Teaching Resource
Story Spine Porcupine – Narrative Writing Template
A template designed to help students plan their narrative writing.
This teaching resource is a cute narrative writing template to help students plan, structure, and order their story ideas before they begin writing.
The ‘story spine’ porcupine planning structure includes:
- Every day…
- Until one day…
- Because of that…
- That caused…
- Which led to…
- Until finally…
- Ever since…
- The moral is…
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Common Core Curriculum alignment
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.3
Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.5
With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.3
Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5
With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 3 here.)

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English Language Arts and ReadingWritingNarrative WritingImaginative Prompts and Story StartersDevelopmentCompositionText Types and PurposeTemplatesGraphic OrganizersLittle Learners MonthBlended Learning
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