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Organizing the middle of a story using sequence words and character actions.
Have you ever tried to tell a story but started with the ending by mistake? It makes everyone feel a little mixed up! What if you had 'magic words' to help your friends follow every move you make?
Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The middle is the most exciting part! This is where the character usually has a problem. A problem is something that goes wrong or something the character needs to fix. To get to the end of the story, the character must take actions. These are the things they do to solve their problem. Without a middle, a story would be too short and boring. Imagine saying, 'I was hungry, and then I wasn't.' That's not a story! A story explains how you found a snack.
Quick Check
What do we call the thing that goes wrong for a character in the middle of a story?
Answer
A problem.
To help your reader understand the order of events, we use sequence words. Think of these as the glue that holds your sentences together. The three most common words for Grade 2 writers are First, Next, and Then.
1. First starts the action. 2. Next shows what happens after that. 3. Then leads us toward the finish.
Using these words makes your writing clear so your reader never has to ask, 'Wait, when did that happen?'
Let's look at how sequence words work in a simple order: 1. First, I get two slices of bread. 2. Next, I spread the peanut butter on one slice. 3. Then, I put the two slices together to eat!
Quick Check
Which word is best to use when you are starting the very first action in your story middle?
Answer
First
When a character faces a problem, they don't just sit there! They take action. In the middle of your story, you should describe exactly what the character does. If a cat is stuck in a tree, the action isn't just 'he got down.' The actions are: he meowed loudly, he looked for a low branch, and he jumped into a pile of leaves. By describing these steps, you make the story come alive for the reader.
Benny has a problem: His red balloon is stuck in a tall oak tree.
1. First, Benny tries to reach the balloon by standing on his tippy-toes, but he is too short. 2. Next, he finds a long stick on the ground and tries to poke the balloon loose. 3. Then, a gentle breeze blows, and the balloon wobbles until it falls right into his hands!
A crow is very thirsty and finds a jar with a little water at the bottom, but his beak cannot reach it. This is a big problem!
1. First, the crow tries to tip the jar over, but it is too heavy to move. 2. Next, he sees some small pebbles on the ground and picks them up one by one. 3. Then, he drops the pebbles into the jar until the water rises to the top so he can drink.
Which of these is a 'sequence word'?
If a character's ice cream melts, what part of the story is that?
You should always use the word 'Then' before the word 'First' in a story.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, try to tell someone the three steps of how you brushed your teeth using the words 'First', 'Next', and 'Then'.
Practice Activity
Draw a picture of a character with a problem (like a lost toy) and write three sentences using our magic glue words to show how they find it.