Fictional Narrative Writing Partnership

15 days

Fifth Grade Fictional Narrative Unit Objectives:

Create a beginning that captures the readers interest. Create an ending that provides a sense of resolution or closure. Use a variety of prewriting strategies to generate, select, and narrow topics. Draft for an intended audience. Select and use an appropriate organizational structure. Practice strategies for organizing information. (ongoing) (writing traits lesson) Revise writing to improve effectiveness, clarity, level of detail, organization, and style. Use knowledge of punctuation, usage, spelling, capitalization and sentence structure to edit writing. W 5.16 Collaborate effectively with peers to improve text and accept and employ feedback. W 5.17 Use technology to improve/enhance writing. W 5.22 Write varied narratives using different beginnings and endings. (research(informational), cause effect, historical fiction, descriptive, narrative story, persuasive) W 5.8 W 5.9 W 5.10 W 5.11 W 5.12 W 5.13 W 5.14 W 5.15

Day 1: Mini-Lesson Characterization

1) Introduce topic and read a short picture book that models a well developed character. List of picture books to choose from:
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson101/BooklisttoTeachCharacterization.pdf

2) Students work with their partners to illustrate and fully develop a character. They will give their character a personality and physical characteristics. (flipchart can be used to facilitate a short discussion) List of character traits for student notes:
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson175/traits.pdf

3) Writing partners introduce characters to the class.

Day 2: Mini-Lesson Designing a Plot

1) Introduce topic and read a short picture book to model plot. List of picture books to choose from:
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson803/803BookList.pdf

2) Use flipchart to diagram the plot of picture book using basic Plot Map or David Finkles Plot Map. Map may be illustrated or written in words. (WARNING: Finkles Plot Map may be too CHALLENGING - if too challenging then use the basic plot map) 3) EXTRA CHALLENGE - the flipchart may be used to teach students that most fictional writers: a. First decide on beginning. This is the inciting incident or crisis. b. Second decide on the ending. c. Next decide on the climax or turning point where the hero is taken to their breaking point. d. Then they fill in the actions that layer upon each other from the beginning crisis up to the climax/turning point. e. Finally they write the resulting events which will lead to the ending and closure. 4) Students work with their writing partner on plot map. If not finished during class the plot map could be finished as homework.

Day 3: Mini-Lesson Creating a Catchy Lead

1) Read Examples of leads from chapter books of favorite authors to model leads http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson12/greatleads.pdf 2) Use flipchart for discussion of creating great leads (from Beth Newingham) Leads handout for student reference: http://blogs.scholastic.com/files/leads-in-narrativewriting.doc.pdf

3) Students practice creating a few leads for their story with partner. 4) If students have not finished their plot diagram then you may want them to finish that before they work on leads. 5) Partners decide on their best lead.

Day 4: Discussion Importance of Closure

1) To bring closure: Return to the theme or themes in the introduction. This strategy brings the reader full circle. a. If you began your story by describing a scenario, you can end with the same scenario to show how the character has grown and changed from the beginning. b. You may also refer to the beginning by using key words or parallel concepts and images that you used in the beginning. 2) Students begin writing first draft using plot diagram.

Day 5: Independent Work Continue Writing First Draft

1) Spend time writing first draft. 2) Teacher should have everyone pause if a teaching point needs to be made which will benefit everyone.

Day 6: Mini-Lesson Showing Emotions and Feelings Revisions

1) Use flipchart to review showing emotions and feelings. 2) Students will zoom in and focus, like a photographer would do and revise a portion of their story so that is shows the reader an emotion or feeling instead of simply telling. 3) Completely finish first draft. If not complete by this point it should be completed for homework.

Day 7: Mini-Lesson When to Use a New Paragraph Revision & Organization

1) Make a poster as you discuss the following and give an example as you add each point. When to Use Paragraphs in Narrative Writing

2) Students purposefully revise for paragraphs.

Day 8: Independent Work Type First Draft

1) Students will type first draft in Microsoft Word

Day 9: Mini-Lesson Editing

1) Review the editing checklist and the Microsoft Word Spelling and Grammar Check tools. 2) Students should first use the Microsoft Word editing tools. 3) Then students should print story and use a hard copy, along with the editing checklist, for their final edit.

Day 10: Mini-Lesson How to Use the Online Storybook Editor

1) Students will finish typing and editing. 2) Students will copy and paste story into the online storybook editor.

Day 11: Mini-Lesson Creating a Full Page Color Illustration

1) Students will do a final read and begin to create full page color illustrations.

Day 12: Independent Work Illustrations

1) Students will work on full page color illustrations and wrap up writing process

Day 13: Independent Work Illustrations

1) Students will work on full page color illustrations wrap up writing process

Day 14: Independent Work Wrap Up

1) Wrap up last details.

Day 15: Authors Chair