Grade 2: Story

Remember that a good story has three main parts.

The beginning of your story should introduce the characters, the setting, and the problem.

One hot summer day, all the other kids in the neighborhood were at the community pool except for Justin. [There's the setting and the main character.] Justin was seven years old, and he had a secret. He was afraid of the water! [That's the problem.] He had never even told his best friend Mike. [There's the other character.]

The middle of your story should tell how the characters try to solve the problem.

Justin was sitting on his front steps when Mike came home from the pool. As usual, Mike was wearing his yellow baseball cap. Justin was feeling bad about his secret, so he decided to tell it to Mike. Mike said, “I have an idea! You can borrow my cap. This cap gives me courage. Maybe it will help you.”

The next day, Justin went to the pool wearing his bathing suit and Mike's yellow cap. He stood by the edge of the pool and waited to start feeling brave. He waited and waited. Even though the water was not over his head, Justin was scared to go in. “This cap doesn't work for me,” he thought, and he started to walk away.

Suddenly, a big breeze blew the cap off of Justin's head and into the pool. Justin couldn't let Mike's cap get ruined! Without thinking, he jumped in after the cap.

The end of your story should show how the problem turns out.

Justin was in the water! “Hey, this is fun!” he shouted. At that moment, Mike arrived at the pool. Justin threw him his cap and gave him the thumbs up sign. After that, Justin went to the pool every day all summer long.

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