# Story Elements Explorer **Name:** ____________________________ **Date:** ____________________________ --- ### Short Story: The Whispering Woods Lily loved exploring. Her grandmother lived in a small cottage at the edge of the Whispering Woods, a place named for the constant, soft rustling sound the ancient trees made. One cloudy afternoon, as Lily was helping her grandmother pick berries, she noticed a faint, sparkling trail leading deeper into the woods. “Grandma, look!” she exclaimed, pointing to the shimmering path. Her grandmother, a wise woman with kind eyes, simply smiled. “The woods have their own magic, dear. Sometimes, it calls to those who listen.” Curiosity tugged at Lily. She remembered her grandmother’s warnings about straying too far, but the sparkling path seemed to promise something wonderful. "I'll just follow it a little way!" she decided. She ventured off, calling, "I'll be back soon!" The trees grew taller, the whispers louder, and the light grew dim. Suddenly, the sparkling trail vanished, and Lily realized she was alone. Panic fluttered in her chest. She couldn't see the familiar path back to the cottage, and the woods no longer whispered kindly; they seemed to sigh with a low, ominous sound. Just then, a tiny, glowing firefly zipped past her nose, paused, and then flew slowly in one direction. Lily, remembering her grandmother's words about the woods' magic, decided to trust the firefly. It led her past a gurgling stream and over a mossy log, eventually bringing her to the very edge of the woods, right behind her grandmother's cottage. Lily rushed inside, relieved. "The woods *do* have magic," she told her grandmother, who simply winked. Lily learned that day that sometimes, true guidance comes from unexpected places, and it's always important to pay attention to your surroundings. --- ### Identify the Story Elements: 1. **Setting:** * Where does the story take place?

* When does the story take place?

2. **Characters:** * Who are the main characters?

* Describe Lily in your own words.

3. **Plot:** * What happens at the **beginning** of the story?

* What is the **rising action** (events leading to the problem)?

* What is the **climax** (the turning point, the biggest moment of tension)?

* What is the **falling action** (events after the climax)?

* What is the **resolution** (how does the story end)?

4. **Conflict:** * What is the main problem or struggle Lily faces?

* Is it an internal or external conflict? Explain.

5. **Theme:** * What is the main message or lesson of this story?

6. **Dialogue:** * Find two examples of dialogue from the story and write them below. What do they tell you about the characters or plot?

7. **Point of View:** * Who is telling this story (the narrator)?

* Is it first-person or third-person point of view? How do you know?

Story Elements Unlocked!

Tara Bethea