Setting The Scene

Worksheet Description

This “Elements of a Story” worksheet guides students in comprehensively analyzing the setting of an assigned story, with a focus on sensory descriptions and the world-building elements.

1. What kind of world is it (i.e., real, imaginary, etc.)? Students assess the nature of the story’s world, determining whether it is real, imaginary, fantastical, or otherwise, and briefly describe their findings.
2. What is the time and place? Students identify the temporal and spatial aspects of the story, specifying when and where it takes place.
3. What’s the natural climate? Students analyze the natural environment and climate within the story’s setting.
4. What’s the social/political climate? Students explore the social and political aspects of the setting, considering how they impact the narrative.
5. Find a sentence from the story that shows how the author appeals to each of the five senses to describe the story’s setting. This exercise encourages students to find sentences in the text where the author appeals to the senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell) to vividly describe the setting.

By engaging with the story’s setting and sensory descriptions, this worksheet enhances students’ understanding of world-building and the role of sensory imagery in storytelling.