Students may use this notetaking guide when viewing documentary films while focusing on the 5 elements of narrative story structure. This helps students to see how non-fiction content can be "translated" into a format that makes it accessible and creates connections to help the viewer follow the key ideas.

1. The Well Told Story – Note Taking Guide
Instructions: As you watch the documentary, look for elements of the Well Told Story. Provide evidence
of each element in the space provided.
Element Evidence
Exposition (context, background) What happened before you, the audience appeared? What was
going on?
Who is introduced early in the documentary?
Crisis (trigger, catalyst, cause of What event(s) are especially important in setting the course of the
a change in course) person/event/era featured in this documentary?
Conflict (challenges, obstacles – What were (up to) 3 key challenges/issues/ problems that
and how they were overcome) person/people featured in the documentary had to overcome or that
influenced their course of action?
Climax (turning point) What was the lesson learned, the discovery made – by the
person/people in the documentary?
Resolution (outcome) What is different as a result of the actions of the person/people
involved in this event or era?
Developed by Deborah Granger, Ed.D.