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Story Elements

Third graders learn the parts that make up every play and story — character, setting, problem, solution, and plot — so they can understand and build stories to act out.

Grade 3Story35 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name story elements.
  • ✓Explain each part.
  • ✓Match elements to meanings.
  • ✓Use them in a play.
Essential Question

Every play and story has the same important parts! What are the story elements, and what does each one mean?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Story Element

Project this and match each story element to what it means — tap an element, then tap its meaning.

📚 Match each story element to its meaningTry it
Element
What It Means
Now tap its meaning!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Warm-Up · Explore · Rehearse · Perform · Reflect)

35 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Every Story’s Parts

4 min

Every play and story has the same parts — what are they?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Tell a short story.
  • Ask what parts it had.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Think.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Story Elements

9 min

Children explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Match the Story Element.
  • Match each one.
  • Explain them.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Explain.
  • Name.
3

Rehearse — Rehearse

10 min

Children rehearse.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a story’s character.
  • Name its setting.
  • Name the problem.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Character.
  • Setting.
  • Problem.
4

Perform — Perform

8 min

Children perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Act out a story’s problem.
  • Show the solution.
  • Be kind.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Act it.
  • Solve it.
  • Be kind.
5

Reflect — Reflect

4 min

Children respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name an element.
  • Say what it means.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Theatre).

NCAS
TH:Cr1.1.3

Identify story elements.

NCAS
TH:Cr2.1.3

Build a story with elements.

NCAS
TH:Re7.1.3

Analyze a story.

NCAS
TH:Cn11.1.3

Connect stories to plays.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Element + meaning cards.
  • Sentence frame: “The ___ is ___.”
  • Use a story example.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with character and setting.
  • Match one pair at a time.
  • Use a story.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Map a full story.
  • Write a story.
  • Change one element.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 📚Story books
  • 💻Match the Story Element
  • 📋A story map
  • 🖍️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

story elementa part of a storycharacterwho the story is aboutsettingwhere and when it happensproblemthe trouble in the storysolutionhow it’s fixedplotthe order of eventsbeginningthe startendingthe finish
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is the character in a story?
Who the story is about.
QUESTION 2
What is the setting?
Where and when the story happens.
QUESTION 3
What is the problem?
The trouble the characters face.

Reflect: story parts.

Have children name the character, setting, and problem in a favorite book. A printable story-elements sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Story ElementsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Story ElementsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Story ElementsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: beginning, character, ending, plot, problem, setting, solution, story element
  1. the trouble in the story
  2. the start
  3. how it’s fixed
  4. a part of a story
  5. who the story is about
  6. the order of events
  7. where and when it happens
  8. the finish

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is the character in a story?
  2. What is the setting?
  3. What is the problem?
Answer key — Part A: 1) problem · 2) beginning · 3) solution · 4) story element · 5) character · 6) plot · 7) setting · 8) ending
Part B: 1) Who the story is about. 2) Where and when the story happens. 3) The trouble the characters face.