Story Structure Basics

Overview

In this fourth lesson of Exciting English Explorations, the student explores how stories are organised into a beginning, middle and end. Using a familiar picture book, the student identifies key events, then plans an original story using the same simple structure.

Learning intentions

• Students will identify the beginning, middle and end of a familiar story.
• Students will explain what happens at each stage of a story.
• Students will plan a simple story with a clear character, setting and sequence of events.
• Students will use interesting vocabulary to describe story events.

Success criteria

• I can tell what happens at the beginning, middle and end.
• I can put story events in the correct order.
• I can plan my own story using three connected parts.
• I can use describing and feeling words in my story plan.

Curriculum links

• Understanding and responding to literature by creating a text with a similar structure and intentional language choices.
• Planning and creating a text for a purpose using vocabulary, sentence structure and text features.
• Using taught vocabulary to extend and elaborate ideas.
• Comprehending a sustained text by connecting events, recalling details and monitoring understanding.
• Communicating ideas clearly in discussion and oral storytelling.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Story hook. Open with the story structure hook and display three mixed-up event pictures from a familiar story. Ask, “Which event should happen first, and how do you know?” The student predicts the order and explains their thinking using sequence words such as first, next and finally.

2. 8–20 min · Read and notice structure. Read a familiar picture book, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, pausing to check understanding of characters, setting and important events. Use the beginning, middle and end teaching slides to explain that the beginning introduces the character and situation, the middle shows important events or a problem, and the end shows what happens afterwards or how the story finishes. The student retells key events orally and identifies where each part belongs.

3. 20–30 min · Guided story mapping. Return to the story map example and model a three-part retell: “At the beginning…”, “In the middle…”, “At the end…”. Together, complete one example using short notes or drawings. Prompt the student to explain how one event leads to the next and to suggest precise vocabulary, such as hungry, enormous, searched, discovered or finally.

4. 30–45 min · Plan an original story. Distribute the three-part story planning worksheet. Invite the student to choose a character, setting and simple problem, then plan one or two events for each section. Provide a choice of prompts: “A tiny animal finds a mysterious door”, “A lost toy travels to an unexpected place” or “A child helps a creature in trouble”. Confer individually, asking, “What does your character want?”, “What changes in the middle?” and “How will the problem be solved?” The student draws and labels ideas, adding words or sentences as appropriate.

5. 45–54 min · Oral rehearsal and revision. Use the oral rehearsal prompts to guide the student in telling the planned story aloud. The student retells it in order, using beginning, middle and end headings and at least three sequence words. Help the student notice gaps, repeated words or an ending that does not solve the problem, then revise the plan.

6. 54–60 min · Share and assess. The student presents the story plan orally, referring to each section. Finish with the plenary slide and ask, “Why does a story need a beginning, middle and end?” The student gives one example from the familiar story and one from their own plan, then identifies one word they chose to make the story more exciting.

Resources

• the complete story structure slide deck
• the three-part story planning worksheet
• A familiar picture book, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar
• Pencils, coloured pencils and eraser
• Whiteboard and marker
• Optional sticky notes for moving or sequencing events
• Existing Year 2 English workbook booklet, if preferred for recording

Assessment

• During discussion, listen for accurate identification of beginning, middle and end and correct use of sequence language.
• Check the planning worksheet for a recognisable character, setting, connected events and a clear ending.
• During oral rehearsal, note whether the student retells events in order and can explain how the problem is resolved.

Differentiation

• Support the student with oral sentence starters: “At the beginning…”, “Then the character…”, “Finally…”. Allow drawing, labels and dictated sentences before independent writing.
• Use a three-box visual planner and model one example before the student begins. Reread selected pages of the familiar story when needed.
• Offer a small bank of descriptive and feeling words, including worried, excited, lonely, brave, enormous, rushed and discovered.
• Extend the student by asking them to add a setting description, dialogue, a change in the character, or a more surprising but logical ending. For an EAL/D learner, pair each sequence word with a gesture or image and accept oral retelling alongside written work.