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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Free Character Traits List
Teach your students to analyse characters more effectively by providing them with a list of character traits.
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Free Wanted Poster Template Pack
Use a 'Wanted' poster template pack to encourage your students to research and write about historic figures and more!
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Jack and the Beanstalk Retelling Activity Cards
Teach your students about retelling with this set of sequencing cards for Jack and the Beanstalk.
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Beginning, Middle End Worksheets
Explore the main structure and story elements in a short story with these beginning, middle and end worksheets.
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Character Profile Template Pack
Explore the personality, appearance, feelings and actions of a character from a narrative with this printable character profile templates.
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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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Little Red Riding Hood Retelling Activity Cards
Teach your students about retelling with this set of sequencing cards for Little Red Riding Hood.
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5 Finger Retell Classroom Posters
Guide students through the 5 finger retell process with this set of classroom posters and individual student guide.
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Story Elements Poster Set
Display these cute sloth-themed story elements posters when learning about narrative texts.
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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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The Gingerbread Man Story Sequencing Cards
Teach your students about retelling with this set of printable gingerbread man story sequencing cards.
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Movie Day Menu - Story Element Review Grid
Turn a movie day into a learning experience with our printable Movie Day Comprehension menu.
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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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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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Narrative Elements Graphic Organisers – Portrait
Encourage your students to write and draw about various story elements with this set of differentiated graphic organisers.
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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 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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Narrative Sequencing Teaching Presentation - Little Miss Muffet
Engage young readers in texts and learn about narrative sequencing with a teaching presentation featuring the Little Miss Muffet nursery rhyme.
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Jack Be Nimble - Sequencing Cards
Read and retell the story within the Jack Be Nimble tale with a set of retelling sequencing cards.
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Hey Diddle Diddle Sequencing Activity Cards
Read and retell the story within the Hey Diddle Diddle tale with a set of retelling sequencing cards.
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Narrative Features Worksheets - Hey Diddle Diddle
Identify characters, settings and parts of a story with early years reading worksheets featuring the Hey Diddle Diddle nursery rhyme.
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Hickory Dickory Dock Sequencing Activity Cards
Read and retell the story found within the nursery rhyme Hickory Dickory Dock with a set of retell sequencing cards.
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Narrative Features Worksheets - Humpty Dumpty
Identify characters, settings and parts of a story with early years reading worksheets featuring the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme.
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Readers' Theatre - Itsy Bitsy Spider Read and Retell Activity
Engage young readers in texts with a dramatic reading of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and accompanying story retelling activity.
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Reading Response Retelling Important Events– Template
A comprehension template for students to revise important parts of a text.
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Reading Response Character Report – Template
A comprehension template for students to write a character report about the text they have been reading.
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Novel Study – Character Map Worksheet
Explore and analyse the characters in your class novel with this set of three worksheets.
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Exploring Narrative Texts PowerPoint
Teach your students about the key elements of narrative texts with this comprehensive teaching presentation.
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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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Literature Task Cards
A set of 30 literature tasks to assist your students with examining and responding to literature.
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Character Interview Task Cards
Use these book character interview questions to extend your students' learning about the narrative elements.
- Narrative Elements Worksheets
- Narrative Elements Templates
- Narrative Elements Teaching Presentations
- Narrative Elements Games
- 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