Storybooks, Poems and Fact Books
A 30-minute Kindergarten lesson on telling one kind of book from another by what is on the page, not by the cover.
Storybooks, Poems and Fact Books is a free 30-minute Kindergarten English lesson plan for Common Core standard RL.K.5 — tell the difference between a storybook and a poem. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the meaning, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Kindergarten
- Length:
- 30 minutes
- Standard:
- RL.K.5
Kindergarten · Reading: Literature
RL.K.5
Recognize common types of texts (e.g., storybooks, poems).
Objective
Students will be able to say whether a text is a story, a poem or a book of facts, and how they can tell.
Students are successful when they can
- Calls the cat poem a poem because "it rhymes and has short lines."
- Calls the cat story a story because "a cat has a problem."
- Calls the cat fact page a fact book because "it tells true things."
What you need
- Three texts about cats, written on chart paper (see Teach): a story, a poem and a fact page
- Three labeled baskets: STORY, POEM, FACTS
- A pile of eight to ten class books to sort
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — three pages
4 min- Show the three chart texts side by side without reading them. Ask: "Do these look the same?"
- Fish for "that one has short lines" and "that one has a list." Say: "They are all about cats, but they are three different kinds of writing."
Teach — what each one is for
10 min- Read the story: "Tom the cat could not find his ball. He looked under the bed. He looked in the box. At last he found it in his food bowl!" Ask: "Did something happen? Was there a problem?" Say: "A story has characters and something happens."
- Read the poem: "My cat is fat, / She sits on a mat, / She chases a bat, / And that is that!" Clap the beat. Ask what they noticed. Fish for "it rhymes," "it is bouncy." Say: "A poem often rhymes, has short lines and a beat."
- Read the fact page: "Cats have whiskers. Cats can see in the dark. A baby cat is called a kitten." Ask: "Is this a story? Did something happen?" No. Say: "A fact book tells us true things to learn."
- Write a three-row chart: STORY — something happens. POEM — rhymes, beat, short lines. FACTS — true things to learn.
- Hold up a real class storybook and a real fact book with a photo cover. Show that you have to look inside to be sure.
“Does something happen to someone? It is a story. Does it rhyme and bounce? It is a poem. Does it teach true things? It is a fact book.”
Guided practice — sort the pile
8 min- Hand each pair a book from the pile. They open to one page and you read it aloud.
- Pairs decide which basket it goes in and give a reason from the chart.
- Include one tricky book: a story about a real animal. Ask: "Is it facts, or does something happen to a character?"
“Open it up. Does something happen, does it rhyme, or does it teach?”
Independent practice
6 min- Read each short text or description on the sheet aloud.
- Children circle story, poem or facts for each.
Close
2 min- Say: "Dogs have four legs. Dogs can smell very well." Ask: "Which kind?" Fish for facts.
- Say: "The dog dug a hole. He found a big bone!" Fish for story.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Says the fact page is a story "because it is about a cat."
Why: The topic is the same, so the child sorts by what it is about instead of what kind of writing it is.
Fix: Put the three cat texts side by side: "All about cats. Which one has something happening?" Topic and type are different questions.
Says any book with a cartoon cover is a story, and any with a photo is facts.
Why: Covers are a reliable clue most of the time, so the shortcut has worked before.
Fix: Show a fact book with drawings and a story with photos. Say: "The cover can trick you. Look inside."
Calls the rhyming story a poem, or says a poem must always rhyme.
Why: Rhyme has been taught as the sign of a poem, and many picture books rhyme.
Fix: Ask both questions: "Does it rhyme? AND does something happen to a character?" A rhyming story is still a story.
If they are not there yet
- Sort only two kinds first: story and facts.
- Read every text aloud and point to the chart while deciding.
- Use texts about one topic so only the type changes.
If they finish early
- Write a two-line poem about a dog after hearing the dog facts.
- Find a book that could be two kinds, such as a rhyming fact book, and explain.
- Change the cat story into two facts about cats.
Exit ticket
Listen: "The frog went hop, / Then he went flop, / Right on the top!" Story, poem or facts? How do you know?
What to look for: "A poem" with "it rhymes" or "it bounces." "A story because a frog does something" is reasonable and worth discussing. "Facts because frogs are real" means the child is still sorting by topic.
Printable practice for RL.K.5
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Story, Poem or Facts?Circle the right answer.
Questions about Storybooks, Poems and Fact Books
How long does the Storybooks, Poems and Fact Books lesson take?
30 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 4 min, teach 10 min, guided practice 8 min, independent practice 6 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Storybooks, Poems and Fact Books teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.5 — RL.K.5, Reading: Literature for Kindergarten: “Recognize common types of texts (e.g., storybooks, poems).” In plain terms, tell the difference between a storybook and a poem.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Three texts about cats, written on chart paper (see Teach): a story, a poem and a fact page, three labeled baskets: STORY, POEM, FACTS, a pile of eight to ten class books to sort and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: says the fact page is a story "because it is about a cat."; says any book with a cartoon cover is a story, and any with a photo is facts and calls the rhyming story a poem, or says a poem must always rhyme. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Listen: "The frog went hop, / Then he went flop, / Right on the top!" Story, poem or facts? How do you know?.” "A poem" with "it rhymes" or "it bounces." "A story because a frog does something" is reasonable and worth discussing. "Facts because frogs are real" means the child is still sorting by topic. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Storybooks, Poems and Fact Books?
Yes — 1 printable RL.K.5 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Storybooks, Poems and Fact Books free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on October 8, 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-10-08. Aligned to RL.K.5 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.