When we begin teaching story elements in upper elementary classrooms, we are helping students understand one of the most important foundations of reading comprehension. Many students can read the words in a story fluently but struggle to explain what actually happened. One of the best ways to support comprehension is by helping students understand the plot structure that organizes narrative texts.
In grades four through six, students begin reading more complex stories with multiple events, character motivations, and developing conflicts. When teachers explicitly focus on teaching story elements and how those elements fit into the plot structure, students gain a clear framework that helps them understand and remember what they read.
This framework is especially powerful during shared reading and guided reading, where teachers can model how readers recognize the different parts of a story as it unfolds.
Why Teaching Story Elements and Plot Structure Helps Readers
Most narrative stories follow a predictable plot structure. Authors carefully organize stories so readers can follow the development of the characters and events. When teachers focus on teaching story elements, students begin to recognize that stories are not simply a list of events. Instead, stories are organized around characters, problems, actions, and outcomes.
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Decades of literacy research have shown that helping students understand the structure of stories improves comprehension. When students recognize how narrative texts are organized, they are better able to follow events, understand character motivations, and remember important details.
When we prioritize teaching story elements and the underlying plot structure, students develop several important comprehension skills:
• They become better at retelling stories.
• They identify the most important events in a text.
• They understand why characters behave the way they do.
• They make stronger predictions while reading.
• They summarize stories more clearly.
In other words, understanding plot structure helps students move beyond simply reading words and toward truly understanding narrative texts.
The Key Story Elements That Form Plot Structure
One of the most helpful ways to approach teaching story elements is to break down the plot structure into clear and predictable parts. When students learn these elements, they begin to recognize the same structure across many different stories.
The key elements include:
• Setting
• Beginning Event
• Character Reaction
• Character Goal
• Attempts or Actions
• Outcome
• Conclusion or Resolution
These story elements combine to form the overall plot structure of a narrative text.
Let’s look at how teachers can introduce each of these elements to upper elementary students.
Teaching Story Elements: The Setting
The first step in teaching story elements is helping students recognize the setting. The setting introduces the world of the story and gives readers important background information.
The setting tells readers:
• Where the story takes place
• When the story takes place
• Who the main characters are
• Important details about the story world
During shared reading, teachers can pause and ask simple questions such as:
Where is this story taking place?
When does this story happen?
Who are the main characters we meet first?
Recognizing the setting helps students begin to understand how the plot structure of the story will unfold.
Plot Structure: What Starts the Story
One of the most important parts of plot structure is the beginning event. This is the moment when something changes and the story truly begins.
When teaching story elements, it can be helpful to describe the beginning event as the moment that starts the story problem.
Some examples of beginning events might include:
• A character discovers something surprising
• A problem suddenly appears
• A new character enters the story
• Something important is lost
• A challenge is introduced
Once students understand this part of plot structure, they begin to recognize that every story has a moment where the main conflict begins.
Plot Structure: How the Character Responds
After the beginning event, the character usually reacts emotionally to the situation. This reaction is another key step in teaching story elements because it connects the events of the story to the character’s thoughts and feelings.
The character’s reaction might include:
• feeling worried or scared
• feeling excited or curious
• feeling determined to solve the problem
During guided reading, teachers might ask:
How does the character feel about what just happened?
Understanding the character’s reaction helps students see how the events of the plot structure influence the character’s behavior.
Teaching Story Elements and Plot Structure: What the Character Wants
Once the character reacts to the problem, they often develop a goal. The character’s goal represents what they want to accomplish in response to the beginning event.
When teaching story elements, the character goal is an important bridge between the problem and the actions that follow.
Common character goals might include:
• solving a mystery
• finding something that was lost
• helping a friend
• escaping danger
• winning a competition
Helping students identify the character’s goal allows them to better understand the motivation behind the events in the plot structure.
