Oral Storytelling Worksheet

Retelling a story out loud is one of the first real speaking skills a young child builds, and this oral storytelling worksheet gives that skill a clear, friendly shape. First graders look at three pictures, decide which part of the story each one shows, and then tell the whole story from beginning to end using the time words First, Next, and Last. Because the story is short and the pictures carry the meaning, every child in the room can join in, including readers who are still building confidence with print.

The sheet works as a quiet independent activity and as a partner activity. Students begin by matching each picture card to the story part it shows, which asks them to look closely and think about order. They then finish three sentence starters with the correct time word from the word bank. Finally, they turn to a partner and tell the whole story out loud. That last step is the point of the page: the writing is the plan, and the telling is the performance. A complete answer key is included, so checking the page takes a moment.

What’s Included

• One printable page with three picture cards showing the parts of a simple story
• Three sequencing items that match each story part to its picture
• A word bank with the time words First, Next, and Last
• Three sentence starters that build an oral retell
• A full answer key page

Three Reasons This Helps Kids

• It builds order words. Time words are the scaffolding of a clear retell, and using them on paper first makes them easy to reach for when a child is speaking.
• It lowers the reading load. Pictures carry the story, so a child who is still decoding can still do the thinking and still tell a complete story.
• It gives every child a turn. A short, familiar story means partners can trade roles quickly, and listening practice happens as naturally as speaking practice.

Ways to Use It

Teachers can use this first grade speaking and listening worksheet as a morning warm-up, a literacy center, or a quick check before a bigger retelling project. Try it as a whole-class shared page on the document camera, then let partners tell the story to each other while you listen in. Ask students to add one detail of their own to each part, such as a color or a sound, so the retell grows a little longer each time. Homeschool families can use the same oral storytelling worksheet across a week: match and write on the first day, then retell from memory later in the week. Older siblings make good audiences, and a recording on a phone lets a child hear their own storytelling voice.

Related Resources

• Telling a Story Orally Worksheet
• You Write the Story Helping Picture Worksheet
• Partnered Research Project Worksheet
• Story Elements Song Video