1. Choose a rain forest animal.
2. Choose one characteristic about the animal (physical or behavioral).
3. Create a story title starting with "Why or "How," based on the characteristic they chose (e.g. "Why Cat's Purr"; "Why Bats Can Echolocate,"....).
4. Create  an opening sentence.  This sentence may tell when and where the story takes place and what condition the animal they chose was in before the events of the story (e.g. "...cats could not purr."; "...bats could see, but didn't have radar.").
5. Choose one or more additional animal characters to be in the story.
6. Create the events of the story which explain how the animal changed from its condition at the beginning of the story.  The events will be centered around the main character's interaction with the additional character(s) and may include conversation. Students are encouraged to be as imaginative as they can in coming up with scenarios.  Prompt students who have difficulty with questions such as:  "What else sounds something like a cat purring?" ;  "Where does the purring sound come from?";  "What could have gotten in there that produces that sound?"; "How did it get there?";  "What could have caused the bat to go blind?"  "Was it something someone did to him, or was it something that happened because of something he did or something he looked at too much?"; "Where could he have gotten radar from?";  "What else has radar?"
7. Conclude with a "That's why..." or "That's how..." or "Even today..." line, or other appropriate ending.
8. Illustrate, share and display stories.

Below is a story formula outline: