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Free English / Writing / Level 2 / A story with a problem and a solution
Writing · Level 2 · Years 3 and 4 · Unit 6 of 6 · Narrative

A story with a problem and a solution

Children plan and write a whole short story with a clear beginning, problem, attempts, solution and ending.

7sessions
45minutes each
Years 3 and 4ages 8 to 10
A1 to A2CEFR
By the end

Children write a story of 120 to 200 words in paragraphs, with a setting, a character, a clear problem and a satisfying solution.

How the unit runs

7 sessions, 8 parts

Every writing unit follows the same eight parts: read, talk, learn the sentence skill, plan, write together, write alone, check, publish. This unit fits them into 7 sessions of about 45 minutes.

SessionPartsWhat happens
Session 1Part 1: Read and enjoyRead and enjoy "The lighthouse lamp". Find 3 features to notice.
Session 2Part 2: Talk itOral rehearsal games: Story mountain, Problem pairs, Story rehearsal.
Session 3Part 3: Sentence skillTeach the sentence skill: When, if, although, while.
Session 4Part 4: PlanPlan on the frame: my story plan.
Session 5Part 5: Shared writeThe teacher models the writing, thinking aloud.
Session 6Part 6: Independent writeChildren write independently, with support and stretch.
Session 7Part 7: Check + Part 8: PublishCheck against the success criteria and the editing checklist. Publish for a real reader on the printable template.
Curriculum link. Years 3 and 4 composition: in narratives, creating settings, characters and plot; composing and rehearsing sentences orally; organising paragraphs around a theme. Appendix 2: conjunctions (when, before, after, while, so, because); fronted adverbials (Year 4). Sources: see the end of this page.
Part 1 of 8

Read and enjoy a model text

Read it aloud first, or press the button. Talk about what the writer has done before anyone writes. This text was written for Litlings and is free to copy for your class.

The lighthouse lamp · Narrative

On a rocky island lived Nell, a girl who helped her grandad look after the old lighthouse. Every evening, they climbed the long, winding stairs and lit the great lamp.

One stormy night, the lamp flickered and went out. Grandad was ill in bed, so Nell had to fix it alone. Far below, a fishing boat was struggling in the dark waves.

At first, Nell tried to light the lamp with a match, but the wind blew it out. Then she remembered the spare lantern in the cupboard. While the storm roared outside, she carried it up all two hundred steps.

With trembling hands, she held the lantern in the window. Its warm yellow light shone across the sea, and the boat turned towards it.

By morning, the storm had passed. The fishermen came to say thank you, and Grandad smiled proudly. Nell knew that even a small light can guide people home.

What to notice

  • One stormy night, the lamp flickered and went out.Paragraph 2 sets up the problem with a fronted adverbial.
  • At first ... but ... Then ...Attempts build tension before the solution.
  • Nell knew that...A short ending line shows what changed or what was learnt.
Part 2 of 8

Talk it: oral rehearsal

Talk comes before writing. Children say the sentences, then the paragraph, before the pencil moves.

Story mountain

Draw a mountain in the air: beginning, build-up, problem, solution, ending. Tell the model story along it.

Problem pairs

Give a character and a setting. Partners invent the biggest, funniest or most worrying problem, then three ways it could be solved.

Story rehearsal

Rehearse a paragraph aloud three times, adding more detail each time, before writing.

Part 3 of 8

Sentence skill: When, if, although, while

Subordinating conjunctions add time, condition or contrast to the main idea and make sentences richer.

Teach it in four steps

  1. Open with who, where and what they usually do.
  2. Introduce the problem with a fronted adverbial: One stormy night,
  3. Show one failed attempt with but, then a solution with then.
  4. End with how things changed.

Examples

StartBecomes or shows
The path was steep. We kept climbing.The path was steep, but we kept climbing.
a storm beganOne stormy night, a storm began.
Nell carried the lantern up.While the storm roared, Nell carried the lantern up.

Practise: When, if, although, while Also: Fronted adverbials

Part 4 of 8

Plan: My story plan

Plan your story on the mountain. Children say each part aloud to a partner first, then jot notes. Type here, or print the frame to use on paper. It prints on one A4 page.

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Part 5 of 8

Shared write: the teacher models

A script for the teacher. Think aloud, make the choices visible, and make one deliberate slip to fix.

  1. SayI will plan a story about a girl and a runaway balloon. Beginning: Mira loves her yellow balloon.
  2. Sayproblem: the wind pulls it away. Attempt one: she jumps for it but cannot reach. Attempt two: she asks the baker to help. Solution: he catches it with a long pole.
  3. Dofill in the frame with notes, not sentences.
  4. Saynow I write the first paragraph, using a fronted adverbial: One breezy afternoon, Mira's balloon began to pull.
  5. Dowrite paragraph two and add but and then. Say: new part, new paragraph.
  6. Saynow you. Plan your story on the frame, tell it to a partner, then begin to write.
Part 6 of 8

Independent write

The task

Write a story with a clear problem and a satisfying solution. Use paragraphs, fronted adverbials and conjunctions to join your ideas.

Sentence starters

  • On a ___ lived ___.
  • One ___ night, ___.
  • At first, ___ but ___.
  • Then ___ remembered ___.
  • By morning, ___.

Word bank

  • suddenly
  • meanwhile
  • although
  • because
  • while
  • trembling
  • gleaming
  • struggled
  • relieved
  • proudly

Support

Give a story map with pictures for each stage. Children say a sentence per stage before writing.

Stretch

Add dialogue, a second problem or a surprise ending.

English as an additional or foreign language. Give a story map with a word bank. Let children rehearse each paragraph aloud with a partner before writing.

Part 7 of 8

Check: success criteria and editing

Children read their writing aloud, tick what they have done and fix what they have not. Ticks are saved on this device only.

Success criteria
Editing checklist

Printable Level 2 editing checklist

Part 8 of 8

Publish for a real reader

Publish the stories in a class anthology with an illustration for each. Hold a storytelling show where authors read aloud.

Printable template: Picture and writing page

One A4 page, blank for handwriting. Print from the browser or download the PDF.

Download PDF

Keep going

In this course

Elsewhere on the site

Sources

Curriculum statements are paraphrased from the documents above. Model texts and activities are original to Litlings.