Write from the Beginning…

and Beyond

Narrative

Preview Packet

Spiral-bound
Training Manual
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Write from the Beginning...and Beyond

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Narrative Writing (Grades K—8)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview
• Narrative Writing: Overview 5
• What is Narrative Writing? 5
• Focus on Personal Experience Narratives 8
• Goals for Personal Experience Narrative Writing 10–15

Laying the Foundation

• The Personal Experience Narrative in Kindergarten 17
• Kindergarten Personal Experience Narrative Rubric 30
• Sample Kindergarten Mini-Lessons 35
• The Personal Experience Narrative in First Grade 37
• First Grade Observational/Comment Rubric 62
• First Grade Recount Narrative Rubric 69
• Sample First Grade Mini-Lessons 74

Building the Structure

• The Personal Experience Narrative in Second Grade 77
• Second Grade Chronological Narrative Rubric 89
• Second Grade Categorical Narrative Rubric 102
• Sample Second Grade Mini-Lessons 107–112
• The Personal Experience Narrative in Third Grade 113
• Third Grade Personal Chronological Narrative Rubric 128
• Third Grade Personal Categorical Narrative Rubric 141
• Sample Third Grade Mini-Lessons 147–153

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Developing with Strategies

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• The Personal Experience Narrative in Fourth and Fifth Grade 155

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• Getting the Basic Structure 160
• Moving Beyond the Basic Structure in Fourth and Fifth Grade 178

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• Fourth and Fifth Grade Personal Chronological Narrative Rubric 247
• Basic Structure Personal Categorical Narrative Rubric 260

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• Sample Fourth and Fifth Grade Mini-Lessons 265–272

Progressing to the Autobiographical Incident

• The Chronological Personal Experience Narrative in
Sixth through Eighth Grade 273
• Scoring Rubric for Autobiographical Incident Writing 289
• Prompts and Ideas to Stimulate Autobiographical Incident Writing 290
• The Categorical Personal Experience Narrative 298
• Scoring Rubric for Autobiographical Experience Writing 306

Focus on Imaginative/Fictional Narratives

• Focus on Imaginative or Fictional Narratives 307
• Imaginative Writing in Kindergarten 309
• Imaginative Writing in First Grade 311
• First Grade Imaginative Narrative Rubric 315
• Imaginative Writing in Second Grade 319
• Second Grade Imaginative Narrative Rubric 327
• Imaginative Writing in Third Grade 333
• Third Grade Imaginative Narrative Rubric 344
• Imaginative Writing in Fourth through Eighth Grade 349
• Fourth through Eighth Grade Imaginative Narrative Rubric 355
• Imaginative Narrative Activity 360
• Imaginative Narrative Team Stories 361
• Fictional Narratives 363

Resources
• Suggested Books for Teaching Writing (K–8) 365
Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond Narrative Writing — Overview

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Narrative Writing

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Overview

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§ What is Narrative Writing?

Narrative writing is often referred to as story writing. A story can be told or written,
long or short, true or made up. Stories have been passed on for generations as a form of
entertainment, but also as a way to teach us life’s lessons. They have existed as long as
mankind. Children of all ages love to hear stories; they are naturally attracted to them
whether they are told orally, through books, through television, or some other form of
media.

Stories can be realistic; they tell us about someone or something that seems real. They
can also be fantasy; they have characters and places that are not like real life. Even
realistic stories can be made up when a writer uses people and things from real life.
Whether realistic or fantasy, a piece of narrative writing is a work of art, carefully
crafted by the author to provide entertainment for the reader.

Oral narratives appear to come naturally and are much easier to produce than written
narratives. When telling stories aloud, narrators may tell events out of order or they
may leave out some important details. The gestures, expressions, and tone of the
storyteller’s voice can relay quite a bit of information; and those that are listening can
ask questions if necessary. Written narratives, on the other hand, require much more
thought. The information must be presented in an organized manner with a central idea,
a plotline, vivid description, and some type of culminating event. Written narratives
require a strong structure and essential elements that are unique to this type of
writing. For this reason, students need explicit instruction in how to create a narrative
composition.

