Story Map Templates

Free printable story map templates as PDFs. Blank sheets for characters, setting, problem and solution. No sign-up, no email.

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A story map gives a book or a story its skeleton: who is in it, where it happens, what goes wrong, what happens because of that, and how it ends. Used after reading it checks comprehension; used before writing it stops the familiar problem of a story that spends three pages on the character's breakfast and then finishes in a sentence. The named boxes do the work — a student who has to fill in a Problem box has to decide what the problem actually was.

Blank story maps with labeled sections for characters, setting, problem, main events and solution or ending. Some layouts run the events as a chain of boxes for beginning, middle and end; others give a single larger space. Ruled writing lines inside each section, with room for a small drawing on the versions aimed at younger children. Black and white, US Letter.

Graphic Organizers Story Map Blank Graphic Organizers Story Map BlankDownload PDF ↓ Graphic Organizers Story Map Prompted Graphic Organizers Story Map PromptedDownload PDF ↓

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Frequently asked questions

Is a story map for reading or for writing?
Both, and it behaves differently in each. After reading, it is a comprehension check — the student extracts the structure from a text. Before writing, it is a plan, and it tends to produce better-shaped stories because the ending is decided before the first sentence is written.
What is the difference between a story map and a sequence chart?
A sequence chart records what happened in order and nothing else. A story map records the story's elements — character, setting, problem, resolution — which are not all sequential. If students only need to retell events in order, a sequence chart is quicker and less cluttered.
How do I use one with a child who is not yet writing?
Use the versions with drawing space and have the child draw each element while you scribe a few words beneath. The thinking — noticing that a story has a problem in it — happens regardless of who does the writing, and it transfers when they start writing themselves.
Does every story have a clear problem and solution?
Most stories written for children do, which is why the format works so well in primary classrooms. Older students reading more complex texts often find the boxes too tight, and that discovery is a useful conversation rather than a failure of the sheet.