Illustrations of friends imagining wearing same princess costume and one being upset
Art by Mariano Epelbaum
Fiction,

The Parade That Changed Everything

Could one disagreement ruin Marisol and Niki’s favorite day of the year?

By Rekha S. Rajan | Art by Mariano Epelbaum
From the October/November 2023 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will read a realistic fiction story and think about what happens in the beginning, middle, and end of the story.

Complexity Factors
  • Levels of Meaning
    The story is about two girls who can’t agree on what costume to wear in a parade. On another level, the story is about learning how to listen to your friend.
  • Structure
    The story is in the third person and is chronological.
  • Language
    The language is mostly conversational and includes a lot of dialogue.
  • Knowledge Demands
    No prior knowledge is required.
Lexile: 500L-600L
Featured Skill: Plot,
Other Key Skills: how a character changes, vocabulary, compare and contrast, cause and effect, text features, interpreting text, plot, connecting to the text, theme, explanatory writing, narrative writing
Standards
  • Common Core
    RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.3.3, RL.3.4, RL.3.7, W.3.2, W.3.3, SL.3.1, SL.3.2, L.3.6
  • TEKS Grade 3
    1a, 1c, 3a, 3b, 4, 6a, 6c, 6e, 6h, 6i, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7f, 7g, 8a, 8b, 8c, 10a, 10b, 10c, 12b

Presentation View
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Think and Read: Plot

As you read the story, think about what happens in the beginning, middle, and end. 

“I’m so excited!” Marisol cheered as the school bell rang. She ran to the playground with her best friend, Niki, behind her. It was a warm fall afternoon. The trees had just started to change colors, and the playground was filled with kids playing soccer and drawing with chalk on the blacktop. Marisol and Niki raced to the swings.  

“It’s only three days until the parade at the Fall Festival!” Marisol said as she kicked her legs up higher and higher. 

“We should start thinking about costumes,” Niki agreed. 

“Last year, we were dragons,” Marisol remembered.  

“Before that, we were witches,” Niki added. “What do you think we should be this year?” 

“Obviously something matching!” Marisol replied. “We are always twins at the Fall Festival.”

Niki frowned as she swung higher. “Mari,” Niki sighed, “we always do the exact same thing. We even named our dogs the same name!”

“I know! So we’ll match again in the parade this year, right?” Marisol asked.

Niki paused. “I guess. I want to be something from Super Mario Bros. I love the game and the movie.”

“Yeah! We can both be Princess Peach,” Marisol agreed. “She’s my favorite!”

“I like Peach, but­—”

“Great!” Marisol exclaimed before Niki could finish. “Let’s go shopping tomorrow. This is going to be the best parade ever!”

PAUSE AND THINK: What do Marisol and Niki always do at the Fall Festival?

The Best Character

“Niki, over here!” Marisol waved as Niki walked into the store. The costume store was filled with black-and-orange­­ balloons, streamers, and other decorations. Marisol was standing by the Super Mario Bros. costumes.  

“Hi,” Niki said as they hugged. “I was looking for ideas online—”

“I already found our matching costumes,” Marisol said, interrupting Niki. She held up two costumes and handed one to Niki.

Both were pink Princess Peach dresses. Both costumes were the same. 

Niki looked at the shimmery dresses. “I was thinking of a different character. I really like­—”

“Peach is the best character!” Marisol said, cutting off Niki again. “If this parade is going to be epic, we have to be Peach. She is the most powerful princess—”

“NO!” Niki shouted loudly. 

PAUSE AND THINK: What does Marisol want to be in the parade?

Tired of Matching

Marisol looked at Niki. Niki was looking down at the floor and taking big, deep breaths. 

“Did you say no?” Marisol asked, shocked. 

“I . . . said . . . no,” Niki repeated. “I don’t want to be Peach.” 

“Then who do you want to be?” Marisol asked.

“I want to be Yoshi!” Niki said firmly. 

Marisol frowned. “I don’t want to be Yoshi. I want to be Peach.”

