Story Maps - help kids tell their story!

A story map is a visual aid to the settings or the sequence of major events and actions of story characters. Using a story map enables students to relate story events and to perceive structure in literary selections.  Story maps can be used as frameworks for storytelling or retelling, and as outlines for story writing.  

I use story maps with the kids I see to help them with story writing.  This may help children who are described as "has lots of great ideas, but doesn't seem to be able to get them down on paper" or "they look at the blank page for a long time before they seem to attempt writing".  Often the children I see have motor coordination difficulties so we are working on "handwriting" in addition to the content of their "writing".  Did you see the subtle way I used "handwriting" compared with "writing"?

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I've used a great book called "How to Teach Story Writing at Key Stage 1 by Pie Corbett" as a basis for some of the following ideas.

When you look at a familiar story {rhyme} such as Humpty Dumpty we can see the structure of the story when we use a story map.  

In the diagrams opposite you can see Humpty Dumpty divided into a 3 part story map (Introduction, Problem and Resolution).  

I find helping children (who struggle to write ideas onto paper), to work through a story map is beneficial.   I will often talk through the story of Humpty Dumpty with them and place the sentences on post-it notes (sticky back paper).  I ask them to sequence the notes {sentences} and place them into a blank story map. 

We then move onto writing a 3 part story with an introduction, problem and resolution.  Sometimes using "connective words" (sentence beginnings) help a student to plan how to progress a story.  It may be take several sessions (or longer) to develop these initial story writing skills. 

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Once a child becomes confident in using a 3 part story map, I will progress them onto using a 5 part story map (Introduction, Build up, problem, resolution and conclusion). I may re-introduce Humpty Dumpty, including drawing and/or connective words as necessary. 

I have included all the story maps found on this page with the Humpty Dumpty examples as a part of the Story Map Pack available at the Your Kids OT shop.  There is also a guide for using the story  maps.

If your child is able to complete 5 part stories without difficulty, you may consider extending your child with details about the setting, multiple problems and resolutions, multiple characters, character feelings and descriptions. 

Do you have a reluctant writer that you are encouraging?  Have you tried a story map?  Have you given them some help with connective words? 

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