Let's talk elements of fiction, those building blocks for literary analysis. You've got some fantastic mini-lessons that you deliver with enthusiasm, and the students who stick with you can parrot back definitions like plot, setting, character, and theme. However, the minute you ask them to apply those terms to a story, to actually analyze them, things go south. Why is that? Could it be that the mini-lesson, no matter how expertly presented, is not enough? What if you had some creative strategies to teach the elements of fiction, ones that lead to deeper learning and engagement?
Read on, and I'll share some that do.
The Traditional Approach Doesn’t Always Stick
Here's the thing: When we rely on definitions, charts, and quizzes to teach the elements of fiction, students might learn the words, but they rarely internalize the meaning. They can tell you what tone is, but not why it matters. They might identify the setting, but they can’t explain how it's important to the conflict or to the message the author wants to impart.
That’s because these methods ask students to just name story elements rather than explore how they work in a narrative. And when learning stays at that surface level, it fades fast. I’ve seen it happen a hundred times: students ace the “elements of fiction” test in September and struggle to analyze short stories in October. They know the terms, but they can’t transfer the knowledge.
Look at it this way: imagine an artist learning how to mix colors by reading a handout and doing a quiz, but they never touch any paints. Or, picture a baseball player memorizing terms like line drive, pop fly, and grounder, but they never pick up a bat. This would never happen, of course, but yet...that's what often happens in school: students memorize terms without actually using them.
Does that mean we skip the minilessons? Absolutely not. Students need a solid foundation before they can build on it, so starting at the beginning doesn’t just make sense; it’s necessary. I am not encouraging you to skip the traditional approach, just that you add to it. After you do those opening lessons on the elements of fiction, try some of these creative ways to help your students understand how they work.
Let Students Play with Story Elements
When we give students opportunities to play with the elements of story, we actually open the door to deeper learning. I've had the greatest success with using activities and challenges to engage and drive home meaning. These challenges aren't distractions from academic rigor, either; they’re how it happens.
Let me explain.
Instead of giving a test on the elements of fiction, get students to manipulate story elements to illustrate their understanding. You might ask your students to change a setting, rewrite a scene from another point of view, or craft a short piece of fiction that builds tension. When they do tasks like this, they engage in complex and creative thinking. They analyze cause and effect, evaluate choices, and synthesize ideas. They’re doing the kind of high-level reasoning that leads to genuine understanding, as well as more engagement.
And you don't get this from worksheets and tests.
Here are some strategies you can use to try this approach, and if you're looking for ready-to-use resources, you can find them here.
Elements of Fiction Write-a-Rounds
Remember those stories you used to write in school where the teacher would start a story and then each person added a sentence? It often devolved into complete silliness, but everyone was engaged and giggling.
You can harness the fun part of this activity and teach your students about the elements of fiction, too. After they have learned about setting, for example, put them in groups of four or five. Give each student in the group a different starter sentence and the task of creating a setting. After each student writes the next sentence, they pass their sheet to the student on their right, who adds a third sentence. You repeat this process until each student has written at least on sentence on each sheet of paper.
Once they have all done this, students retrieve their original sheet to read over what was written. They need to ensure that each sentence their groupmates added is on topic: does it help to create the setting or not? Did they capture the point of view? They can debate this within the group and spend some time revising the paragraphs.
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Next, they can choose their best paragraph to share with the class, and you can have a little competition, something that often sparks more interest in the activity. This write-a-round also lends well to a gallery walk.
👉🏻 Grab my Elements of Fiction Write-a-Round Activity here.
Stations Activities for Exploring Elements of Fiction
Stations are one of my favorite activities because they help students focus on a task, and they provide opportunities for movement, which is always a good thing.
For example, my Scary Story Stations had an amazing effect on my students’ understanding of how the elements of fiction work together to create meaning. It’s a fun activity to do in the Halloween season, but it can be done at any time of year; I don’t think Stephen King is only read in October!
You can use stations to zero in on one element of fiction as well. Create a different task at each station that allows students to focus on one aspect of the element. For example, if you're working on tone, you could have different excerpts from fiction at each station, and students would have to identify the tone. They could also use the mentor texts to do some of their own writing.
My new Creating Character Stations ask students to pick a character "type" and then they rotate around the stations, creating short scenes that help develop the character. They are given a handout with strategies for creating character and time to experiment with the process.
Teach the Elements of Fiction with Plot Surgery
Plot surgery is another fun way to get students to think about what they have learned about the elements of a story - and to do some critical and creative thinking.
To do this, give them a story that falls flat for whatever reason. It could be a breakfast-to-bed story with no focus, one with no conflict or resolution, one with underdeveloped characters, or a combination of issues. Students first need to diagnose the issues and then decide how they can fix them.
This is far more engaging than doing a plot diagram, and can also be done in a stations format, by individuals or groups. Check the activity out here.
Another activity similar to plot surgery is one that has students choose their own ending to a short story. Give them an unfinished narrative and ask them to write the ending. You can have them focus on any element of fiction that you want - character, conflict, resolution, etc. Or, of course, you can ask them to use a combo!
From Memorizing to Mastering
When students experience narratives from the inside out, everything changes. They start making connections between stories, genres, and their own writing. They notice how tone, structure, and character all work together to create meaning. That’s when you know the elements of fiction lessons have stuck.
Teaching the elements of fiction shouldn’t feel like dragging students through a checklist. When we invite them to create, analyze, and experiment, the terms take on meaning, and students begin to see stories the way writers do: as a series of choices that shape emotion and meaning.
If you want some activities that use these creative strategies to teach the elements of fiction, check out:
- Elements of Fiction Write-a-Rounds
- Creating Character Stations
- Conflict: Choose Your Own Ending
- Plot Surgery Activities
- SAVE and get the Bundle 💰
My friends at the coffee shop have some fun activities you can check out as well:
- Tracee Orman: Elements of Fiction Flip Book
- Presto Plans: Elements of Fiction Escape Room
- The Daring English Teacher: Literary Elements Review Game