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Narrative Writing — Overview Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond

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All narratives are not the same. There are at least two types of narrative writing that

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students will need to encounter. The first is the personal experience narrative. This
kind of narrative focuses on the experience of the writer rather than the characters in

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the story. The personal experience narrative might be organized chronologically as
the incident is told as a series of events that move through time. Sunshine Home by

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Eve Bunting is an example of a narrative that moves chronologically. The personal
experience narrative might also be organized categorically. When organized in this
manner, the narrative tells about an experience but not as a chronology of events;
instead, there are numerous personal experiences that support one overall theme or big
idea. Cynthia Rylant’s book, When I Was Young in the Mountains, is organized in this
way. In this simple picture book, Rylant relates varied experiences that she has had in
the mountains with her grandparents. The overall “feel” or big idea of the book is that
she enjoyed her time in the mountains. Her writing appears more reflective and circular
than event driven. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros contains numerous
personal experience narratives that are organized categorically.

Whether organized chronologically or categorically, the personal experience narrative

relates something that is important to the writer and something that the writer wants
to share with others. The feelings and emotions of the writer and vivid language are
essential components of the personal experience narrative.

The second type of narrative is the imaginative narrative, a story that involves strong
characters, a distinct setting, a problem or situation, and some type of solution or
resolution. This type of writing, in its simplest form, is structured in a problem/solution
format. Using this structure, the main character encounters problems that he or she tries
to solve through numerous attempts throughout the story. In the end, the problem is
solved and the character is a type of “hero.” In some instances, there is resolution rather
than solution to the problem as the main character becomes resigned to the situation.
Heat Wave by Helen Ketterman and A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon are both
examples of the problem/solution format.

A more sophisticated variety of imaginative narrative involves an “intriguing or

challenging adventure.” Instead of encountering and attempting to solve one particular
problem, the main character deals with a “situation,” which can either be problematic
or increasingly unrealistic or imaginative. Throughout the story, the main character/
characters must either overcome a series of obstacles or experience increasing intensity
of the situation. The movie Pirates of the Caribbean is an example of an intriguing
adventure with obstacles or challenges that must be overcome. Most adventurous
movies and stories/books fit into this category and are popular with students. The book

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Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond Narrative Writing — Overview

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Meanwhile Back at the Ranch by Trinka Hakes Noble is an example of an intriguing

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adventure with increasing intensity as Rancher Hick’s wife gets richer and richer as
he experiences boredom in town. Another example of the increasing intensity variety

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is the book The Principal from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler. In this story, a
young boy sits and waits to go into the principal’s office to receive punishment for an

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infraction. As he waits, he imagines increasingly bizarre punishments that he could
receive (e.g. “she turns some kids into coat racks”).

Whether the imaginative narrative is structured in a problem/solution format or as

an intriguing adventure, strong characters and setting, as well as vivid language are
essential components of the writing. This type of writing also incorporates humor,
suspense and tension, or drama into the story.

Note: This manual on Narrative Writing is presented in two parts. The first
part focuses on Personal Experience Narratives, and the second part focuses on
Imaginative Narratives.

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Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond Narrative Writing — Second Grade

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The Personal Experience Narrative

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in Second Grade

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§ What does the Personal Experience Narrative look
like in Second Grade?

Second graders should be able to compose a personal experience narrative organized in

a chronological format. It should have beginning and ending sentences. Between the
opening and closing sentences there should be several sentences that depict a logical
sequence of events within an obvious time frame.
While the chronologically organized personal experience narrative is the format
most frequently used by teachers and in assessments, second graders can also learn
to compose a personal experience narrative organized in a thematic/memoir format.
This composition should have beginning and ending sentences. Between the opening
and closing there should be
several sentences organized
categorically or logically in
such a way as to create an
overall general impression.
In each type of writing
students should use some
detail and descriptive
language. The ability to
perform these competencies
will be facilitated by
extensive teacher modeling
as well as numerous
opportunities for practice and
individual conferences.

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Narrative Writing — Second Grade Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond

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Addressing the Prompt

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Second graders will spend many of their writing sessions developing topics that

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they have chosen. However, these students will also need practice writing to specific

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prompts to enable the teacher to evaluate more effectively their development as writers.
Through teacher modeling and mini-lessons, students learn to identify key words in the

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prompts that must appear in their writing. For example, a prompt might read:
Tell about a time that you received a gift from someone in your family or from a friend.

Students should be directed to underline key words like received, gift, family or friend.
As students begin to compose, they should constantly refer to the prompt to make sure
they are staying focused on these key words.

