Define each story element and provide an example. Pull each example from a book you will read in the class or a book that will connect with your students. For example, you shouldn't use a Charles Dickens book as an example for second-graders.
Find or create a graphic representation for each element. Connect abstract elements, such as theme, closely to a specific story. For example, if the theme in a book is “sharing,” depict a scene of two or more people sharing.
Ask the students to draw a picture or write an example of each element of a story in their lives. For example, a student could draw or describe a situation from his life that involved conflict. A student could draw or describe one time she was on a mission and use this to show plot or purpose.
Tape the name of the story element, printed from a word processor, on the walls about a foot higher than your students. Underneath each, tape the definition of the element and your example. Last, tape the drawings or writings of the students.