Story Elements
Main story elements include characters, setting (where and when the story takes place), plot (the main conflict in the story that triggers the characters’ actions), and theme. Resolution of the plot is also often included as a story element. Check out our story elements anchor chart resources too!
Eli walked to school every day. When the final bell rang, he walked home, too. His trip took him across the playground, past the t-shirt factory, and across the main street. From there, Eli often cut through a vacant lot where a house used to be. The house burned down years…
Jimmy loved ice cream. It was his favorite dessert. He wanted to eat ice cream all the time. His parents let him have a small dish each night after dinner, if he ate all of his vegetables. At home, Jimmy usually had chocolate or vanilla. His mother scooped it out…
Katie was six years old. She was part of a big family. She lived with her mom, dad and three older brothers. Her older brothers all played sports. They rode their bikes around town. Katie wanted to be just like them when she got bigger. One summer day, the boys…
One morning Eric’s teacher began the day with an announcement. “Today we have a new student joining our class,” she said. “Please welcome Akiko to second grade and to America.” Everyone said hello. Akiko smiled and looked down at the floor. “Akiko is from Japan. She is still learning English, and…
Every night, Caroline ate dinner with her mom, dad, and older brother Graham. When they sat at the table, they each told a story about their day at work or school. Then they each told about something new they had learned that day. Sometimes the stories were serious, and other…
Tiegan always liked to sing. Her earliest memories all have songs in them. Tiegan liked to sing in the bath tub when she was getting ready for bed, and she liked to sing in the morning while she walked to school. Sometimes, though, Tiegan’s family liked the house to be quiet.…
This passage from Act III, Scene 1 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is the sword fight between Mercutio, Romeo’s friend, and Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. As the scene opens, Mercutio is in the a public square with Benvolio and some servants when Tybalt and his friends arrive. An argument starts,…
At breakfast, Sarah saw that her mother was wearing overalls. That meant that she was planning to work in the garden. “What are you planting today?” asked Sarah. “Today I will plant radishes and carrots,” answered Sarah’s mother. “Would you like to help?” Sarah was happy. She wanted to learn more…
Madison stared through the window and watched a puffy white cloud pass over the woods across from the school. A solitary bird glided, wings stretched, across the sky and seemed to pierce the cloud. It must be wonderful to be a bird, she thought. Just fly across the sky without…
This young mermaid is the youngest of five sisters. She has never seen the world above the sea, but she has heard many stories about the land of humans. ————————- Nothing gave her so much pleasure as to hear about the world above the sea. She made her old grandmother…