Stone Soup

moral of the story, vocabulary, fluency, inference, key idea, character, plot, cause and effect, theme, narrative writing

This play is an adaptation of the common folktale about how people come together, unwillingly at first, and contribute ingredients to make a soup for everyone. Its message is about sharing and building community.

The play has six chronological scenes. Some of the characters’ actions and feelings are conveyed in stage directions.

The language is fairly simple and evokes a folktale (for example, it refers to a village square). It has a few similes and challenging words, such as wary and scurry.

No special knowledge is necessary.

• Give students two minutes to write down or think about their answer to this question: “What’s the most delicious meal you’ve ever eaten—and why?” Ask a few volunteers to share their answers. Briefly discuss what makes a meal taste good. Is it just about the food? Or are the environment in which the meal was eaten and the people the meal was shared with important as well? 
• Have students open their magazines to pages 20-21. Ask if they are familiar with the story “Stone Soup.” Point out that since it is a folktale, different versions of it exist; this one might be slightly different from one they’ve heard before. 
• Show or assign the Vocabulary Slideshow to preview challenging words in the play. Reinforce learning before or after reading with the Vocabulary Skill Builder (available in your Resources tab). Highlighted words: trudged, wary, scurry, gossip, proclaims, banquet, cooperation 
• Call on a volunteer to read aloud the Up Close box for the class. 

• Assign parts and read the play aloud as a class or in groups. Remote learning tip: If students are learning from home, have them video chat to read the play in small groups, doubling up on some of the small roles if necessary. Alternatively, have pairs of students read it aloud with each other on a phone call. After reading, discuss the close-reading and critical-thinking questions (available in your Resources tab). 
• NEW! You can now have students listen to an editor read-aloud of the play! In response to your requests, we have created an audio version of the play. 

Close-Reading Questions

1. In Scene 1, what do you learn about the people in the village? What are their lives like, and how have they changed over time? (inference) You learn that the people are poor and have little food, which they have learned not to share—especially with soldiers. Their ancestors did share food, but people don’t anymore.
2. In Scene 2, Mary’s mother says that “Hard times make hard hearts.” What does she mean? How does this relate to what’s happening in the play? (key idea) She is saying that the hardship her poor family has faced makes her less open to sharing with strangers, like the soldiers. What she says explains why she wants Mary to hide the food when she hears that the soldiers are nearby.
3. How are Mary, George, and Edward different from their parents? Why do you think they see things differently? (character) The children feel sorry for the soldiers and are willing to help them. Answers for the second part of the question will vary. Students might suggest that because the children are young, they haven’t yet learned to hoard their food, or that they are more innocent and open-minded. 
4. In Scene 3, what are the first items the soldiers request for making their soup? How do their requests change? (plot) At first they ask for a pot, water, and wood, which the children can easily provide by working together. After the village becomes curious about their soup, the soldiers ask little by little for more food items that will make the soup tastier.
5. How do the soldiers trick the villagers? What is the result of their plan? (cause and effect) By saying they are making soup out of stones, the soldiers trick everyone into contributing a little of what they have. As a result, there is a lot of delicious soup for everyone to enjoy. People eat, sing, dance, and celebrate together for the first time in years.
6. In Scene 5, several characters say that the stone soup is delicious. What made the soup taste especially delicious? (theme) Answers may vary. Students might suggest the soup tasted particularly delicious because it incorporated ingredients contributed by many people or because it was enjoyed in the company of others in a pleasant atmosphere.

Critical-Thinking Questions

1. How have the villagers changed by the end of the story, and what have they learned? How do you predict the village might be different in the future? (moral of the story) By the end of the play, the villagers willingly share food instead of keeping it hidden for themselves. Rather than hiding in their homes, the villagers bring out pipes and drums, tell stories, sing, and dance. They have become a stronger community because they’ve learned that everyone benefits when people share and work together. Answers to the last part of the question will vary but should demonstrate that the villagers have become more cooperative and generous.
2. Do you think the soldiers were right to trick the villagers? Why or why not? (supporting an opinion) Answers will vary.

In this play, Mary’s mother says, “Hard times make hard hearts.” Yet over the course of the play, the characters’ hearts soften. Discuss this with students and propose changing the line to “Hard times make kind hearts.” Invite students to think of examples they have seen over the past months that would support this new line. How have they seen people helping each other out during the pandemic?

• Assign the Moral of the Story Skill Builder (available in your Resources tab) and have students complete it in class or for homework. This new interactive Skill Builder slide deck will walk students through understanding what a moral is and identifying it in the play. They will then be prepared to respond to the writing prompt on page 25. 

• Bring the moral of this story to life by making a virtual stone soup. Have students plan a class project where everyone in the class contributes to create something. For example, they might create an online shared feast by having every student contribute a drawing on a Google slide of their delicious contribution. Small groups might also work together on a slide. After finishing your class project, have students reflect on how their experience was similar to what happened in the play.
• Gather a group in your remote classroom for a virtual play reading. Share the play on your screen and assign parts. To keep track of who is reading which part, students might change their screen names to their character’s name. Then read the play aloud together. Encourage students to be expressive as they read! Repeat with other groups until all students have had a chance to participate.
• Have students write a draft of their response to the writing prompt on page 25 on a Google doc, then exchange drafts with a partner in the class. They can make suggestions on the doc in “suggesting” mode.