Skip to content
Start My 3 Free Days $0 today · cancel anytime

1st Grade Narrative Writing Resources

21 1st grade narrative writing resources: 14 activities, 7 worksheets, 1 graphic organizer and more. How teachers use these

1st Grade Narrative Writing Resources

21 1st grade narrative writing resources: 14 activities, 7 worksheets, 1 graphic organizer and more. How teachers use these

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeSequence Writing Graphic Organizer Worksheet

Plan a story from start to finish with this Sequence Writing Graphic Organizer Worksheet. First Grade writers name their story idea, then write what happens First, Next, Then, and Last on wide primary lines.

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeSharing Experiences Worksheet

This Sharing Experiences Worksheet gives 1st Grade students a simple page for planning a true story: the topic, what happened first and next, and describing words that help a reader picture the day.

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeYou Write the Story Cats Picture Worksheet

This You Write the Story Cats picture worksheet gives 2nd grade students one clear illustration of two cats and a ball of yarn, plus eight writing lines, so every child can name the characters and tell their own story.

Activity
Activity1st GradeApple Shape Book Activity

This apple shape book activity lets K-2nd grade children color, cut out and write their own apple story on cover, picture and writing pages with kid-sized lines.

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeDraw A Story Worksheet

A Draw A Story Worksheet for 1st graders: draw a picture of your best day, then write the story on wide lined paper. A simple, no-prep way to turn a child's own idea into real narrative writing.

Activity
Activity1st GradeBarn Shape Book Activity

This barn shape book activity helps K-2nd Grade children color, draw and write their own farm story, then cut out and staple the barn pages into a book to share.

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeSummer Vacation Letter Worksheet

This summer vacation letter worksheet gives first graders a themed page to write about a fun summer day, with roomy lines and bright summer pictures to spark ideas.

Activity
Activity1st GradeBack to School Adjective Writing Activity

This back to school adjective writing activity helps 1st to 3rd grade students plan a first-day story and add describing words. An answer key is included for the practice page.

Activity
Activity1st GradeAdding Details to Your Story Activity

This adding details to your story activity helps kindergarten to 3rd grade writers turn one sentence into a longer story with question cards and a planner. Answer key included, so practice is quick to check.

Activity
Activity1st GradeHouse Shape Book Activity

This house shape book activity helps K-2nd Grade children color, draw and write their own story about home, then cut out and staple the house pages into a book to share.

Activity
Activity1st GradeTelling A Story Activity

Using Telling A Story Activity, students use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events.

Activity
Activity1st GradeBoy Shape Book Activity

This boy shape book activity helps K-2nd Grade children color, draw and write their own story, then cut out and staple the boy-shaped pages into a book to share.

Activity
Activity1st GradeAsk Me About It Speaking and Listening Activity

This ask me about it speaking and listening activity gives Kindergarten to 2nd Grade children topic cards, question cards and a spinner to share, ask and answer, with an answer key included.

Activity
Activity1st GradeFlower Shape Book Activity

Using this Flower Shape Book Activity, your students can create quick and simple books about themselves or stories about flowers or Springtime.

Activity
Activity1st GradeComputer Shape Book Activity

This computer shape book activity helps K-2nd Grade children color, draw and write their own story about computers, then cut out and staple the pages into a book to share.

Activity
Activity1st GradeTell Us About It Speaking Activity

This tell us about it speaking activity gives Kindergarten to 3rd Grade children 24 story cards and a spinner so they can practice telling true stories with details to a group.

Activity
Activity1st GradeTell the Group Speaking and Listening Activity

Using the Tell the Group Speaking and Listening Activity, students report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant.

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeDr. Seuss Creative Writing Worksheet

UsingDr. Seuss Creative Writing Worksheet, studentstrite a descriptive paragraph about your character after reading the Dr. Seuss classic, If I ran the Zoo.

Activity
Activity1st GradeSilly Stories Story Starters

Using thisSilly Stories Story Starters, studentschoose a Character, Setting and Plot from the picture and word cards to write or tell a story about the fun and unique combination.

Common Core Lesson
Common Core Lesson1st GradeW.1.3 First Grade Common Core Lesson

Using W.1.3 First Grade Common Core Lesson, students write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened.

From our teachers' playbook

First, next, then... the end!

What do 1st graders learn about narrative writing?

In first grade, kids learn to write true and made-up stories with a beginning, middle and end. They recount two or more events in order, use time words like first, next, then and finally, add a few details about what happened, and give their story a sense of closure. Many start by drawing their story first, then writing a sentence for each picture. The click moment is when a child reads their story aloud and the class laughs at just the right part.

Our favorite ways to grow story writers

First graders tell great stories out loud. These moves help them get those stories onto paper.

Draw it first

Before writing, kids draw their story in three boxes: beginning, middle and end. Then they tell it to a partner using the pictures. Writing a sentence under each box is much easier once the story is already in their heads.

Why it works: children learn more from words and pictures together than from words alone (Mayer, 2009).

Draw A Story WorksheetTry it withDraw A Story WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Plan with time words

Use a sequence organizer with first, next, then and last written in each box. Kids fill in one event per box. The time words become sentence starters, so the story flows in order.

Why it works: going from real objects to pictures to symbols is a core recommendation of the U.S. Department of Education's elementary math guide.

Sequence Writing Graphic Organizer WorksheetTry it withSequence Writing Graphic Organizer WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Write a story together

Write a short story in front of the class about something that happened to you, like losing your keys. Think aloud: "What happened first? What details can I add?" Then kids write their own using the same steps.

Why it works: showing first, practicing together, then letting kids try alone is the "gradual release" model teachers have relied on for decades (Pearson and Gallagher, 1983).

W.1.3 First Grade Common Core LessonTry it withW.1.3 First Grade Common Core LessonCommon Core LessonsOpen it →

Questions teachers and parents ask

What is narrative writing in 1st grade?

It's writing a story about real or imagined events. First graders tell what happened in order, use time words, add a few details and write an ending.

How do you teach narrative writing to first graders?

Have them tell their story out loud, draw it in pictures, then write a sentence for each picture. Modeling your own story first helps a lot.

How long should a 1st grade story be?

Three to five sentences with a clear beginning, middle and end is a great goal. By the end of the year, many first graders write more.

How can I help my child write stories at home?

Ask them to tell you about their day in order, then help them write it down. Make little books together and let them illustrate.