Grade 3 ELA · Narrative writing

The Championship Game: Narrative Writing

Learn to tell a story that hooks the reader, moves through events in order, and ends with a satisfying final whistle — all themed around a championship soccer match.

Section 1 · Kick-off

Set the scene and order the action

By the end of this section I can establish a situation and put story events into a clear sequence — so my reader always knows where, when, and what is happening.

Success criteria 0 / 3 ticked

Tick each one when you can do it without help.

1A Establish the situation

A strong narrative opens by establishing the situation — the who, where, when, and what's at stake. The reader should be able to picture the moment the story begins.

The four parts of a situation

Character Setting Time Problem or goal

A character is who the story is about. The setting is where and when it happens. The problem or goal is what the character wants or must overcome — like winning a championship.

Opening a championship story

"Saturday morning, Maya laced her cleats in the Sunrise Park changing room."
→ establishes time (Saturday morning), setting (Sunrise Park), and character (Maya)
"Today was the championship final, and her team had never made it this far."
→ establishes the goal and the stakes of the match

Check yourself

A sentence tells when and where the story happens. Which story element is that?

Think about the word for the time and place where a story unfolds.
When and where = the setting.

"Dev's team had never won a final before." Does this set up the character, the setting, or the problem/goal?

Ask: is this telling us who, where, or what the character must overcome?
"Had never won a final" shows what Dev must overcome — the problem (or goal).

1B Order the action with sequence words

Once the situation is set, events should follow a clear order. Sequence words signal to the reader which event comes next, so the story never feels jumbled.

Sequence words to use

first next then after that finally in the end

Place one at the start of a sentence to mark where the event belongs in time. Finally and in the end are reserved for the last event.

Sequencing a soccer goal

First, the referee blew the whistle to start the match. → beginning
Next, Maya dribbled past two defenders. → middle action
Then, she passed to her teammate near the goal. → builds tension
Finally, the ball soared into the top corner. → key moment

Interactive · story sequencer

The five sentences below tell a championship story, but they are out of order. Click them in the sequence you think is correct — first event to last.

She passed to her teammate near the goal.
The referee blew the whistle to start the championship game.
The crowd roared as the ball hit the net.
Maya dribbled the ball past two defenders.
The team lifted the golden trophy at last.

Check yourself

Which word signals the last event in a sequence — first, next, or finally?

Pick the word that means "at the very end."
Finally marks the last event in a sequence.

"Maya passed the ball. ___, her friend scored." Which word fits best — then or before?

The scoring happens after the pass, so choose a word that moves time forward.
The goal comes after the pass, so then fits best.

Section 2 · The final whistle

Add dialogue and a sense of closure

By the end of this section I can punctuate dialogue correctly and write an ending that gives a sense of closure — so my reader feels the story has truly finished.

Success criteria 0 / 3 ticked

Tick each one when you can do it without help.

2A Punctuate dialogue

Dialogue lets characters speak for themselves. In English, a character's exact words go inside quotation marks, and a comma separates the speaking tag from the words.

The dialogue rule

Use a comma before the opening quote, and capitalise the first word inside the quotation marks.

comma before " capital inside " closing " at the end

Punctuating a line of dialogue

Maya said, "I've got this!"
→ comma after "said", opening quote, capital I, closing quote after the punctuation

Interactive · pick the correct dialogue

Click the line below that is punctuated correctly.

Check yourself

What punctuation marks go around a character's exact spoken words?

They look like a pair of tiny raised commas — " and ".
A character's exact words go inside quotation marks.

Which line is punctuated correctly? Type the letter (a, b, or c).
A. the coach said, "Run faster!"
B. The coach said "Run faster!"
C. The coach said, "Run faster!"

Look for a capital name, a comma before the quote, and matching quotation marks.
C is correct: capital The, comma after said, and quotation marks around the spoken words.

2B Write a sense of closure

A good story does not just stop — it ends with a sense of closure. The reader feels the events have wrapped up and the moment is complete.

How to create closure

Refer back to the goal or problem from the start, show the outcome, and let the character react. Avoid abrupt stops like "Then it was over."

echo the opening show the outcome let the character react

An ending with closure

"As the crowd chanted their names, Maya lifted the trophy and smiled."
→ shows the outcome (lifted the trophy)
"This was a moment she would never forget."
→ lets the character react, giving the reader a feeling of closure

Check yourself

A good story ending gives the reader a sense of ___. (Hint: it rhymes with "disclosure" and means the story feels finished.)

It's the feeling that the story has properly wrapped up.
A satisfying ending gives a sense of closure.

Which sentence best closes a championship story? Type the letter.
A. Then they left the field.
B. Holding the trophy, Maya knew her team had earned this moment forever.
C. The game ended.

Choose the ending that shows the outcome and lets the character react.
B gives closure: it shows the trophy (outcome) and Maya's feeling (reaction).

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