The Opening Sentence

The opening sentence is the forerunner of the introductory paragraph students will
compose as their writing skills become more developed. Second graders should be able
to write an opening sentence that tells what the writing will be about. For example, they
will state Who? Did what? When? if composing a narrative (e.g. “Last Christmas my
friend Susan gave me a special gift.”).The opening sentence should always address the
prompt; however, it should never restate the prompt.

The Middle Sentences

The middle sentences in the personal experience narrative that is organized sequentially
tell the events in the order in which they happened. Teacher modeling should be used
to introduce and develop the use of transition words and phrases as chronological
markers. Teachers should use extreme caution not to use fixed, slotted-in transition
words such as first, next, then, and last. It will be helpful to keep charts in the
classroom with lists of multiple transition words to which students might refer.
The middle sentences in the personal experience narrative that is organized
categorically tells about the experience through like ideas or categories of information.
For example, if a student writes about visiting his grandparents, he could tell about
baking cookies with his grandmother, chopping wood with his grandfather, and playing
with his grandparents’ pet dog. The student narrates an experience; however, it is not
told in the exact order in which the events occurred.

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Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond Narrative Writing — Second Grade

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The middle sentences represent an opportunity for second graders to engage in the

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use of details and descriptive language. Through teacher modeling and mini-lessons,

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students can be directed to “tell me more” regarding their sentences. For example, if a
student writes “First we saw a bear,” the teacher asks questions such as What color was

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the bear? Where was the bear? What was the bear doing? The goal is for the student
to learn to write sentences such as: “First we saw a brown bear. He was sitting in the
corner of his cage eating berries for his lunch.”

The Closing Sentence

The closing sentence is the precursor of the closing paragraph that students will
compose as their writing skills become more developed. Second-grade students should
be able to write a closing sentence that brings some type of closure to the written piece.
In other words, they should be able to state what they learned, an opinion, or a feeling
about the experience about which they have written. It is beneficial for the students to
use key words from the prompt in their closing sentences; however, they should not
restate the prompt in their closings. Teachers should use extreme caution not to model
or accept fixed, slotted-in closure such as “I felt happy.”

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Student Sample of Personal Experience Narratives (organized sequentially)

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Narrative Writing — Third Grade Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond

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THIRD GRADE PERSONAL CHRONOLOGICAL NARRATIVE RUBRIC

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Criteria for Evaluation Scoring Guidelines

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The student writes multiple paragraphs with 6 pts — 15 or more sentences or 2/3 of a page

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a minimum of 15–18 complete, coherent, and focused sequentially on the topic
logically sequenced sentences focused on a 4 pts — at least 10 complete sentences focused
a single topic. Do not count sentences if the

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1 sequentially on the topic
student has at least 2/3 of a page focused on a 2 pts — at least 8 sentences focused on the topic
single topic. 0 pts — fewer than 8 sentences on the topic, or
(6 possible points) sentences are off prompt
The student correctly spells most words. 1 pt — most words spelled correctly; all incorrectly
Inventive spelling used can generally be read by spelled words easily decipherable
2 others. 0 pts — spelling interferes with readability; one or
more of the incorrectly spelled words is
(1 possible point) indecipherable
2 pts — no capitalization or punctuation errors, or
The student correctly uses common capitalization errors appear to be errors of draft
3 and punctuation. 1 pt — some obvious errors that need attention,
(2 possible points) but do not interfere with readability
0 pts — numerous errors interfere with readability
2 pts — concise; at least 2 sentences that set up
The student writes an opening paragraph that the writing and do not get into the action
addresses the prompt and identifies characters 1 pt — 1 stand-alone opening sentence or
4 and setting. opening is not concise
(2 possible point) 0 pts — no opening or a single opening sentence
that gets into the action
3 pts — 2 or more events, each with at least 3
The student uses relevant detail sentences to elaborations or 1 event with 6 elaborations
support a topic sentence. Comment sentences 2 pts — 2 or more events each with at least 2
5 such as “It was fun” do not count (see additional elaborations
information after rubric). 1 pt — 2 or more events each with at least 1
(3 possible points) elaboration
0 pts — does not meet any of above criteria
The student uses descriptive words and phrases 2 pts — 5 or more examples other than color and
to help readers more vividly visualize the events, size words
6 person, or object being described. Should include 1 pt — at least 3 examples other than color and
precise nouns/language and strong verbs. size words
(2 possible points) 0 pts — fewer than 3 examples
2 pts — closing paragraph with at least 2
The student uses a closing paragraph expressing sentences expressing some observation,
some observation, opinion, reaction, or feeling. opinion, reaction, or feeling
7 (Do not count “going home” or “going to bed.”) 1 pt — 1 stand-alone sentence meeting above
(2 possible points) criteria or closing not concise
0 pts — no closing or does not meet above criteria
2 pts — 3 or more transition words/phrases other
The student uses varied and appropriate than first, next, then, or last
transition words and phrases denoting pasage of 1 pt — 3 or more transition words/phrases
8 time or sequence of events. including no more than one of the words
(2 possible points) first, next, then, or last
0 pts — fewer than 3 transition words/phrases

