Writing
Short Story Writing: Foundations
Build one complete short story with a model, then show what you can do alone in 13 lessons. Start with a 25-minute cold write. Use one story map through the guided lessons, revise meaning, edit language and finish with a 25-minute Independent Story Challenge. This is the Foundations level; character, scene, tension, imagery and sentence craft continue in Intermediate.
About this course
A foundation course for ages 10–13 who can write simple paragraphs and want guided practice planning, drafting and improving one short story before trying a new prompt alone.
By the end, learners can…
- write a cold and hot story independently for 25 minutes from different prompts, for an adult comparison with one shared Foundations rubric
- plan and draft with Character and situation → Problem → Attempts and setbacks → Turning point → Resolution
- show a feeling through action or dialogue and make the ending grow from the character's own action
- make a big revision to character, plot, tension or cohesion, not only wording
- edit capitals, end marks, commas, dialogue punctuation and spelling
- Who it is for
- Foundation level for Years 5–7 writers (usually ages 10–13) who can write simple paragraphs and need a clear structure before deeper narrative craft.
- What learners need first
- Reads and writes simple paragraphs in English · Can type, or write on paper and then type
- Time
- 25 min a day · 5 days a week
Course details
- Who it is for
- Ages 10–13
- How it is assessed
- Compare the two independent 25-minute stories using the same four-part Foundations rubric. This gives an estimate of evidence against NAPLAN-style narrative criteria, not a NAPLAN score. AI does not score either story. Children see only closed, code-checked results, never AI-judged numbers.
- How it has gone
What's inside
- Lesson 1Cold write
- Lesson 2Plan your story
- Lesson 3Try two openings
- Lesson 4Write your beginning
- Lesson 5Map the middle
About the creator
Evidote admin