PREVIEW

Grades 7-8
Narrative
Writing • Personal Experience
•
Guide
Character/Problem/Solution
• Narrative Essay
• Literary Analysis Tasks
• Narrative Extension Tasks

by Cynthia Williamson,
Dea Paoletta Auray,
& Diane Lazar
 Introduction

Teacher Background Pages, Reference Pages, Annotated Selections,

and Lessons Plans are all designated with a border of Apples. Student Pages
are indicated with a border of Pencils. Student Reference Pages (SRP) and all student
activity pages are available for download.

For ease of use, this resource has been divided into two tabbed skill
sections:

Section 1: Lessons that review essential narrative writing skills, such as recognizing
the author’s purpose and organizational structure of different genres, building
suspense, foreshadowing key plot points, making transitions between settings and time
frames, and many others.

Section 2: Literary Analysis/Narrative Extension Tasks that explore motivation and

conflict, point-of-view, the use of irony and alliteration and more. Students will have
the opportunity to:

• Analyze how characters change in narrative text.

• Try their hand at creating a segment that foreshadows an event.

• Identify and analyze themes and revise text to showcase an alternate theme.

• Rewrite narrative text from a differing point of view.

Also, given the demands of the latest standards and testing trends, it is critical
for students to generate their writing in both the traditional pen and paper
mode as well as directly at the keyboard. It is important to note that the latest
research suggests that each modality stimulates the brain differently. Pen to paper
is often a slower, more multi-sensory process. At the same time, in order to be an
effective communicator in the 21st century students must also possess agile keyboard
skills. Therefore we suggest that students are given the opportunity to respond to
written tasks in both modalities, at the teacher’s discretion.

Throughout the guide, we’ve provided ideas for Making it Your Own, tailoring
them to the content you are teaching as well as the specific needs and interests of
your students. In addition, if students need more practice on a particular skill, be
sure to utilize the templates to create these opportunities.

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Grades 7-8 Narrative Writing Guide ©2019 Empowering Writers, LLC
 Section 1: Skills in Review

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Teacher Background: • What is Narrative Writing.............................13

• Recognizing Genre.......................................... 22
Lesson 1: Introducing Graphic Organizers ...................................................29
A&A T&T
Lesson 2: Comparing Four Types of Writing ................................................32
Teacher Background: Beginnings............................................................48
T&T
Lesson 1: Analyze the Beginning ...................................................................50
T&T
Lesson 2: Revising Story Beginnings.............................................................55
Teacher Background: Elaborative Detail...............................................59
T&T
Lesson 1: Story Critical Elements..................................................................62
Lesson 2: Creating Elaborative Detail Segments..........................................64
Lesson 3: Elaborative Detail - Reading with Author’s Eyes......................... 76
Teacher Background: What Feelings Look Like.................................. 81
T&T
Lesson 4: What Do Feelings Look Like?........................................................82
Teacher Background: Suspense...............................................................86
T&T
Lesson 1: Find the Suspense...........................................................................88
Lesson 2: Word Referents................................................................................ 91
T&T
Lesson 3: Red Flag Words and Phrases.........................................................93
Lesson 4: Building Suspense........................................................................... 96
Teacher Background: Main Event...........................................................101
T & T 104
Lesson 1: Comparing Summaries and Fully Elaborated Main Events.............
Lesson 2: Main Event...................................................................................... 108
Teacher Background: Endings..................................................................111
T&T
Lesson 1: Analyze the Ending.........................................................................113
Lesson 2: Extending this Ending....................................................................117
Teacher Background: Prompts, Assessment and Process Writing.... 120
Lesson 1: Analyzing Prompts for Givens and Variables...............................122
Lesson 2: Administering Prompts as Timed Assessments............................ 124

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 Lesson 2: Comparing Four Types of Writing

Objective:
Day 1: Students recognize and distinguish between character problem solution narratives,
personal experience narratives, informational, and argument texts.

Day 2: Students recognize and distinguish between informational and argument texts.

Procedure:
Day 1
1. Explain that they will be reading a particular kind of text called a personal
experience narrative. Using the teacher background information on p. 14, define and
discuss this type of story (genre), emphasizing the key elements. (See chart on p. 24)

2. Project and distribute copies of The Battle in My Backyard, (Personal Experience),

pp. 37-39 (link), and SRP 6, Annotation and Analysis Process for Narrative Stories.
First read the entire story aloud to them and have them simply listen. Then, go back
and annotate the story with the class. Use the SRP 6, for step by step procedure and
refer to the annotated teacher version, pp. 37-39. Discuss the story as you go, having
students annotate (mark the parts of the story) along with you. In this exemplar, be
sure to point out the entertaining beginning, middle, and end, the wealth of elaborative
detail, and discuss what the theme might be. Finally, use the Narrative Summarizing
Framework, outlined at the end of the reference page, to orally summarize the story.

Student Reference Page

Annotation and Analysis Process for Narrative Stories

1. Label the title – what genre does the title hint at?

2. Circle the entertaining beginning, identify, label the technique.

3. Identify the purpose of the story action and main character’s

motivation.

4. Find elaborative detail describing the setting – mark and label

this.

5. Underline and label suspense, story tension, conflict.

6. Bracket the main event.

7. Underline and label the conclusion/solution or conclusion of

adventure.

