1. Elements of a Story

2. Let’s Watch a Video…
This song/video covers the five main elements of a story:
Setting
Plot
Characters
Conflict
Theme
Your Job: write down two facts that you learned from watching the video. Be prepared to share with the class.

3. Setting Setting is the time and place a story takes place.
Describes the where and the when of the story
What time of day is it?
What is the weather like?
Is it inside or outside?
What city is it located in?
Past, present, or future?
What is the social and political climate?
What are the conditions like in this time and place?

4. Plot Plot is the way the author chooses to present the action.
Plot is a connecting sequence of events.
Plot describes the structure of a story.
Answers the questions:
What’s happening?
What are the significant events of the story?

5. Characters
The characters are the people who carry out the action (plot) of the story.
The act of creating characters is characterization.
A round character is a major character who encounters conflict and is changed by it. Round characters are fully developed and described. Round characters are often dynamic characters.
A flat character is a minor character that doesn’t change during the story. Flat characters play a supporting role and do not affect the plot. Flat characters are often called static characters.

6. Conflict
Conflict describes a struggle within the plot between opposing characters or forces.
Players:
The protagonist is the main character.
The antagonist is the character or force (e.g., nature) that the main character is battling. They are often referred to as “the bad guy.”

7. Types of Conflict Internal Conflict (inside) Man vs. Self
External Conflict (outside)
Man vs. Man
Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Society
Man vs. Supernatural

8. Theme The theme is the underlying message or lesson of the story.
Theme is the unifying idea in a piece of writing.
It is the central idea, message, or purpose of a story.
The theme is usually abstract. For example, many themes deal with honor, love, or survival.

9. Let’s Play a Review Game…
For each of the examples called out, hold up the card that goes along with that example.
If I call out “Harry Potter” then you would hold up your CHARACTER card.

10. What Did We Learn Today?