2nd Grade Language Arts
Story Structure
Unit 2
Books!
Think of your favorite book and then think of your favorite movie. Do you think they're related in any way? If you answered "yes", you'd be right! Although all stories (yes, a movie is a story) are unique in some way, almost all of them share one basic quality:
All stories have a beginning, middle, and end.
Movies!
Beginning
Introduces the character and the setting
Sets up the story for the events later on
Ask: Who and where?
Ex. Cinderella: Introduces the evil stepmother (how she treats Cinderella), the step-sisters, and Cinderella. The setting is at their home preparing for the Prince's ball.
Middle
The main portion of the plot
Where the action occurs
Ask: What is the problem? What are the events?
Ex. Cinderella: The ball occurs while Cinderella is at home. The Fairy Godmother appears and transforms Cinderella's dress as well as gives her a pumpkin chariot to the ball. Cinderella catches the attention of the Prince and dances with him all night. The clock strikes midnight and Cinderella flees the palace since her glamorous clothes were set to disappear at midnight and accidentally leaves a glass slipper behind.
End
The conclusion of the story
How the characters have changed
Ask: How is the problem is solved?
Essentially, the "Happily Ever After"
Ex. Cinderella: The Prince tries to fit the glass slipper on the women in the region to try and find Cinderella, but it does not fit any of them, including Cinderella's step-mother and step-sisters. Finally, the Prince puts the shoe on Cinderella and it fits. They get married and live happily ever after.