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Story Structure Activities
A lot of stories have the same parts. These parts have names like climax, rising action, inciting incident and so forth. We study these parts to gain an appreciation for how stories are told. We hope that students emulate these structures in their own writings.
How great would it be to read a narrative essay that had a climax? Before students can write those in their stories consistently, they have to learn about turning points. This page contains free activities to help students master story structure.
Story Structure Lesson 1
Here is a PowerPoint slideshow on Story Structure. Students read a short story called "Gertrude the Great." Then they are introduced to story structure terms like rising action, climax, resolution.
Story Structure Lesson 2
Here is another slideshow lesson on Story Structure. Students read a short story called "The Breakaway," a motivational story about an athlete who sustains an injury and has to find another way to succeed. Then they will analyze and identify structural elements of the story. Suggested reading level for this text: Grade 5-9.
Story Structure Quiz 1 | "Unto Others"
This is a story structure quizzed based on a short story called "Unto Others." Students read the story, which is about acceptance and redemption, and then they answer multiple choice questions about the structure of the story. Suggested reading level for this text: Grade 3-7.
Story Structure Quiz 2 | "Blood is Thicker"
This is a story structure quizzed based on a short story called Blood is Thicker. It is about two sisters who are complete opposites. They must learn to work together to achieve their goals. Students read the short story and answer multiple choice questions about the structure of the story. Suggested reading level for this text: Grade 4-8.
Story Structure Quiz 3 | "Time Warriors"
This is a story structure quizzed based on a short story called Time Warriors. Alex is dismayed when his mother forces him to take his little brother with him to a friend's house. He learns to appreciate him by the end of the story. Students read the short story and complete multiple choice questions about the structure of the narrative. Suggested reading level for this text: Grade 3-7.
Story Structure Handout
Here's a nice overview of narrative structure for students. This story structure handout includes information about exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. This is great for introducing or reviewing story structure.
Story Structure Graphic Organizer 1
Are you looking for a graphic organizer to help your students learn story structure? Here's a blank story structure graphic organizer. You can use it to analyze the structure of any story that has a turning point.
Story Structure Graphic Organizer 2
Here's another nice overview of narrative structure for students. This story structure graphic organizer includes information about exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
Illustrate Elements of Fiction
Here's a fun, student-centered activity to help students review the elements of fictions. In this assignment students will define terms related to the elements of fiction (setting, plot, rising action, etc.), create an example, and then illustrate the examples.
I hope these activities help your students master story structure. Also check out these free story structure worksheets:
Click Here For MORE Story Structure Worksheets
Story Structure
Common Core State Standards
Story Structure Anchor Standard
R.5 - Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.RL.2.5 - Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
RL.3.5 - Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections.
RL.4.5 - Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text.
RL.5.5 - Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.
RL.6.5 - Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.
RL.7.5 - Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning.
RL.8.5 - Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
RL.9-10.5 - Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
RL.11-12.5 - Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
Click to VIEW Grade Level Standards for R.5
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