You will learn
- Plan a picture story.
- Draw pictures in order.
- Write a short caption for each picture.
- Tell the story aloud.
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
- Plan with a beginning, middle and end.
- Draw a picture for each part.
- Write a short sentence under each.
- Tell the story to others.
Words to know
a story told with pictures and words
a sentence under a picture
one box in a picture story
one after the other
1. Discover: The little seed
Kofi makes a picture story with three boxes. In the first, a seed is in the ground: A seed is in the soil. In the second, rain falls: The rain falls. In the third, a flower grows: A flower grows. He tells it to his friends.
Think: What are the beginning, middle and end?
2. Understand: Picture stories
Idea 1: Plan
Plan a beginning, a middle and an end. Draw three or more boxes called panels.
Idea 2: Draw and caption
Draw one picture in each panel. Write a short sentence, or caption, under each.
Idea 3: Tell
Tell the story aloud, in order, using your pictures.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Plan
Plan a story about a seed.
- Beginning: seed.
- Middle: rain.
- End: flower.
Answer: seed, rain, flower
Example 2 (We do it together): Caption
Write a caption for the rain panel.
- Say what happens.
- Write a short sentence.
Answer: The rain falls.
Example 3 (You try): Order
Put in order: flower grows, seed in soil, rain falls.
Show the steps and answer
- Seed first.
- Flower last.
Answer: seed in soil, rain falls, flower grows
Did you know?
Comics and graphic novels are picture stories.
Why this matters
Picture stories help you plan and tell stories clearly.
4. Explore: Make a mini comic
Make a three-panel story.
- Fold a paper in three.
- Draw a picture in each part.
- Write a caption under each.
- Tell the story.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can tell a story with pictures and words.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- First, ___.
- Next, ___.
- At the end, ___.
- My caption is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Plan a seed story.
seed, rain, flower
Question 2. Caption for rain panel?
The rain falls.
Question 3. Order the panels.
seed, rain, flower
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- A picture story uses pictures and ___.
- A caption is a ___ under a picture.
- One box in a picture story is a ___.
- A story has a beginning, middle and ___.
- We tell the story in ___.
Level 2: Grow
- Write a caption for a flower growing.
- Plan a story about a bird.
- Tell your story aloud.
Level 3: Stretch
- Make a three-panel story with captions.
- Why use captions?
- Ayo draws the end first. Is that wise?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Make a picture story about your morning and tell it.
Show a sample answer
Panel 1: I wake up. Panel 2: I eat. Panel 3: I go to school.
Another one. Make a four-panel picture story.
Show a sample answer
A story about a kite.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Plan beginning, middle, end.
Fix: Write short sentences.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can plan a picture story.
- I can draw pictures in order.
- I can write captions.
- I can tell my story.
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
- Plan beginning, middle and end.
- Draw in order.
- Write short captions.
- Tell the story.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Making simple posters. 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.
- What is a picture story? [1 mark]
- What is a caption? [1 mark]
- Plan a three-panel story. [3 marks]
- Write a caption for a picture of the sun. [1 mark]
- Explain how to make a picture story. [3 marks]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- a story told with pictures and words [1]
- a sentence under a picture [1]
- beginning [1]; middle [1]; end [1]
- a valid caption [1]
- plan beginning, middle, end [1]; draw in order and write captions [1]; tell it aloud [1]
Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- A picture story uses pictures and ___.
- A caption is a ___ under a picture.
- One box is a ___.
- A story has a beginning, middle and ___.
- Caption for rain:
- Plan a story about a bird.
- True or false: draw in order.
- True or false: captions are very long.
- Make a three-panel story.
- Tell your story aloud.
Homework
Make a three-panel picture story and tell it to your family.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A picture story uses pictures and ___. | words | 1 |
| 2. A caption is a ___ under a picture. | sentence | 1 |
| 3. One box is a ___. | panel | 1 |
| 4. A story has a beginning, middle and ___. | end | 1 |
| 5. Caption for rain: | The rain falls. | 1 |
| 6. Plan a story about a bird. | egg, hatch, fly | 1 |
| 7. True or false: draw in order. | true | 1 |
| 8. True or false: captions are very long. | false | 1 |
| 9. Make a three-panel story. | a picture story | 1 |
| 10. Tell your story aloud. | a spoken story | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 words; 2 sentence; 3 panel; 4 end; 5 order. Level 2: 1 A flower grows.; 2 egg, hatch, fly; 3 a spoken story. Level 3: 1 three panels with captions; 2 they tell what is happening; 3 no, draw in order.
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 Plan a picture 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 |
| O2 Draw pictures 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 |
| O3 Write a short caption for each picture | 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 Tell the story aloud | 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: Drawing out of order. Plan beginning, middle, end.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use a ready-made three-box template.
- 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 makes a story with pictures and words. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Provide paper and pencils.
- Ask them to tell the story.
- Praise creativity.
- 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: plan a picture story; draw pictures in order; write a short caption for each picture; tell the story aloud.
Prerequisite knowledge. Sharing information orally.
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). Show the seed picture story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach planning, drawing and captions.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise make a mini comic.
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. What happens first, next, last? What is the caption?
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 a three-box template. Extension. Make a six-panel story.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Drawing out of order. Plan beginning, middle, end.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 9-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 a ready-made three-box template. Enrichment. Make a six-panel story. 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 » Writing; Grade 1 » Reading: Informational Text; Grade 1 » Speaking & Listening. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core W.1.3 (write narratives) and RL.1.7; Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (writing and media). These sources informed the lesson.