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Preschool - 4th Grade Story Elements Lesson Plans

Use this lesson to help students identify the elements of a fictional text while gaining more knowledge about parts of speech. Use as a stand alone activity or a support lesson for Fairy Tales: Identifying Story Elements.

elements of fairy tales

Elements of Fairy Tales

Introduce students to fictional story elements with a book by first grade favorite, Mo Willems! This lesson plan can be used alone or with the Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Key Details lesson plan.

finding the key details

Finding the Key Details

Use this lesson to teach your students to identify story elements and compare them to another text's story elements. This lesson can stand alone or be used as a pre-lesson for the *Comparing Texts by the Same Author* lesson.

pick out the parts of a story

Pick Out the Parts of a Story

Characters, settings, and events, oh my! In this lesson, students will dig deeper into each of these components and learn to provide specific details from their texts.

tell me more characters settings and events

Tell Me More: Characters, Settings, and Events

Students will learn how to identify story elements and create a short and sweet summary. They will fill out a graphic organizer and solidify their understanding by creating illustrations to show major plot points that they find themselves!

traditional literature story mapping

Traditional Literature: Story Mapping

In this lesson, your students will explore reading with technology with "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." Students will use a graphic organizer to reflect on this story.

goldilocks and the three bears key details

Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Key Details

This engaging lesson teaches students about the famous author Faith Ringgold. Students will explore two pieces of literature, comparing and contrasting story elements, then write opinion pieces to illustrate which book they liked best.

author study faith ringgold

Author Study: Faith Ringgold

Students will have a blast turning a reading passage into a Reader's Theater skit. This lesson teaches them to use dialogue to help readers understand the experiences of different characters.

action students create readers theater

Action! Students Create Reader's Theater

Your kids will love learning about setting, characters and events as they listen to a classic tale and play a simple game. This lesson helps students improve their reading comprehension skills while they have fun.

setting characters and events in goldilocks and the three bears

Setting, Characters, and Events in Goldilocks and the Three Bears

By fourth grade, most students are familiar with story elements such as setting, characters, and plot. In this lesson, students will compare and contrast the elements in two stories with similar themes.

compare and contrast short stories

Compare and Contrast Short Stories

Stories can change a lot depending on the point of view they are told from. In this lesson, students explore point of view by comparing and contrasting two versions of "The Three Little Pigs." 

these stories are almost the same

These Stories Are (Almost) the Same

Are your students hooking their readers? Use this creative and imaginative writing exercise that will bring student beginnings to life.

lets hook em

Let's Hook 'Em!

In this lesson, your students will learn all about the perfect recipe for a story! Your students will practice their knowledge by rolling a story element die and sharing with the class.

the recipe for a perfect story

The Recipe for a Perfect Story

Story elements help to bring beloved fairy tales to life in this literacy lesson. Your students will learn to identify the title, author, setting, characters, problem, and solution in a fiction text.

fairy tales identifying story elements

Fairy Tales: Identifying Story Elements

Teach your class about the genre of traditional literature, made up of stories from around the world that have been told for generations. In this lesson, students will read fairy tales and compare story elements in each piece of literature.

elements of traditional literature

Elements of Traditional Literature

What adventures can a reindeer, candy cane, and a snowman embark on? Let’s find out! In this writing lesson, students will write a Christmas-themed narrative incorporating characters, setting, problem, and solution. 


christmas adventure writing

Christmas Adventure Writing

Every storyteller needs to understand beginning, middle, and end. The same goes for young readers. Help your students grasp the concept of story sections with this hands-on sequencing lesson.

the wheels of the story go round and round

The Wheels of the Story Go Round and Round

Good readers analyze texts by looking at similarities and differences. Use this lesson to teach your students to compare and contrast the story elements of two fiction texts.

finding similarities and differences

Finding Similarities and Differences

By fourth grade, most students are familiar with story elements such as setting, characters, and plot. In this lesson, students will compare and contrast the elements in two stories with similar themes. 

compare and contrast story elements

Compare and Contrast Story Elements

This comprehensive overview of story elements will definitely leave students with a better understanding of author's purpose, character traits, sequence, and main idea. It features the acclaimed Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus.

craft stick story elements

Craft Stick Story Elements

Reading can be a rollercoaster with its ups and downs! Use this lesson that features a rollercoaster-themed story map to teach your students about story structure and how to use a graphic organizer to visualize it.

story structure rollercoaster

Story Structure Rollercoaster

Getting hooked on a series or type of character creates reader engagement! Use this lesson to challenge your students to compare and contrast fictional texts as they find the joy in reading books by the same author.

comparing texts by the same author

Comparing Texts by the Same Author

Use this lesson with your students to teach them to describe the differences between stories with contrasting conjunctions. This lesson can stand-alone or be used as a pre-lesson for the *Finding Similarities and Differences* lesson.

focus on the differences

Focus on the Differences

Students will use their understanding of plot, theme, and comparing and contrasting in this lesson that teaches about an award-winning African American author, Jacqueline Woodson. Students will read some of her fiction books and compare and contrast the stories. They'll also discuss what they think makes Jacqueline Woodson an award-winning author.

author study jacqueline woodson

Author Study: Jacqueline Woodson

Combine letter recognition and movement with this reading-focused lesson! In this lesson, students will reenact the story "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" while learning to recognize lowercase letters.

chicka chicka boom boom order in the room

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: Order in the Room!

Are the stories the same or different? You decide! Use this lesson with your students to practice comparing the story elements in two fictional stories written by the same author. 

the same or different you decide

The Same or Different? You Decide!

Use this lesson to teach your students to describe the similarities between stories with words that signal comparison. This lesson can stand-alone or be used as a pre-lesson for the *The Same or Different? You Decide!* lesson.

focus on the similarities

Focus on the Similarities

What makes a story, a story? In this lesson, students examine the elements of stories. They learn to use pre-planning strategies to set their own stories up for success... before they even start writing!

dissecting stories analyzing story elements

Dissecting Stories: Analyzing Story Elements

In this lesson, students will use conjunctions to compare and contrast scary stories. It can be taught independently or used as a pre-lesson to Using Story Elements to Compare and Contrast Fiction Texts. 

scary story elements

Scary Story Elements

All fictional stories have story elements but they sure can differ between stories. In this lesson, students will compare and contrast the story elements of two fictional stories and document their findings in a graphic organizer.   

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Preschool - 4th Grade Story Elements Lesson Plans