Unit Title: Narrative Writing

Lesson Title: Introducing Narrative Writing - Two-Sentence Narratives

Student Teacher: P.D.
Day: 31 October 2019
Time: 12:16 - 1:03 P.M.
Room: 106
School: CVMS
Subject Area: English
Grade Level: 8
Equipment/Materials/Resources Required:
1. Google Docs Presentation
2. Handouts / Worksheets
3. Computer
4. Projector / Monitor
5. Halloween Soundtrack - YouTube video
Buehl, D. (2017). Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning (4th ed). Portland, OR:
Stenhouse Publishers
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Strategies Utilized:
Strategy: Exit Ticket
Implementation: At the end of the class period, students will have composed their own examples of
effective two-sentence narratives. Not only will students share and discuss their writing within their small
groups, but they will also submit their writing to the teacher as their exit ticket. This serves to provide
students with an opportunity to synthesize their prior and newfound knowledge, as well as to provide the
teacher with a formal assessment of student learning.
Strategy: Guided Imagery
“Guided Imagery is a strategy that triggers visualization for students as they read and learn” (Buehl, 2014
p.110).
Implementation: Students will be shown examples of two-sentence narratives. As a class and in small
groups, students will discuss which examples were particularly effective in depicting an impactful image or
creating a lasting impression. This serves to provide students with models of writing to emulate in their
own writing.
Strategy: Mind Mapping
“Mind Maps are structured outlines that can effectively introduce new material to students” (Buehl, 2014
p. 148).
Implementation: Students will participate in a class discussion that will focus on gathering and accessing
their prior knowledge before the introduction of the new concept. Students will be sharing their ideas
surrounding narratives and ideas about what constitutes or characterizes certain types of narratives. This
serves to give students time to discuss and collaborate with one another, and expose them to different
perspectives that they can incorporate in their own writing.

Objective(s) of Lesson (Align with Standards and Assessments):

Content Objectives
1. Students will be able to recognize and draft effective language within the structure of a two-
sentence narrative.
Literacy Objectives
1. During classwide discussions, students will evaluate the effectiveness and impact of different
examples of two-sentence narratives, and within peer groups, they will compose original pieces.

Standards:
Content Area Standards:
W.8.1.6
Revise writing for word choice; appropriate organization; consistent point of view; and transitions between
paragraphs, passages, and ideas.
W.8.2.1.
Write biographies, autobiographies, short stories, or narratives:
a. Relate a clear, coherent incident, event, or situation by using well-chosen details.

Literacy Area Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including
analogies or allusions to other texts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant
descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
English Language Development (ELD) Standards:
Emerging
Exchanging information and ideas - SL.8.1, 6; L.8.3, 6
Engage in conversational exchanges and express ideas on familiar topics by asking and answering yes-
no and wh- questions and responding using simple phrases.
Interacting via written English - W.8.6; WHST.8.6; SL.8.2; L.8.3, 6
Engage in short written exchanges with peers and collaborate on simple written texts on familiar topics,
using technology when appropriate.
Expanding
Exchanging information and ideas
Contribute to class, group, and partner discussions by following turn-taking rules, asking relevant
questions, affirming others, adding relevant information, and paraphrasing key ideas.
Interacting via written English
Engage in longer written exchanges with peers and collaborate on more detailed written texts on a variety
of topics, using technology when appropriate.
Bridging
Exchanging information and ideas
Contribute to class, group, and partner discussions by following turn-taking rules, asking relevant
questions, affirming others, adding relevant information and evidence, paraphrasing key ideas, building
on responses, and providing useful feedback.
Interacting via written English
Engage in longer written exchanges with peers and collaborate on complex written texts on a variety of
topics, using technology when appropriate.

