An Introduction to Story Elements What makes a good story? An Introduction to Story Elements Need: Story Elements packet Little Red Riding Hood story Highlighters or colored pencils

Think about your bicycle. What makes it so great? Is it the wheels? The frame? The adventures you take? Would your bike be any good to you if it were missing some parts? Your bike needs all the pieces to make it fun. It can’t be missing the frame, the seat, the wheels, the pedals, or the handlebars!

So, what does a good story need? A good story is the same way! Stories need different parts to make them exciting. Now think about your favorite story. What if it was missing the characters? What if there were no action? Sounds boring, right? Characters Theme Plot Flocabulary 5 Things video So, what does a good story need? Conflict Setting

Let’s start with the obvious… ELEMENT 1 CHARACTERS! Let’s start with the obvious… The mouse is trustworthy. Little Red Riding Hood is brave. Harry Potter is magical. Paul Bunyan is strong. CHARACTERS are the people or animals in a story. Characters have different TRAITS, or characteristics. Personality traits of a character are learned by watching the character’s actions and listening to what they say. Personality traits stay the same over time. They are not feelings. Some examples are…

Characters Characters– people or animals in a story

Highlight the name of the main CHARACTER in YELLOW. Ginny entered the beautifully decorated classroom and quickly found her seat. She set her backpack down beside her seat and began to unpack her things. When she pulled out her binder, she discovered that her pencil was missing. Her teacher, Mrs. White was very strict and would not tolerate being unprepared for class. Ginny grew more worried as she desperately searched through her bag for a spare pencil, but she could not find one. Just as she was beginning to really panic, Patrick, her neighbor, offered to let her borrow one of his for the day. Ginny was immensely grateful. She learned to always be prepared for class.

ELEMENT 2 SETTING The SETTING is… and WHEN WHERE a story takes place.

Setting Setting– when and where a story takes place

Highlight the SETTING in ORANGE. Ginny entered the beautifully decorated classroom and quickly found her seat. She set her backpack down beside her seat and began to unpack her things. When she pulled out her binder, she discovered that her pencil was missing. Her teacher, Mrs. White was very strict and would not tolerate being unprepared for class. Ginny grew more worried as she desperately searched through her bag for a spare pencil, but she could not find one. Just as she was beginning to really panic, Patrick, her neighbor, offered to let her borrow one of his for the day. Ginny was immensely grateful. She learned to always be prepared for class.

The PLOT is the ACTION in a story. ELEMENT 3 PLOT The PLOT is the ACTION in a story. Look for important events from the BEGINNING, MIDDLE, and END of the story! Climax middle Rising Action Falling Action Exposition Resolution beginning end All the events in a story, from the beginning to the end, make up the PLOT.

3. climax- the most exciting part of the story 2. rising action – the events that help the reader understand the problem of conflict 4. falling action – the events that happen after the climax and lead to the solution of the problem 1. exposition – the beginning of the story where the author introduces the characters and setting 5. resolution – where the main problem or conflict is resolved

Plot Plot-the events that make up a story

Label them B (beginning), M (middle), and E (end). Underline one event from the beginning, middle, and end of the story with pink to show the PLOT. Label them B (beginning), M (middle), and E (end). Ginny entered the beautifully decorated classroom and quickly found her seat. She set her backpack down beside her seat and began to unpack her things. When she pulled out her binder, she discovered that her pencil was missing. Her teacher, Mrs. White was very strict and would not tolerate being unprepared for class. Ginny grew more worried as she desperately searched through her bag for a spare pencil, but she could not find one. Just as she was beginning to really panic, Patrick, her neighbor, offered to let her borrow one of his for the day. Ginny was immensely grateful. She learned to always be prepared for class.

CONFLICT and The CONFLICT is the main PROBLEM in a story. ELEMENT 4 CONFLICT The CONFLICT is the main PROBLEM in a story. Two main types of CONFLICT are… and EXTERNAL INTERNAL Man vs. Man (video) Man vs. Society (video) Man vs. Nature (video) Man vs. Self (video)

Conflict Conflict- the problem in a story

Highlight the CONFLICT in GREEN. Ginny entered the beautifully decorated classroom and quickly found her seat. She set her backpack down beside her seat and began to unpack her things. When she pulled out her binder, she discovered that her pencil was missing. Her teacher, Mrs. White was very strict and would not tolerate being unprepared for class. Ginny grew more worried as she desperately searched through her bag for a spare pencil, but she could not find one. Just as she was beginning to really panic, Patrick, her neighbor, offered to let her borrow one of his for the day. Ginny was immensely grateful. She learned to always be prepared for class.

Hard Work Self-Confidence Loyalty Family Courage Friendship Respect ELEMENT 5 THEME The THEME is the LESSON learned from a story, or the “BIG IDEA”. It will not always be stated! You have to THINK! There are MANY common themes in literature! Hard Work Self-Confidence Loyalty Family Courage Friendship Respect Hope Jealousy Love Honesty Acceptance

Theme Theme- the lesson learned from a story

Highlight the THEME in BLUE. Ginny entered the beautifully decorated classroom and quickly found her seat. She set her backpack down beside her seat and began to unpack her things. When she pulled out her binder, she discovered that her pencil was missing. Her teacher, Mrs. White was very strict and would not tolerate being unprepared for class. Ginny grew more worried as she desperately searched through her bag for a spare pencil, but she could not find one. Just as she was beginning to really panic, Patrick, her neighbor, offered to let her borrow one of his for the day. Ginny was immensely grateful. She learned to always be prepared for class.

where and when a story takes place the people or animals who are important to the story where and when a story takes place the main issue, struggle, or problem in a story the message an author is trying to send the sequence of events in a story

of Little Red Riding Hood