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Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond Narrative Writing — Fourth and Fifth Grade

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Introducing Plus #3 (Embedded Transition Words, Phrases,

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and Devices)

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The teacher begins by explaining the concept of embedded transition words, phrases,
and devices. This strategy can be referred to as the momentum of the writing. It is the

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strategy that keeps the writing moving forward in a timely manner.
Up to this point, students have focused on using transition words and phrases to
introduce each new movement (stage on the Flow Map) in their writing. For this
reason, they will need some frontloading activities that involve identifying embedded
transitions in published pieces or
high-scoring student samples. For
example, the teacher can provide a
handout and students can work in
pairs to highlight each transition
word or phrase that they can find.
It is through activities like these
that students begin to develop an
awareness of both the concept of
“embedded” and “transitions.”
A transition in narrative writing is
any word, phrase, or device that
either moves the reader forward in time or orients the reader in time. There are three
types of transitions that students should know. The first is the simple transition word:
first, next, then, last, finally, as, etc. The second type of transition, the transitional
phrase, is more sophisticated than the simple word and is easier to embed within a
piece of writing. Transition phrases include examples like when we arrived, later on, at
the end of the day, just as the clock struck one, before we knew it, etc. The third type of
transition is the transitional device, particularly dynamic symmetry.
Dynamic symmetry is not foreign to students’ ears. They have been surrounded by
it all of their lives: ready, set, go; swimmers up, take your mark, go; I came, I saw,
I conquered; stop, drop, roll. Students, however, tend to employ even-numbered
compound structures, when uneven combinations such as three, five, or seven are
more pleasant to our ears. The rule of dynamic symmetry—the theory that unequal
distribution is better—has been around since the sixth century BC. Many creative
people recognize this awareness, including painters, landscape designers, and architects
who have incorporated it into the visual domain. Patterns of three in writing tend to
break the rhythm while advancing the action.

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Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond Narrative Writing — Fourth and Fifth Grade

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Introducing Strategy #4 (Quality Elaboration)

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Up to this point, the students have used vertical and horizontal elaboration in their

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writing. Now, the teacher introduces a new and different way to elaborate called “The

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Five Media Questions.”

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The teacher explains that the job of television news commentators is to help viewers
“be there” when something unusual or disastrous happens. One way they do this is by
providing graphic, up-close pictures. Another way they do it is by interviewing those
that were there.
Following is a detailed explanation of “The Five Media Questions.”

Introducing The Five Media Questions

Much can be learned from the events of September 11, 2001, when two commercial jets
crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City. The media tried to capture that
moment in history and to allow television viewers to come as close to the experience as
they could. Television commentators wanted viewers to be there. In an effort to do this,
they employed two strategies:

• Slowed-down, step-by-step replay of the actual event. As the jets headed for the
buildings, commentators described the angle, and as the jets first hit the buildings,
the impact was described. Viewers, after seeing this over and over, had a clear idea in
their minds of exactly what happened.
• Personal Interviews with those involved. Over and over, the media sought out those
who were actually in the buildings when the tragedy took place. The same five
questions were asked during these interviews.

1. What did you do when this happened?

2. What were those around you doing?
3. What were you thinking?
4. How did you feel?
5. Can you describe what you saw?

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Introducing Strategy #9 (Indirect Characterization)

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It is important for the teacher to provide an extended explanation of indirect character-

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ization and to provide numerous opportunities for students to practice the strategy.

