quick review of the titles and morals in A Funny Dolch Word Book #2, and A Funny Dolch Word Book #3.

Worksheet #2

Free fables are presented on worksheet #2. (If your computer is on the medium view setting, you should be able to print one fable with its lines for writing per each 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper.) See Free Fables to Copy for a quick review of them.

Aesop's fables in these two books mostly have words which are on the Dolch word list. To remain true to the fables, non-Dolch list words are used occassionally. The morals are stated in simple terms. In many books of fables, the morals were often rephrased, but the stories remained basically the same.

Morals from the Fables in

A Funny Dolch Word Book #2

See an excerpt. This book has all of the grade 2 words.

A little at a time can get a big job done. So we should start work on a big job right away.
(from "The Crow and the Pitcher")

Treat others the way you would like to be treated if you were them.
(from "The Fox and the Stork")

It is best to do today's work today. Don't wait till later.
(from "The Ant and the Grasshopper")

When we try to hurt others, we hurt ourselves.
(from "The Frog and the Mouse")

When we want someone to do something, it is best to make them glad to do it.
(from "The Wind and the Sun")

To stay out of trouble, don't make the same mistakes others make.
(from "The Old Lion and the Fox")

Others are not always as lucky as they seem. We need to be thankful for what we have.
(from "The Peacock's Complaint")

Getting mad over little things can make it worse.
(from "The Bear and the Bees")

We try to help someone who has helped us.
(from "The Lion and the Mouse")

This book has other character building stories which don't state a moral.
See an excerpt from A Funny Dolch Word Book #2.

Morals from the Fables in

A Funny Dolch Word Book #3

See an excerpt. This book has all of the grade 3 words.

We should show that we are grateful to those who help us.
(from "The Ant and the Dove")

We cannot please everyone. So we must do what we know is the right thing to do.
(from "The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey")

Be careful because some people cannot be trusted.
(from "The Fox and the Goat")

It can be better to share than to fight.
(from "The Donkey's Shadow")

If someone tells lies, it is hard to believe them even when they tell the truth.
(from "The Shepherd's Boy")

We should not have fun by hurting others.
(from "The Boys and the Frogs")

When someone wants to be bad, they always try to find ways to blame others. How they act is not our fault.
(from "The Wolf and the Lamb")

This book has other character building stories which don't state a moral.
See an excerpt from A Funny Dolch Word Book #3.

A man and boy were walking beside their donkey on the way to market. They passed a man who said, "Look dummy, don't you know that donkeys are for riding!" So the man put the boy on the donkey. Soon they passed some men who said, "See that lazy boy! He lets his father walk while he rides!" So the man rode and let the boy walk. Soon they passed two women. One said to the other, "Shame on that lazy man. He makes his poor son walk while he rides!" So the man let the boy ride with him. "That should please everyone," said the man. Soon they passed people in town. One man said, "You should be ashamed of yourself for having two big people ride that poor little donkey!" So the man and boy got off of the donkey. They sat down and talked for a long time about what to do. They decided to tie the donkey's legs to a pole and to carry him. The donkey didn't like this at all. He kicked and brayed. Everyone laughed and jeered at the man and the boy. As they crossed a bridge, the donkey got one leg free. He kicked the boy who dropped his end of the pole. The donkey fell into the river.

A wolf noticed a lamb drinking just downstream. He thought she would be an easy supper. If he could trick her, he would not even have to run after her. Then he called out, "We can drink from the same stream, friend, but you are making my water muddy." The lamb said, "Nay, master wolf. If your water is muddy, I can't be the cause if it. You see, the water goes past you then it comes to me." The wolf changed the subject. He must make the lamb feel bad and helpless. He said, "Why did you call me bad names this time last year?" The lamb said, "That could not have been me. I am only six months old." Then the wolf said, "I don't care. If it was not you, it was your father!" He pounced upon the poor lamb, but the shepherd's dogs arrived in time to save her.