Story Structure

Lesson 1: Story Structure

Time: 30 minutes

Student Objectives: Students will be able to demonstrate the basic story structure by recognizing the different aspects (beginning, middle, and end) within a familiar story book.

Theatre Standards:

• TH:Re8.1.K. With prompting and support, name and describe settings in dramatic play or a guided drama experience (e.g., process drama,story drama, creative drama).

• TH:Cn11.2.K. With prompting and support, tell a short story in dramatic play or a guided drama experience (e.g., process drama,story drama, creative drama).

  Materials:

• Story book: Harold and the Purple Crayon

• Beginning(1), Middle(3), and End(1) Pictures X4

  Instruction:

• Introductions

  • Powerpoint

  • Invisible ball, say their name and one fun fact about them. (Ex. Their favorite animal)

• Warm up (led by student)

• Book

○ Have the students sit in a circle. Possibly two depending on the number of students. Ask them what makes a story a story? What do you need to make a story? Have them raise their hands to give input.

■ Guide to them in identifying characters, beginning, middle, and end.

• Read the story

• Pause and ask the students to identify an event that signified the beginning of the story.

• Continue and do this same thing with at least 3 middle events as well as an event that occured at the end of the story.

• Once you have finished reading the story fully, designate three different hand signs for the students to silently identify beginning, middle, and end. Go over these a number of times so the students remember them with ease.

  • Beginning - Fist

  • Middle - Peace Sign

  • End - Thumbs up

○ Go through the story again. This time, just show the pictures and give the

students a brief moment to respond with their hand signals showing what part of

the story they think it is.

● Beginning, Middle, End order activity with paper in small groups.

• Split the class into 3-4 small groups. It is preferable for these groups to sit at small tables if the classroom allows.

• Give each group a set of the picture snippets from the story. (Included below)

• Ask the students to place the papers in the correct order.

• Walk around the room and assist as needed. Ask students questions such as the

Questions:

● Does order matter?
● Do the pictures help you know which order the pictures should be

in?
● How does this help you understand Harold’s story?