Language Arts: Narrative Writing
Building stories with characters, setting, and plot
Language Arts: Narrative Writing
Building stories with characters, setting, and plot
Language Arts - Grade 4-5
- 1
Write one sentence that introduces a main character for a story about a school talent show.
Include the character's name and what the character is about to do.
A strong answer introduces a clear character, such as: Maya took a deep breath as she waited backstage for her turn in the school talent show. - 2
Write one sentence that describes the setting of a story that takes place on a rainy afternoon.
A strong answer describes where and when the story happens, such as: On a rainy afternoon, the quiet library smelled like wet coats and old books. - 3
Read this story beginning: 'Jon found a small key under the park bench.' Write two sentences that could continue the story.
Show what happens next after Jon finds the key.
A strong answer continues the action in a logical way, such as: He looked around to see if anyone had dropped it. Then he noticed a tiny locked box hidden behind the bench. - 4
Write a problem for this story idea: a child is getting ready for a family trip, but something goes wrong.
A strong answer presents a challenge, such as: Just as Lena zipped her suitcase, she realized her train ticket was missing. - 5
Write one sentence that could be the ending of a story about losing and finding a pet.
Show how the problem is solved at the end.
A strong answer clearly ends the story, such as: When Max the puppy raced out from behind the shed, Emma hugged him tightly and promised to keep the gate closed. - 6
Rewrite this plain sentence to make it more descriptive: 'The boy rode his bike down the street.'
A strong answer adds sensory or vivid details, such as: The boy sped down the narrow street on his bright red bike, with the wind whistling past his ears. - 7
Write two lines of dialogue between two friends who are surprised by something they see.
Put quotation marks around the words the characters say.
A strong answer uses quotation marks and shows both speakers, such as: "Did you see that shooting star?" Ava whispered. "I did, and it was the brightest one I have ever seen," Leo said. - 8
Choose a feeling for a character: excited, nervous, or disappointed. Then write one sentence that shows the feeling without naming it directly.
A strong answer shows the feeling through actions or body language, such as: Her hands trembled as she stepped onto the stage and looked out at the crowd. - 9
Put these events in the best order for a narrative: 'The lights went out.' 'We heard a strange noise.' 'Dad found the flashlight.' 'Everyone laughed with relief.' Write the events in order.
Think about which event would happen first and which one solves the problem.
A logical order is: The lights went out. We heard a strange noise. Dad found the flashlight. Everyone laughed with relief. - 10
Write a strong opening sentence for a story that begins in the middle of an exciting moment.
A strong answer starts with action, such as: By the time the canoe tipped, I was already reaching for the floating backpack. - 11
Write one sentence that tells what a character wants in a story about a class project.
Tell what the character hopes to do or get.
A strong answer gives the character a goal, such as: Carlos wanted his class project to be the one that impressed the judges the most. - 12
Add a transition word or phrase to connect these events: 'We packed our lunches. We started hiking up the trail.' Then rewrite the two events as one or two smooth sentences.
A strong answer uses a transition, such as: After we packed our lunches, we started hiking up the trail. - 13
Write two sentences that describe the setting of a story in a mysterious old house.
Use details about what the place looks, sounds, or smells like.
A strong answer uses clear details, such as: The old house stood at the end of the road with broken shutters and a crooked porch. Inside, the floorboards creaked and the dim hallway smelled like dust. - 14
A story has this beginning: 'Tia practiced every day for the big race.' Write one sentence for the middle and one sentence for the end.
A strong answer develops the plot, such as: In the middle, Tia tripped near the final turn but quickly got back on her feet. At the end, she crossed the finish line proudly because she never gave up. - 15
Write a short personal narrative of three to five sentences about a time you learned something new.
Tell what happened first, next, and last.
A strong answer includes a clear beginning, middle, and end, such as: I felt frustrated when I first tried to whistle because no sound came out. My brother showed me how to shape my lips and blow gently. After many tries, I finally made a clear whistle. I smiled because I had learned something new by practicing.