What else do you need for a good story?

We've learned all about the said/replied/said method of dialogue in a story.  

We know that a good setting is also essential.  

So now we need to get down to the nuts and bolts.  We call it "H.C.P"  Hook, characters, problem. 

The boys and girls learned all about hooks a long, long time ago, so they have those down pat. Here's a copy of the portable anchor chart the kids keep in their Personal Dictionary.

Types of Hooks  

Then we need characters. At the grade 3/4 level, kids are allowed to have two or three characters, tops. 

That leaves just the problem of the story. This part's tricky. As authors, students have to come up a problem for their characters to solve. Some kids can do this all on their own, but others (like me) work best with a prompt of some sort.  A prompt is something like, write a story about two friends who solve a playground problem or write a story about friends who win a prize and need to figure out how to share it.  These are all great ways to kick-start an author's imagination.  

We have another Wednesday Workshop tomorrow, so we'll take a break from story-writing, but we'll be back at it for Thursday.  

Whatever doesn't get finished in our Workshop tomorrow will have to come home for homework in order to stay on track and on schedule. 


It's hard to believe, but EQAO begins in two weeks!