“Then you can be Peach,” Niki said as tears formed in her eyes. “I’m tired of always matching. Just buy whatever costumes you want us to be!” 

Niki threw the Peach costume on the ground and ran to her dad, leaving Marisol standing all by herself. 

PAUSE AND THINK: What does Niki want to be in the parade?

Still Best Friends?

Marisol found her mom in the funny costume section, looking at the hot dog costume and the emoji costumes. 

“Mari, what’s wrong?” Mama asked. Marisol looked up at her mom and told her what happened. 

“If we wear different costumes, this will change everything!” she said, tears forming in her eyes.

“You know,” Mama said, “Tía Maria and I used to always match, just like you and Niki.”

“Because you are best friends . . . and actual twin sisters,” Marisol said. 

Mama nodded. “But I loved it, and Tía Maria hated it. When we were about your age, she even cut her hair short. Later she got contact lenses. She didn’t want to have long hair or wear glasses like me.”

“Were you sad?” Marisol asked.

Mama smiled. “I was at first, but I learned it was important for each of us to have our own individual interests.”

“But don’t best friends do everything together?” Marisol asked. 

“They can,” Mama said. “But it is OK for your friend to make her own choices too. What is important is that you support her.”

Marisol looked up at her mother. “I think I just realized something.”

“What do you mean?” Mama asked gently.

Marisol thought back on the past few days. “At recess, Niki said we always do the exact same thing. And just now, she tried to tell me she searched online for a different costume.”

“Even though you like to match, how do you think Niki feels?” Mama asked.

“I think she feels like Tía Maria,” Marisol replied. “I think I should have listened to my best friend.” 

Marisol paused and asked, “Do you think Niki still wants to be best friends?”

“Talk to her at the parade and find out,” Mama replied. 

Marisol smiled. “I know what to do.”

PAUSE AND THINK: What does Mama tell Marisol about friendship?

Parade Day

It was parade day! The streets were cleared, and families were gathered on both sides of the street to watch. Children were waving flags and carrying balloons. Some people were wearing colorful masks with feathers and glitter. Others were dressed as dinosaurs, wizards, and mermaids. 

Marisol was wearing her pink Princess Peach costume. As the parade started, Marisol looked for Niki. She found her at the side of the parade in jeans and a T-shirt. 

“Niki!” Marisol called out. “I was looking everywhere for you.”

“Me too!” Niki said. “I’m sorry I ran out yesterday.”

“No, I’m sorry,” Marisol said. “I should have listened to you.”

“I love matching with you, but sometimes I want to be different,” Niki said. “I can be Princess Peach this year. But maybe next year we can wear different costumes?”

“Well,” Marisol said, pulling out a green Yoshi costume. “I was thinking we could start this year.” 

Niki’s face lit up. She pulled the costume over her head.

“Are you sure you’re OK not matching?” Niki asked.

“Yup,” Marisol said, smiling. “Besides, you make a great Yoshi.”

“You make the perfect Princess Peach,” Niki said. 

Marisol and Niki hugged and ran to the front of the parade together.

“Are we still BFFs­—best friends forever?” Marisol asked.  

“No,” Niki said and smiled. “We are BFFAE!” she said. “Best friends forever and ever!” 

THINK AND WRITE

Imagine the story doesn’t end here. Write a paragraph explaining what happens next in the story. 

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Can't Miss Teaching Extras

Explore another fiction story by author Rekha S. Rajan in “Veena and the Variety Show,” a sweet story about embracing individuality.

Discover how another character changes in “The Name Jar,” an inspiring story about a girl who finds the courage to be herself and stand up for who she is.

Navigating friendship can be tricky. Continue this conversation with your students and read “The Stars Below Me,” a sweet story about what it means to be a good friend. 

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Table of Contents

1. Preparing to Read

2. Close Reading

3. SEL Focus

4. Skill Building and Writing

5. Differentiate and Customize

Struggling Readers, Multilingual Learners, Advanced Readers, Creative Writing

1. Preparing to Read

Set a Purpose for Reading/Preview Text Features

  • Ask students to predict what this story will be about based on the title and subtitle on page 10, and the illustration on page 11. Review the predictions after reading.

