Free Printable Story Map Graphic Organizer
What is a story map?
In reading and writing, a story map is a graphic organizer that records a story’s characters, setting, problem, events and solution. Students fill it in while reading to track the story, or before writing to plan their own. It works with picture books in kindergarten and with novels in high school. Many teachers call it a story elements graphic organizer.
On this page:Free sheetDesignsWhat goes whereHow to use itFAQ
Print the labeled story map template now
A blank, letter-size sheet with five boxes labeled Characters, Setting, Problem, Events and Solution. Print it free, right from this page.
Free downloads for educators coming soon
story map sheet · 1 page · US Letter (8.5 × 11 in)
Free to print and copy for classroom use · Free Use Terms
Story map designs
Each one is a different look. Open any design to see it larger.
- Technical Blueprint
- Winter Birch
- Minimal Mono
- Dark Academia
- Geology Strata
- Bold Black Marker
- Editorial Grid
- Geometric Blocks
- Midcentury Design
- Storybook Meadow
- Leaf Vine Lines
- Bold Cut Paper
- Solid Black Plaques
- Coastal Tidepool
- Tessellation Tiles
- Green Chalkboard Classic
- Spectrum Gradient Frame
- Tropical Canopy
- Floral Garland Lines
- Summer Citrus
- Alpine Glacier
- Detective Archive
- Woodland Trail
- Chalk Doodle White Frame
- Scalloped Bunting
- Chalk Stroke
- Train Track Lines
- Quiet Linen
- Monochrome Court
What goes where on a story map
Capture the key parts of a story in five boxes.
LayoutFive boxes in a grid.
- CharactersWrite who is in the story, starting with the main character.
- SettingWrite where and when the story takes place.
- ProblemWrite what goes wrong, or what the main character wants.
- EventsList the main events in order.
- SolutionWrite how the problem is solved.
TipAfter filling it in, have students retell the story aloud using only the map.
Step by step
How do you use a story map?
- Before
Choose a story to read or listen to. Younger students can fill in the map as the story is read aloud.
- During
Characters: write who is in the story, starting with the main character.
- During
Setting: write where and when the story takes place.
- During
Problem: write what goes wrong, or what the main character wants.
- During
Events: list the key events, in order.
- After
Solution: write how the problem is solved. Then retell the story aloud using only the map.
Can you give me an example of a story map?
| Box | What students write |
|---|---|
| Characters | Goldilocks and the three bears |
| Setting | The bears’ cottage in the woods |
| Problem | Goldilocks goes into the empty house and uses the bears’ things |
| Events |
|
| Solution | The bears come home and Goldilocks runs away |
Each box answers one question: who is in it, where it happens, what goes wrong, what happens next and how it ends.
Benefits
Why use a story map? When should you use it?
It breaks a story into parts students can find
Characters, setting, problem, events and solution are easier to spot one at a time.
It helps students retell and summarize
The filled-in map is a ready outline.
It plans writing
Students can map their own story before they draft it.
Use it after reading a story or before writing one. To show how tension builds to a climax, a plot diagram fits better. If only the order of events matters, a sequence chain is simpler.
Variations
What are the variations of the story map?
Some story maps add a sixth box, such as the theme. Others split the events into beginning, middle and end. Younger students can draw each box instead of writing, and older students can add a line noting the page where each event happens.
By grade
How do you use a story map in each grade band?
Grades K–2
Read aloud, then fill in the map together with drawings. Use a sentence starter such as “The problem is ___.”
Grades 3–5
Have students fill in the map while reading, then retell the story in order in their own words.
Grades 6–8
Add a theme box and ask students to support it with an event from the map.
Grades 9–12
Plan an original narrative with a story map before drafting, or compare how two novels set up their problem.
Compare
Story map or sequence chain: which should you use?
Use a story map to pull out the parts of a story. Use a sequence chain when only the order of events matters.
| Feature | Story map | Sequence chain |
|---|---|---|
| What it looks like | Five labeled boxes | A chain of linked boxes: First, Next, Then, Last |
| What goes in it | Characters, setting, problem, events, solution | One event or step per box, in order |
| Best for | Understanding and retelling a whole story | Retelling events or steps in order |
| Limits | Little room for detail about each event | Does not capture characters, setting or the problem |
Can you print a story map at 24×36?
Print it at 24×36. Any sheet here prints poster-size too. Printed poster-size, a story map becomes a class anchor chart everyone can see and add to throughout the unit. A school poster maker prints it for as low as $1.30 per 24×36 poster.
Questions
What do teachers ask about story maps?
What are five elements of a story map?
The five elements are characters, setting, problem, events and solution.
- Characters: who is in the story.
- Setting: where and when it happens.
- Problem: what goes wrong, or what the main character wants.
- Events: the key things that happen, in order.
- Solution: how the problem is solved.
Some versions use beginning, middle and end instead, or add a sixth element such as theme.
What is an example of story mapping?
A story map for “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” names the characters, setting and problem, then lists three events and the solution. The worked example above shows each box filled in.
What can you do with a story map?
A story map can help students retell a story, summarize it, find its problem and solution, or plan their own writing. Teachers also use it to check comprehension: a blank or wrong box shows what a student missed.
What is a story map graphic organizer?
A story map graphic organizer is a printable chart with one box for each part of a story: characters, setting, problem, events and solution. Students fill it in as they read or plan, so the story’s structure is on the page instead of in their heads.
Need an editable story map?
Yes: make a five-row table in Google Docs or Word, label the rows Characters, Setting, Problem, Events and Solution, and fill them in.1 The sheet on this page is also print-and-write: print it and fill it in by hand, or project it and fill it in together.
Sources
- Google Docs Editors Help, “Add and edit tables”: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/1696711