Narrative Writing Teaching Resources
Teach narrative writing this school year with writing prompts, printable worksheets, storyboards and story maps and more teaching resources created by teachers for elementary teachers like you.
This collection of TEKS and Common Core curriculum-aligned teaching resources has been carefully curated by our expert teacher team. That means not only is every resource teacher-created, but each one has undergone our review process to ensure it's ready for your lesson plan and your students!
Is this your first year teaching students about writing narratives? Or maybe you're just looking for some fresh ideas to tackle the topic? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is Narrative Writing?
Narrative writing is the act of writing a story, and those stories can be fictional or non-fiction accounts of something the student has experienced or learned about.
This type of writing is often popular with students as it allows them to use their imagination and creativity.
Which Elements Does Strong Narrative Writing Always Contain?
To make their narrative writing engaging and strong, there are certain key elements students need to understand and include, so we've compiled this quick refresher for you.
Plot
The plot of strong narrative writing is crucial — without it, there's no narrative! Keeping the reader interested from the start of a story involves developing the characters well and including conflict.
Structure
Structure of the text is just as important as the plot when writing a strong narrative. Students should be writing texts that include a beginning, middle and end. This can include a clear introduction that sets up the main conflict, a rising action that builds tension and excitement and a resolution that provides closure and ties up loose ends.
Descriptive Language
Teaching students to go beyond overused words like "said" or "nice" and using more descriptive language can help them make their narrative writing stronger. This graphic element of writing works with imagery and figurative language to help readers visualize the story.
Descriptive language helps the reader to visualize the setting and the characters. Sensory details can help kids set the scene in their essay or story.
Point of View
Whether it is written in the first-person, the third-person or flips back and forth, a piece of strong narrative writing has a clear point of view. This helps the reader better understand the narrator or protagonist.
What Is a Hook in Narrative Writing?
One feature of narrative writing you may want to focus on with your students this school year is the art of writing a "hook" to capture the reader's attention and draw them into the story. This is a compelling introduction that will engage the reader and make them want to keep reading!
There is no one kind of hook! It can be anything from an interesting fact or question to a dramatic opening scene or dialogue.
8 Narrative Writing Examples and Assignments to Get Students Writing
Are you looking for some different examples of narrative writing assignments that will engage your students and inspire them to write? Try these ideas from our teacher team!
- A personal narrative about a special day the student will never forget
- A fictional narrative about a group of friends going on an adventure
- A descriptive narrative that uses sensory details and describing words to create a vivid image of riding a rollercoaster
- A historical narrative that tells the story of their favorite president
- A reflective narrative that explores the writer's thoughts and feelings about going to high school one day
- A fantastical narrative that includes magical or imaginary elements, like the arrival of a magic hat in the classroom
- A humorous narrative that uses comedic elements to entertain the reader about a time their gym teacher was replaced by an alien
- A collaborative narrative that involves students writing a chapter book in small groups
- Plus Plan
When I Grow Up...
Explore your students future ambitions with this When I Grow Up worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Thoughts in Verse: A Collection of Poems for Children
A beautifully designed collection of poems, written especially for children.
- Plus Plan
Story Building Dice Activity
A set of 3 dice to use when generating ideas for creative writing.
- Plus Plan
The 5 Ws and 1 H Questions for Narrative Writing Poster
A 5 Ws and 1 H poster to display in the classroom.
- Plus Plan
Narratives Display Banner
A classroom display banner to use on your 'Narratives' display board.
- Plus Plan
Writer's Reflection Worksheet
Get your students into the habit of reflecting on their writing with this student reflection worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Exploring Poetry Worksheet - Storytelling
A worksheet to help students understand storytelling through poetry.
- Plus Plan
Exploring Poetry Worksheet - Word Play
A worksheet to help students understand word play in poetry.
- Plus Plan
Bloom's Taxonomy Sentence Starters and Activities Posters
A set of six posters examining Bloom's Taxonomy.
- Plus Plan
Rio Writing Prompts
Ten Rio themed writing prompts for the middle and upper elementary.
- Plus Plan
Introduction to Narrative Features PowerPoint - Grade 3 and Grade 4
A 23 slide editable PowerPoint template to use when teaching your students about the features of narrative texts.
- Plus Plan
What If? Materials Template
A set of 6 templates to use when investigating the properties of materials.
- Plus Plan
Literary Description Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about literary descriptions, including an annotated example.
- Plus Plan
Review Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about reviews, including an annotated example.
- Plus Plan
Personal Response Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about personal responses, including an annotated example.
- Plus Plan
Fairy Tales Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about fairy tales, including an annotated example.
- Plus Plan
Literary Recount Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about literary recounts, including an annotated example.
- Plus Plan
Narrative Writing Poster
A poster to encourage your students to think about narrative writing.
- Plus Plan
Fairy Tales Narrative Writing Pack
A fairy tale themed narrative writing teaching pack containing 8 worksheets and posters.
- Plus Plan
Bring Your Characters To Life Poster
A poster to remind your students to add detail and description to their writing to bring their characters to life.
- Plus Plan
Picture Writing Prompts
These picture writing prompts are a great way to help students develop their writing skills. A visual writing prompt can be generated at random or chosen specifically.
- Plus Plan
Random Story Starter Generator
Use the random writing prompts for kids in our short story generator widget to inspire your students creativity and boost their writing skills.
- Plus Plan
Celebrating Poetry Month in the Primary Grades – Weeks 4 and 5
Celebrate National Poetry Month in the primary classroom with this planning guide and set of resources.
- Plus Plan
Celebrating Poetry Month in the Primary Grades - Week 3
Celebrate National Poetry Month in the primary classroom with this planning guide and set of resources.
- Plus Plan
Celebrating Poetry Month in the Primary Grades - Week 2
Celebrate National Poetry Month in the primary classroom with this planning guide and set of resources.
- Plus Plan
Developing Narrative Writing Skills Unit Plan - Year 3 and Year 4
This English unit addresses the narrative text type, specifically, how to plan and write an engaging story.
- Plus Plan
Tell Me A Story
A 60 minute lesson designed to introduce narratives and the parts of a story using familiar texts.
- Plus Plan
Exploring Narrative Texts Unit Plan - Year 1 and Year 2
This English unit uses fairy tales to introduce the narrative text type to younger students. It addresses the structure, characters and language features of a narrative.
- Plus Plan
Writing Narrative Texts Unit Plan - Year 5 and Year 6
This English unit addresses the narrative text type; specifically, how to write an engaging narrative text.
- Plus Plan
Narrative Features - Developing a Plot
A 60 minute lesson in which students will develop a plot for a narrative which includes a setting, characters and a problem to be solved.
- Plus Plan
Narrative Features - Building a Character
A 60 minute lesson in which students will use descriptive language effectively to build a character.
- Plus Plan
Introduction to Personal Recounts Unit Plan
This writing unit has been designed to introduce the recount text type to younger students; specifically, the purpose, structure, and language features of personal recounts.
- Narrative Writing Templates
- Narrative Writing Worksheets
- Narrative Writing Posters
- Narrative Writing Games
- Narrative Writing for Kindergarten
- Narrative Writing for 1st Grade
- Narrative Writing for 2nd Grade
- Narrative Writing for 3rd Grade
- Narrative Writing for 4th Grade
- Narrative Writing for 5th Grade
- Narrative Writing for 6th Grade
- Narrative Writing for 7th Grade