.. _outline_a_story_ref:

===============
Outline a story
===============

In this article, you will learn how to:

* :ref:`build_foundation_of_story_ref`
* :ref:`develop_story_outline_ref`

.. _build_foundation_of_story_ref:

Build the foundation of a great story
=====================================

Each story is a set of chapters that contain a cohesive narrative. Each chapter 
is a lesson that builds off the previous chapters to help the learner 
understand the concept.

Characters
----------

Create human characters that are set in a realistic setting and provide 
learners with an explanation before moving on to the application. 

Create characters that ask questions themselves, such as an authority figure 
asking a question. This helps the learner understand a skill, not just 
memorize how to do it.

Plot
----

Remember, helping learners learn is the focus. Don't overdo the story with the
details and plot. The topic should drive the lessons forward, not the story 
alone.

When drafting a story, make sure the content is universal and free of culture 
or country-specific references. This will make it easier for learners 
everywhere to understand the content.

Example
-------

A good real-world example for decimals is expressing time in hours, minutes, 
and seconds. A story stemming from this idea might be about a young child 
tasked with recording the swim times of her competing classmates using a 
stopwatch. This setting might span several lessons as the character learns 
how to read the resulting times, connect the tenths and hundredths place 
values to minutes and seconds, compare decimal place values, and so on.

.. _develop_story_outline_ref:

Develop a story outline
=======================

Once you’re familiar with the basics of creating a story, develop a story 
outline. This allows you to gain an overview of what you want learners to 
accomplish, lesson by lesson. 

Your high-level story outline should include:

* A brief overview of the characters, settings, premise, and theme.
* A detailed description of what skills each lesson/chapter will cover.
* :doc:`/creators/add-skills-to-lesson` for each lesson/chapter. These are
  skills the learner should already know before starting the first lesson/chapter.
* **Acquired skills** for each lesson (see :doc:`/creators/add-skills-to-lesson`).
  These are the skills the learner will know by completing each chapter/lesson.