You will learn
- Say what a setting is.
- Tell where a story happens.
- Tell when a story happens.
- Say how the setting helps the story.
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 setting is where and when a story happens.
- A story can happen in a house, a school, a forest or a town.
- Words in the story give clues.
- The setting can change.
Words to know
where and when a story happens
where something is
when something happens
a small hint
1. Discover: At the market
It was a sunny morning at the market. Ama and her mum bought fish and mangoes. The market was busy and loud. Ama liked the smell of fresh bread.
Think: Where does this story happen?
2. Understand: Where and when
Idea 1: Where?
The place is where a story happens: a market, a school, a farm, a river.
Idea 2: When?
The time is when it happens: in the morning, at night, in summer.
Idea 3: Find clues
Words in the story are clues. “Market” and “sunny morning” tell us the setting.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Where?
Where does the story happen?
- Look for a place word.
- Find it.
Answer: at the market
Example 2 (We do it together): When?
When does the story happen?
- Look for a time word.
- Find it.
Answer: a sunny morning
Example 3 (You try): Clue words
Which words tell us the market is busy?
Show the steps and answer
- Look at the description.
- Find the words.
Answer: busy and loud
Did you know?
A setting can be real, like a school, or imagined, like a land of giants.
Why this matters
Knowing the setting helps you picture the story and understand why things happen.
4. Explore: Setting picture
Draw the setting.
- Read a short text.
- Find where and when it happens.
- Draw the place.
- Label the picture.
Think about it: what did you notice?
Words can help you picture a place.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The story happens in ___.
- It happens in the ___.
- Clue words are ___.
- I can picture ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Where does the story happen?
at the market
Question 2. When does it happen?
in the morning
Question 3. What was the weather?
sunny
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Where are Ama and her mum?
- When does the story happen?
- What did they buy?
- The setting is where and ___ it happens.
- Is the market quiet or busy?
Level 2: Grow
- What did Ama like to smell?
- Is the setting a farm or a market?
- Name another place for a story.
Level 3: Stretch
- Describe the setting of a story you know.
- How do we find the setting?
- Kofi says the story happens at night. Is he right?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Tell where and when your last holiday or weekend happened.
Show a sample answer
On Saturday morning at the park.
Another one. Draw a setting from a story you know.
Show a sample answer
A drawing of a forest.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Setting is where and when.
Fix: Look for words in the story.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what a setting is.
- I can tell where a story happens.
- I can tell when it happens.
- I can use clues.
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
- Setting is where and when.
- Place and time clues help.
- Settings help us picture the story.
- A story can have more than one setting.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Beginning, middle, and end. 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 setting? [1 mark]
- Where does the story happen? [1 mark]
- When does the story happen? [1 mark]
- Name two clue words for the market. [2 marks]
- Explain how we find the setting of a story. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- where and when a story happens [1]
- at the market [1]
- a sunny morning [1]
- busy [1]; loud [1]
- look for place words [1]; look for time words [1]; use clue words [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- The setting is where and ___ a story happens.
- The story happens at the ___.
- It happens on a sunny ___.
- They bought fish and ___.
- The market was ___ and loud.
- Name a place for a story.
- Name a time for a story.
- True or false: setting is only the place.
- Draw a setting.
- Find the setting in a story you know.
Homework
Find the setting of a story you know and draw it.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The setting is where and ___ a story happens. | when | 1 |
| 2. The story happens at the ___. | market | 1 |
| 3. It happens on a sunny ___. | morning | 1 |
| 4. They bought fish and ___. | mangoes | 1 |
| 5. The market was ___ and loud. | busy | 1 |
| 6. Name a place for a story. | any valid place | 1 |
| 7. Name a time for a story. | any valid time | 1 |
| 8. True or false: setting is only the place. | false | 1 |
| 9. Draw a setting. | a suitable drawing | 1 |
| 10. Find the setting in a story you know. | where and when | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 at the market; 2 a sunny morning; 3 fish and mangoes; 4 when; 5 busy. Level 2: 1 fresh bread; 2 a market; 3 a valid place. Level 3: 1 a valid description; 2 look for place and time clues; 3 no, it is a sunny morning.
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 what a setting is | 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 where a story happens | 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 when a story happens | 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 Say how the setting helps the 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 |
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: Forgetting the time. Setting is where and when.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use pictures of places and ask which fits.
- 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 to say where and when a story happens. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Ask where the story happens.
- Look at picture clues together.
- Talk about places you know.
- 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 what a setting is; tell where a story happens; tell when a story happens; say how the setting helps the story.
Prerequisite knowledge. Identifying characters.
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 market story and ask where it happens.
Explanation (10 min). Teach place and time.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise with setting pictures.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners share their drawings.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Where does it happen? When? What clues tell you?
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 pictures and one setting. Extension. Compare settings in two stories.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Forgetting the time. Setting is where and when.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-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 pictures of places and ask which fits. Enrichment. Write a story with two settings. 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.1.3 (describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details) and RL.1.7; IES What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade; Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (reading comprehension). These sources informed the lesson.