Story Structure

Narrative Structure

Plot and Story Elements

Open Ended

What makes a good story?

Story Elements

• Setting (where, when)

• Characters (who)

• Conflict (problem)

• Plot (events)

• Theme (lesson learned)

The Drive-In Movies

By Gary Soto

Open Ended

What is the exposition? Or background information for this story?

Multiple Choice

Who are the characters in "The Drive-In Movies" by Gary Soto?

• Siblings and parents

• Soto and his mother

• Soto, his siblings, his mother

• Soto and his siblings

Multiple Choice

Which answer best describes the setting of "The Drive-In Movies"?

• Drive-in movie theater

• Saturday morning in the lawn, working on chores

• Saturday evening

• Doing chores

Multiple Choice

What is one event that contributes to the rising action?

• Soto completes chores throughout the day.

• Soto teases his siblings.

• Soto narrates the story.

• Soto goes to the drive-in movies with his family.

Multiple Choice

What is the climax of the story? (Climax = problem reaches a high point!)

• Soto and his brother completed all the chores.

• Soto's siblings watched him work on mowing the lawn.

• Soto was not able to go to the drive-in

• Soto and his brother waxed the car incorrectly.

Multiple Choice

What is the falling action of the story? (characters work to solve the problem)

• Soto cannot go to the movies.

• Soto's mom notices their hard work and takes them to the movies anyway.

• Soto and his brother can't go but his sister can.

• They do chores.

Open Ended

What is the resolution? How does the story end?