Explain that a good story has ingredients like a recipe. After introducing details of character and setting, a story needs a plot or events that will make the reader want to keep reading. You might use humor, suspense or adventure to keep your readers hooked into your plot so they do not want to stop reading until they finish the story.
Read several storybooks together as a class and identify plot types such as problem-and-solution stories, quest stories, challenge stories and so on. For example, a frog character may have a desire to go into outer space. Students can brainstorm as many possible problems or challenges that the frog might face in reaching his goal. Then pair those with unexpected solutions to keep the interest going in the story and choose which ones best fit the story the children want to tell.
Select one major obstacle or goal for the character to hurdle or achieve as the climax of the story. For example, the frog may succeed in boarding the space craft, but lack the proper size space suit and oxygen tanks and so the General tells him, he can only go if he can find a space suit and tanks that fit. Just in the nick of time, some of the frog's friends might come through and give him the proper gear just in time for lift-off.
Ask students to diagram a sequence of events in a story on a writing planner, plot diagram or recipe card. Include problems and solutions or challenges that the character(s) face on the way to the end goal.
Have students write one part of the story at a time, beginning, middle and end; or introduction, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. Demonstrate how to use adjectives, adverbs and sensory details to spice up the plot and keep the reader interested in the story. Use the events on the writing planner to craft a story in sequential or logical order, including all the attention-grabbing details that hook your reader into finishing your story.