1. Narrative Writing (Imaginative)
Using the Important Elements of Imaginative Narrative Writing
in Our Own Writing
Objective: Today we will learn how to include the important elements in our own imaginative narrative writing. Imaginative narrative writing means make-believe stories. Using the important elements of narrative writing is important because it will help you write better stories that are interesting to your readers.
This lesson probably takes more than one session to complete.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

2. Narrative Elements Setting Characters Situation Problem Events
Resolution/Conclusion
(Ideally the study of narrative elements would have begun during reading lessons when you modeled the thinking behind how to identify each narrative element. You will probably want to complete this first one together even if you already used it during reading lessons.)
Review the elements with students with special attention to the Situation, Problem, and Resolution (see below).
Situation = what is happening before the problem occurs (The situation in Little Red Riding Hood is that she needs to take a basket of goodies to her grandmother.) The problem occurs within or from the situation. The situation sets the scene/context for the problem and the rest of the story.
Problem: In an imaginative narrative, there is usually a problem. With personal narratives – when you tell about something that you actually experienced – there does not have to be a problem.
Resolution: The problem in the story is sometimes solved (a happily ever after type ending) OR sometimes the characters just come to an understanding or agree to something that is mutually acceptable instead of the solution that maybe the main character had hoped for. This is resolution. So we say that stories have some sort of resolution, which can mean the problem was solved or resolved. The conclusion follows the resolution and is where the author tells us a little more or ties up any loose ends.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

3. As you can see the graphic organizer for an imaginative narrative is different from the organizer we use when we are writing about what we have learned or about our opinion. This graphic organizer has a place for each of the important elements in imaginative narrative writing. Of course every story doesn’t have to have just 3 events. We can add or take away event boxes as needed.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

4. Imaginative Narrative Forms
Adventure Stories
Folk Tales
Fables
Realistic fiction
Fantasy
Legends
Myth
You could write any of these kinds of stories. Think about the kinds of stories that you like to read. Those might be the kind of stories that you would enjoy writing.
Adventure stories have characters that go on an adventure – into space, into the jungle, etc.
Realistic stories have make believe characters that have experiences and problems that could occur in life – getting lost, moving, problems with a best friend, etc.
Fantasy stories are about things that can’t happen in real life - animals that can talk like you or me, people or creatures with magical powers, etc.
Let’s think about what our stories could be about.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

5. What Could You Write a Story About?
Realistic
Adventure
Fantasy
Other
Teacher should fill in his/her own chart with one or two things in each column, so students get the idea of what types of ideas could go there. (Just fold a paper in fourths and label each column.)
Now that you have seen some of my ideas, it’s your turn to think of some ideas. Turn to your partner and share some of your ideas. The person with the shortest hair should talk first.
Have a few students share an idea for a story and decide which category it would belong in on the chart.
Then have students make their own charts. Give students 5 minutes to write some ideas on their own chart. It is OK if they borrow ideas from your chart. Have several students share one idea. Tell students that they can have 1-2 more minutes to add to their chart.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

6. Sharing & Collecting More Story Ideas
Ideas from friends
Ideas from books
Ideas from ???
Writers are always on the lookout for a good story idea. Ideas can come from your imagination or your real life. Ideas can come from things you hear, read, see, or experience. Almost anything can be the beginning of a story idea.
Have students share their ideas with a different partner. (You could have students share their realistic ideas with one partner and then change partners each time they share another category from their chart.
Give students 1-2 more minutes to add any new ideas to their chart after the sharing. (You don’t want anyone to say they don’t have an idea for writing a story.)
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

7. Choose One Idea to Develop
Have students select one of their ideas that they would like to write about.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

8. Thinking About Your Story
Type of story
Problem
Characters
Setting
(*Thinking Boxes) Have students fold a piece of paper into 4 boxes. In one box at a time give students 1-3 minutes to try out some ideas for the elements of their story.
In box 1: Ask students to write which kind of story idea they have chosen (adventure, realistic, fantasy, other). Remind students that they are writing imaginative narrative which means a make-believe story. Then have students raise their hands to indicate which type of story they are going to write.
In box 2: Ask students to write and/or sketch what the problem will be in their story. Then allow a few students to read and show this box under the document camera.
In box 3: Ask students to write and/or sketch who will be in their story (at least the main character/s). Then allow a few students to read and show this box under the document camera.
In box 4: Ask students to write and/or sketch where and when the story will take place. Then allow a few students to read and show this box under the document camera.
*Teacher should also do each of the boxes, but not share them with the class yet.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

