One part of a story is the setting. The setting is where and when the story takes place. Some examples of settings are in the forest at night, on a deserted beach on a sunny weekend, underwater in the Pacific Ocean, or in an imaginary village. The setting gives the reader a background to envision and a frame of reference for the plot.
The characters are also part of the story. Without characters it is hard to tell a story. The characters are who the story is about. Characters can be real or fictionalized. They might be people, animals or even personified objects. The main character is who the story is mostly about.
In a story, the plot is what happens. All of the events in the story make up the plot, and they are told in a particular sequence. To describe a plot, one might say, "First this happened. Then that happened. Then in the end, this happened." What the characters do and say make up the plot.
A story typically has a problem that is solved by the end. The problem may be something the character experiences internally or an external conflict that a character must overcome. A problem might be as subtle as fear of moving to a new home or as dramatic as a terrible storm two sisters must survive while camping. The problem may occur at the climax of the story.
The final element of a story is the resolution, which comes at the end. This is the part of the story where the problem gets solved. The main character or characters overcome the conflict, and a sense of relief or normalcy is often restored.