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Year 3 · English · Literature

Story structure: beginning, middle and end

Identifying how a story introduces characters, builds to a problem and reaches a resolution, and planning a simple story with the same shape.

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These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to UK year groups by age (Year 1 is the year a child turns 6 in England). They are not mapped to the National Curriculum in England or the curricula of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, so check them against your own plans.

Learning goals

Learners will

  • Identify the beginning, middle and end of a story.
  • Explain how a story introduces characters, builds to a problem and reaches a resolution.
  • Plan a simple story with a beginning, a problem in the middle and a resolution at the end.

Success looks like

  • I can say who is in the story and where it happens.
  • I can find the problem in the middle of a story.
  • I can plan my own story with a beginning, middle and end.

The big idea

Most stories have the same shape. Knowing this shape helps children understand what they read and plan stories of their own.

  • Beginning: we meet the characters and find out where and when the story happens.
  • Middle: a problem happens. The characters try to fix it.
  • End: the problem is solved. This is called the resolution. We often find out how the characters feel.

Here is a short story. Beginning: On a sunny morning, Sam and his big sister Ava went to the beach. They built an enormous sandcastle with four tall towers. Middle: Suddenly a big wave rushed up the sand and knocked down one of the towers. Sam's lip wobbled. 'The sea will wreck it all!' he said. End: Ava had an idea. Together they piled up a thick wall of sand in front of the castle. The next waves crashed against the wall, and the rest of the castle stayed standing. Sam cheered.

The problem is what makes a story interesting. Without a problem, a story is just a list of things that happened. A good problem matters to the character, and the resolution shows how they solved it.

When planning a story, write or draw just a few words in each box of the story plan. Talk it through aloud before writing any sentences.

Worked examples

Finding the beginning

What do we learn at the beginning of the sandcastle story?

  1. Who? Sam and his big sister Ava.
  2. Where? At the beach.
  3. When? On a sunny morning.
  4. What are they doing? Building a sandcastle with four towers.

Answer: Sam and Ava are at the beach on a sunny morning, building a sandcastle.

Finding the problem and resolution

What is the problem in the sandcastle story, and how is it solved?

  1. Look for where something goes wrong: a wave knocks down a tower.
  2. Look for how the characters fix it: they build a sand wall.
  3. Check the result: the rest of the castle stays standing.

Answer: Problem: a wave knocks down a tower. Resolution: they build a wall that protects the rest of the castle.

Planning a story

Plan a story about a lost teddy.

  1. Beginning: Zoe and her teddy, Bear, at a picnic in the park on Saturday.
  2. Middle: when it is time to go home, Bear is missing. Zoe looks under the rug and behind a tree.
  3. End: a dog trots up with Bear in its mouth. Its owner says sorry, and Zoe hugs Bear tightly.

Answer: A three-part plan with a beginning, a problem in the middle and a resolution at the end.

Practice check

Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.

  1. 1.Which part of a story usually introduces the characters?
  2. 2.Where does the sandcastle story happen?
  3. 3.How do Sam and Ava solve their problem?
  4. 4.Which sentence would make the best problem for a story?
  5. 5.How does Sam feel at the very end of the story?
  6. 6.What is the name of Sam's sister? Type her name.
  7. 7.What knocked down a tower of the sandcastle? Type one word.
  8. 8.In which part of a story does the problem usually happen: the beginning, middle or end? Type one word.
Answer guide for parents

  1. Which part of a story usually introduces the characters?

    the beginning — We meet the characters at the beginning.

  2. Where does the sandcastle story happen?

    at the beach — Sam and Ava went to the beach.

  3. How do Sam and Ava solve their problem?

    They build a wall of sand to protect the castle. — They piled up a thick wall of sand, and the rest of the castle stayed standing.

  4. Which sentence would make the best problem for a story?

    The dog ran off with Dad's car keys. — Losing the car keys is a problem that the characters must solve.

  5. How does Sam feel at the very end of the story?

    happy — Sam cheered, which shows he was happy.

  6. What is the name of Sam's sister? Type her name.

    Ava — Sam's big sister is called Ava.

  7. What knocked down a tower of the sandcastle? Type one word.

    wave — 'A big wave rushed up the sand and knocked down one of the towers.'

  8. In which part of a story does the problem usually happen: the beginning, middle or end? Type one word.

    middle — The problem usually happens in the middle.

Watch out for

  • Writing a story with no problem ('We went to the park. We played. We went home.'). Ask, 'What goes wrong?'
  • Ending with 'It was all a dream'. Encourage endings where characters solve the problem themselves.
  • Spending most of the story on the beginning. Keep the start short and get to the problem quickly.

Tips for parents

  • After reading any story together, ask three questions: 'Who was in it? What went wrong? How was it fixed?'
  • Let your child tell the story aloud before writing. Talking is planning.
  • Write down the first sentence for your child if starting is hard, then let them continue.

Go further

  • Change the problem in a familiar story and tell what would happen next.
  • Make a three-page book with one page each for the beginning, middle and end.
  • Act out the sandcastle story with toys, then invent a different resolution.

About 30 minutes

Make a lesson planAssign to my child

You'll need

  • A story plan: a sheet folded into three boxes labelled Beginning, Middle and End
  • Coloured pencils
  • A favourite picture book

Key words

beginning
The start of a story, where we meet the characters and find out where and when it happens.
middle
The part of a story where a problem happens and the characters try to fix it.
end
The last part of a story, where the problem is solved.
problem
Something that goes wrong for a character.
resolution
How the problem is solved.
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