Improving Narrative Writing By Britni Padilla

7th grade ELA standards 2.1 Write fictional or autobiographical narratives: a. Develop a standard plot line (having a beginning, conflict, rising action, climax, and denouement) and point of view. b. Develop complex major and minor characters and a definite setting. c. Use a range of appropriate strategies (e.g., dialogue; suspense; naming of specific narrative action, including movement, gestures, and expressions).

Differing Perspectives Narratives can often be told from multiple points of view Brain storm with your partner different fairy tales that you have heard or read Create a story using one of this fairy tales plot structure but from a different characters point of view.

Creative Character Development Pick a character from the images in front of you Write your number on that characters page Analyze your picture. What does your character look like? Write down a detailed description. Pass it to the person next to you..

Creative Character Development Analyze your new picture. What is your characters job? Write down a detailed description. Analyze your new picture. What does your character do in their free time? Write down a detailed description. Analyze your new picture. How are your characters relationships (how they are with other people)? Write down a detailed description. Analyze your new picture. What are your characters faults, fears, and good points? Write down a detailed description. Analyze your new picture. What are your characters talents, hobbies, and family members? Write down a detailed description.

Reread your characters biography Where they anything like you thought? Did others have similar descriptions as you?

Writing Prompt Directions: Take the next few minutes to create a narrative piece of writing on a topic of you choice. Possible topics are… Your worst day ever Life lessons A time you were scared Betrayal

Crafting Leads for Narratives Talking lead (ex. What in the world did you do that for,” yelled my brother.) Sound effect lead (ex. Snap! Crackle! Pop!  That was the sound of the dry twigs beneath our feet as we ran through the woods at the end of our street.) Action lead (ex. I gulped my milk, pushed away from the table, and bolted out of the kitchen, slamming the broken screen door behind me.)

With a partner create sample leads for this narrative piece It was a day at the end of June. My mom, dad, brother and I were at our camp on Rangeley Lake. We arrived the night before at 10:00, so it was dark when we got up there and unpacked. We went straight to bed. The next morning, when I was eating breakfast, my dad started yelling for me from down at the dock at the top of his lungs. He said there was a car in the lake. With a partner create sample leads for this narrative piece Example Piece

Now create your own action, dialogue, and sound effect lead. When finished choose one of your leads to write onto the board. Share your narrative with a parter. Creating Leads