Narrative writing is writing that tells a story. In other words, it has a sequence of connected events. It may tell a nonfiction story or it may be a fictional story.
Narrative forms include:
Narrative forms include:
- Autobiography – a detailed description or account of the storyteller's own life
- Biography – a detailed description or account of someone's life
- Memoir – a collection of memories written by a person to tell about his/her life
- Narrative Poem – a form of poetry that tells a story
- Novel – a long, written narrative, normally in prose, which describes fictional characters and events, usually in the form of a sequential story
- Play – a story that is told mostly through dialogue and is meant to be performed on stage
- Short story – a brief story that usually focuses on one character and one event
- Fable – a story with a moral or lesson, often using animal characters who behave like people
- Folk tale – an old story which has been passed down orally and which reveals the customs of a culture
- Legend – a story that is based on fact but often includes exaggerations about the hero
- Myth – an ancient story often meant to explain the mysteries of life or nature
- Tall tale – a humorous story that tells about impossible happenings, exaggerating the hero's accomplishments
Step 11: Video Games
One form of narrative text that many of us enjoy is found in video games. While not all video games tell stories, many video games do. Think about the video games you enjoy playing. Do they have stories? If so, how important are the stories? Do you think stories add to video games, or should video games just stick to action being framed by stories? How does having a story impact a video game?
Part A
Watch the Playposit below and think about whether or not video games should be considered a form of narrative text that schools should use.
Part B
Imagine you are asked to create an educational video game for use in the classroom. The game should contain a fascinating story and interesting game play. Go to the Step 11 discussion on Schoology in the Narrative Quest folder. In a well-written, four or more sentence paragraph, describe either a game you could create or a topic that could benefit from a game to help teach it. Post replies to two other people. (graded using standard discussion rubric)
Step 12: Illustration
Part A
Illustrators can work alone or with writers to tell stories. "Read" the picture book, Tuesday by David Wiesner on Classroom. (An animated version based on the original book can be viewed below).
At the end of Step 12, you will be participating in a discussion about the effectiveness of using stories to tell pictures. Right now, spend a minute or two thinking about whether or not pictures are an effective way to tell stories. Share with a partner about whether or not Wiesner was able to effectively tell his story using mostly pictures. Would words have been more effective at telling the story, or were pictures more effective?
Part B
Graphic novels combine pictures and words to tell a story, comic book style. Graphic novels can have intense, serious, or humorous subject matter, and they are usually longer than a typical comic book. Sometimes, a graphic novel is based on a book that was originally published as a text only novel.
Monster, by Walter Dean Myers, is an award winning novel about a 16 year old boy who is on trial for murder. It uses a combination of a first person diary and a screenplay format to tell the story. The graphic novel uses a comic book style of images and words to tell the same story.
Read the excerpt from Monster. Consider whether or not the pictures are an effective way to tell the story. Do they help tell the story more effectively, or would it be better to have the original text only version? Discuss your answers to these questions with a partner or small group.
Monster, by Walter Dean Myers, is an award winning novel about a 16 year old boy who is on trial for murder. It uses a combination of a first person diary and a screenplay format to tell the story. The graphic novel uses a comic book style of images and words to tell the same story.
Read the excerpt from Monster. Consider whether or not the pictures are an effective way to tell the story. Do they help tell the story more effectively, or would it be better to have the original text only version? Discuss your answers to these questions with a partner or small group.
monster_graphic_novel_excerpt.pdf |
Part C
Chris Van Allsburg is a famous illustrator and writer who's books include Jumanji and The Polar Express. In The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, he shows us several incomplete stories. Go to the link that follows to see the images and captions from each story: Mysteries of Harris Burdick
Now use one of the images and captions to create the plot for a narrative piece. Complete the graphic organizer on Classroom Step 12 C to show the plot you imagine. Your organizer should include exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, setting, and central conflict that adequately explains the event shown in the picture and caption.