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Indirect characterization refers to how characters reveal information about their likes

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and dislikes or their personality by the way they act, what they say, or what they think.
For example, if a person who is afraid of bugs sees a spider, that person might scream,
move away quickly, or swat at the spider. The person does not have to say “I don’t
like spiders.” Anyone who watches the encounter can tell how the person feels. Good
writers use this strategy to reveal information about themselves or a character in an
interesting way. In other words, the writer “shows” readers rather than “tells” readers.
A good beginning for teaching this strategy is to examine pieces of literature for
evidence of indirect characterization. Arnold Lobel’s book Fables (1983) is a good
source for this strategy. For example, in the fable “The Ostrich in Love,” Lobel writes
using indirect characterization for someone in love:
He walked at a distance behind her, putting his feet in the very places she had stepped.
He forgot to order dinner himself. He was too happy to be hungry.
On Friday the Ostrich ordered a new suit of clothes. He fluffed his feathers, feeling fine
and handsome. He hoped that his beloved might notice.
Next, the teacher can draw a Tree Map on the board, like the one below.

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Follow-up

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The teacher asks the students to work in pairs to select a different sentence from the

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book and elaborate on it. The elaboration can be vertical, horizontal, or a combination

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of the two. Afterwards, the pairs should share their writing with the entire class as
others try to determine the type of elaboration that has been used.

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Sample Fourth/Fifth Grade Mini-Lesson #2
Objective for Basic Structure Personal Experience Narrative: Students will
identify the transition words and phrases in a piece of literature and classify them
according to those that are “fresh” and those that are commonplace.

Activities

The teacher reviews with students what they have learned about transition words and
phrases, including the use of dynamic symmetry. Emphasis should be placed on the
fact that those transitions that are embedded in the body of the paragraphs, and even the
individual sentences, are more powerful than those that are blatant and jump out at the
reader at the beginning of each paragraph or movement.

Next, the teacher draws a Circle Map

on the board with “Words and Phrases
that relate to time” in the small circle
and asks students to create one just
like it.

The teacher explains that she is going

to read from a piece of literature, such
as The Relatives Came by Cynthia
Rylant, and that she wants students
to record all the transition words and
phrases that they hear. It is important
for the teacher to give students
adequate time to process the information. It is also permissible to debrief at the end of
each page so that all of the students have Circle Maps that look similar as they collect
the information.

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Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond Narrative Writing — Grades Six through Eight

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The Personal Experience Narrative

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in Sixth through Eighth Grade

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§ What does the Personal Experience Narrative look
like in Sixth through Eighth Grade?

Sixth through eighth graders should be able to compose a personal experience narrative
organized in a chronological format that includes beginning and ending paragraphs and
body paragraphs that depict a logical sequence of events within a limited time frame.

While the chronologically organized personal experience narrative is the format most
frequently used by teachers and in assessments, sixth through eighth graders can also
learn to compose a personal experience narrative organized in a thematic/memoir
format. This composition
should have beginning and
ending paragraphs with
body paragraphs organized
categorically in such a way
as to create an overall general
impression.

In each type of writing,

students should use details
and descriptive language.
The ability to perform
these competencies will be
facilitated by extensive teacher
modeling as well as numerous
opportunities for practice and
individual conferences.

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Addressing the Prompt

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Sixth through eighth graders will spend many of their writing sessions developing

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topics that they have chosen. However, these students will also need practice writing to

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specific prompts to enable the teacher to evaluate more effectively their development
as writers. Writing to prompts will also teach students to complete a piece of writing

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within a specified time frame, which is consistent with many district and state writing
assessments.
Through teacher modeling and mini-lessons, students learn to identify key words or
idea in the prompt that must appear in their writing. Students should be directed to
focus on these key words/ideas, and as they begin to compose their pieces, they should
refer to the prompt from time to time to make sure they stay focused.

The Opening Paragraph

The opening paragraph always addresses in some way the key idea in the prompt.
The purpose of the opening paragraph is to tell what the story will be about or to “set
up” the writing for readers without getting into any of the action of the story. In the
narrative, students could include some of the following: Who? What? When? Where?
and Why? The student might write:
One evening last fall I had one of the scariest experiences of my life! Mom and Dad had
gone to a meeting and I had to stay home alone. Nothing had prepared me for what
was about to happen.