  • Call on volunteers to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 10 and the Think and Write box on page 15.

Introduce Vocabulary

  • Show or assign the Vocabulary Slideshow to preview challenging words. Then assign the Vocabulary Skill Builder before or after reading.

2. Close Reading

  • Read the story as a class or have students follow along as they listen to the Read-Aloud. Use the Pause and Think questions at the end of each section for a quick comprehension check.

  • Project or assign the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions. (Alternatively, use all or part of the Learning Journey Slide Deck.)

Close-Reading Questions

  • How does Niki feel about matching costumes? How can you tell? Niki isn’t excited to have matching costumes again this year. You can tell because she frowns after Marisol says that they always match. She also pauses after Marisol asks if they’ll match again this year. (character, compare and contrast)
  • Read “The Best Character.” Why does Niki get mad at Marisol? Niki gets mad because Marisol keeps interrupting her. Marisol won’t let her explain which costume she wants to wear. (cause and effect)
  • Read “Tired of Matching.” How does the illustration on pages 12 and 13 help you understand what is happening in this part of the story? The illustration helps me understand that Niki is upset. The illustration shows Niki and Marisol in the costume store. Marisol is holding a Princess Peach costume. Niki is throwing her costume on the floor. Niki looks upset and is pointing to the Yoshi costume. (text features)
  • Read “Still Best Friends?” Why does Marisol say, “I think I should have listened to my best friend”? Marisol says that because she learned that it’s important to let people make their own choices. At the costume store, Marisol didn’t listen to Niki about what costume she wanted to wear. (theme)
  • Read “Parade Day.” What happens when Marisol and Niki see each other at the parade? At the parade, Marisol gives Niki the green Yoshi costume that Niki wanted to wear. Marisol tells Niki that she’s sorry she didn’t listen to her. They hug each other and run to the front of the parade together. Niki tells Marisol that they will be best friends forever and ever. (plot)

Critical-Thinking Question 

  • How does Marisol change from the beginning of the story to the end? At the beginning of the story, Marisol thinks that she and Niki will wear matching costumes at the Fall Festival again. Marisol doesn’t listen when Niki tries to tell Marisol that she doesn’t want to be Princess Peach. At the costume store, Mama teaches Marisol that she should let Niki make her own choices. Marisol learns that she should have listened to Niki. At the end of the story, Marisol gives Niki a Yoshi costume to wear. She listens to her best friend and lets her make her own choices. (how a character changes)
  • Did you ever have a disagreement with a friend? How did you solve the problem? What did you learn from your experience? Answers will vary. (connecting to the text)

 

Class Discussion: Importance of Individuality

In this story, Marisol learns that it’s important to let people have their own individual interests or wants. Talk to your class about the importance of staying true to yourself instead of doing what everyone else does. Ask students to share a time they wanted to do something that nobody else wanted to do. How did they decide what actions to take? What happened next? (connecting to the text, theme) 

3. Skill Building and Writing

Featured Skill: Plot

  • Distribute or digitally assign the Plot Skill Builder.  

  • Ask students to write a response to the Think and Write prompt on page 15. 

Differentiate and Customize
For Striving Readers

To help striving readers understand the plot, play the read-aloud audio of the story as students follow along in their magazines. Pause at the end of each section to discuss what happened, and write a one- or two-sentence summary together. 

For Multilingual Learners

This story has many contractions, providing a good opportunity for multilingual learners to get familiar with them in context. Guide a small group on a scavenger hunt for contractions, and ask students to figure out the two words that make up each one. As a bonus, have students find two words in the story that could become a contraction, and have them write out the new word. 

For Advanced Readers

Invite students to read aloud “Carla’s Sandwich,” a delightful story about individuality, from the September 2022 issue of Storyworks 3. Then have students compare and contrast Carla and Niki. How are these two characters similar and different?

 

Text-to-Speech