Instructions
You are going to write an exciting narrative story! Use the sections below to plan your ideas before you write your final story at the end. Your story must include a dragon, a castle, and a problem involving knights. Be as creative and descriptive as you can!
Part 1: Meet Your Dragon
Every great story needs a great character. Let's design your dragon!
- What is your dragon's name?
____________________________________________________ - What does your dragon look like? Think about its colour, size, eyes, wings, horns, and any special markings.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ - What is your dragon's personality? Is it grumpy, wise, playful, shy, or something else?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ - Does your dragon have a special power or skill? (e.g., breathes shimmering bubbles instead of fire, can talk to other animals, can become invisible, bakes amazing cakes).
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Part 2: Explore the Castle
A setting is more than just a place. Use your five senses to bring your castle to life!
- What can you see? (e.g., crumbling stone towers, a deep dark moat, colourful banners fluttering, spooky cobwebs).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ - What can you hear? (e.g., the wind whistling through cracked windows, dripping water, creaking doors, distant echoes).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ - What can you smell? (e.g., damp stone, smoky torches, old books, something delicious cooking in the kitchens).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ - What might you feel? (e.g., the cold, rough walls; a chilly draft; a soft, velvet chair).
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Part 3: The Knight Problem
Every story needs a problem to solve. Why are the knights causing trouble?
- What is the problem? (e.g., Are they trying to steal the dragon's treasure? Do they mistakenly think the dragon has captured a princess? Are they trying to kick the dragon out of its home?)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ - Who is the leader of the knights? Give them a name and a personality (e.g., Sir Reginald the Ridiculous, Lady Briar the Brave, Sir Clang-a-lot).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ - How does the problem begin? What is the first thing that happens to show there is trouble?
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Part 4: Story Mountain Planner
Use the story mountain to quickly plan the beginning, middle, and end of your narrative.
BEGINNING (Orientation)
Introduce your dragon and the castle. What is a normal day like?
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MIDDLE (Complication & Climax)
The knights arrive! The problem begins. Describe the main action. How does the dragon react? What is the most exciting moment?
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END (Resolution)
How is the problem solved? What happens to the knights and the dragon? How does the story finish?
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Part 5: Write Your Narrative
Use all your amazing ideas from the planning sections to write your full story below. Remember to use paragraphs and descriptive language (wow words!) to make your story exciting for the reader.
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Answer Key
As this is a creative writing task, there are no single "right" answers. Use this key as a guide to check if the plan and story are well-developed.
Part 1: Meet Your Dragon
- The student has given the dragon a name.
- The description includes specific details about appearance (e.g., "sapphire-blue scales," not just "blue").
- The personality is clear and consistent (e.g., a shy dragon might hide, while a grumpy one might roar).
- The special power is unique and could be used to help solve the problem in the story.
Part 2: Explore the Castle
- The student has used descriptive words (adjectives).
- There is at least one idea for three or more of the five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch).
Part 3: The Knight Problem
- The reason for the conflict is clear and makes sense for the story.
- The knight leader has a name and a simple personality.
- The student has described how the problem starts (the inciting incident).
Part 4: Story Mountain Planner
- Beginning: The plan clearly introduces the main character and setting.
- Middle: The plan identifies the problem and includes some exciting action or a climax.
- End: The plan explains how the problem is solved and what happens to the characters.
Part 5: Write Your Narrative - Checklist
- [ ] The story has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
- [ ] The description of the dragon and the castle from the planning stage is included in the story.
- [ ] The problem with the knights is central to the plot.
- [ ] The story uses interesting verbs (e.g., "thundered," "scampered," "whispered") and adjectives (e.g., "gleaming," "ancient," "terrifying").
- [ ] The story is organised into paragraphs.
- [ ] The student has attempted to use correct punctuation (capital letters, full stops, speech marks).
- [ ] The resolution at the end is satisfying (e.g., the dragon and knights reach an understanding, the knights are scared away, etc.).