Plot Structure: The Rising Action
The next step in the plot structure is the series of attempts or actions the character takes to reach their goal. These attempts are often what make the story exciting because they include obstacles, challenges, or unexpected events.
During this stage of the story, the character may try several different strategies before reaching the outcome.
Examples of character attempts might include:
• searching for clues
• traveling somewhere new
• asking other characters for help
• trying different solutions to the problem
When teaching story elements, it is helpful for students to see how these attempts build tension and move the story forward.
Plot Structure: What Happens Because of the Actions
After the character’s attempts, the story reaches an outcome. The outcome tells readers what happens as a result of the character’s actions.
This part of the plot structure answers important questions such as:
• Did the character solve the problem?
• Did the character reach their goal?
• Did something unexpected happen?
Helping students identify the outcome allows them to understand the cause-and-effect relationships within the story.
Plot Structure: How the Story Ends
The final step in the plot structure is the conclusion, sometimes called the resolution.
When teaching story elements, the conclusion is the moment when students see how the events of the story have changed the character or the situation.
The conclusion may show:
• how the character feels about the outcome
• what lessons were learned
• how the problem was solved
• what has changed by the end of the story
Understanding this final stage of plot structure helps students see how stories come full circle.
How Genre Influences Plot Structure
Although most stories follow a similar plot structure, different genres may emphasize different parts of the story. Recognizing these differences can deepen students’ understanding of narrative texts.
For example:
Adventure stories often include exciting character attempts and dangerous obstacles.
Mystery stories focus on attempts that involve collecting clues and solving puzzles.
Fantasy stories often begin with magical discoveries or quests that launch the story problem.
Realistic fiction often focuses on personal challenges and everyday situations.
When teaching story elements, exploring how different genres use plot structure can help students recognize patterns across many different stories.
Check out my post on Creative Narrative Story Writing and How to Successfully Teach it!
Using Story Elements During Shared and Guided Reading
One of the best ways to practice teaching story elements is through interactive reading experiences.
During shared reading, teachers can model how readers notice different parts of the plot structure. For example, teachers might pause and say:
“I think this is the beginning event because this is when the problem first appears.”
Guided reading groups also provide an excellent opportunity for students to identify the different parts of the plot structure together.
Graphic organizers can also support teaching story elements by allowing students to visually map the structure of a story as they read.
Students can record:
• the setting
• the beginning event
• the character’s reaction
• the character’s goal
• the character’s actions
• the outcome
• the conclusion
These organizers help students clearly see how each part of the plot structure connects.
Resources for Teaching Story Elements and Plot Structure
Kelly Cartwright’s book, Executive Skills and Reading, is a dense text but such a worthwhile read for any reading teacher or anyone that is interested in diving deeper into the challenges of kids who struggle with reading when decoding isn’t an issue.
There were many new pieces of information as well as the research the highlighted what I knew in my gut was causing students to struggle with reading and understanding a text- the executive functions and the way we plan, think and the way we remember a text. I cannot recommend this game changing book highly enough. (Just make sure you have a quiet space to focus when you read on it, there is A LOT to dive into)
Check out some of my other blog posts for resources and ideas on teaching story elements and plot structure:
Teaching Internal and External Conflict in Reading
Flashback Should Be Taught Before Foreshadowing When Teaching Reading
Teaching Narrator and Point of View
You Need to Do a Teacher Read Aloud
Helping Students Become Stronger Readers by Teaching Story Elements
When teachers focus on teaching story elements and explaining how those elements form the plot structure of a story, students develop a deeper understanding of narrative texts.
Instead of simply reading events in order, students begin to recognize how authors organize stories. This understanding helps students follow complex plots, explain story events clearly, and even write stronger narratives themselves.
With consistent practice, students start noticing story elements and plot structure in nearly every story they read. This awareness helps them become more thoughtful, confident, and strategic readers.
Check out my store at Teachers Pay Teachers, Novel Ideas for more reading and writing resources.
