Writing Narrative Texts: Planning and Drafting the Beginning of a First Person Narrative | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G5:M2:U3:L2

Writing Narrative Texts: Planning and Drafting the Beginning of a First Person Narrative

In this Lesson

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These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RL.5.6: Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described.
  • W.5.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
  • W.5.3a: Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
  • W.5.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • W.5.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can identify the characteristics of the beginning of a narrative. (W.5.3, W.5.4, W.5.5)
  • I can plan and draft the beginning of a narrative that establishes the situation and introduces the characters. (W.5.3, W.5.4, W.5.5)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Beginning box of Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Partner Narrative (W.5.3, W.5.4, W.5.5)
  • Beginning paragraphs of partner narrative draft (W.5.3, W.5.4, W.5.5)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Analyzing a Model (30 minutes)

B. Guided Practice: Planning the Beginning of a Narrative (10 minutes)

C. Guided Practice: Drafting the Beginning of a Narrative (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Pair Share (5 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal.

Purpose of lesson and alignment to standards:

  • This lesson begins a series of lessons in which students analyze the plot structure of "Bite at Night" to build expertise about narrative texts and understand what a first person narrative is (RL.5.6, W.5.3).
  • In Opening A, students begin using the Narrative Writing Checklist (W.5.3). Recall that throughout the school year, students are provided with checklists for their writing, which outline the key criteria that the CCSS require of the writing type. These checklists are closely aligned with the teacher rubrics used to grade student assessments. An empty column is provided on each student checklist for students to add criteria for the specific characteristics required by the writing prompt, and time, directions, and examples for this process are built into the relevant lessons.
  • Throughout this unit, students work with a partner to plan, draft, and revise a first person narrative. In this lesson, students plan and draft the beginning paragraphs of their narratives (W.5.3a, W.5.4, W.5.5).
  • The research reading students complete for homework helps to build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to the rainforest. By participating in this volume of reading over a span of time, they will develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it.
  • The habit of character focus in this lesson is working to become an effective learner. The characteristic students are reminded of specifically is collaboration, as they will work with a partner to write a narrative.

How it builds on previous work:

  • In Lesson 1, students had a general introduction to narrative texts and read "Bite at Night" for gist; in this lesson, they reread the text and analyze the beginning for its plot structure.
  • Continue to use Goals 1-3 Conversation Cues to promote productive and equitable conversation.

Areas in which students may need additional support:

  • Throughout this unit, students work with a writing partner. Consider how to strategically partner students so they can support one another well as they write their narratives.

Assessment guidance:

  • Consider using the Writing: Writing Informal Assessment: Observational Checklist for Writing and Language Skills to during students' partner work in Work Times B and C (see the Tools page).

Down the road:

  • In Lessons 3 and 4, students will analyze "Bite at Night" for its plot structure and use it as an exemplar as they plan and draft the middle and end of their narratives.
  • Students will plan and draft a new narrative inspired by The Most Beautiful Roof in the World for the mid-unit assessment in Lesson 5.

In Advance

  • Prepare the Narrative Texts anchor chart (see supporting materials).
  • Strategically pair students for partner work in Work Times B and C.
  • Post: Learning targets, Narrative Texts anchor chart, and Performance Task anchor chart.

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time B: Digital narrative plan: Students complete the Narrative Planning graphic organizer using Google Docs or other word-processing software to refer to when working on their writing outside of class.
  • Work Time C: Students write their first drafts using Google Docs or other word-processing software.
  • Work Time C: Students use speech-to-text facilities activated on devices or use an app or software like Dictation.io.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 5.I.B.6, 5.I.C.10a, 5.I.C.11, 5.II.A.1

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs by enabling them to write in pairs. Capitalize on this opportunity by having pairs process their plan for writing and the beginning of their story orally before they put pen to paper. These partner conversations will allow ELLs to try out new language, take risks, get feedback when they aren't understood, make corrections to their communication, and feel successful when they help carry the conversation. Further support these conversations with frames such as: "Do you mean X?" "I know exactly what you mean. And I also think that _____." "In my opinion, _____."
  • ELLs may find it challenging to identify quotes that help establish the situation and introduce the characters in The Most Beautiful Roof in the World. Support students as they seek quotes that establish situation by having them look for quotes with nouns that are places and things. Have them look for quotes with nouns that represent people to introduce characters. See the lesson for additional suggestions. Tell them that some of the quotes may be interpreted as establishing situation and introducing character (e.g., "chastised myself for not bringing my flashlight.")

