Third Grade · Writing · week 29

Characters with Wants

Identify what the narrator (or a character) wants in the story and what stands in the way, to build a clearer story problem.

Every strong story character WANTS something. What you want, and what gets in the way of it, is often the real heart of your story problem.

In the hamster story, the want might be "I wanted to find Peanut before our teacher noticed he was missing." The obstacle might be "he could have escaped anywhere in the classroom."

Naming your want and your obstacle clearly makes your climax feel more meaningful, because the reader understands exactly what was at stake.

📋 For the teacher
Teach it (10–15 min):
  • Ask "what were you hoping would happen?" about the planned story to help pinpoint the real want underneath the events.
  • Help distinguish a real obstacle (something that made the want genuinely hard) from a small, unimportant detail.
  • Point out wants and obstacles in a favorite book's main character as a quick, familiar example.
  • Remind your child this "want" does not need to be dramatic -- small, real wants make honest, relatable stories too.
Talk about it:
  • What did you want in your story, and why did it matter to you?
  • What got in the way of that want?
  • How does naming the want change how you think about your climax?

Mastery looks like: They clearly identify what the narrator wanted in the story and what obstacle stood in the way, strengthening the story's central problem.

Common stumbles: Naming a want so vague it does not connect to the actual events; describing an obstacle that is not truly connected to the stated want.

See it visually

Interactive, spoken-aloud tools that show this idea in motion.

Story MapChart characters, setting, problem, and solution.try →Point of ViewFirst, second, or third person — who is telling the story?try →
Homework for this lessonType it, write it with a stylus, or print it for pencil & paper.open →
Records attendance + 15 min of Writing for this learner.
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