Year 1 English · AC9E1LE03

Discuss plot, character and setting, which are features of stories

Stories have characters, settings and plots. Discussing these features helps readers understand what happens and why

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Learning goalsSay it simply

1. Outcome Overview & Core Concepts

Stories have characters, settings and plots. Discussing these features helps readers understand what happens and why.

Learning target: discuss plot, character and setting, which are features of stories

Big idea: Discuss the key story features: plot, character and setting

Learning routine: Read story → Name character → Name setting → Sequence plot → Explain

Key conceptTeach from the board

2. Subject-Specific Content & Key Examples

Story feature map

Character: whoSetting: where/whenPlot: what happensProblem/ending

Worked example

Question: In “The girl lost her puppy at the park”, the girl and puppy are characters, the park is setting, and losing the puppy starts the plot.

Use a story map to organise ideas

beginningmiddleendingproblemsolution

Feature sort

Sort cards into character, setting and plot.

Guided practice

  1. Feature sort — Sort cards into character, setting and plot.
    dragon / cave / found treasure
  2. Plot chain — Put three events in order.
    first / next / finally
  3. Setting swap — Change the setting and discuss how the story might change.
    forest → city
Clean visual examplesOne-page board

Clean one-page examples

AC9E1LE03 - Discuss plot, character and setting, which are features of stories
Example 1

Story feature map Character: who Setting: where/when Plot: what happens Problem/ending

Example 2

Worked example Question: In “The girl lost her puppy at the park”, the girl and puppy are characters, the park is setting, and losing the puppy starts the plot.

Example 3

Use a story map to organise ideas beginning middle ending problem solution

Example 4

Feature sort Sort cards into character, setting and plot.

Curriculum examplesCurriculum examples

Curriculum Coverage & Elaborations

The content description is the required target. The elaborations below are taught as examples and contexts, not as disconnected checklist wording.

  • E1: recognising similar characters and settings in different types of literary texts; for example, traditional tales, narrative poems and fables
  • E2: discussing whether features of settings including time (year, season) and place (country or city) are realistic or imagined
  • E3: discussing how plots develop, including beginnings (orientation), how the problem (complication) is introduced and solved (resolution)
Questions and answersWith answers

Revision Notes

  • Remember: Discuss the key story features: plot, character and setting
  • Use the routine: Read story → Name character → Name setting → Sequence plot → Explain
  • Before answering: point to the clue in the spoken words, written sentence, image, page layout or text purpose.
  • Self-check: change the example slightly and see whether the same reasoning still works.
Practice and reviewReady for practice

3. Common Student Misconceptions

  • Character = any object: Characters usually act or feel in the story.
  • Setting forgotten: Ask where and when the story happens.
  • Plot as one event only: Track events across beginning, middle and end.

Practice Thought & Formative Assessment

Use a fresh, code-aligned example. The student should show the exact word, sound, sentence, image feature, audience clue or text evidence that supports the answer.

Quick checks

  • Who are the characters?
  • What is setting?
  • Name one plot event.
  • Why does order matter in plot?

Mastery evidence

  • Identify characters
  • Identify setting
  • Retell plot
  • Sequence events
Curriculum alignmentStart here

1. Outcome Overview & Core Concepts

Stories have characters, settings and plots. Discussing these features helps readers understand what happens and why.

Learning target: discuss plot, character and setting, which are features of stories

Big idea: Discuss the key story features: plot, character and setting

Learning routine: Read story → Name character → Name setting → Sequence plot → Explain

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