Computer Science
Grade 3
20 min
Planning a Story: Characters and Setting
Students brainstorm characters, settings, and potential plot points for their own stories.
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify the key parts of a character, such as their name and main trait.
Describe a story setting using its location and feeling.
Represent a character's trait as a simple piece of data (e.g., brave, curious, shy).
Explain how a character's trait can lead to a specific choice in a story.
Create a simple 'If... then...' plan that connects a character and setting to a story event.
Organize their story ideas for characters and settings using a planning chart.
Have you ever wished you could decide what happens next in a story or a video game? 🎮 Let's learn how to plan stories where your choices matter!
Today, we will learn how to plan the most important parts of a digital story: the characters and the setting. This is the first ste...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
CharacterA person, animal, or creature in a story. They are the 'who' of the story.A brave knight, a sneaky fox, or a friendly robot.
SettingThe place and time where a story happens. It is the 'where' and 'when' of the story.A spooky castle at midnight, a sunny beach in the summer, or a futuristic city on Mars.
TraitA special quality that describes a character's personality. Traits help us guess what a character might do.Brave, curious, shy, or funny. A brave character might explore a cave, but a shy character might not.
Branching NarrativeA story that has choices. Different choices lead to different paths and endings, like the branches of a tree.In a story, you can choose to 'Open the door' or 'Run away'. Each c...
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Core Syntax & Patterns
Character Planner
Name: [Character's Name], Trait: [Main Personality Trait]
Use this pattern to store the most important data about your character. Start with just one strong trait to make planning choices easier.
Setting Planner
Place: [Location Name], Feeling: [How it Feels], Object: [One Important Item]
Use this pattern to store data about your setting. The 'Feeling' helps you decide what kind of events might happen there.
Choice Connection Rule
IF [Character Trait] in [Setting], THEN [Character's Action]
This is the most important rule for planning a branching narrative. It connects your character and setting data to create a logical choice in the story.
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Challenging
You plan a story with a variable called 'bravery_score', which starts at 0. IF the character chooses to face a monster, the score becomes 1. IF they later choose to help a lost child, the score becomes 2. What does this 'bravery_score' show?
A.How many monsters the character has seen
B.How the character is growing braver through their choices
C.How many friends the character has
D.The number of settings the character has visited
Challenging
In your story plan, a magical forest setting can change. You create a rule: 'IF the character's friendship_level with the Forest Spirit is high, THEN the forest setting becomes a 'Sunny Glade'. ELSE, it becomes a 'Tangled Thicket'.' What does this plan connect?
A.The character's name to the time of day
B.The character's speed to the weather
C.character relationship (data) to a change in the setting itself
D.The story's title to the number of choices
Challenging
You are making a story about a baker who must gather three magic ingredients. You forget to plan a way to keep track of which ingredients the baker has collected. What problem will this cause in the story?
A.The baker's name will keep changing
B.The setting will turn dark
C.The story will be too short
D.The story won't know when the baker is ready to win
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