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Lesson ID: 10285
Follow Peter Rabbit as you explore where and when stories happen—then create silly, fun settings of your own!
Where Are We?!
Imagine you’re in a jungle filled with noisy monkeys swinging through the trees.
Now imagine you're in a castle with tall towers and shiny floors.
Or maybe you’re on a beach with warm sand under your toes and the sound of waves crashing nearby.
Where you are—and what’s going on around you—changes the whole story!
That’s called the setting. It’s the where and when of a story. It’s what helps your brain make the story feel real!
Explore how to find the setting in the stories you read. Get ready to be a story detective!
Discover the Setting!
Your job is to find the setting of The Tale of Peter Rabbit! Remember, the setting tells three important things.
Place – Where does the story happen?
Time – When does it happen?
Environment – What’s the place like?
Hop into Peter’s world and use our eyes and ears to gather clues!
Part 1: Where Are We? (Place)
Read the beginning of the story.
Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter.
They lived with their mother in a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big fir tree.
This tells you their home is in the woods—under a big tree! That’s one place in the story.
But wait!
Keep reading!
Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor’s garden and squeezed under the gate!
Uh-oh! That’s a new place—Mr. McGregor’s vegetable garden.
One is quiet and cozy. The other is busy and full of plants (and danger!).
Detective Tip: Look at the pictures.
Part 2: When Is This Happening? (Time)
This story doesn’t tell the exact time like “Monday at 3 o’clock,” but you can use clues.
Peter’s mom says:
“Now, my dears… I am going out.”
Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella and went through the wood to the baker’s.
She’s shopping—probably in the morning or daytime. And Peter is sneaking around while she’s gone.
He even runs past a white cat watching goldfish, and the sun is shining in all the pictures.
So the time is during the day, and it is in the past (because look at those old clothes and tools in the pictures!).
Part 3: What Is It Like There? (Environment)
Look at how the story feels.
Peter’s home is:
...a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big fir tree.
That sounds safe, earthy, and quiet.
The story describes it this way.
Peter was most dreadfully frightened… he rushed all over the garden…
He lost one shoe among the cabbages, and the other amongst the potatoes.
Yikes! The garden is busy, dangerous, loud, and scary for Peter. There are tools, animals, plants, and people—and Peter has to run, hide, and even cry!
Use the pictures to help you.
Now It’s Your Turn!
Do the following as you read or listen to The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.
Point to where you see his home and the garden.
Notice if it looks like day or night.
Think: Would I like to be there? Is it calm or exciting?
Check the Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar for a copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
Follow along as you listen to the story below.
Time to Practice!
You did a great job exploring the setting in Peter Rabbit’s world. Now, see if you can be a setting detective in other stories, too!
Head to the Got it? section to practice finding the place, time, and environment in other stories.
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