Part D
When you have finished reading Tuesday, participate in the discussion 12 D in on Schoology in the Narrative Quest folder.
In your discussion, consider the following questions. Do you think pictures are an effective tool for narrative storytelling? Why or why not? Are there some kinds of stories that work better with pictures? Do you prefer narratives with pictures or without pictures? Why?
Write a good five-sentence paragraph reflecting on the use of pictures to create a narrative. After you have posted your response, reply to two people.
In your discussion, consider the following questions. Do you think pictures are an effective tool for narrative storytelling? Why or why not? Are there some kinds of stories that work better with pictures? Do you prefer narratives with pictures or without pictures? Why?
Write a good five-sentence paragraph reflecting on the use of pictures to create a narrative. After you have posted your response, reply to two people.
Step 13: Point of View, Poetry, and Song
Part B
Read "The Way a Door Closes" under Classroom, 13 B Poems. As you read, think about what is happening. How does the author use poems to tell a story? Why did the author choose to use first person point of view when writing the poems?
When you have finished reading the poems, answer the questions on the DOC on 13 B Poems.
Note: Students working in the independent room - The teacher will lead a small group in completing this activity. If you prefer to work collaboratively with other students and discuss the reading as you go, join that small group.
When you have finished reading the poems, answer the questions on the DOC on 13 B Poems.
Note: Students working in the independent room - The teacher will lead a small group in completing this activity. If you prefer to work collaboratively with other students and discuss the reading as you go, join that small group.
Part C
Read the lyrics to "Bird In A House" and listen to the song. Then complete the DOC on Classroom 13 C. You may work with a partner to write these answers, and your answers may be the same (although each of you should type the answer yourself on your DOC).
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Bird In A House
- Railroad Earth I want to sing my own song that's all cried the bird and flew into a wall there must be some way he cried and his desperation echoed down the hall Just another bird in a house dying to get out just another bird in a house dying to get out I want to join my own kind that's all cried the bird and flew into a wall there must be some way out he cried and his desperation echoed down the hall just another bird in a house dying to get out just another bird in a house dying to get out I'm gonna smash my way out that's all cried the bird and smashed from wall to wall there must be some way out he cried and his desperation echoed down the hall just another bird in a house dying to get out just another bird in a house dying to get out I'm gonna smash my way out that's all cried the bird and smashed from wall to wall there must be some way out he cried and his desperation echoed down the hall |
Step 14: Story - "The Fight"
You will find and complete this activity on Classroom Step 14. (This reading and assignment is a PDF; edit in Classroom). Read the story, discuss the questions, and complete the Plot Pyramid on the PDF.
Step 15: Memoir
Part A
View the video to learn more about memoirs.
Part B
On Classroom, under Step 15, you will find the memoir "Killing Chickens." Read the memoir and annotate it, writing at least 3 comments/notes per page. Then write a two paragraph review of the memoir using the attached DOC. This will be a Collins Type 3. The FCA's are available on the document.
Independent Group: Pause Point (Enrichment)
On the PDF below, you will find four different projects that can be completed for either a novel or a short story. Select one of the projects and work on it. If you choose to complete the actual project and earn all 4's on the rubric, it is worth 400 XP. Working on this project at home DOES count toward your Literacy Menu homework. (Remember, 20 minutes of work at home = 1 Literacy Menu assignment).
If you have another project idea related to fiction, you may complete it instead. Here are some starter ideas:
If you have another project idea related to fiction, you may complete it instead. Here are some starter ideas:
- Story told through letters in envelopes: Use the letters sent between two people to tell a story.
- Mysteries of Harris Burdock: Write out your story.
- Picture book: Create the storyboard for a picture book that tells a story. Include frames with rough sketches of the pictures and the full text of the words.
- Video game: Create the storyboard for a narrative video game. Include pictures and a description of the basic action.
- Create a film using still images.
- Create a silent movie. Use subtitles to tell the story.
book_project.pdf |