Tag: Story Elements

Let’s be honest—getting students to truly understand a story can sometimes feel like asking them to explain the plot of a dream. (“There was this dog… and a time machine… and we were at school, but also on the moon?”) That’s where story mapping comes in. This trusty strategy helps students see how a story …

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Let’s talk about theme. That elusive message lurking behind every story—the one we know is there, but students often treat like a secret code they forgot the cipher for. Some kids catch on quickly. Others? You’ll get responses like “The theme of Charlotte’s Web is… pigs can talk?” (Close, but no.) Thankfully, teaching theme doesn’t …

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Teaching point of view can feel a bit like jumping into a choose-your-own-adventure book. Which narrator are we following? Who’s telling the story? Is it you, me, or someone with omniscient powers? With the Common Core weaving it across multiple grade levels, it’s a must-teach skill—and dare we say, a fun one too. Standards Snapshot …

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Let’s face it—perspective and point of view walk into your classroom hand in hand…and immediately start causing confusion. Your students think they’re twins. They are not. Let’s face it—“perspective” can be one of those slippery ELA terms that makes kids (and sometimes teachers) go, “Wait, didn’t we just cover this with point of view?” Not …

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Let’s face it—getting upper elementary students to really understand character traits can feel a bit like trying to explain why your dog needs a Halloween costume. Confusing at first, but oh-so rewarding when it clicks. Once students see how traits shape a character’s choices, relationships, and growth, their reading comprehension and writing skills level up …

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Let’s talk about the setting of a story—you know, that part of the story students like to summarize as “It takes place in a house.” But setting is so much more than where and when a story happens. It’s the engine behind the plot, the mood-setter, the character-shaper. In some stories, the setting deserves its …

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Let’s be honest—plot development can feel a little abstract when you’re trying to teach it. So, why not turn it into a thrill ride? Literally. That’s right—we’re taking our students on the Plot Development Roller Coaster. No seat belts required, but a pencil might help. The Plot Development Roller Coaster 🎢 Exposition – The Ride …

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