Crafting Narrative Stories

Crafting Narrative Stories

Grade 9th Grade · ELA · 50 min

What's Included

Learning Objective

I can write a narrative with a clear plot, engaging characters, and a consistent point of view.

Warm-Up Video

Think Story · 8:03

Writing Strong Characters - The Important Distinction Between Want and Need

Guided Notes

3 key concepts

  • 1

    A character's external want drives the plot forward, while their internal need is what they must learn to grow and fulfill their want.

  • 2

    A character's want is usually known to them, but their need is often unknown or rejected initially.

  • 3

    Wants drive the plot of a story, while needs drive the theme and provide the emotional core.

Practice Questions

11 questions · Multiple choice & Short answer

Exit Ticket

Quick comprehension check

Think of a character. Describe a 'want' that this character has (an external goal) and a 'need' that this character has (an internal, emotional goal). How does the 'want' drive the plot, and how does the 'need' drive the theme of the story?

Complete Lesson Package

Get all 3 ready-to-use resources:

Teacher GuideComplete lesson plan
Student DocPrintable student handouts
SlidesReady-to-use presentation