Guide children to develop an outline or story map of important ideas from a story by creating story graphics. A story map provides a more global and artistic way to form an outline of a story. The following categories invite children to gather ideas about the:

• characters,
  
  
• setting,
  
  
• problem or conflict,
  
  
• trigger or event that set off the problem,
  
  
• sequence of steps taken to solve the problem,
  
  
• a final solution to the problem.
  

Using a systematic set of questions develops a framework for the story. Such a framework will serve as a strategic device for understanding future stories. The goal is broader than checking to see if children can remember details from a reading selection and becomes a model for thinking during current and future reading experiences.

Notice how easily these elements work in a story map, which is a visual way to recall and relate ideas from a story. Pictures, shapes, and words are combined to create a graphic image.


Story Mapping