Levels of support

For lighter support:

  • Invite four confident volunteers to help lead Work Time B by rehearsing a summary of each of the four scenarios from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World. Sharing summaries will help all students build background knowledge and language skills as they prepare to write.

For heavier support:

  • Invite students to tell a new partner or family member the beginning of their narrative in their home language and in classroom English. Encourage them to seek feedback from the new partner or family member and discuss what might happen next in the story. Retelling the same story multiple times to different people in their home language and in classroom English will help ELLs experiment with, enhance, and automatize the English they need to tell the story comprehensibly.
  • For Work Time A, prepare sentence strips of excerpts from "Bite at Night" for beginning ELLs. Invite them, in pairs or with a more proficient partner, to group the strips that best help establish the situation and group other strips that best introduce the character.

Universal Design for Learning

  • Multiple Means of Representation: The goal of this lesson is to have students begin planning and writing a narrative text. Whenever students need support with writing, it is important to offer explicit models from familiar texts to supply background knowledge. Before having students plan the beginning of their narrative, have several confident students summarize The Most Beautiful Roof in the World scenarios to connect the writing task to the reading. Make the connection to the writing task explicit by asking questions that help establish the scenario, such as "Who are the characters?" and "What is the setting?" Additionally, consider including lines or boxes on the Narrative Planning graphic organizer instead of blank spaces to support students' fine motor skills and spatial organization.
  • Multiples Means of Action and Expression: This lesson asks students to complete the Narrative Planning graphic organizer and a draft of the beginning of their own narrative. Writing can be fraught with potential barriers for students who may need additional support with spatial organization, fine motor skills, and executive function skills. Try to anticipate barriers for written expression and potential supports. (Examples: Modify the Narrative Planning graphic organizer so each section (beginning, middle, and end) is separated into three pages rather than columns. This can support students' executive function skills by helping them to chunk their work into manageable pieces. Make a visual writing goal for students by placing a star or sticker at an individualized goal point for the session (e.g., two pages). This way, students can start to build the executive function skills to monitor their own progress during independent work time.)
  • Multiple Means of Engagement: To be successful in writing a narrative, students will need to draw heavily on prior knowledge from learning resources such as the Narrative Texts anchor chart or the Narrative Writing Checklist. Some students will require additional supports to activate and support their background knowledge and their ability to generalize these resources to their own writing. Think about offering additional opportunities for review to support background knowledge. (Examples: When referencing the Narrative Texts anchor chart, have students turn to an elbow partner and discuss important characteristics of the chart. Conduct a Mini Language Dive with a small group in which you review elements of the Narrative Writing Checklist and apply them to The Most Beautiful Roof in the World. Some questions may include: "What should you use to skillfully craft the characters, setting, or events in the story?" or "Which information from which sources?")

Vocabulary

Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)

  • establishes the situation, introduces the characters, beginning, middle, end (L)
  • inflatable, rainforest canopy, attached, emergent layer, realized, outhouse, platform, sake (T)
  • rainforest, scientist, canopy, explore, creatures (W)

Materials

  • Narrative Writing Checklist (one per student and one to display)
  • "Bite at Night" (from Lesson 1; one per student and one to display)
  • Narrative Texts anchor chart (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night" (one to display)
  • Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night" (example, for teacher reference)
  • Red, yellow, and green markers (one of each per student)
  • Performance Task anchor chart (begun in Unit 1, Lesson 1)
  • Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (from Module 1)
  • The Most Beautiful Roof in the World (one per student)
  • Narrative Writing Checklist (example, for teacher reference)
  • Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Partner Narrative (one per student)
  • Lined paper (several pieces per student)
  • Index cards (one per student)

Assessment

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reviewing Learning Targets (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the posted learning targets and read them aloud:

    • "I can identify the characteristics of the beginning of a narrative."
    • "I can plan and draft the beginning of a narrative that establishes the situation and introduces the characters."

  • Tell students that today they will begin planning and drafting the beginning of their first person narratives.

  • Ask:

"Are you unfamiliar with any of the words or phrases in the learning targets?" (Responses will vary, but may include: establishes the situation, introduces the characters.)

