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
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Narrative Writing Checklist
Now your students can make sure that they have everything they need in their narrative.
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Narratives Display Banner
A classroom display banner to use on your 'Narratives' display board.
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Writer's Reflection Worksheet
Get your students into the habit of reflecting on their writing with this student reflection worksheet.
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Exploring Poetry Worksheet - Storytelling
A worksheet to help students understand storytelling through poetry.
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Exploring Poetry Worksheet - Word Play
A worksheet to help students understand word play in poetry.
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June Writing Prompts - Lower Elementary
20 writing prompts for June with corresponding writing sheets.
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August Writing Prompts - Lower Elementary
20 writing prompts for August with corresponding writing sheets.
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Bloom's Taxonomy Sentence Starters and Activities Posters
A set of six posters examining Bloom's Taxonomy.
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May Writing Prompts - Lower Elementary
20 writing prompts for May with corresponding writing sheets.
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Journal Writing Prompt Cards
46 writer's notebook journal writing prompt cards.
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Narrative Plot Structure Diagram
A plot diagram for students to refer to when planning narrative writing.
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Rio Writing Prompts
Ten Rio themed writing prompts for the middle and upper elementary.
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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.
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What If? Materials Template
A set of 6 templates to use when investigating the properties of materials.
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Narrative Writing Checklist (Simplified Version)
A checklist for students to use when proofreading and editing their narrative writing.
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Literary Description Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about literary descriptions, including an annotated example.
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Review Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about reviews, including an annotated example.
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Personal Response Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about personal responses, including an annotated example.
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Plan Your Own Adventure - Writing Template
Students use a template to help them plan stories with alternative pathways for their friends to read.
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Fairy Tales Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about fairy tales, including an annotated example.
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Literary Recount Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about literary recounts, including an annotated example.
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Resilience Acrostic Poem Worksheet
Have students write a resilience poem to help them understand the meaning of this crucial social-emotional skill.
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Narrative Writing Poster
A poster to encourage your students to think about narrative writing.
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Developing Characters Poster Pack - Show, Don't Tell Feelings
Enhance story development and characterization in student writing with a set of 16 Show, Not Tell Posters.
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Fairy Tales Narrative Writing Pack
A fairy tale themed narrative writing teaching pack containing 8 worksheets and posters.
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Fairy Tales Settings Posters
A set of 6 fairytale story settings background posters.
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Paragraph of the Week PowerPoint - Literary Paragraphs
A Paragraph of the Week PowerPoint presentation to use when setting up this writing strategy in your classroom.
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Writing a Shape Poem Worksheet
Learn how to write a shape poem with this two-page worksheet.
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Writing an Ode Worksheet
Learn how to write an ode with this two-page worksheet.
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Writing a Cinquain Poem Worksheet
Learn how to write a cinquain poem with this two-page worksheet.
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Writing a Ballad Worksheet
Learn how to write a ballad with this two-page worksheet.
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Writing an Acrostic Poem Worksheet
Help your students learn how to write an acrostic poem with this 2-page worksheet.
- Narrative Writing Templates
- Narrative Writing Posters
- Narrative Writing Worksheets
- 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