Level 1 • Lesson 20 — Using imagination to write stories

Objective

I can use my imagination to plan a story with a who, a where, and what happens, and write short beginning, middle, and ending sentences.

Materials

Short, sharpened pencil
Eraser
Ruled paper (primary lines preferred)
Tracing Pad (below)
Small pictures, toys, or story cards (optional)

Mini-lesson — Using imagination for stories

Your imagination helps you make stories that are new, fun, or even a little bit magic.

Every story needs:

A who — the person or animal
A where — the place
What happens — the action or event

Story questions to help you imagine:

Who is in my story?
Where are they?
What happens that is interesting?

Use "What if...?" to get ideas:

What if my cat went to the moon?
What if my toy came alive?
What if it rained sweets at school?

Then turn your idea into three sentences:

Beginning: Tell who and where.
Middle: Tell what happens.
Ending: Show how it finishes.

Think: "Can my reader see who, where, and what happens in my story?"

Picture strip: "Imagining a story"

Guided Practice — Imagination warm-up

Use this routine to warm up your imagination before you write any stories.

Close your eyes for a moment: Imagine a person or animal you like (a child, a cat, a robot).
Choose a place: Imagine them in an interesting place like a park, a castle, or the moon.
Ask "What if...?": What if something funny, surprising, or kind happens there?
Trace idea words: On the Tracing Pad, choose words like who, where, first, then, magic, or adventure and trace them neatly.
Say your story idea aloud: Tell a grown-up your who, where, and what happens in one or two sentences.
Time to write: Write a short beginning, middle, and ending sentence for your story.

You can save your favorite ideas to use again in other writing lessons.

Tracing Pad

Lines Trace

Pen

Drag & Drop — Build story ideas

Choose a who, a where, and what happens.

On the device:
Drag one card into each box to build your story idea.

On paper:
Choose two ideas and write a beginning, middle, and ending sentence for each.

Story 1 — A pet in space
Build a story about an animal and a strange place.