You will learn
- Say what a connection is.
- Tell how a story is like their own life.
- Tell how a story is like another story.
- Say how connections help understanding.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- A connection is a link.
- We can link a story to our own life.
- We can link it to another story.
- Connections help us understand.
Words to know
a link between two things
something that happened to you
almost the same
have an emotion
1. Discover: Like me
Kofi lost his toy car. He felt sad. His sister helped him look. They found it under the bed. Kofi said, “Thank you!”
Ama says: “Once I lost my doll. I felt sad too. My mum helped me find it!”
Think: Has something like this ever happened to you?
2. Understand: Connections
Idea 1: A connection
A connection is a link between the story and something else.
Idea 2: To my life
Say how the story is like your life: “I lost something too and felt sad.”
Idea 3: To other stories
You can also link to another story you know: “This is like the story of the lost hat.”
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Connect to life
Kofi lost a toy. Have you lost something?
- Think of a time.
- Say how you felt.
Answer: I lost a doll and felt sad.
Example 2 (We do it together): Connect to a story
Which story is like the lost toy story?
- Think of other stories.
- Find a match.
Answer: The lost hat story
Example 3 (You try): Why connect?
How does a connection help?
Show the steps and answer
- It helps us feel what the character feels.
- It helps us understand.
Answer: We understand the story better.
Did you know?
Readers who make connections understand and remember more of what they read.
Why this matters
Connections make stories feel real and help you understand why characters feel as they do.
4. Explore: Story link
Link a story to your life.
- Read a short story.
- Think: has this happened to me?
- Tell a partner.
- Say how you felt.
Think about it: what did you notice?
Your own experience helps you understand a story.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- This story reminds me of ___.
- I felt ___ when ___.
- It is like ___.
- This helps me understand ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What did Kofi lose?
his toy car
Question 2. How did he feel?
sad
Question 3. What is your connection?
a personal answer
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Where did they find the toy car?
- How did Kofi feel when he lost it?
- A connection is a ___.
- Who helped Kofi?
- Have you ever lost something?
Level 2: Grow
- How is Ama’s story like Kofi’s?
- Name a story that is like the lost toy story.
- How did you feel when you lost something?
Level 3: Stretch
- Write a connection between a story and your life.
- How do connections help understanding?
- Kofi says connections are not useful. Is he right?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Tell a family member about a time something in a story was like your life.
Show a sample answer
The story about the new school was like my first day.
Another one. Draw a time you felt like a character.
Show a sample answer
A drawing of me being happy like the character.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Make sure the link fits.
Fix: Say the feeling too.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what a connection is.
- I can link a story to my life.
- I can link a story to another story.
- I can say how it helps.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- A connection is a link.
- Link to your life or other stories.
- Say how you felt.
- Connections help understanding.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Naming familiar objects. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is a connection? [1 mark]
- How did Kofi feel when he lost his toy car? [1 mark]
- Give one connection to your own life. [2 marks]
- Name a story that is like the lost toy story. [1 mark]
- Explain how connections help us understand. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- a link between a story and something else [1]
- sad [1]
- something similar [1]; how you felt [1]
- a valid story [1]
- we link to what we know [1]; we feel what the character feels [1]; we remember more [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- A connection is a ___.
- Kofi lost his toy ___.
- He felt ___.
- It was found under the ___.
- His ___ helped him.
- Ama lost her ___.
- True or false: we can link stories to our life.
- True or false: connections are not useful.
- Write a connection to a story.
- Draw a time you felt like a character.
Homework
Tell a family member how a story is like something in your life.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A connection is a ___. | link | 1 |
| 2. Kofi lost his toy ___. | car | 1 |
| 3. He felt ___. | sad | 1 |
| 4. It was found under the ___. | bed | 1 |
| 5. His ___ helped him. | sister | 1 |
| 6. Ama lost her ___. | doll | 1 |
| 7. True or false: we can link stories to our life. | true | 1 |
| 8. True or false: connections are not useful. | false | 1 |
| 9. Write a connection to a story. | a clear connection | 1 |
| 10. Draw a time you felt like a character. | a suitable drawing | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 under the bed; 2 sad; 3 link; 4 his sister; 5 a personal answer. Level 2: 1 she lost a doll and felt sad too; 2 the lost hat story; 3 a personal answer. Level 3: 1 a clear connection; 2 we feel what the character feels; 3 no, they help us understand.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what a connection is | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Tell how a story is like their own life | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Tell how a story is like another story | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Say how connections help understanding | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Saying a connection that is not like the story. Make sure the link fits.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use a sentence frame: this reminds me of…
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns to link stories to their own life. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Ask: does this remind you of anything?
- Share your own memories.
- Praise thoughtful links.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what a connection is; tell how a story is like their own life; tell how a story is like another story; say how connections help understanding.
Prerequisite knowledge. Making predictions.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Read the lost toy story and ask who has lost something.
Explanation (10 min). Teach connections.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise story link.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners share their connections.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What does this remind you of? How did you feel?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use a sentence frame. Extension. Connect a story to another story and to life.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Saying a connection that is not like the story. Make sure the link fits.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use a sentence frame: this reminds me of… Enrichment. Make connections between two stories. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Reading: Foundational Skills; Grade 1 » Reading: Literature; Grade 1 » Reading: Informational Text. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RL.1.3 and RL.1.9 (compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories); IES What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade; Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (reading comprehension). These sources informed the lesson.