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Kindergarten Story Elements Resources

21 kindergarten story elements resources: 9 activities, 7 worksheets, 4 Common Core Lessons and more. How teachers use these

Kindergarten Story Elements Resources

21 kindergarten story elements resources: 9 activities, 7 worksheets, 4 Common Core Lessons and more. How teachers use these

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenCharacters, Settings, and Events Worksheet

A kindergarten characters, settings, and events worksheet that helps young readers identify story elements—who is in a story, where it happens, and what happens—using a simple three-column graphic organizer for retelling any story.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenSequencing Pictures Worksheet

This sequencing pictures worksheet has kindergarten students number four sandwich-making pictures in order and finish four First, Next, Then, Last sentences. An answer key is included to make checking quick.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenStory Elements Activity

This story elements activity has kindergarten and 1st grade students hear a short story and match picture cards to its characters, setting, problem and solution. Answer key included.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenCharacters The Giving Tree Worksheet

Using Characters, Settings, and Big Events Worksheet, students draw pictures and write a sentence for each to tell about the story elements in a book.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenCompare Contrast Book Covers Worksheet

Using Compare Contrast Book Covers Worksheet, students compare two books using information from the book cover to determine how they are alike and different.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenDescribe Characters and Setting Activity

This describe characters and setting activity has kindergarten and 1st grade students sort story clue cards, then draw from describing words. Answer key included.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenIdentifying Parts of a Story Worksheet

This identifying parts of a story worksheet helps kindergarten readers name the characters, setting, and beginning, middle, and end of a short bird story, with an answer key included for easy checking.

KindergartenAsking Questions Activity

Using the Asking Questions Activity, students actively engage in group reading activities to discuss purpose and understanding after shared reading.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenKey Details for Comprehension Activity

Use this key details for comprehension activity with Kindergarten to 3rd grade readers to find characters, setting, problem and solution in a story. Answer key included, so checking work is quick.

Common Core Lesson
Common Core LessonKindergartenRI.K.1 Kindergarten Common Core Lesson

Using this RI.K.1 Kindergarten Common Core Lesson, students answer questions aboutkey details in a text.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenKey Details Story Elements Text Activity

Use this key details story elements text activity with kindergarten and 1st grade readers. Children hear a treasure story and match question cards to answer cards; an answer key is included.

Assessment
AssessmentKindergartenArthur's TV Trouble Worksheet

Using Arthur's TV Trouble Worksheet,students retell the story by describing the story elements of any given story to build their reading comprehension.

Worksheet
WorksheetKindergartenCharacters in Blueberries for Sal Worksheet

Using Characters in Blueberries for Sal Worksheet, students compare two characters from a story to determine how they are alike and different.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenSpin and Answer Story Elements Activity

This spin and answer story elements activity helps Preschool to 1st grade children find characters, setting, problem and solution with a spinner and picture cards. Answer key included.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenHow are They the Same Compare and Contrast Story Elements Activity

Using How are They the Same Compare and Contrast Story Elements Activity, students compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenStory Elements Organizing What You Read Activity

Using Story Elements Organizing What You Read Activity, students use activity worksheets and graphic organizers to describe the characters, setting and events.

Activity
ActivityKindergartenQuestion Cards for Reading Books Activity

Using this Question Cards for Reading Books Activity, students answer questions aboutkey details in a text.

Common Core Lesson
Common Core LessonKindergartenRI.K.10 Kindergarten Common Core Lesson

Using RI.K.10 Kindergarten Common Core Lesson, studentsactively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding while reading an informational text.

Common Core Lesson
Common Core LessonKindergartenRL.K.1 Kindergarten Common Core Lesson

Using this RL.K.1 Kindergarten Common Core Lesson, students answer questions aboutkey details in a text.

Common Core Lesson
Common Core LessonKindergartenRL.K.7 Kindergarten Common Core Lesson

Using RL.K.7 Kindergarten Common Core Lesson, studentsdescribethe relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear.

From our teachers' playbook

Who, where and what happened?

What do kindergarteners learn about story elements?

Kindergarteners learn that every story has the same few parts. There are characters (who the story is about), a setting (where and when it happens) and events (what happens first, next and last). With help, kids retell a familiar story in order, name the main characters and describe the setting using the pictures. The click moment is when a child closes a book and says, "The characters were the three bears, and it happened in the woods!"

Our favorite ways to teach story elements

Read-alouds are where story elements come alive. These moves turn every story time into practice.

Stop and name it

During a read-aloud, pause on the first page and think out loud: "Who's in this story? Where are they?" Point to the picture clues. After a few books, let kids take over the pausing and naming.

Why it works: handing over the work step by step, from teacher to student, is one of the most widely used teaching frameworks (Pearson and Gallagher, 1983).

Characters, Settings, and Events WorksheetTry it withCharacters, Settings, and Events WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Retell with picture cards

Give kids three or four pictures from a story they know and have them put the cards in order. Then they retell it using first, next and last. Pictures carry the memory before reading does.

Why it works: pairing a picture with each word gives kids two ways to remember it, a well-tested principle of how people learn (Mayer, 2009).

Sequencing Pictures WorksheetTry it withSequencing Pictures WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Spin for a question

After a story, kids spin and answer whatever lands: a character, the setting, or what happened at the end. It's a quick, fun way to check understanding without a single worksheet.

Why it works: in a well-known study, a few short sessions of a simple number board game measurably boosted young children's number skills (Ramani and Siegler, 2008).

Spin and Answer Story Elements ActivityTry it withSpin and Answer Story Elements ActivityActivitiesOpen it →

Questions teachers and parents ask about kindergarten story elements

What are the story elements for kindergarten?

Characters, setting and events (beginning, middle and end). Some classes also talk about the problem and how it gets solved, using simple words.

How do I teach characters and setting?

Ask two questions during every read-aloud: "Who is this story about?" and "Where does it happen?" Use the pictures as clues. Repetition across many books builds the habit.

How can my child practice retelling at home?

After bedtime stories, ask your child to tell you what happened first, next and last. Let them use the pictures. Retelling a favorite book over and over is great practice.

What if my child can't read yet?

That's perfectly fine. Story elements in kindergarten are taught through listening and pictures. Kids can name characters and settings long before they can read the words.