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18 Writing Personal Narratives

Page
145
from
Write on Course 20-20

Writing Personal Narratives

Start-Up Activity

Ask your students, “What’s the funniest thing that happened to you this week?” Have some students volunteer their stories. Encourage sharing and laughter. Then ask your students why we enjoy telling stories about our lives and listening to stories about other people’s lives. Lead a discussion of the fun—and power—of stories.

Let your students know that they will be writing stories about funny, strange, surprising, or interesting experiences that they have had.

Think About It

“Heirlooms we don't have in our family. But stories we’ve got.”

—Rose Cherin

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.10

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.10

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.10

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.6

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.6

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.6

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.D

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.D

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.D

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.E

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.E

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.E

LAFS Covered in This Chapter

LAFS.6.W.1.3

LAFS.6.W.2.4

LAFS.6.W.2.5

LAFS.6.W.4.10

LAFS.7.W.1.3

LAFS.7.W.2.4

LAFS.7.W.2.5

LAFS.7.W.4.10

LAFS.8.W.1.3

LAFS.8.W.2.4

LAFS.8.W.2.5

LAFS.8.W.4.10

LAFS.6.RL.1.1

LAFS.6.RL.1.2

LAFS.6.RL.1.3

LAFS.6.RL.2.4

LAFS.6.RL.2.5

LAFS.6.RL.2.6

LAFS.7.RL.1.1

LAFS.7.RL.1.2

LAFS.7.RL.1.3

LAFS.7.RL.2.4

LAFS.7.RL.2.5

LAFS.7.RL.2.6

LAFS.8.RL.1.1

LAFS.8.RL.1.2

LAFS.8.RL.1.3

LAFS.8.RL.2.4

LAFS.8.RL.2.5

LAFS.8.RL.2.6

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

110.22.b.10

110.22.b.11.A

110.22.b.10.A

110.22.b.10.B

110.22.b.10.C

110.22.b.10.D

110.22.b.11

110.22.b.12

110.23.b.10

110.23.b.11.A

110.23.b.10.A

110.23.b.10.C

110.23.b.10.D

110.23.b.11

110.24.b.10

110.24.b.11.A

110.24.b.10.A

110.24.b.10.C

110.24.b.10.D

110.24.b.11

110.24.b.12

110.22.b.6.C

110.22.b.7

110.22.b.7.A

110.22.b.7.B

110.22.b.7.C

110.22.b.2

110.23.b.5.F

110.23.b.7

110.23.b.7.A

110.23.b.6.D

110.23.b.7.B

110.23.b.7.C

110.23.b.2

110.23.b.8.B

110.24.b.6.C

110.24.b.6.G

110.24.b.7

110.24.b.6.D

110.24.b.7.A

110.24.b.7.B

110.24.b.7.C

110.24.b.7.D

110.24.b.6.F

110.24.b.2.B

110.24.b.6.H

110.22.b.10.B.i

110.23.b.10.B.i

110.23.b.10.B.ii

110.24.b.10.B.i

110.24.b.10.B.ii

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

Page 146 from Write on Course 20-20

Understanding Narrative Writing

Use this page to help your students understand the writing situation for narratives. The Purpose of a narrative is to tell a good story, both informing and entertaining the reader. Different narratives, of course, have different Audiences and different Subjects. And the Type of narrative could range from a single paragraph to a book-length autobiography.

At the bottom of the page, preview the types of experiences that make good narratives, the best way to organize narratives (chronologically), and the sincere voice that makes for engaging storytelling.

 

Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.1.3
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10, 110.22.b.11.A
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Narrative Writing
Form:
Personal Narrative
Theme:
LifeFamilyHome
English Language Arts:
PrewritingWritingRevisingEditingPublishingWriting ProcessTraits of WritingStrong IdeasLogical OrganizationEffective Voice

Page 147 from Write on Course 20-20

Personal Narrative

Ask student volunteers to read each paragraph of “Top Dog.”

Then ask students what the writer is doing in the first sentence of this model. This sentence establishes the setting (Humane Society), the characters (Mom and Stacy), and the problem (just looking at the pets, not taking one home). It also grabs the reader’s interest.

Ask about techniques that the writer uses to create the narrative. This narrative uses actions, dialogue, and descriptions with sensory details to move the story along.

Then point to the final sentence. Ask why it provides a fitting ending. (It wraps up the narrative with a humorous look to the future.)

Remind students that when they write their own personal narratives, they should use techniques such as these.

You can also present other sample personal narratives.

Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.RL.1.1
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.6.C, 110.22.b.7
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.1.6.d

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Narrative Writing
Form:
Personal NarrativeNarrative Essay
Theme:
AnimalsLifeFamily
English Language Arts:
Reading

Page 148 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Personal Narrative

Help students think about interesting experiences that happened over a brief period of time. You could prompt them with a series of locations: “What interesting event happened in the cafeteria?” “How about at home?” “At a store?" You can also use time-based prompts: “What interesting event happened last weekend?” “During a birthday?” “When you tried something for the first time?”

After your students select a topic to write about, have them create a quick list to gather details about the topic.

If you would like students to be mindful of the rubric that will be used to assess their work.

 

Downloads:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.1.3
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10, 110.22.b.11.A
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Narrative Writing
Form:
Personal NarrativeNarrative Essay
Theme:
LifeFamilyHome
English Language Arts:
Writing ProcessPrewritingTraits of WritingStrong Ideas

Page 149 from Write on Course 20-20

Using Sensory Details

After your students have listed the events in chronological order, help them spice up the events with strong sensory details. Lead your students through the bulleted list at the bottom of this page, demonstrating how different sensations have different effects on readers. Then have students create a sensory chart about their experience. Challenge them to remember as many strong sensations as they can.

Downloads:
Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.1.3
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10, 110.22.b.11.A
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Narrative Writing
Form:
Narrative EssayPersonal Narrative
Theme:
LifeFamilyHome
English Language Arts:
Writing ProcessPrewritingTraits of WritingStrong IdeasEffective Voice

Page 150 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing—Developing the First Draft

As students shift from prewriting to drafting, remind them of the three main components of their narratives: action, dialogue, and description. Also, help them remember the effective strategies that the student writer used to write a beginning, a middle, and an ending.

Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.1.3
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10, 110.22.b.11.A
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Narrative Writing
Form:
Narrative EssayPersonal Narrative
Theme:
LifeFamilyHome
English Language Arts:
Writing ProcessWritingTraits of WritingStrong IdeasLogical OrganizationEffective Voice

Page 151 from Write on Course 20-20

Revising and Editing—Improving Your Writing

Distribute copies of the revising and editing checklist to help your students make large and small changes to improve their personal narratives. To delve deeper into editing for conventions, teach “A Closer Look at Editing: Quotation Marks” at the bottom of the page.

Downloads:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.1.3
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10, 110.22.b.11.A
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Narrative Writing
Form:
Narrative EssayPersonal Narrative
English Language Arts:
Writing ProcessRevisingEditingTraits of WritingStrong IdeasLogical OrganizationEffective VoicePrecise WordsFluid SentencesCorrect Conventions

Page 152 from Write on Course 20-20

Narrative Rubric

Use the narrative rubric to assess students’ final papers, or have students perform self-assessments using the rubric.

Downloads:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.1.3
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10, 110.22.b.11.A
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Narrative Writing
Form:
Personal NarrativeNarrative Essay
English Language Arts:
Writing ProcessTraits of WritingStrong IdeasLogical OrganizationEffective VoicePrecise WordsFluid SentencesCorrect ConventionsStrong Design