  • Review as necessary and write definitions above the targeted word(s) in the learning targets. Select a student to reread the targets.

    • establishes the situation--introduces or sets up the story
    • introduces the characters--presents the characters to the reader; makes the characters known to the reader

  • Ask students to show you a thumbs-up if they understand what they will be learning today, a thumbs-sideways if they need some more clarification, and a thumbs-down if they still don't know. Clarify as necessary.

  • Display and distribute the Narrative Writing Checklist and explain that students will use this checklist as they write to ensure that their writing meets the criteria of a strong narrative. Invite students to skim through the characteristics. Reassure them that they might not understand all of the characteristics on the checklist now, and that they will be working with it throughout the unit.

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support in writing: Ask students to select one of the characteristics on the Narrative Writing Checklist that they find particularly helpful or confusing. Invite them to turn to an elbow partner and explain why. (MME)

  • When clarifying the learning targets (e.g., establishing the situation, introduces the characters), consider using models from familiar texts as examples to supply background knowledge. (MMR)

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Analyzing a Model (30 minutes)

  • Display a copy of "Bite at Night" and invite students to take out their own copies.

  • Direct students' attention to the first paragraph. Remind them that they read this text in Lesson 1 for the gist and to consider how the narrator's point of view influenced how the events in the story were described.

  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"What is the gist of this text? What is it mostly about?" (It's about when army ants in the rainforest attacked Meg Lowman.)

  • Display the Narrative Texts anchor chart and point out the first bullet point:

    • "Narratives tell a story about real events or imagined experiences. They can be told from a first person (I) or third person (he/she) point of view."

  • Remind students that they will write their narratives from the first person point of view, based on an event from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World.

  • Tell students that narratives are structured in certain ways, and this predictable structure helps the reader to better understand the story and relate to the characters and events of the story. Tell students that narratives can be broken into three parts: the beginning, the middle, and the end.

  • Tell students that in the beginning, the author establishes the situation and introduces the characters. Point out this sub-bullet point on the Narrative Texts anchor chart.

  • Explain that today, they will reread the beginning of this text and learn more about the characteristics of the beginning of narratives.

  • Display the blank Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night" and tell students they will first use this graphic organizer to analyze "Bite at Night" and will later use it to plan the beginning of their own narratives.

  • Select a volunteer to read the headings and questions in each box of the graphic organizer.

  • Direct students' attention to the Beginning box at the top of the graphic organizer. Invite them to whisper-read the first three paragraphs of "Bite at Night" with an elbow partner.

  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"How did the author establish the situation in this story? What is happening, and what is the setting?" (what is happening: Meg wakes up from a dream and needs to walk to the outhouse in the dark; what is the setting: Camp in Cameroon, nighttime, in a tent over a spot where a poisonous snake lives).

"How did the author introduce the characters? Who is the narrator, and what does the reader need to know about him/her?" (narrator: Meg; what the reader needs to know about her: She's a rainforest scientist.)

  • Invite students to annotate the parts of the text that establish the situation and introduce the characters using the symbols on the Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night."

  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Which parts of the text did you annotate with the frame to show it establishes the situation?" (Responses will vary.)

  • If productive, cue students to provide evidence:

"What details in the text make you think so?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Paragraph 1: "I was having a dream." "It was pitch black as I looked around." "I was in my tent, it was the middle of the night, and a loud noise had woken me up." Paragraph 2: "The bathroom was in an outhouse a short walk from my tent." "... walking around in Cameroon, particularly in the dark." Paragraph 3: "... and chastised myself for not bringing my flashlight.")

"Which parts of the text did you annotate with the happy face to show it introduces the characters?" (Responses will vary.)

  • If productive, cue students to provide evidence:

"What details in the text make you think so?" (Responses will vary, but may include: Paragraph 1: "I was hanging over the side, attached by my harness, sampling leaves on the emergent layer.")

  • Direct students' attention back to the Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night" and as a group complete the Beginning box. Refer to the Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: "Bite at Night" (example, for teacher reference) as necessary.

  • Refocus students on the first learning target and invite them to show a red, yellow, or green marker for how close they feel they are to meeting each target now, with red being a long way from meeting the target and green being fully meeting the standard. Scan the responses and make a note of students who may need more support with this moving forward.

