Courseversity

Lesson

Narrative planning

Primary EducationGrade 6English & Language ArtsCV-PRI-G06-ELA-U06-L0145–60 min

You will learn

  • Brainstorm ideas.
  • Choose key elements.
  • Organise a plan.
  • Check the plan.

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

The lesson in 60 seconds

  1. Brainstorm.
  2. Choose character, setting and problem.
  3. Order events.
  4. Check the plan.

Words to know

narrative
a story, real or imagined
brainstorm
to gather many ideas quickly
story plan
an outline of what will happen
premise
the basic idea behind a story

1. Discover: Planning “The Last Ferry”

Ayo brainstorms a narrative. Her premise: a girl must reach her sick grandmother before the last ferry leaves. Her story plan: character (Zainab), setting (a river port at dusk), problem (the ferry is early), key events (a lost ticket, a kind stranger, a race along the jetty) and ending (she boards just in time).

She checks: does every event link to the problem? Does the ending solve it?

Think: What should a story plan include?

2. Understand: Plan before you write

Idea 1: Brainstorm

First brainstorm many ideas, then choose the best premise.

Idea 2: Plan

A story plan lists character, setting, problem, key events and ending.

Idea 3: Check

Check that every event links to the problem.

Remember: A narrative plan lists character, setting, problem, key events and ending, all linked.

3. Worked examples

Example 1 (I show you): Premise

What is the premise?

  1. Race to the ferry.

Answer: a girl must reach her grandmother before the last ferry leaves

Example 2 (We do it together): Problem

What is the problem?

  1. Ferry is early.

Answer: the ferry leaves early

Example 3 (You try): Check

What do you check?

Show the steps and answer
  1. Links.

Answer: that events link to the problem

Did you know?

Many professional writers plan their endings before they write the beginning.

Why this matters

Planning prevents rambling and gives your story direction.

4. Explore: Story plan

Plan a story.

  1. Brainstorm three premises.
  2. Choose one.
  3. Fill a plan with five parts.
  4. Check the links.
Think about it: what did you notice?

You can plan a narrative.

5. Practise

Say it in a sentence

Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.

  • My premise is ___.
  • The problem is ___.
  • The key events are ___.
  • The ending is ___.

Guided practice

Question 1. A story is a ___.

narrative

Question 2. Gathering many ideas is to ___.

brainstorm

Question 3. An outline of events is a story ___.

plan

Independent practice

Level 1: Start

  1. A story is a ___.
  2. Gathering many ideas is to ___.
  3. An outline of events is a story ___.
  4. The basic idea is the ___.
  5. Zainab must catch the last ___.

Level 2: Grow

  1. Where is the story set?
  2. What is the problem?
  3. How does the story end?

Level 3: Stretch

  1. Should events link to the problem?
  2. Should you plan first?
  3. Is brainstorming useful?

Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.

6. Apply: English in everyday life

Write a one-page plan for an original story.

Show a sample answer

a story plan

Another one. Tell a family member your story idea and ask what they would add.

Show a sample answer

a completed task

7. Common mistakes

Mistake: Rushing without checking.
Fix: Slow down and check your work.
Another mistake: Skipping the worked example.
Fix: Study the example first, then try.

8. Lesson summary and revision card

I can…

  • I can brainstorm ideas.
  • I can choose key elements.
  • I can organise a plan.
  • I can check the plan.

9. Check and master

Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.

1. A narrative is a ___.

2. To brainstorm is to gather many ___.

3. A story plan is an ___.

4. A premise is the basic ___.

5. The problem in the plan is ___.

6. The setting is ___.

7. A key event is ___.

8. The ending ___ the problem.

9. What should every event do?

10. What comes first?

11. What does a plan prevent?

12. Why plan a narrative?

Challenge 1. Which belongs in a story plan?

Challenge 2. Which is a premise?

Your result appears here after you answer every question.

10. Key takeaways

  • Brainstorm.
  • Choose character, setting and problem.
  • Order events.
  • Check the plan.

11. Next lesson

Next lesson: Plot structure. 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.

  1. Define narrative. [1 mark]
  2. List four parts of a story plan. [4 marks]
  3. What is a premise? [1 mark]
  4. Name the problem in The Last Ferry. [1 mark]
  5. Explain why planning helps a writer. [3 marks]

Total: 10 marks.

Marking guide and model answers
  1. a story, real or imagined [1]
  2. character [1]; setting [1]; problem [1]; ending [1]
  3. the basic idea behind a story [1]
  4. the ferry leaves early [1]
  5. gives direction [1]; links events to the problem [1]; prevents rambling [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

  1. A story is a ___.
  2. Gathering many ideas is to ___.
  3. An outline of events is a story ___.
  4. The basic idea is the ___.
  5. Zainab must catch the last ___.
  6. Where is the story set?
  7. What is the problem?
  8. How does the story end?
  9. Should events link to the problem?
  10. Should you plan first?

Homework

Tell a family member your story idea and ask what they would add.

Answer key and marking scheme

Question Expected response Marks
1. A story is a ___. narrative 1
2. Gathering many ideas is to ___. brainstorm 1
3. An outline of events is a story ___. plan 1
4. The basic idea is the ___. premise 1
5. Zainab must catch the last ___. ferry 1
6. Where is the story set? a river port at dusk 1
7. What is the problem? the ferry is early 1
8. How does the story end? she boards just in time 1
9. Should events link to the problem? yes 1
10. Should you plan first? yes 1
Total 10

Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 narrative; 2 brainstorm; 3 plan; 4 premise; 5 ferry. Level 2: 1 a river port at dusk; 2 the ferry is early; 3 she boards just in time. Level 3: 1 yes; 2 yes; 3 yes.

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 Brainstorm ideas 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 Choose key elements 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 Organise a plan 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 Check the plan 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

  1. Find the misconception: Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
  2. Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
  3. Show a simpler example: Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames.
  4. Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
  5. Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
  6. Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.

For parents and guardians

In this lesson your child practises a key Grade 3 English skill with clear examples and a quiz. You do not need to be an expert to help.

  • Listen while your child explains the idea.
  • Ask for one new example.
  • Praise effort and careful work.
  • 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: brainstorm ideas; choose key elements; organise a plan; check the plan.

Prerequisite knowledge. Editing for clarity and style.

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). Introduce the idea with the opening example.

Explanation (10 min). Teach the key words.

Guided activity (10 min). Practise together.

Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding with the quiz.

Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.

Key questions. What is the key idea? Can I give my own example?

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 the sentence frames and work with a partner. Extension. Create a harder example of your own.

Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.

Misconceptions. Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.

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. Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames. Enrichment. Make up your own example and teach it to someone at home. 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 6 » Writing; Grade 6 » Language. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.

Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core W.6.3 and W.6.5 (write narratives; plan and revise); Cambridge Primary English Stage 6 (planning writing). These sources informed the lesson.

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