Description:This unit will help students collect, nurture, pre-write, revise and edit, and finally publish a personal narrative or memoir.
It is based on the work of the National Writing Project which I have belonged to since 2007. Key integrated practices are teacher as writer, writer's workshop, writing process, writer's notebook, and quick writes.
Description:These lessons are used as introduction for young writers to use a writer's notebook and learn the writing process. These lessons will lead to writing the personal narrative.
Description:The second phase involves introduction to the personal narrative.
Students read a variety of personal narratives and point out what was interesting to them as readers.
Students continue with quick writes and the use of their writing notebooks.
Description:The third phase students begin their own personal narrative.
They first create a story map, map of their heart, or map of their neighborhood. They use this map as a springboard of stories. Students learn storytelling skills and tell the stories of the map. These stories lead to making a list of personal narratives they would be interested in writing a story about. The list is used to select two to three stories to begin in their writing notebooks.
Description:The fourth phase includes having students look at their writing notebook full of quick writes and the beginning of two to three personal narratives, students select one personal narrative to complete the writing process with. The students write a first draft of their personal narrative. The students create a classroom rubric to use to improve it. They apply lessons learned on good writing to their first draft and improve in a second draft writing.
Description:The fifth phase has the students learn editing techniques and write a final draft of their personal narrative. They celebrate their writing in a classroom reading where parents or peers from other classes can be invited to share their celebration of completing the writing process.
Description:A copy of the final personal narrative is collected into a class book. Students write an invitation to a Publication Celebration to a family member or a friend. Students read their personal narrative at a classroom celebration of writing.
