The main character is the person, thing or animal that the story is about. When elementary students learn about characters, they focus on the physical qualities of the character as well as the qualities that the character exhibits and the abilities a character possesses. After identifying the main character in a story, even young elementary school students can compare this character with the other characters involved in the story. They can also begin to predict what will happen to the character or what the character will do in a situation after they have an understanding of the character.
The setting is where and when the story takes place. Setting usually refers to both physical place and time. Elementary students can begin to learn about setting by focusing on the physical attributes of the place, listing the details that allow them to picture the place, and then they can focus on the time. Once the students can identify and name the setting, they can experiment with discussing how the character fits in this setting. As they continue to advance, students can also discuss how the setting is important to what happens in the story.
The conflict is the problem in the story that typically must be faced and solved by the main character. Elementary students learn that a conflict is what truly drives the story. Without conflict, there is no action. In elementary fiction, the problem is usually about something the character wants to get or needs and cannot have. Conflicts have resolutions and part of learning about the literary elements includes figuring out how the problem in a story is resolved. Students can learn to trace the sequence of actions that lead to the resolution of the problem and begin to delve further into character motivation and even consequences for actions.
The plot is the sequence of the events that happen in a story. Every story must have a beginning, a middle and an end. Elementary students learn to map the events in a story, following correct order. They also learn the importance of correct order in plot events for a story to make sense. When students learn about plot, they also realize that plot linked to characterization and conflict since plot events revolve around each of the steps or actions leading to the conflict's resolution.