Planning Ideas Before Writing · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Planning Before You Write

English · Writing Composition · ages 6-10
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Look at the story map. What are its three parts?

    BeginningMiddleEnd
    • Colors, shapes, and sizes
    • Beginning, middle, and end
    • Your name and the date

  2. Before you write a sentence, what can you do first?

    • Say the sentence out loud
    • Erase your paper
    • Skip the sentence

  3. When you plan a story, you must write full sentences.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. Which order goes in a story plan?

    • Beginning, then middle, then end
    • End, then beginning, then middle
    • Middle, then end, then beginning

  5. Zoe is planning a story about her dog. Which is the best planning note?

    • Once upon a time there was a dog who loved to run in the park every single day
    • The end
    • dog, park, lost ball

  6. Which of these is an example of rehearsing a sentence before writing it?

    • Erasing the sentence after writing it
    • Whispering the sentence to yourself first
    • Skipping the sentence completely

  7. Which planning note best helps Ava remember her ideas about a zoo trip, without slowing her down?

    • zoo, lion, ice cream, tired
    • no notes at all
    • I went to the zoo and saw a lion and it was hot and I had ice cream and then I got tired

  8. Leo starts writing his story right away, with no plan. Halfway through, he forgets what should happen at the end. What went wrong?

    • He wrote too many key words
    • He said his sentences too quietly
    • He didn't plan his ideas first, so he lost track
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Planning Before You Write W1-mt_9P9o6d0Qm3-s1

  1. Beginning, middle, and end · A story plan lays out what happens first, next, and last.
  2. Say the sentence out loud · Saying it out loud lets you hear if it sounds right before you write it down.
  3. False · A plan just needs key words or short ideas, not full sentences.
  4. Beginning, then middle, then end · A story plan follows the order the story will happen in: beginning, middle, end.
  5. dog, park, lost ball · Short key words are quick to jot and still remind Zoe of her ideas.
  6. Whispering the sentence to yourself first · Saying the sentence first is a way of trying it out before it goes on paper.
  7. zoo, lion, ice cream, tired · Key words capture the ideas fast, so Ava can start drafting sooner.
  8. He didn't plan his ideas first, so he lost track · A quick beginning-middle-end plan would have reminded Leo what comes next.
Worksheet · LightMySky