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!

The Climb

One sunny day, Marco went outside to play. He looked at the tall tree in his front yard. It was the tallest tree in the neighborhood. The tree was taller than Marco’s parents. It was even taller than his house! Marco tipped his head back to look at the top of the…

Explanation

The Time Machine is the story of a scientist referred to as “the Time Traveller” who builds a machine to travel through time. During one of his trips, he goes over 800,000 years into the future. There he meets the human residents, called Eloi. He rescues an Eloi woman named…

Alice’s Evidence

Lewis Carroll’s delightful story Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland tells of an English girl named Alice who explores a strange world. In this passage, Alice has been attending a trial of the Knave of Hearts who is accused of stealing the Queen’s tarts. Just as Alice is called as a witness,…

The Duckling Parade

Swara liked her teacher, Ms. Gooden. She liked her so much that she helped her clean up after school. She wiped the desks off with a wet cloth. “Thank you very much, Swara,” said Ms. Gooden. “See you tomorrow.” Swara picked up her backpack and went outside. It was warm and sunny. She was about…

Jack After the Beanstalk

Jack got a cart from the shed and loaded gold pieces into it. Then he pushed the cart into the house. “Mom! You’ll never have to worry about food again!” “Jack! What is this? Where did you get these gold pieces? What have you done now?” Jack’s eyes lit up.…

Cupid’s Broken Glasses

Cupid went to bed early. Tomorrow was a big day! Every year he went flying around, shooting his special arrows at people to make them fall in love. Valentine’s Day was always the busiest time for him.   He took a final look at his Love List. It held the…

The Class Party

Back on the first day of school, Ms. Ryan told all the children that at the end of the year there would be a class party for the second grade. Everyone was very excited. June seemed very far away at the time, and the students kept their minds on their…

Block City

What are you able to build with your blocks? Castles and palaces, temples and docks. Rain may keep raining, and others go roam, But I can be happy and building at home. Let the sofa be mountains, the carpet be sea, There I’ll establish a city for me: A kirk…

The Red Sock

One Saturday morning, Jeremy woke up to a quiet house. Usually Mom was awake making breakfast and cleaning the kitchen, but not today. Jeremy knocked on her bedroom door. “Mom?” he called. “Don’t come in, Jeremy,” said Mom. “I have a terrible cold. I don’t want you to get sick. You…

The Elves Take a Vacation

If you were to believe the carols, you would no doubt think that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. And it usually is. But when you are a Christmas elf, the most fantastic, delightful, spectacular time of year is the week after Christmas. That’s when the hard-working…