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Free printable worksheet 路 About 10 minutes 路 Ages 9 to 11

Story mountain planner

Plan a whole story in five stages, from the opening to the ending, before writing a word of it. Print it from this page or download the PDF.

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Academy11+

Free 11+ creative writing worksheet

Story mountain planner

About 10 minutes

Name

Date

Plan your story in notes before you write it. Climb the mountain: each stage leads to the next, the problem is the peak, and the ending brings the story back down. Spend about 10 minutes planning.

Example plan: 'The Lighthouse Key'

Opening: Mia, 10, stays with Gran by a stormy harbour. Finds an old brass key in a biscuit tin.

Build-up: The key has a tiny lighthouse stamped on it. The lighthouse has been locked for years.

Problem: A fishing boat is lost in the storm and the lighthouse lamp is dark.

Resolution: Mia and Gran climb the 104 steps, unlock the lamp room and light it. The boat turns towards the beam.

Ending: Next morning the fisherman brings Mia a shell. The key goes on a string round her neck.

Title or prompt

Main character

Name, age, one thing about them

The story mountain

Notes only. Aim for two or three lines at each stage.

  1. Opening

    Who? Where? When? Hook the reader.

  2. Build-up

    What starts to happen? Drop a clue that something is wrong.

  3. Problem (the peak)

    The most exciting or worrying moment.

  4. Resolution

    How is the problem solved? Who solves it?

  5. Ending

    How has the character changed? End on a feeling or an echo of the opening.

Words I want to use

Strong verbs, a simile, a sound word

Now write your opening paragraph

Use your plan for the opening. Start with a hook, not 'One day'.

www.academy11.co.uk/11-plus-creative-writing/worksheets/story-mountain-planner 路 Free 11+ creative writing worksheet from Academy11+ 路 Free to print for home and classroom use

Tips for parents

  • Time the planning: ten minutes is plenty. In most 11+ writing tasks children have 30 to 45 minutes in total, and a plan that takes twenty leaves too little time to write.
  • Ask 'What's the problem?' first. Stories without a clear problem tend to wander.
  • Praise a short, clear plan over a long one. The plan is a map, not a first draft.
  • Keep finished plans: they're good warm-ups later, when your child can write the story from an old plan.

Written the story? Get feedback on it

Once the plan becomes a story, get it marked: your child writes to exam-style prompts, typed or handwritten, and you get feedback on what went well and what to improve. There's a free 7-day trial.

Get feedback on a story

Enter the writing competition

Put the practice to use: a free writing competition every month for Years 4, 5 and 6, with one prompt, feedback on every entry and winners featured on the site.

See the writing competition

More free creative writing worksheets

See all 10 creative writing worksheets 路 Download this sheet (PDF)

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Questions parents ask

What is a story mountain?

A story mountain is a simple way to plan a story in five stages: the opening, the build-up, the problem (the peak of the mountain), the resolution and the ending. It helps children give their story a shape, with tension that rises to a key moment and then settles.

How long should my child spend planning in the 11+?

About 5 to 10 minutes of a 30 to 45 minute writing task. A quick plan in notes is enough to keep the story on track and leave time to check the writing at the end.

Does every 11+ story need a problem?

Almost always. Examiners look for a story that goes somewhere, and a problem to solve gives the reader a reason to keep reading. It can be small: a lost key, a missed bus or a secret.