Note that in the opening there is a bit of background information and a hint of what is
to come. A good rule of thumb is to have approximately three sentences in the opening
paragraph. Conciseness should always be the goal. Too much is as detrimental as too
little.

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The Middle Paragraphs

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The middle paragraphs contain the meat or heart of the writing. It is here that the real

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quality of the piece is determined. The chronologically sequenced personal experience

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narrative uses a time-ordered sequence of elaborated events that tell a story which
happened within a specific time frame. The categorically organized personal experience

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narrative uses a logical progression of categories of information related to a particular
person, place, or thing.
The middle paragraphs represent an opportunity for students to use their knowledge of
topic sentences and relevant supporting details. Each of the middle paragraphs in and
of themselves should flow either sequentially or logically. Through teacher modeling
and mini-lessons, students can be directed to plan each paragraph as well as they plan
the overall piece of writing.

The Closing Paragraph

The final paragraph brings some type of closure to the writing and leaves readers with
an impression. Narratives can end with a variety of closings; however, there is usually a
reflection about what has been learned or why the experience is important to the writer
since feelings play a big part in narrative writing.
Typically, effective endings are difficult for many students to grasp. Often their endings
are blunt, trite, or unrelated and, therefore, they can take away somewhat from the
writing. Exposure to and practice with writing effective endings should be modeled by
the teacher and should be a subject of numerous mini-lessons.

The Progression to Writing Proficiency

Basic Structure: Becoming proficient in a particular mode of writing, such as narrative,

requires students to move through a progression of skills and understandings. This
progression begins with understanding the basic structure of a particular type of
writing. This proficiency develops as
1) the teacher models the structure of the mode,
2) students engage in guided practice of the mode, and
3) students finally demonstrate proficiency regarding the basic structure during
unassisted writing.

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Strategies: Once students have mastered the basic structure of a particular type of

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writing, they should be introduced to the strategies for that particular type of writing
that will take their basic structure to a significantly higher level of proficiency. A good

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indicator of when to begin moving to strategies is when students can consistently score
18–20 points on the basic structure rubric for that particular type of writing.

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Strategies attempted before the basic structure is in place are not beneficial to the
overall writing and in some instances (as with inappropriate and lengthy dialogue) they
can take away from the writing sample. However, this is not to say that the teacher
should not introduce these strategies through mini-lessons. Students need repeated
exposure to the strategies before they will become natural to them.
When strategies are introduced
1) the teacher models and provides examples of the strategies,
2) students practice the use of the strategies as they are introduced and receive
feedback during conferencing and class discussion, and
3) students demonstrate proficiency in the use of strategies during unassisted
writing.

Style and voice: Style and voice develop over time as students
1) combine their knowledge of the structure of the writing and specific
strategies in their own personal and unique ways,
2) the voice of the teacher during modeled writing is no longer present in the
students’ work, and
3) students experiment with writing in a different voice.

The most proficient writers are those who understand and use the basic structure of
a particular mode of writing, overlay the basic structure with numerous strategies
associated with good writing, and compose with an authentic and engaging voice.
The Flow Map on the following page shows the developmental progression of writing
from understanding the basic structure to proficient use of various strategies to the
emergence of a distinct style and voice.

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Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond Narrative Writing — Grades Six through Eight

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SCORING RUBRIC FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL INCIDENT WRITING

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(ORGANIZED CHRONOLOGICALLY)

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Needs

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Criteria for Evaluation Exceptional Adequate
Attention

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Introduction sets the context and
identifies the central point

Body is organized chronologically with

rising action, climax, and falling action

Details are relevant to stated or implied

topic sentence

Details are specific, not vague, abstract

statements

Details are sufficient to support the

central point

Embedded transitions are used to

“move” the story

Incorporates varied narrative

strategies

Slows down the action during the most

important event
Conclusion is satisfying, gives feeling of
completion, and refers to significance
of the event
Sentences are complete and
grammatically correct

Sentences are varied — simple,

compound, and complex structures

Original ideas and insights are

demonstrated through a strong voice

Comments:

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Narrative Writing — Grades Six through Eight Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond

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§ Using Visual Representations to Stimulate

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Autobiographical Incident Writing

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Using visual representations, such as posters, political cartoons, and art, is yet another
alternative and interesting way to stimulate “pseudo” Autobiographical Incident

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writing. When using this strategy, students assume the persona of the person in the
representation and write an Autobiographical Incident as if they had the experience
themselves.

