You will learn
- Say that a story has a beginning, middle and end.
- Tell the beginning of a story.
- Tell the middle and the end.
- Put the three parts in order.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- A story has three parts.
- The beginning starts the story.
- The middle is where the problem happens.
- The end is how it finishes.
Words to know
how a story starts
the main part of a story
how a story finishes
something that needs fixing
1. Discover: The tortoise
A tortoise could not climb a hill. He tried and tried. Then a bird said, “Hold on to my feet!” The bird lifted the tortoise to the top. The tortoise said, “Thank you!”
Think: What was the tortoise’s problem?
2. Understand: Three parts
Idea 1: The beginning
The beginning tells who is in the story and where. It often shows a problem. A tortoise could not climb a hill.
Idea 2: The middle
The middle tells what happens next. The tortoise tried and a bird helped.
Idea 3: The end
The end tells how the story finishes. The bird lifted the tortoise to the top.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Beginning
What is the beginning?
- Find who and what.
- Find the problem.
Answer: A tortoise could not climb a hill.
Example 2 (We do it together): Middle
What is the middle?
- What did the tortoise do?
- Who helped?
Answer: The tortoise tried and a bird helped.
Example 3 (You try): End
What is the end?
Show the steps and answer
- How did it finish?
- Look at the last lines.
Answer: The bird lifted the tortoise to the top.
Did you know?
Storytellers all over the world use a beginning, middle and end.
Why this matters
Knowing the three parts helps you understand stories and write your own.
4. Explore: Three-part story
Draw the three parts.
- Fold paper in three.
- Draw the beginning.
- Draw the middle.
- Draw the end and label them.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can show a story in three parts.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- At the beginning, ___.
- In the middle, ___.
- At the end, ___.
- The problem is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is the problem?
the tortoise could not climb the hill
Question 2. Who helped?
a bird
Question 3. How does it end?
the bird lifts the tortoise to the top
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- A story has a beginning, middle and ___.
- What could the tortoise not do?
- Who helped the tortoise?
- Where did the bird take him?
- What did the tortoise say at the end?
Level 2: Grow
- Which part tells the problem: beginning or end?
- Which part tells how it finishes?
- Put in order: end, beginning, middle.
Level 3: Stretch
- Tell a story you know in three parts.
- Why do stories have three parts?
- Ayo says the bird lifting him is the beginning. Is he right?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Tell a family member about your day in three parts.
Show a sample answer
Beginning: I woke up. Middle: I went to school. End: I came home.
Another one. Draw a story in three boxes.
Show a sample answer
Three pictures with labels.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Start with the beginning.
Fix: Tell what happened in between.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name the three parts of a story.
- I can tell the beginning.
- I can tell the middle and end.
- I can put them in order.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- A story has three parts.
- Beginning, middle, end.
- The beginning shows the problem.
- The end tells how it finishes.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Retelling stories. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name the three parts of a story. [3 marks]
- What is the problem in the story? [1 mark]
- How does the story end? [1 mark]
- Tell the middle of the story. [2 marks]
- Explain why a story needs three parts. [3 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- beginning [1]; middle [1]; end [1]
- the tortoise could not climb the hill [1]
- the bird lifted the tortoise to the top [1]
- the tortoise tried [1]; the bird helped [1]
- it starts clearly [1]; things happen [1]; it finishes [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- A story has a beginning, a middle and an ___.
- The tortoise could not climb a ___.
- A ___ helped him.
- At the end he got to the ___.
- Which part tells the problem?
- Which part tells how it finishes?
- Order: end, beginning, middle.
- True or false: a story has one part.
- Draw the three parts.
- Tell a story in three parts.
Homework
Tell a family member a story in three parts.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A story has a beginning, a middle and an ___. | end | 1 |
| 2. The tortoise could not climb a ___. | hill | 1 |
| 3. A ___ helped him. | bird | 1 |
| 4. At the end he got to the ___. | top | 1 |
| 5. Which part tells the problem? | beginning | 1 |
| 6. Which part tells how it finishes? | end | 1 |
| 7. Order: end, beginning, middle. | beginning, middle, end | 1 |
| 8. True or false: a story has one part. | false | 1 |
| 9. Draw the three parts. | three drawings | 1 |
| 10. Tell a story in three parts. | beginning, middle and end | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 end; 2 climb a hill; 3 a bird; 4 to the top; 5 Thank you. Level 2: 1 beginning; 2 end; 3 beginning, middle, end. Level 3: 1 beginning, middle and end; 2 so they are clear and complete; 3 no, it is the end.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say that a story has a beginning, middle and end | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Tell the beginning of a story | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Tell the middle and the end | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Put the three parts in order | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Telling the end first. Start with the beginning.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use three pictures in order.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns that stories have a beginning, a middle and an end. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Ask: what happened first, next, last?
- Draw the three parts together.
- Praise clear order.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say that a story has a beginning, middle and end; tell the beginning of a story; tell the middle and the end; put the three parts in order.
Prerequisite knowledge. Identifying settings.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Read the tortoise story and ask what happens at the start.
Explanation (10 min). Teach beginning, middle and end.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise with three-box drawings.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners share their stories.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. How does it start? What happens? How does it end?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use three pictures. Extension. Write a three-part story.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Telling the end first. Start with the beginning.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use three pictures in order. Enrichment. Write a story with a beginning, middle and end. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Reading: Foundational Skills; Grade 1 » Reading: Literature; Grade 1 » Reading: Informational Text. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RL.1.2 (retell stories) and RL.1.5; IES What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade (teach students to identify and use the text’s organisational structure); Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (reading comprehension). These sources informed the lesson.