Story Endings and Sharing

Overview

In this final lesson of Too Much Stuff Stories, students complete and share their narratives. They identify the ending and review the full story structure: beginning, problem, events, solution, and ending. Students reread their writing and check basic sentence features before sharing with a partner.

Learning intentions

• We are learning to identify the ending of a story.
• We are learning to review the beginning, problem, events, solution, and ending.
• We are learning to write one or two sentences that show what happens or how a character feels at the end.
• We are learning to reread our writing and share it clearly with a partner.

Success criteria

• I can point to the ending of my story.
• I can tell what happened in each part of my story.
• I can write an ending that tells what happens or how my character feels.
• I can check for capital letters, spaces, and full stops before I read my story.

Curriculum links

• English — Comprehension: text form, structure, style, and features. Students recognise that stories have a beginning, middle, and end, with characters, settings, and action.
• English — Comprehension: comprehension strategies. Students use the sequence of events to understand what happens next and how the story concludes.
• English — Composition: writing to entertain. Students complete a made-up story for an audience.
• Key competencies: using language, symbols, and texts; managing self; and relating to others.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Revisit the story shape. Teacher displays the story structure review slides and points to the five parts: beginning, problem, events, solution, and ending. Briefly retell a familiar Too Much Stuff example, asking, “What happened at the end?” Students show the sequence with five fingers and turn-and-talk about what an ending does.

2. 4–9 min · Model an ending. Teacher models rereading a short story and thinks aloud: “The problem is solved. Now I need to show what happens afterwards or how the character feels.” Write an example such as, “Mia put the toys in the basket. She felt proud because her room was tidy.” Students suggest another feeling or action and explain how it connects to the solution.

3. 9–13 min · Complete the story. Teacher returns to the ending model and writing prompt and reminds students to use their own draft from the previous lesson. Distribute the story ending and checking sheet. Students write one or two ending sentences, drawing on the character, problem, and solution already in their story.

4. 13–20 min · Reread and check. Teacher models pointing under each word while rereading, then demonstrates checking one sentence for a capital letter, spaces, and a full stop. Students reread their complete stories quietly or in a soft voice and use the worksheet prompts to check each feature; the teacher confers with students who need support.

5. 20–27 min · Think–pair–share. Teacher displays the partner-sharing instructions and places students in seven pairs. Students think by choosing a favourite part, pair-read their stories to one another, then share one positive response: “I liked…” or “I noticed…”. Partners may take turns reading one page or the whole story, depending on stamina and confidence.

6. 27–30 min · Plenary and assessment. Teacher gathers students and asks, “What makes an ending work?” and “Which checking job helped you today?” Students hold up one finger for beginning, two for problem, three for events, four for solution, and five for ending as the teacher names each part, then complete the final reflection on the story ending and checking sheet.

Resources

• the story structure review slides covering the hook, five-part story structure, model ending, writing prompt, checking routine, partner-sharing instructions, and plenary questions
• the story ending and checking sheet with space for one or two ending sentences and child-friendly checks
• Students’ story drafts from the previous lesson
• Pencils, erasers, and coloured pencils
• Story structure vocabulary cards or board labels: beginning, problem, events, solution, ending
• Teacher model paper or whiteboard
• Timer

Assessment

• During discussion, listen for students identifying the ending as the part after the solution and describing what happens or how the character feels.
• Check students’ completed endings for a logical connection to the problem and solution, and note whether they use a capital letter, spaces, and a full stop.
• During partner sharing, observe whether students can retell or identify the five story parts. Use the plenary finger check to identify students needing further support.

Differentiation

• Support writers by orally rehearsing the ending first and offering sentence starters: “At the end…”, “The character felt… because…”, or “Then…”. Scribe or share-write for students who need it.
• Provide a five-part visual sequence on the board and allow students to point to each part in their draft before writing.
• For EAL learners, use gestures, pictures, and repeated vocabulary. Pair students thoughtfully and allow them to explain an idea orally before writing.
• Extend confident writers by adding a second sentence that shows the character’s feeling and why they felt that way, while maintaining a clear link to the solution.
• Allow students with fine-motor or reading needs to dictate their ending, read with a partner, or share one selected page rather than the whole story.