Activity

Norman Rockwell is one of the most famous artists for capturing the human spirit
and the human experience. His painting of Ruby Bridges depicts a young African
American child going to school during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. She
is surrounded by a law
enforcement escort
whose faces are not seen.
Evidence of hate is seen
on the wall beside her
as she walks on with her
eyes straight ahead.
The teacher generates a
class discussion about
the event and helps the
class create a Tree Map
to record the “Exploring
the Memory” details from
the point of view of Ruby
Bridges.

Follow-up

The students assume the persona of Ruby Bridges and write an Autobiographical
Incident about that particular day.

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Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond Focus on Imaginative/Fictional Narratives

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Focus on Imaginative or

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Fictional Narratives

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§ Focus on Imaginative/Fictional Narratives

The second type of narrative writing is the imaginative narrative, a story that involves
strong characters, a distinct setting, a problem or situation, and some type of solution or
resolution. This type of writing, in its simplest form, is structured in a problem/solution
format. Using this structure, the main character encounters a problem that he tries to
solve through numerous attempts all the way through the story. In the end, the problem
is solved and the character is a type of “hero.” In some instances, there is resolution
rather than a solution to the problem, as the main character becomes resigned to or
accepting of the situation. Heat Wave by Helen Ketterman and A Bad Case of Stripes
by David Shannon are both examples of the problem/solution format.

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Focus on Imaginative/Fictional Narratives Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond

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A more sophisticated variety of imaginative narrative involves an “intriguing or

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challenging adventure.” Instead of encountering and attempting to solve one particular
problem, the main character deals with a” situation,” which can either be problematic

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or increasingly unrealistic or imaginative. Throughout the story, the main character(s)
must either overcome a series of obstacles or experience an increasing intensity of

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the situation. The movie Pirates of the Caribbean is an example of an intriguing
adventure with obstacles or challenges that must be overcome. Most adventure movies
and stories/books fit into this category and are popular with students. The book
Meanwhile Back at the Ranch by Trinka Hakes Noble is an example of an intriguing
adventure with increasing intensity, as Rancher Hick’s wife gets richer and richer as
he experiences more and more boredom in town. Another example of an intriguing
adventure is the book The Principal from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler. In this
story, a young boy sits and waits to go into the principal’s office to receive punishment
for an infraction. As he waits he imagines progressively more bizarre punishments that
he could receive (e.g. “she turns some kids into coat racks”).
Whether the imaginative narrative is structured in a problem/solution format or as
an intriguing adventure, strong characters and setting, as well as vivid language are
essential components of the writing. This type of writing also incorporates the essential
elements of humor, suspense and tension, or drama into the story.

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Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond Focus on Imaginative/Fictional Narratives

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◆ The Imaginative Narrative in Kindergarten ◆

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Young children often have difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality; therefore,
many of their personal experience stories often have a degree of imagination injected.

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My dog had ten puppies.
My dad makes a million dollars.
My house is as big as a castle.

For this reason, imaginative narrative instruction in kindergarten will involve the
exploration of imaginative narrative literature and “What if?” scenarios during Focused
Journal writing. The exploration of fictional/fairy tale literature should include these
types of activities:

1) Creating a Tree Map of the story

elements

2) Creating a partial Multi-Flow Map to

explain why a story is imaginative/
fictional

3) Practice retelling and acting out an imaginative story

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Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond Bibliography

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Suggested Books for

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Teaching Writing (K–8)

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General Interest Texts

Allington, Richard and Patricia Cunningham. (2001). Schools that Work: Where All
Children Read and Write. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Anderson, Carl. (2000). How’s It Going? A Practical Guide to Conferring with Student
Writers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Ayers, Ruth and Stacey Shubitz. (2010). Day by Day: Refining Writing Workshop
through 180 Days of Reflective Practice. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Clay Marie M. (1975). What Did I Write? Beginning Writing Behavior. Portsmouth,
NH: Heinemann Educational Books.
Davis, Judy and Sharon Hill. (2003). The No-Nonsense Guide to Teaching Writing:
Strategies, Structures, and Solutions. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Dorfman, Lynne R. and Rose Cappelli. (2007). Mentor Texts: Teaching Writing through
Children’s Literature, K–6. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
———. (2009). Nonfiction Mentor Texts: Teaching Informational Writing through
Children’s Literature, K–8. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Ehmann, Susan and Kellyann Gayer. (2009). I Can Write Like That! A Guide to Mentor
Texts and Craft Studies for Writers’ Workshop, K–6. Newark, DE: International
Reading Association.
Fletcher, Ralph. (2003). A Writer’s Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You. New
York: Harper Trophy.
———. (2006). Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
———. (2007). Craft Lessons: Teaching Writing K–8. 2nd Ed. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
———. (2010). Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft that Sparks Writing. Portland,
ME: Stenhouse.

