The Adventures of Pinocchio

Objective

Students will read and discuss the opening chapters of The Adventures of Pinocchio, identify key characters and events, and practice understanding cause-and-effect and character personality through the story's dialogue and action.

Materials

• Printed or projected copy of "The Adventures of Pinocchio," Chapters 1–3 (provided text)
• Whiteboard or chart paper
• Paper and pencil for each student

Warm-up (~5 min)

• Write on the board: "What would you do if a piece of wood started talking to you?"
• Ask 3–4 students to share their quick answers aloud.
• Explain that today's story is about exactly that — a talking piece of wood!

Main Activity (~25 min)

1. Read Aloud (15 min): Read Chapters 1–3 aloud to the class (or have volunteers take turns reading sections). Pause at these moments to check understanding:
2. After the wood first speaks ("Please be careful!") — ask: "How do you think Mastro Cherry feels right now?"
3. After Geppetto and Mastro Cherry's fight over the wig — ask: "Why are these two friends fighting?"
4. After Geppetto names the puppet Pinocchio — ask: "Why do you think Geppetto chose that name?"
5. After Pinocchio steals the wig and runs away — ask: "Is Pinocchio being a good or naughty puppet? What has he done so far?"

1. Character Chart (10 min): As a class, create a simple two-column chart on the board:
2. Mastro Cherry — old carpenter, scared of the talking wood, has a nose like a cherry, fights with Geppetto over a wig
3. Geppetto — makes Pinocchio, gets angry when called "Polendina," wants a puppet that can dance and do tricks
4. Pinocchio — a wooden puppet whose nose grows very long, steals Geppetto's wig, runs away, kicks Geppetto's nose

Have students copy this chart onto their own paper as you fill it in together.

Wrap-up / Exit Ticket (~10 min)

Have students answer the following on a sheet of paper (can be done individually or discussed as a class first):

1. Who made Pinocchio, and what did he make him out of?
2. Name two mischievous things Pinocchio does in Chapter 3.
3. Why do Mastro Cherry and Geppetto start fighting?
4. In your own words, describe Pinocchio's nose.

Collect papers as students finish, or have volunteers share their answers aloud.

If Time Remains

Ask students to draw a picture of Pinocchio right after Geppetto finishes making him (before he runs away). Under the drawing, have them write one sentence describing what Pinocchio's face and nose look like, based on details from the story.