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with comprehension: Invite students to turn to an elbow partner and say the first bullet point of the Narrative Texts anchor chart in their own words. Have them share out, encouraging other students to add on to what has been shared. (MME)

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with memory: Ask:

"What are the three basic parts of a narrative?" (beginning, middle, end)

Remind students that, in the United States, there is often the expectation that a story should have these three parts. (MMR)

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading: Invite students to match the best question word for each part of the Narrative Planning graphic organizer. (MMAE) Examples:

    • What? = the situation that is happening
    • Where? = setting
    • Who? = character

B. Guided Practice: Planning the Beginning of a Narrative (10 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the Performance Task anchor chart and quickly review it. Explain that in a moment, students will work with a partner to select and begin planning a narrative for a scenario from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World.

  • Move students into predetermined partnerships.

  • Focus students on the Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and remind them specifically of the collaboration criteria. Explain that they will be working together to write a narrative, so they need to be conscious of working effectively with others.

  • Post the following list of scenarios from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World:

    • A butterfly lands on James after swimming (page 28)
    • After dinner, the boys go for a walk in the forest with their mom (page 37)
    • The boys reach the canopy (page 33)
    • Meg puts the spider into a vial filled with alcohol to send it off (page 39)

  • Invite pairs to take out their copies of The Most Beautiful Roof in the World, reread each scenario, and select a scenario to write about.

  • Direct students' attention back to the Narrative Texts anchor chart and select a volunteer to reread the first bullet point on the anchor chart:

    • "Narrative texts can be about real or imagined experiences."

  • Ask:

"Will our narratives be real or imagined stories?" (They will be imagined, or made-up stories, but will be based on real events from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World.)

  • Display the Narrative Writing Checklist and point out the following characteristics:

    • W.5.9
    • W.5.3a

  • Tell students that as they plan, they should remember that even though they will be writing an imagined or made-up story, it should be realistic and based on what they know about the rainforest, Meg Lowman, and her sons.

  • Ask:

"Are there any specific criteria about the beginning in these narratives that you should be aware of and list in that column on the checklist?" (Responses will vary, but may include ideas like: Use Blue Creek as the name of the rainforest when describing the setting.)

  • Record students' suggestions in the Characteristics of My First Person Narrative column as needed. Refer to the Narrative Writing Checklist (example, for teacher reference) as needed.

  • Distribute the Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Partner Narrative and direct students' attention to the box labeled Beginning. Tell students that today they should complete only this part of the graphic organizer. Explain that they will work on planning the other parts of their narratives in the next few lessons.

  • Invite students to work with their partner to plan the beginning of their narrative. Tell them that even though they are working with a partner, they should each complete a plan for their narrative. Circulate and listen for students who may need additional support when planning their narratives. Remind students to be creative but to remember that their narratives should be based on their research about the rainforest and what they know about Meg Lowman and her sons.

  • Circulate to support pairs as they plan. If necessary, prompt by asking questions such as:

"What is happening when the story begins?"

"What is the setting? Where and when does the story take place?"

"What elements of your research can you use to make the story more realistic?"

"Who is the narrator? What does the reader need to know about him or her?"

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading and writing: Invite four confident students to summarize each of the four scenarios from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World for the class before pairs reread and select their scenario. (MMR)

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: Ask which experience is real, which is imagined, and why: "I saw a butterfly with beautiful wings. I saw a butterfly wearing a beautiful hat." Invite students to quickly share real and imagined experiences with one another. (MMR)

  • For students who may need additional support with executive function skills: Consider breaking the Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Partner Narrative into three separate one-page documents for each of the columns to help the students chunk each task and monitor their progress. (MMR, MMAE)

  • For students who may need additional support with fine motor skills or spatial visualization: The Narrative Planning graphic organizer can be altered to include writing lines and/or boxes. (MMR, MME)

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: Mini Language Dive. Ask students about the meaning of the chunks of the characteristics from the Narrative Writing Checklist. Write and display student responses next to the chunks. (MMR, MME) Examples:

"What is craft in our home languages?" (zostrojit in Slovak) Invite all students to repeat the translation in a different home language.

