Spin Up the Basic Elements of a Story

This spinner template has been created by a teacher as a great way to get students to think about the basic elements of a story. The spinner is designed to have students think about characters, settings, what happened at the beginning, in the middle (problem) and the end (solution). Students can then put their spinner together for an engaging way to remember the elements of certain stories.

This is a great small group activity to use with your students. 

Story Elements Small Group Activity Idea

By using this spinner small groups can work collaboratively to deepen their understanding of story elements. Here’s how to use the story spinner for small group activities:

• Print and assemble the spinner for each small group or provide materials for students to assemble their own.
• Have a few example stories ready for students to discuss, or allow them to choose their own.

Activity:

• Spin the wheel and land on a story element (e.g., character, setting, beginning, middle, end).
• As a group, students identify and discuss that element in the story they are reading. For example:
  • Characters: Who are the main characters? What are they like?
  • Setting: Where does the story take place?
  • Beginning: What happens to start the story?
  • Middle/Problem: What challenge or conflict occurs?
  • End/Solution: How is the problem solved?
• Each student contributes to the discussion, ensuring everyone shares their thoughts.

Reflection:

• After spinning and discussing all elements, groups can create a quick summary of the story using the elements they identified.
• Alternatively, they can present their findings to the class.

Download and Explore the Elements in a Story Today!

Use the dropdown menu to choose between the easy to print PDF or the editable Google Slide version of this resource.

This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a Teach Starter Collaborator.

More Story Elements Activity Ideas

Looking for more story element ideas to use in the classroom? We have you covered…

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