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COMPREHENSION, WRITING A NARRATIVE

Unit Overview: You will be answering questions using Call It Courage, and you will be writing your own narrative.

Answer questions from Chapters 1 and 2 in Call It Courage.

Now answer questions 1-5

Continue to read Call it Courage. There will be questions in upcoming units.

Writing a Narrative

Narrative writing is writing that tells a story. Narrative writing is more than just a list of events. In fact, it can get very boring to read that this happened and then that happened and then this happened. Instead, a narrative should include:

· a plot (the events that happen).

· a problem that needs to be solved.

· a setting (where and when the events take place).

· characters (who do things for a reason).

· a point or purpose for the story.

All narratives are told from a point of view. Narrative stories can be told from inside the story or outside the story. If the story is told from inside, the character telling the story is part of the action of the narrative. This is called first-person point of view. In first-person point of view, one character tells the story using pronouns like “I” and “we”. The character telling the story is usually the main character. The reader often gets a limited view of the story’s events when first-person point of view is used. Only one character’s thoughts and experiences are shared.

In order to know the thoughts and experiences of more characters, an author can write in third-person. In third-person point of view, the narrator is telling the story instead of a character telling it. This point of view gives you information about all of the characters rather than just one character.

The plot of a narrative is what happens in the story. Again, this isn’t just a simple list of events. Each event needs to have something to do with the point of the story. The plot includes the actions of the characters, their thoughts, their feelings, and what they say. The plot follows a predictable pattern and includes five parts. The picture and chart below show the parts of a narrative and explain what each part is.

Parts of the Narrative Plot
Introduction	The introduction is the beginning of the narrative. It contains the hook that keeps the reader’s attention. This part of the narrative introduces the reader to the characters and gives the background knowledge that is needed for the rest of the story to make sense.
Rising Action	The rising action is the part of the narrative when the character begins to encounter a problem. There are complications that add drama to the problem. This is where the level of excitement builds.
Climax	The climax is the narrative’s most dramatic moment. The character comes face-to-face with the problem. It is usually the turning point in the story.
Falling Action	The falling action comes after the climax. It is when the drama slows down and life gets back to normal.
Resolution	The resolution is the end of the story. This is when the problem has been solved and the loose ends are tied up.

Add details to your narrative to make it more interesting for the reader. Look at the chart below to assist you.

Narrative Writing: Adding Details
What did you see?	What did you hear?	What did you think?	What did you say to others?

Personal Narrative

Think of a time when you did something you really shouldn't have. Write a narrative telling about that time. Give as many details as you can think of to really give a good visual of the situation.

To write a high-quality narrative, remember these things:

· Begin your writing with a hook. Use the chart above to choose the best type of hook for your narrative.

· As you write, include details about what you saw, what you heard, what you thought, and what you said to others.

· Remember to explain the problem and how it is solved.

· Your narrative should also describe details about the setting.

· Tell the story fully, giving information about characters.

· Include dialogue (conversation between the characters).

· Organize the story so that it makes sense.

Once you write your narrative, go back and proofread your story. Be sure you used complete sentences. Check your spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.

First steps for writing a narrative essay:

Identify the experience that you want to write about.

Think about why the experience is significant.

Spend a good deal of time drafting your recollections about the details of the experience.

Create an outline of the basic parts of your narrative.

Writing about the experience:

Using your outline, describe each part of your narrative.

Rather than telling your readers what happened, use vivid details and descriptions to actually recreate the experience for your readers.

Think like your readers. Try to remember that the information you present is the only information your readers have about the experiences.

Always keep in mind that all of the small and seemingly unimportant details known to you are not necessarily known to your readers.

Using a Rubric to Evaluate Your Narrative

A rubric is a tool that is used to score writing. The rubric lists the parts of your narrative that will be graded. You earn points depending on how well you do each part. The rubric below will be used to grade your narrative.

Narrative Writing Rubric
CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Introduction	First paragraph has a "grabber" or catchy beginning.	First paragraph has a weak "grabber".	A catchy beginning was attempted but was confusing rather than catchy.	No attempt was made to catch the reader's attention in the first paragraph.
Organization	The story is very well organized. One idea or scene follows another in a logical sequence with clear transitions.	The story is pretty well organized. One idea or scene may seem out of place. Clear transitions are used.	The story is a little hard to follow. The transitions are sometimes not clear.	Ideas and scenes seem to be randomly arranged.
Problem/ Conflict	It is very easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face and why it is a problem.	It is fairly easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face and why it is a problem.	It is fairly easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face but it is not clear why it is a problem.	It is not clear what problem the main characters face.
Solution/ Resolution	The solution to the character's problem is easy to understand, and is logical. There are no loose ends.	The solution to the character's problem is easy to understand, and is somewhat logical.	The solution to the character's problem is a little hard to understand.	No solution is attempted or it is impossible to understand.
Creativity	The story contains many creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has really used imagination.	The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has used imagination.	The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions, but they distract from the story. The author has tried to use imagination.	There is little evidence of creativity in the story. The author does not seem to have used much imagination.
Dialogue	There is an appropriate amount of dialogue to bring the characters to life and it is always clear which character is speaking.	There is too much dialogue in this story, but it is always clear which character is speaking.	There is not quite enough dialogue in this story, but it is always clear which character is speaking.	It is not clear which character is speaking.
Spelling and Punctuation	There are no spelling or punctuation errors in the final draft. Character and place names that the author invented are spelled consistently throughout.	There are fewer than 3 spelling or punctuation errors in the final draft.	There are 4 or 5 spelling and punctuation errors in the final draft.	The final draft has more than 5 spelling and punctuation errors.

Now answer questions 6 - 11