9. Now let’s put our ideas that we have so far on the narrative map.
Teacher should show how he/she uses his/her thinking boxes to fill in the setting, characters, and the problem for his/her story.
Then pass out individual copies of the narrative map or have students quickly draw one of their own on paper. Students use their thinking boxes to fill in the setting, characters, and the problem for their stories.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

10. Establish the Situation
We have part of our story planned, but now we need to think about the situation for the beginning of the story. What are the characters (at least the main character) doing before the problem occurs or what is the main character’s goal?
For my story I think it would make sense if the character/s is _________ before the problem occurs (because my main character’s goal is to _______). I will write a few key words in the situation/goal box to help me remember my idea.
What would make sense for your character/s and problem? Turn to your neighbor and tell them what you are thinking of for the situation or for your main character’s goal.
Allow a few students to share their ideas for the situation or main character’s goal.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

11. Teacher should add situation/goal to his/her map.
Add a few key words to your situation/goal box to help you remember your idea.
Teacher should add situation/goal to his/her map.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

12. Resolution
We have our ideas for the beginning of our story and for the problem. It makes sense to think next about how the problem will be solved. The problem can be solved by your main character, by teamwork, by accident, by magic, etc. It can be solved all at once or little by little.
Sometimes the problem isn’t exactly solved; it is resolved. A resolution is when the problem is dealt with in a way that all of the characters can live with, but not exactly the way the main character was hoping. The resolution is when the reader gets to know the main character’s fate.
For example: If the problem is that the evil wizard wants to destroy the young wizard, the resolution might be that the young wizard gets away unharmed, but so does the evil wizard. A solution might be that the evil wizard is captured and put in a jail for wizards. Your story can have a solution or a resolution. You get to decide.
Turn over your thinking boxes paper and make a list of several possible solutions/resolutions or possible ways the resolution can occur.
Give students a few minutes to work on their list. Have students share with a partner and then have a few share with the class. You can give students another minute or two to add to their list of possibilities.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

13. Teacher should add resolution to his/her map.
The box called Resolution is where we put a few key words to help us remember our ideas for the resolution (which could be a solution). Choose your best idea for a solution/resolution and jot it down in this box.
Teacher should add resolution to his/her map.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

14. Events 4 3
The majority of the story is about what the characters do after the problem occurs. It is important to use chronology or time sequence when writing a story. The events must be told in order for the story to make sense.
Think about what might happen in your story after the problem has occurred, but before the problem has been resolved/solved. The events should focus around attempts to solve the problem or figuring out how to solve the problem. Events should not be random occurances. Each event should build on the previous one bringing your character/s closer and closer to the resolution. (It would be terrific to read some examples of events from published stories at this point.)
Give students another piece of paper and have them fold it into 4 sections. Give students about 10 minutes to write and sketch a series of events that they might use in their story (one in each box on both sides). They should do as many as they can, so they can be selective about which ones they might want to use in their story. 2 1
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

15. Teacher should add events to his/her map.
Share your event ideas with a neighbor. Decide which ones you definitely want to include in your story. Add a few key words for each event that you want to include in your story. Each event should be in its own box. You can add more boxes on the side and/or back of your map if you need to.
Teacher should add events to his/her map.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

16. Now that I have this plan on my narrative map, I can tell you my whole story.
Teacher tells his/her story based on the key words that he/she put on narrative map. Be sure to describe the situation or the main character’s goal before stating the problem.
Now try telling your partner your story from the notes on your map. The partner with the longest hair should go first. (Give students time to share.)
After the resolution, authors usually tell a little bit more about what is happening with the main character at the end of the story or how the main character is feeling now that the problem has been resolved. We call that part, the conclusion. If you have an idea for a conclusion right now, go ahead and jot a few words to remind you of how you want to end your story. (It would be great if the teacher could read examples of the conclusions of published stories. If students aren’t sure how to conclude their story, they can always decide that part after the story is being written.)
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012

17. Assessment Turn in the completed narrative map for your story
Be sure that each section has some notes in it, so that I can tell what will be happening in your story that you will be writing. Make sure your paper has your name and date on it.
The completed narrative map would be used for the actual writing of their narrative over time.
A. Siegel and T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT 2012