Creating a Story Map

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Learn how to make a story map to improve your understanding of narrative-based texts like novels, short stories, and histories.

Video Transcript
Video Reference Guide
Story Map Template

0:00	Owl: Welcome to How to Make a Story Map, an instructional video on reading comprehension brought to you by the Excelsior University Online Writing Lab.
0:13	Have you ever read a story and forgotten or been confused about its major elements?
0:18	A good way to keep track of the major elements of a story is to construct a story map.
0:23	You can do this either during or after you read.
0:27	Story maps can help you identify the major elements of a story.
0:30	You can use one whether you’re describing a fictional story or a true story.
0:35	And a story map can help you remember this information later, when it comes time to write or study.
0:42	In this example, we’ll construct a story map for Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour.”
0:48	First, write down the title and the author or authors of the story.
0:54	After that, list the characters, making a note of the main characters.
1:02	Describe the setting—the place and time of the story.
1:09	Next, list the main events in chronological order.
1:16	Then, describe the major conflict that drives the story and the resolution achieved at the end.
1:26	Finally, sum up the major themes addressed by the story.
1:31	That’s it!
1:32	The next time you read a story, whether fictional or real, remember to create a story map to help you remember key information.
1:39	You can download a story map template here.
1:46	Thanks for listening to this instructional video on How to Make a Story Map!
1:51	Visit the Excelsior University Online Writing Lab for more support with reading and writing skills.

The following text was sampled in this video:

Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” 1894.

An Example Owlet

Creating a Story Map