Grade Level: 2 & 3 
Subject : Language Arts, Reading Comprehension
Duration: 45 minutes
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5
Lexile® measure: 630L
DRA: 28
Guided Reading: M
Genre/Theme: Folktales
Topic: Honesty
“The Empty Pot’ – by Demi is a timeless Chinese folk tale about honesty. The Emperor gives out the flower seeds to the children and says that whoever grows the most beautiful flower will get to be his successor. A little boy Ping, receives his seed and he works hard to have it grow but to no avail. Ping feels ashamed and is worried that other children, who have grown beautiful flowers, will make fun of him. In spite of his empty pot, Ping decides to bring it to the Emperor. The Emperor does not appear happy to see all the beautiful flowers that children had brought because he knew that they did not grow the seeds that he gave them, since the seeds that he gave out were cooked and couldn’t grow. Ping was the only one who brought “the empty truth” and as a result gets to become the next Emperor. The “Empty Pot” makes it for an ideal character building story for primary grade students.
Vocabulary: bloom, perfume, successor, emperor, proclamation, throne, swarmed, soil, sprout, blossom, transfer, ashamed, palace, frowning, exclaimed, worthy, courage, “empty truth”.
Procedures: 1. Prior to reading the story, “Empty Pot” by Demi, teacher will introduce students to the story by showing the front cover of the book and asking students what they see and what they think the story is about. What is the boy in the picture carrying? What do we keep in pots? What do we need to have in order to grow plants?
2. The teacher will introduce new vocabulary of successor, emperor, throne, worthy, and proclamation. The new vocabulary will be written out on the board or the word wall along with additional examples.
3. Next, the teacher will start reading the story. The teacher will have students look at the beautiful book illustrations of flowers, birds, and plants. As the teacher encounters new vocabulary in the story, she/he will stop to allow students to examine how the vocabulary is used in context.
4. The teacher will have students pay attention to the sequencing of the story. At first, Ping receives his seed from the Emperor. Then he plants the seed. The seed does not grow. So, he tries new soil but nothing happens. The spring comes and all the children have beautiful flowers to take to the Emperor. Ping is ashamed and scared that other children would make fun of him.
5. Ask students to predict what Ping will do. When children arrive to the palace, have students note Emperor’s face. Does he appear happy? Why was Ping the only one worthy of becoming an Emperor? How did other children grow their flowers? Why was Ping not able to grow his seed? Ask students if they think that Ping was brave? Why?
6. Discuss with the class the importance of honesty. Talk about the saying, “Honesty is the best policy”. Ask students what does it mean to be honest?
7. Re-visit the new vocabulary. Discuss each word/concept. Create together sentence examples with new vocabulary and have students write it down in their journals.
Assessment: Choose one or more of the following.
1. Have students create a story map of the story in pictures or words.
2. Have students write a paragraph on what does it mean that “Honesty is the best policy?
3. Have students write a paragraph retelling the story while using the new vocabulary from the story ( bloom, perfume, successor, emperor, proclamation, throne, swarmed, soil, sprout, blossom, transfer, ashamed, palace, frowning, exclaimed, worthy, courage, “empty truth”).
Happy Reading!
