19 Other Forms of Narrative Writing

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Life Travel Seasons Nature

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Page 155 from Write on Course 20-20

Phase Autobiography (Cont.)

After you finish reading and reviewing the phase autobiography with your class, direct attention to the “Pattern of Organization” graphic at the bottom of the page. Describe to students how effective narratives follow the story structure.

They start with an attention grabber that introduces people (characters) in a place and time (setting) who have a problem (conflict).
Then the rising action presents a series of events that heighten the tension around the conflict.
At a critical moment, the people have to face down the problem.
After the falling action, the narrative quickly resolves, often showing a lesson learned.

Challenge students to return to the narrative and find the attention grabber, the rising action, the critical moment, the falling action, and the lesson learned.

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Life Travel Seasons Nature

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Page 156 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Phase Autobiography

Have your students create a life map like the one shown, graphing the highs and lows of their lives from birth to the present year. Then have students share their life maps with partners, telling some of the stories that are in the highs and lows. Ask partners to identify which stories happened over a long period of time and would make good topics for a phase autobiography.

After your students have selected their topics, help them think through the experience by creating time lines.

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Writing Process Prewriting Traits of Writing Strong Ideas

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Page 157 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing and Revising

Lead your students through the tips for writing a beginning, a middle, and an ending for their phase autobiographies. Allow writing time.

Once students have completed first drafts, have them revise and edit their work, using the checklist at the bottom of the page.

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Revising and Editing Checklist

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Writing Process Writing Traits of Writing Strong Ideas Logical Organization Effective Voice Precise Words Fluid Sentences Correct Conventions

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Page 158 from Write on Course 20-20

Biographical Story

Have student volunteers read the model biographical story aloud. Discuss the model using the side notes.

Ask your students, “How is a biographical story different from an autobiographical story?” Among other differences, a biographical story is written in third person instead of first person. It also requires research about the person instead of just tapping into memory. Let your students know that they will be writing a biographical essay about a person that truly interests them.

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Biography

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Travel Exercise Goals

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Page 159 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Biographical Story

Ask your students to list people that they admire. Use the suggestions in the numbered list at the top of the page to spur their thinking. Have them write their lists.

Before students choose a person to write about, lead them through the “Levels of Knowledge Chart” at the bottom of the page. Help students understand that different subjects will require different sources of information. People that students know well already allow for first-hand knowledge, interviews, and other primary source material. People that students haven’t (or can’t) ever meet will require more research into secondary sources.

After reviewing the chart, have students select a topic for their biographical narratives and begin research.

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Writing Process Prewriting Traits of Writing Strong Ideas

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Biography

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Page 160 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing, Revising, and Editing

After your students have finished researching their subjects, preview the process of writing a beginning, a middle, and an ending for their phase autobiographies. Then give them time to create their first drafts.

Once students are finished with their drafts, have them use the revising and editing checklist in the middle of the page to improve their work. This checklist can also assist peer reviewers, helping them provide targeted, constructive feedback.

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Revising and Editing Checklist

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Page 161 from Write on Course 20-20

Descriptive Essay

Read the model essay aloud. Then return to review the side notes. Ask students to find examples of sensory details. Ask which of these details makes the scene the most vivid.

Direct students’ attention to “Patterns of Organization” on the bottom of the page. Ask your students what all of these patterns have in common. (They are spatial patterns of organization.) Ask why descriptions often use spatial patterns of organization. Note that the pattern of organization should match the topic of the description. Challenge students to come up with topics that would work with each of the five patterns shown, for example, a description of a . . .

dream home (general to specific)
picnic spot (near to far)
mural on a wall (left to right)
Model-T Ford (outside to inside)
Greek statue (front to back)

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Nature Travel Plants Imagination

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Description

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Page 162 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Descriptive Essay

Have your students list favorite people, places, and things that they could describe in writing. Encourage them to think of topics that they could directly observe.

After students choose their topics, have them observe or think about their topic, taking extensive notes. Download and distribute the sensory chart to allow students to gather details.

When your students are ready to begin drafting, review the instructions for writing a beginning, a middle, and an ending.

After they have completed their first drafts, have your students use the questions at the bottom of the page to think of ways to improve their work.

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Writing Process Prewriting Writing Revising Editing Traits of Writing Strong Ideas Logical Organization Effective Voice

Page 163 from Write on Course 20-20

Responding to a Narrative Prompt

Have your students cover the bottom three quarters of the page while you read aloud the prompt at the top. Then ask students to answer the PAST questions about the prompt:

What Purpose should the writing have?
What Audience should it address?
What Subject should it refer to?
What Type of writing should students do?

When you finish your discussion, have students uncover the rest of the page and check their answers against those under “Prompt Analysis.” Discuss any differences.

Then, read through one student's quick list in response to the prompt. After, have student volunteers read aloud the paragraphs of the model. Discuss the side notes with each paragraph.

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Writing for Assessment Narrative Writing

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Personal Narrative Narrative Essay

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Sports

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Reading Writing

Page 165 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Narrative Prompt

Read through this page with your students, helping them understand what they need to do when responding to a prompt. Review the PAST questions and how to use them in prompt analysis.

Then have students practice on-demand writing by responding to the following narrative prompt:

Vernon Sanders Law once said, "Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." What experiences have you had that taught you a difficult lesson? Write a narrative that tells the story of how you learned something the hard way. Help other students learn from your mistakes.

Give your students a time limit for writing an essay response. Have them start by answering the PAST questions about it. Here are sample responses:

Purpose: The purpose of the writing is to tell a story and help others learn
Audience: The audience is other students
Subject: An experience that taught you a difficult lesson
Type: A personal narrative

After students have completed their essays, you can have them switch papers and use the revising and editing checklist as a mini-rubric to consider the quality of the writing.

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