The Little Red Fort

Name: The Little Red Fort
Author: Brenda Maier

A story that explores cooperation and opens a conversation with your child.

★★★★★ Loved by families

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♥ This book teaches: Cooperation. choosing the group over the self.

Before, During & After Reading

Guiding Questions for Parents.

Definition of Cooperation for 4 - 7 year olds: Cooperation happens when two or more people help each other to make something good happen. It can also apply to animals or parts of a whole that need each other and work together. An example of this is the human body – all the parts work together to make you healthy. In a nutshell: Together we can do more. Summary: Ruby wants to build a red fort. She tries to summon the help of her friends but they refuse. Ruby builds the fort on her own and all of sudden her lazy friends want to play with her. At first Ruby refuses to allow them in the fort. But things change when her friends realize their mistake. LessonObjectives:

Students compare this story to the familiar “Little Red Hen” and identify the similar themes: if you want to be part of something then you have to contribute. They memorize the proverb “many hands make light work.”

Guiding Questions:

Does this story remind you of another story? (prompt if needed: “The Little Red Hen”)
What did Ruby want to build?
What did Ruby do first?
Do you think her friends should have helped her?
Were they making excuses or were they really too busy?
Have you ever wanted to do something and you needed help, but no one would help you? What happened and how did that make you feel?
Have you ever wanted to do something and when you asked for help you got it? What happened and how did that make you feel?
Has anyone asked you to help with something and you didn’t feel like helping? What happened?
Would you like to help with something, but no one asked you yet? What is it and how could you let them know you want to help?
Think about something you did with your friends or family in which everyone helped out. What was it, and how did it feel when everyone worked together?

🌿 Virtue Connection: Cooperation means choosing to contribute to something larger than yourself.

About the Story.

This guide is part of the Values & Virtues library, a free collection of 400+ book guides and activities organized around 12 core virtues for children from pre-K to 6th grade. Each guide includes Guiding Questions designed to open a real conversation with your child in 10 minutes or less.

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Cooperation · Family Discussion Guide

The Little Red Fort

by Brenda Maier

Guiding Questions

Students compare this story to the familiar “Little Red Hen” and identify the similar themes: if you want to be part of something then you have to contribute. They memorize the proverb “many hands make light work.”

Guiding Questions:

Does this story remind you of another story? (prompt if needed: “The Little Red Hen”)
What did Ruby want to build?
What did Ruby do first?
Do you think her friends should have helped her?
Were they making excuses or were they really too busy?
Have you ever wanted to do something and you needed help, but no one would help you? What happened and how did that make you feel?
Have you ever wanted to do something and when you asked for help you got it? What happened and how did that make you feel?
Has anyone asked you to help with something and you didn’t feel like helping? What happened?
Would you like to help with something, but no one asked you yet? What is it and how could you let them know you want to help?
Think about something you did with your friends or family in which everyone helped out. What was it, and how did it feel when everyone worked together?

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The Little Red Fort

Guiding Questions for Parents.

About the Story.

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The Little Red Fort

Guiding Questions