WHAT MAKES A

SUCCESSFUL SHORT
STORY?

A Web Quest for 5th Grade Students

By : Srpouhi Bananian
 Introduction

We need five basic elements to make up a good

story.
We need to ask ourselves different “W”
questions.
What ?
Where?
Who?
Why? …….. Resolution
 Task
Students will work in groups.
 They will conduct on line research
about the elements of a good story.
 They will put down each element on a
different color construction paper.
Each group will read an on line short
story and refer to the elements within
that story.
Each group will present construction
paper slide show of the story.
Students will recognize the short story
as a literary genre, and the basic five
elements.
 Process
 Each three students will work on a computer.
 Start searching here.
 Read about the five elements that help in making
a good story.
 Note each element on a different construction
paper with the appropriate definition.
 Groups should move to a different URL to read a
short story.
http://www.free-short-stories.org.uk/
 Click on Brothers Grimm short stories and select
one to read.
 Students write down the elements of a story
read on the right construction paper.
 Students review what they have written, then
present the story as a construction paper slide
show.
 Helpful Web sites
Dictionaries
Stories
StoryElements
Reading comprehension
Common Stories
 Evaluation

5 4 3 2 1
Information Reliable Reliable Reliable Missing Could not
Taken from Detailed Detailed Brief important give the
the URL
authentic information needed
information
Participation Collaborative Collaborative Collaborative Collaborative Little
With With good with With little collaboration
excellent small and satisfactory small
small and whole group small and discussion
whole group discussion whole group but no whole
discussion discussion group
discussion
Creativity in Very Creative Creative to Little Could not
presenting creative some extent creativity show
the slide
Creativity
show

Words Broad Broad Broad Not broad Hardly basic

Choice Complex but basic
But simple Very Basic
 Conclusion
The main five elements of a short story are:
 Character: refers to the person or sometimes
an animal who moves the story forward.
Setting: refers to the time
and the place of the incidents.
Plot: refers to the events that put the
characters in action round the conflict.
Conflict: refers to the struggle between the
protagonist and the antagonist.
Theme: refers to the “Big Idea”.