Telling a Story Orally Worksheet

Before a first grader can write a story, she has to be able to say one — out loud, in order, with a beginning that comes first and an ending that comes last. That is what the speaking and listening standards ask for at this age, and it is hard to practice from a blank page. This telling a story orally worksheet gives the child a story to tell: three pictures of one small event at the beach, printed out of order, waiting to be sorted and then spoken.

Part A is the thinking half. The three panels show a bucket packed with wet sand, a half-built castle with one tower and a wall, and a finished castle with a flag and shells, and the student writes 1, 2, and 3 in the boxes to put them in order. There is exactly one correct sequence, so the page can be checked in seconds. Part B is the speaking half: tell the story out loud, then finish the sentences that begin First, Next, and Last, with two full writing lines each at first-grade line height. Those written answers vary, and the answer key prints one complete telling so a teacher can see the target without grading toward a single wording. Saying the sentence before writing it is the whole point — it is what turns a 1st grade speaking and listening worksheet into writing practice a child can actually do.

What’s Included

• 1 print-ready PDF worksheet
• Answer key with the correct picture order and a sample telling of the story
• 3 pictures to sequence plus 3 sentence starters to finish, 6 items in all

Three things make this page work for first graders. First, the story is one a six-year-old already owns — nobody needs to be taught what a sandcastle is, so all the effort goes into ordering and telling rather than into understanding the topic. Second, the pictures are far enough apart to be sorted with confidence: an empty bucket, a half-built castle, a finished one. Third, the sentence starters do the structural work, so the child supplies the content and not the scaffolding. Used with a partner, this telling a story orally worksheet also gives the listener a job, which is the other half of the standard.

Try a few other ways to practice telling a story in order at home or in the classroom. Have the child retell what happened at recess using only the words first, next, and last. Take three photos of a simple task — making a sandwich, packing a bag — shuffle them and let a partner put them in order. Read a short picture book and stop before the ending so the child can tell you what happens last. Act out a two-step story and have the class narrate it as you go. Finish by letting each student tell the sandcastle story to a partner without looking at the page.

Related Resources

• Build a Snowman Sequence Worksheet
• How to Make a Sundae Sequence Worksheet
• Story Plot Order of Events Worksheet
• First Song