Narrative Elements Teaching Resources
Are you teaching narrative elements and looking for worksheets and activities to get students excited about tone, narration, plot and a host of other elements to writing a great story? Wondering how to engage primary students on the concept of character traits and make plot development as exciting as recess?
The English teachers on the Teach Starter team have done just that with a collection of printable worksheets and digital activities built around this core reading standard. Aligned with the Australian English curriculum, each narrative elements activity in this collection has undergone a careful review by a member of our teacher team to ensure it's ready for your lesson plans and your students.
Explore our teacher team's guide to learn more about the various narrative elements and how to bring them to life in your classroom!
Is this your first year teaching about these story elements? Or the first year in a while? Our teacher team has put together a quick refresher to get you ready to rock and roll in the classroom, including a way to explain what narrative elements are.
What Are Narrative Elements? A Kid-Friendly Definition
First thing's first: Let's talk about the definition.
Narrative elements are the basic components of writing that the author uses to share the story with the reader. Without them, the narrative falls apart!
They are sometimes referred to as story elements or literary elements. No matter what you call them, these elements give a piece of writing structure and help the author convey information to the reader.
On the reading side, literary elements are also key to breaking down a story to understand better what the author is trying to say.
What Are Examples of Narrative Elements? 8 Examples That Can Help Your Students
There are eight main examples of narrative elements that students will encounter in narrative texts:
1. Setting
This element is crucial for developing a story as it provides the time in which the story takes place as well as where it takes place. Setting helps ground the story.
2. Plot
The plot is the way a story unfolds. It's essentially a pattern for the text.
3. Conflict
Conflict helps move a plot forward as it offers the reader a climax to move toward as they read.
4. Characterisation
This element of writing covers the way characters are developed within a story.
5. Point of View
Also called narration, this literary element is the perspective from which a story is told, such as first person or third person.
6. Tone
The tone of a story can be boiled down to the author's attitude about the subject of the story.
7. Genre
Genre covers the type of story written, such as realistic fiction, science fiction or even magical realism.
8. Figurative Language
Similes, metaphors and onomatopoeia are just some examples of the figurative language students may encounter in a text.
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Character Traits Graphic Organiser
Describe the most notable mental and moral qualities of a real or fictional person.
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Character Profile Flip Book - Upper Primary
Explore how authors use language to describe characters with this versatile flipbook template.
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Story Retell Brochure Template
Explore retelling a story with this brochure template covering the major elements of a retell.
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Explore a Dreaming Story – Worksheet
Use this template to explore First Nations’ Dreaming stories and unlock how they connect to Country.
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Literature Study Task Cards (Upper Primary)
Explore the wonders of children's literature with this set of 14 literature study task cards for upper primary students.
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Novel Study – Chapter Summary Worksheet
Reflect on a chapter in a class novel using this one-page worksheet.
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Three Little Pigs – Sequencing Worksheet
Identify the story beginning, series of events and ending with this narrative text sequencing activity.
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Detailed Character Profile Worksheet
A worksheet for students to use when building a character for a story.
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Jack and Jill Retelling Activity Cards
Teach your students about retelling with this set of sequencing cards for Jack and Jill.
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Story Retell Interactive Activity
Use this Interactive activity to practise retelling stories.
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Character Appearance, Traits and Feelings - Worksheet
Explore and describe a character's personality, feelings and appearance with this differentiated worksheet to be used with any text.
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Character Development - Fakebook Page Template
Use research and creative writing skills to design a social media profile for fiction or nonfiction persons.
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Retelling Stories Paper Chains Template
Get crafty with this fun retelling stories activity where students use paper chains to create a chain for a story they have read in class.
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Gingerbread Man Retelling Activity Cards
Teach your students about retelling with this set of sequencing cards for The Gingerbread Man.
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3 Billy Goats Gruff Retelling Activity Cards
Teach your students about retelling with this set of sequencing cards for 3 Billy Goats Gruff.
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Story Elements Worksheets – The Goose and the Golden Egg
Practise identifying the story characters, settings and main events with this set of worksheets based on a traditional tale.
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Story Elements Cut and Paste Worksheets – The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Explore story characters, settings and main events with this set of cut-and-paste worksheets based on a well-known fable.
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Who Is the Main Character? Interactive Game
Practise identifying the main characters in nursery rhymes with this interactive digital activity.
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Story Settings - Graphic Organisers
Encourage your students to write and draw about story settings with this set of differentiated graphic organisers.
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Story Beginning, Middle and End - Graphic Organiser
Help your students write and draw about the beginning, middle and end of stories with this set of differentiated graphic organisers.
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Elements of a Story Activity Workbook
Explore the different elements of a narrative story with this student mini workbook.
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Literature Study Task Cards (Lower Primary)
Explore the wonders of children's literature with this set of 12 literature study task cards for lower primary students.
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Why Bears Have Stumpy Tails – Sequencing Worksheet
Identify the story beginning, series of events and ending with this narrative text sequencing activity.
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5 Finger Retell Worksheets
Guide your students through using the 5 finger retell strategy with this set of worksheets.
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5 Finger Retelling Interactive Activity
Practise using the 5 finger retelling strategy with this interactive activity.
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5 Finger Retell Teaching Slides
Teach your students about the 5 finger retell strategy with this set of teaching slides.
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Retelling Caterpillar Writing Template
Help students break down their retells with this cute caterpillar writing template.
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Who Is the Main Character? Worksheets
Practise identifying the main characters in nursery rhymes with this set of worksheets for young learners.
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Inside Trait or Outside Trait? Interactive Game
Explore the internal and external traits of story characters with this interactive digital game.
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Character or Not? - Colouring Worksheet
Explore the difference between characters and non-characters with this colouring worksheet.
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Beginning, Middle and End Mini-Book - The Three Bears
Teach your students about the beginning, middle and end of a story with this mini-book retell of The Three Bears.
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Beginning, Middle and End Mini-Book - The Three Little Pigs
Teach your students about the beginning, middle and end of a story with this mini-book retell of The Three Little Pigs.
- Narrative Elements Worksheets
- Narrative Elements Templates
- Narrative Elements Teaching Presentations
- Narrative Elements for Foundation Year
- Narrative Elements for Year 1
- Narrative Elements for Year 2
- Narrative Elements for Year 3
- Narrative Elements for Year 4
- Narrative Elements for Year 5
- Narrative Elements for Year 6