Grades 4–5
Personal Narrative: Hook and Ending
A planner for a true story: three kinds of hooks to try, the events in order and an ending with a feeling or a lesson.
Writing worksheet · Narrative writing organizers
Small Moment: Slow It Down
A personal narrative planner for one small moment: four steps, what you saw, heard, felt and thought, then the draft.
- Grade level
- Grades 3–5
- Time
- About 35 minutes
- Answer key
- Not needed: answers vary
- Kids practice
- Narrative writing, Story planning, Sequence and transitions, Details and description
What kids do
“Pick one small moment that lasted only a few minutes. Stretch it out with every detail you can remember.”
Printed on the sheet:
- My small moment (when, where, who):
- Write your small moment. Slow down the most exciting part.
Words on this sheet
FirstNextThenLastI sawI heardI felt
Teacher tip
Model with a tiny moment from your own day, like opening a present, and stretch it into five sentences.
How to use it
- Let kids plan in drawings or quick notes, not full sentences.
- Give kids time to tell their story to a partner before drafting.
- Give a minute at the end to reread the work out loud to a partner.
Watch for
Kids who spend the whole time drawing. Set a timer for the sketch.
Talk about it
- Where does your story get exciting?
- Where else do writers use this skill?
Take it further
Have kids act out their stories in small groups.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More narrative writing organizers
Grades 2–3
Transition Words for Stories
A short pond story with six blanks for first, next, then, suddenly, after that and finally, then three sentences to write.
Grades 3–5
Dialogue Planner: Two Characters Talk
Plan a conversation between two characters, pick stronger words than said, then write the scene.
Grades 3–5
Show, Don’t Tell
Four telling sentences (Lucy was happy, the dog was tired) to rewrite with actions and details that show.
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