Academic Vocabulary
Tier II (General): specificity
Tier III (Domain Specific): narrative, tone, mood, diction

Instruction
 Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set
Time Teacher Does
15 The teacher will present the opening warm
up Mind Mapping activity.
The teacher will present the introductory
lecture to the students, allowing for time
throughout the presentation for student
engagement and responses. The
introductory lecture will frontload students
with examples of two-sentence narratives
and how effective language is used within its
limited structure.
The teacher will encourage students to
share their responses with the class, and will
use this short activity to gauge and assess
student prior knowledge.
This was an adjustment made after the first
attempt to use the PollEverywhere.com site
did not take place efficiently.
During this time, the teacher will use the
Halloween Sounds video to quietly play
ambient music in the background. This
music will build upon the mood/tone of the
lesson and the sample narratives that
students will be examining. This music adds
an additional layer of imagery that students
can experience when reading through
sample narratives.
Lesson Body
Time Teacher Does
20 The teacher will present different examples
of two-sentence narratives to the students.
There will also be accompanying questions
for each example for students to consider
and discuss as a class.
The teacher will ask students about the
effective elements in each sample narrative,
as well as any areas of improvement that
could be made to each sample. The teacher
Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set
Student Does
During the Mind Mapping activity, students will
engage in a class-wide discussion during which
they brainstorm and share characteristics of a
“scary story.” They will answer questions such
as, “What makes a story scary?” “What are the
characteristics of a scary story?” and more.
Students will give short, one-word responses to
the question posed by the teacher. They will be
sharing their prior knowledge and conceptions
about “scary” stories.
Students will listen to the teacher-led
presentation and engage in peer-to-peer and
classwide discussions. Students will also take
guided notes that follow along with the
presentation.
Lesson Body
Student Does
Guided Imagery: Students will answer
questions individually in written form, and then
in small groups they will discuss their
responses. There will be an accompanying
handout for this, on which students will write
down what they found to be effective language
in the examples, or what they believe can be
improved or changed.
Students will be given time to write down their
 will specifically ask students about the thoughts individually before sharing their
language/diction in each sample. responses with the teacher and class.

Students will be given time to compose their

own sample of a two-sentence narrative.

Lesson Closure Lesson Closure

Time Teacher Does Student Does

12 The teacher will divide students into small
groups of four and direct them to share their
original written samples.
The teacher will walk around the room and
visit with each group to monitor progress
and student understanding.
In groups, students will share their written
samples and provide feedback for each other.
They will discuss which example from their
group is the most effective in conveying a
concise and impactful narrative.
Each group will share one narrative and explain
to the class the effective components/language
of the chosen narrative.
The students will engage in a class-wide
discussion during which they will discuss which
narrative overall was the most effective.

Exit Slip: After sharing and discussing their

writing in their small groups and to the whole
The teacher could monitor student class, students will submit their writing as an
understanding and assess their learning exit slip at the end of the class.
through the writing on the Exit Slips.

Adaptation of Lesson Plan (Instruction and Assessment) For:

English Learners:
Google Slides Presentation
Directions projected on screen at all times
Use of translator or dictionary
Use of imagery and activity throughout lecture

Striving Readers:
Google Slides Presentation
Directions projected on screen at all times
Use of imagery throughout lecture

Students with special needs:

Google Slides Presentation
Directions projected on screen at all times
Additional time on assessments
Preferential seating
Use of imagery throughout lecture

Advanced students:
Advanced students will be challenged to use more vivid and complex language and/or sentence structure
in their narratives, such as the use of brush strokes techniques.
Google Slides Presentation
Directions projected on screen at all times
Use of imagery throughout lecture

Assessment
1. Progress Monitoring
a. Class discussion: The teacher will assess student knowledge as a class by asking
identifying questions and monitoring the class’ responses.
b. Monitoring student peer groups and listening to discussions between students will also
provide the teacher with understanding regarding student learning and what information
they have retained from the lesson.
2. Summative
a. Written feedback: Students will write down their own example of a two-sentence
narrative. In groups, they will discuss how and why they believe their samples (or their
peers’ samples) are effective.
b. They will also share some samples out loud to the class.
c. Students will also submit their written samples as an exit slip to the teacher for progress
monitoring.