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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Story Elements Worksheets – The Fox and the Grapes
Practise identifying the story characters, settings and main events with this set of worksheets based on a traditional tale.
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Narrative Elements Flipbook
Teach your students about narrative elements with this double-sided flipbook.
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Story Setting or Not? Cut and Paste Worksheet
Explore the difference between story settings and non-settings with this cut-and-paste 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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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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Novel Study - How Thinking Changes Worksheet
Examine how events in a novel can change the main character's thinking with this one-page worksheet.
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Literary Mood – Teaching Presentation
An editable PowerPoint presentation to use when teaching mood.
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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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SCOOP Story Retell Bookmarks
Teach your students how to retell using the SCOOP acronym with these handy bookmarks.
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Retelling Stories Wheel Template
Explore story retells with this engaging story retell wheel template.
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Robot-Themed Retelling Writing Template
Explore the elements of a retell with this cute robot-themed retell writing template.
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5 Finger Retelling Interactive Activity
Practise using the 5 finger retelling strategy with this interactive activity.
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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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Introduction to Story Characters Teaching Slides
Introduce your students to the wonderful world of story characters with this visually appealing teaching presentation.
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Story Settings Mini Book
Allow your little learners to explore and write about story settings with this fun-sized mini-book.
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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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Character Traits, Motivations, and Feelings - Worksheet
Analyse character traits, feelings and motivations with this two-page worksheet.
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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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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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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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Character Profile Flip Book - Lower Primary
Explore story characters with this flipbook template for lower primary students.
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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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Mood - Literary Element Poster
A poster with a description and example of mood, a literary element.
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5 Finger Retelling Drawing Flipbook
Help your students understand the different aspects of a retell with this drawing to retell flipbook.
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Retelling a Story Workbook
Help your students retain the elements of a retell with this printable retelling stories student workbook.
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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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SCOOP Retelling Poster
Display this SCOOP retelling poster to help students remember how to give an effective retell.
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My Strange Shrinking Parents – Literature Task Cards
Deep dive into the characters and themes of Zeno Sworder’s highly acclaimed book, My Strange Shrinking Parents, with this set of 12 literature task cards.
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Narrative Elements Graphic Organisers – Landscape
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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Narrative Elements - Worksheet
Practise identifying characters, settings, problems and solutions in fictional texts with this set of worksheets.
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Story Setting or Not? - Sorting Activity
Explore the difference between story settings and non-settings with this hands-on sorting activity.
- 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