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Bibliography Write from the Beginning . . . and Beyond

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Fletcher, Ralph and Joanne Portalupi. (2001). Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide.

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Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

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Graves, Donald. (2003). Writing: Teachers and Children at Work—Twentieth

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Anniversary Edition. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Harwayne, Shelley. (2001). Writing through Childhood: Rethinking Process and

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Product. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Portalupi, Joann. (2001). Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching Information Writing K–8.
Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Ray, Katie Wood with Lester Laminack. (2001). The Writing Workshop: Working
through the Hard Parts (and They’re All Hard Parts). Urbana, Illinois: National
Council of Teachers of English.
Routman, Regie. (2004). Writing Essentials: Raising Expectations and Results while
Simplifying Teaching. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Strickland, Dorothy S., Kathy Ganske, and Joanne K. Monroe. (2002). Supporting
Struggling Readers and Writers: Strategies for classroom intervention, 3–6. Portland,
ME: Stenhouse Publishers and Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Books for Use in the Lower Grades

Avery, Carol. (2001). And With a Light Touch: Learning about Reading, Writing and
Teaching with First Graders. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Corgill, Anne Marie. (2008). Of Primary Importance: What’s Essential in Teaching
Young Writers. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Horn, Martha and Mary Ellen Giacobbe. (2007). Talking, Drawing, Writing: Lessons
for Our Youngest Writers. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Jacobsen, Jennifer. (2010). No More “I’m Done!”: Fostering Independent Writers in
the Primary Grades. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Ray, Katie and L. Cleaveland. (2004). Writing Workshop with Our Youngest Writers.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Schulze, Arlene, C. (2006). Helping Children become Readers through Writing: A
Guide to Writing Workshop in Kindergarten. Newark, DE: International Reading
Association.
Stead, Tony. (2001). Is That a Fact?: Teaching Nonfiction Writing, K–3. Portland, ME:
Stenhouse.

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Books for Use in Upper Grades

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Anderson, Jeff. (2005). Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage, and Style

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into Writer’s Workshop. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

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———. (2007). Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft in

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Writer’s Workshop. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Atwell, Nancie. (1998). In the Middle: New Understanding about Writing, Reading and
Learning. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
———. (2003). Lessons that Change Writers, Grades 5–9. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann Firsthand.
Beers, Kylene, Robert E. Probst, and Linda Rief. (2007). Adolescent Literacy: Turning
Promise into Practice. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Bomer, Katherine. (2005). Writing a Life: Teaching Memoir to Sharpen Insight, Shape
Meaning and Triumph over Tests. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Buckner, Aimee. (2005). Notebook Know-How: Strategies for the Writer’s Notebook.
Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Daniels, Harvey, Steven Zemelman, and Nancy Steineke. (2007). Content-Area
Writing: Every Teacher’s Guide. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Fisher, Douglas and Nancy Frey. (2007). Scaffolded Writing Instruction: Teaching with
a Gradual-Release Framework. New York: Scholastic Professional Books.
Gallagher, Kelly. (2006). Teaching Adolescent Writers. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
McMackin, Mary C. and Barbara S. Siegel. (2002). Knowing How: Researching and
Writing Nonfiction, 3–8. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Newkirk, Thomas and Richard Kent, eds. (2007). Teaching the Neglected “R”:
Rethinking Writing Instruction in Secondary Classroom (Grades 7–12). Portsmouth,
NH: Heinemann Boynton/Cook.
Robb, Laura. (2010). Teaching Middle School Writers: What Every English Teacher
Needs to Know. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Boynton-Cook.
Zinsser, William. (2006). On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction. 6th
Ed. New York: HarperCollins.

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