Teacher resources

Story writing lessons for grades K–5

Three free 45-minute lessons that start with drawing and end with a finished story. Each uses one printable Story Studio sheet and fits your narrative writing standards.

Grades K–1 · 45 minutes

Draw and tell a story

Print: One Picture, One Sentence (PDF), one per child. Standards: Common Core W.K.3 and W.1.3.

10 min Warm up: draw a character together with a step-by-step lesson on the board (try a Crusty Goober or a cartoon dinosaur).
5 min Talk: who is it, where is it, and what happens to it today? Model a story out loud.
20 min Draw and tell: kids draw their story picture and say one sentence. Write it for those who need you to, and let others copy or write their own.
10 min Share: three kids hold up their pictures and tell their story.

Next time: Bubble Talk or What Hatches Out?.

Grades 2–3 · 45 minutes

Beginning, middle and end

Print: Three-Panel Comic (PDF), one per child. Standards: Common Core W.2.3 and W.3.3.

5 min Hook: run the comic story starter on the board. Read the beginning and the middle.
10 min Plan: each child picks a starter card and says their uh-oh and ending to a partner.
25 min Draw and write: the three-panel comic. Draw first, then write a caption under each panel with the sentence starters.
5 min Share: partners read each other’s comics and name the best twist.

Next time: Uh-Oh! Problem Planner or Twist Ending.

Grades 4–5 · 45 minutes

Plan it, then write it

Print: Story Mountain (PDF), one per child. Standards: Common Core W.4.3 and W.5.3.

10 min Character: a quick Top Secret Character File. What do they want, and what scares them?
10 min Plan: sketch the Story Mountain from beginning to ending.
20 min Write: an opening paragraph that hooks the reader, then the build-up.
5 min Share: read first sentences aloud. Which one makes you want to keep reading?

Next time: Top Secret Character File or Choose Your Path Story.

Set up a story writing center

Print the writing center kit (every story sheet) and file the sheets by type.
Add a cup of story starter cards and a stack of mini-book templates.
Keep a comic template pile for kids who would rather draw than write.
Hand out an author certificate for every finished story.

Hold a book launch

At the end of a unit, invite another class or families in. Each author reads their mini-book or comic from the author’s chair, gets a certificate and a round of applause. Kids who don’t want to read aloud can have a friend read for them.

More for teachers: teacher resources and thinking sheets.

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