teaching resource

The Penalty Kick - Write a New Ending to a Story Activity

Updated: 12 Feb 2026

Promote resilience and boost narrative writing skills with a football-themed ‘Write a New Ending to a Story’ reading prompt and writing activity for National Simultaneous Storytime 2026.

Editable: Google Slides
Non-Editable: PDF
Pages: 4 Pages
Years: 3 - 5

Curriculum

AC9E3LE05

Create and edit imaginative texts, using or adapting language features, characters, settings, plot structures and ideas encountered in literary texts
AC9E3LY06

Plan, create, edit and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive written and multimodal texts, using visual features, appropriate form and layout, with ideas grouped in simple paragraphs, mostly correct tense, topic- specific vocabulary and correct spelling of most high-frequency and phonetic
AC9E4LE05

Create and edit literary texts by developing storylines, characters and settings
AC9E4LY06

Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, using visual features, relevant linked ideas, complex sentences, appropriate tense, synonyms and antonyms, correct spelling of multisyllabic words and simple punctuation
AC9E5LE05

Create and edit literary texts, experimenting with figurative language, storylines, characters and settings from texts students have experienced

VC2E3LE05

Create texts, using or adapting language features, characters, settings, plot structures and ideas from literary texts they have encountered
VC2E3LY11

Create narrative, informative and persuasive texts, written and spoken, with ideas grouped in simple paragraphs, using topic-specific and precise vocabulary and multimodal elements as appropriate
VC2E4LE05

Create texts by developing storylines, characters and settings, and using language features from literary texts they have encountered and from their own experiences
VC2E4LY11

Re-read and edit texts for meaning by adding, deleting or moving words or word groups to improve content and structure
VC2E5LE05

Create texts, experimenting with vocabulary, figurative language, storylines, characters and settings from literary texts they have encountered
VC2E5LY11

Re-read and edit their own texts and the texts of others using agreed criteria for text structures and language features

teaching resource

The Penalty Kick - Write a New Ending to a Story Activity

Updated: 12 Feb 2026

Promote resilience and boost narrative writing skills with a football-themed ‘Write a New Ending to a Story’ reading prompt and writing activity for National Simultaneous Storytime 2026.

Editable: Google Slides
Non-Editable: PDF
Pages: 4 Pages
Years: 3 - 5

Promote resilience and boost narrative writing skills with a football-themed ‘Write a New Ending to a Story’ reading prompt and writing activity for National Simultaneous Storytime 2026.

Kick Off National Simultaneous Storytime and Write a New Ending to a Story!

Turn disappointment into determination and boost narrative writing skills with this engaging, soccer-themed printable reading passage and narrative writing activity. In this writing exercise, students will write a new ending to a story that promotes resilience, courage, and other messages related to this year’s National Simultaneous Storytime book, Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller.

In this activity, students will read a two-page comprehension story about Ava, an enthusiastic football player who makes an error during an important match. Overwhelmed by the fear of failure, Ava begins to doubt herself, and one moment changes the way she sees the game she loves.

After reading and discussing the story, students are challenged to write a new ending that transforms Ava’s fear into resilience and courage. This powerful writing task encourages students to think deeply about character development, emotions, and having a positive mindset.

Write a New Ending to a Story Worksheet Set

This Write a New Ending to a Story Worksheet Set includes everything students need to analyse the story and craft a new, empowering ending for Ava.

Students will:

Read a two-page football-themed comprehension passage
Identify Ava’s problem and emotional response
Reflect on how fear impacted her choices
Plan a new ending that demonstrates resilience, bravery, and growth
Write a new conclusion that changes the theme of the story

The included worksheets guide students through reading, brainstorming, and drafting to help them transform the story. This exercise is perfect for classroom lessons focused on:

Narrative writing
Character traits and development
Social-emotional learning
Growth mindset

Download Your Rewrite the Ending of a Story Worksheet Pack

This no-prep Rewrite the Ending of a Story Worksheet Pack works well as a supplement to the book Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller by Adam Jackson and Adrian Lloyd.

This resource is available in both PDF and editable Google Slides format. To get your copy, click the dropdown arrow on the download button and choose your preferred file type.

More ‘Rewrite the Ending’ Narrative Writing Prompts

Looking to keep the creativity going? Explore additional “Rewrite the Ending” narrative writing prompts that challenge students to rethink outcomes, strengthen character traits, and practise crafting meaningful conclusions.

[resource:4454464] [resource:5159046] [resource:5002035]

Curriculum

AC9E3LE05

Create and edit imaginative texts, using or adapting language features, characters, settings, plot structures and ideas encountered in literary texts
AC9E3LY06

Plan, create, edit and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive written and multimodal texts, using visual features, appropriate form and layout, with ideas grouped in simple paragraphs, mostly correct tense, topic- specific vocabulary and correct spelling of most high-frequency and phonetic
AC9E4LE05

Create and edit literary texts by developing storylines, characters and settings
AC9E4LY06

Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, using visual features, relevant linked ideas, complex sentences, appropriate tense, synonyms and antonyms, correct spelling of multisyllabic words and simple punctuation
AC9E5LE05

Create and edit literary texts, experimenting with figurative language, storylines, characters and settings from texts students have experienced

VC2E3LE05

Create texts, using or adapting language features, characters, settings, plot structures and ideas from literary texts they have encountered
VC2E3LY11

Create narrative, informative and persuasive texts, written and spoken, with ideas grouped in simple paragraphs, using topic-specific and precise vocabulary and multimodal elements as appropriate
VC2E4LE05

Create texts by developing storylines, characters and settings, and using language features from literary texts they have encountered and from their own experiences
VC2E4LY11

Re-read and edit texts for meaning by adding, deleting or moving words or word groups to improve content and structure
VC2E5LE05

Create texts, experimenting with vocabulary, figurative language, storylines, characters and settings from literary texts they have encountered
VC2E5LY11

Re-read and edit their own texts and the texts of others using agreed criteria for text structures and language features

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