"What does craft mean? You can use your dictionaries." (show skill when you make something)

"Is craft a noun or a verb as it is used in the first characteristic?" (verb)

"What is the meaning of craft as a noun?" (an activity that involves skill; skill in making something)

"What should you use to skillfully craft the characters, setting, or events in the story?" (information from sources)

"Which information from which sources?" (events from The Most Beautiful Roof in the World)

"Why will you use information from sources to craft the characters, setting, or events in your story?" (to make them more believable)

 

C. Guided Practice: Drafting the Beginning of a Narrative (15 minutes)

  • Distribute lined paper and tell students they are going to complete a first draft of the beginning of their narratives. Tell them that even though they are working with a partner, they should each complete a draft of their narrative.

  • Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

"Who will be the narrator of your story?" (Meg or one of her sons)

"What point of view will your story be written in?" (first person)

"What words will you use to let your reader know the point of view of your story?" (I or my to show what the narrator is doing, thinking, or saying.)

"What elements of your research will you use to make your story more realistic?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Remind students that when they write a draft, they should skip lines so they have room to make revisions and edits later in the writing process. Also remind them to use their Narrative Planning Graphic Organizer: Partner Narrative to ensure that their writing is organized and includes the parts of a strong narrative beginning.

  • Encourage students to refer to the following while they are working: Narrative Writing Checklist, Narrative Texts anchor chart, their planning graphic organizer, their research from Unit 1, and the Word Walls.

  • Give students 15 minutes to write. Circulate and support them as needed. Confer with those whom you observed needing additional support with planning their writing in Work Time B. Help them focus on getting their ideas down on paper, as opposed to worrying about spelling or grammar. Remind them that they will edit their writing toward the end of the writing process.

  • Refocus students on the second learning target and invite them to show a red, yellow, or green marker for how close they feel they are to meeting that target now, with red being a long way from meeting the target and green being fully meeting the standard. Scan the responses and make a note of students who may need more support with this moving forward.

  • Repeat, inviting students to self-assess against how well they collaborated in this lesson.

  • Invite students to record 'Y' for 'Yes' and the date in the final column of their Narrative Writing Checklist if they feel the criteria marked on their checklists have been achieved in their writing in this lesson.

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: Before students write, invite them to orally tell the beginning of their story to their partner, referring to their Narrative Planning graphic organizer, research from Unit 1, and Word Walls as they write. (MME)

  • For students who may need additional support with spatial organization: Consider offering lined paper on which every other line has an X or is highlighted to remind them to skip lines. (MMR)

  • For students who may need additional support with writing and executive function skills: Before students begin writing, you can create a writing goal that is appropriate for the individual student (e.g., two pages). Place a star or sticker at the goal point so that they can self-monitor their progress as they write. (MMAE)

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Pair Share (5 minutes)

  • Refocus students whole group.

  • Invite students to take the beginning of their narratives and move to sit with a new partner.

  • Ask students to switch papers and begin reading their partner's writing.

  • Refocus students whole group.

  • Ask:

"What do you think is most interesting about your partner's situation? Why?"

  • Invite students to turn to their partner and share one specific piece of praise.

  • Distribute index cards and ask students to record their name and reflect on and respond to the following:

    • Front: "What helped you establish the situation of your narrative?"
    • Back: "What was difficult about establishing the situation of your narrative?"

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: Pair students and invite them to discuss their responses before writing. Affirm contributions from students who need heavier support, even if they offer only comprehensible, one-word responses. Provide sentence frames to bolster participation. Model the share-out using the sentence frames. (MMAE) Examples:

    • "The most interesting think about my partner's situation is _____ because _____."
    • "_____ helped me establish the situation of my narrative by _____."
    • "The most difficult thing about establishing the situation of my narrative was _____."

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with writing: Allow students to highlight areas of their beginning that helped them establish the situation and what was difficult about establishing the situation. (MME)

Homework

HomeworkMeeting Students' Needs

A. Accountable Research Reading. Select a prompt to respond to in the front of your independent reading journal.

  • For ELLs and students who may need additional support with reading and writing: Refer to the suggested homework support in Lesson 1. (For all homework assignments in this unit, read the prompts aloud. Students can discuss and respond to prompts orally, either with you, a partner, family member, or student from Grades 4 or 6, or record an audio response. If students have trouble writing sentences, they can begin by writing words. Consider providing a sentence starter or inviting students who need lighter support to provide sentence starters.) (MMAE, MMR)

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