Unit 2: Global Stories & Folktales Belonging in Books™ Bundle

Belonging in Books Unit 2 Bundle: Global Stories & Folktales

If you’re looking for a low-prep, high-impact way to bring purposeful comprehension instruction into your PreK–1 classroom or homeschool, this resource is for you! Part of the Belonging in Books curriculum, this unit supports deep thinking, joyful reading, and inclusive discussion using 8 powerful anchor texts:

Fin M'Coul the Giant of Knockmany Hill by Tomie dePaola
Little Red Riding Hood by Trina Schart Hyman
Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth
Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone
The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Paul Galdone
The Three Little Pigs by Mara Alperin
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema

This bundle of books introduces students to global stories and folktales from a variety of cultures, helping them discover how stories from around the world share important lessons about courage, kindness, responsibility, and clever thinking. Throughout this unit, students will focus on understanding how events in a story are connected, especially through cause and effect relationships and chain reactions that move the plot forward. As they read each folktale, students will practice retelling key events in order, identifying problems and solutions, and examining how characters’ choices influence what happens next. By comparing multiple folktales with shared structures and themes, students will deepen their comprehension skills while building an appreciation for storytelling traditions across cultures and recognizing the universal lessons stories can teach.

Each Belonging in Books unit is built around a high-quality read-aloud and carefully designed to:
✔️ Teach comprehension through rich, age-appropriate conversations
✔️ Build vocabulary and language skills in context
✔️ Explore story elements and text structures
✔️ Practice key comprehension strategies
✔️ Support synthesis using a paired companion text
✔️ Center student voices and diverse perspectives

What’s Included:
5-day lesson arc (20–30 minutes/day):

• Day 1: Connect & First Read
• Day 2: Vocabulary Exploration
• Day 3: Story Elements or Text Structure
• Day 4: Comprehension Skill
• Day 5: Paired Text & Synthesis Discussion

+Semi-Scripted daily lesson plans
+Thoughtful discussion questions
+Printable graphic organizers
+Visual Vocabulary and child-friendly definitions
+No Prep student practice sheets
+Anchor chart templates
+CCSS Alignment
+Student “I Can” statements
+Lesson plans for a culminating project or hands-on response
+Companion text suggestion and extension ideas

Each book in Belonging in Books can be a stand alone week of learning, or you can dive into an entire thematic unit of quality mentor texts that connect through themes, character experiences, comprehension strategies, and text structures.

Want the entire curriculum? Grab the Complete Curriculum Bundle!