8. Circle the extended story ending and label each technique.

9. Identify the theme. Highlight the parts of the story that indicate
theme.

10. Circle examples of foreshadowing and irony

ENTERTAINING
within the text. BEGINNING
ELABORATIVE DETAIL
Story Critical Character, Setting, Object

11. Underline any use of alliteration or figurative SUSPENSE

or anticipation leading to the main event

language in the title or text.

THE MAIN EVENT
Show action in slow motion, frame by frame,
12. Fill in summarizing framework. Allow students to stretch it out! Include description and main
character’s thoughts and feelings!
prompt you. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Action leading to SOLUTION

This is a story about __________. of problem or
CONCLUSION of adventure.
The problem/experience was _________. EXTENDED ENDING
Memor y, Decision,
The problem ended/concluded when __________ Feeling,
Wish

SRP 6

(continued)
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 Lesson 2: Comparing Four Types of Writing

3. If time allows, go on to the character/problem/solution narrative titled Moody Molly

Meets the Past, pp. 40-41 (link). Follow the same process as in the previous story,
using the annotated pages to guide the process. Be sure to emphasize the problem and
the solution in this story and mention that again, the purpose here is to entertain. (Of
course, you may approach this story on a separate day.)

Day 2
4. On a subsequent day(s), walk students through the informational text Key Battles
of the Civil War, pp. 43-44, pointing out the way this text is organized using the
Informational Pillar, SRP 4, and Annotation and Analysis Process for Informational
and Argument Texts, SRP 8. Emphasize that the purpose of this text is to inform the
reader, to provide them with information. Compare this to the 2 narrative stories and
discuss the many differences. Move on to the Argument text Preserving the Past, pp.
45-46, moving through it in the same manner. Be sure to point out the purpose (to
demonstrate the writer’s position in a reasoned, logical way.) Use the annotated teacher
version to guide your discussion.

EXPOSITORY PILLAR
Student Reference Page Student Reference Page

PREWRITING FRAMEWORK
Informational Pillar Annotation and Analysis Process for Informational
and Argument Texts
INTRODUCTION
Lead/Topic Sentence 1. Identify title/topic.

Main Idea #1____________ 2. Number each paragraph. EXPOSITORY PILLAR

PREWRITING FRAMEWORK
Informational Pillar
Detail Detail 3. Circle and label introduction. INTRODUCTION
Lead/Topic Sentence
Main Idea #1____________

Detail Detail 4. Bracket and label body of the piece. Detail Detail

Detail Detail

Main Idea #2____________

Main Idea #2____________ 5. Underline main idea or main reason sentences, Detail Detail

Detail Detail

place blurb in margin (a word or phrase). Main Idea #3____________

Detail Detail
Detail Detail

Detail Detail

6. Cross check supporting details to main ideas. Conclusion

Detail Detail ©2005 Empowering Writers

7. Box and label the conclusion. Reference main ideas.

Main Idea #3____________

8. Fill in summarizing framework:

Detail Detail TOPIC: ______________________________________

MAIN IDEA #1: ______________________________

Detail Detail
MAIN IDEA #2: ______________________________

Conclusion
MAIN IDEA #3: ______________________________ etc.
Argument Pillar

ISSUE: _______________________________________ INTRODUCTION

Lead/Claim Statement

©2005 Empowering Writers Main Reason #1

CLAIM: ______________________________________ Evidence Evidence

Summarizing Framework Evidence Evidence

Main Reason #2

TOPIC: ___________________________________________ MAIN REASON #1:___________________________ Evidence Evidence

Evidence Evidence

MAIN IDEA #1: ____________________________________ Main Reason #3

MAIN IDEA #2: ____________________________________

MAIN REASON #2:___________________________ Evidence Evidence

Evidence Evidence

MAIN IDEA #3: ____________________________________ MAIN REASON #3:___________________________ CONCLUSION

SRP 4 SRP 8

(continued)
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 Lesson 2: Comparing Four Types of Writing

5. As a culminating activity, have the students look back over the four texts they
annotated. Write the following on the board:

NARRATIVE STORIES – purpose: to entertain

• Character/problem/solution – focus on a character who solves a problem
• Personal experience narrative – focus on a place or activity, highly descriptive
INFORMATIONAL PIECES – focus on a topic – purpose: to inform
ARGUMENT PIECES – focus on an issue – purpose: to demonstrate the writer’s
position in a reasoned, logical way

6. Display the Narrative Diamond, SRP 1; Informational, SRP 4; and Argument Pillars,
SRP 5. Ask students to try to match the various sections of the respective pieces of
writing to the corresponding graphic organizer.

7. Finally, consider having students save the annotated texts to serve as source texts for
other lessons in this guide.

Turn and Talk: Discuss with a partner the similarities and differences in each genre.
Why is it important to identify genre before reading the piece?

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 Annotated Teacher Page

The Battle in My Backyard

Entertaining
Beginningion Genre: Personal Experience
sound, act
Clover let out a whinny of joy as I leaned forward to stroke her silky mane. It
was a sweltering hot day, typical weather for south Texas in May. But Clover and
I weren’t going to let the heat get us down. My chestnut mare and I hadn’t had
much time to spend together for the past few weeks and we were just so glad to be
ambling along the dusty trail beside the warm, murky waters of the Rio Grande.

I felt a deep sense of contentment, a feeling that only intensified when I

heard the call of my favorite bird in the whole wide world, the green jay. With delab
eta ora
brilliantly blue and green feathers, the jay looked like it belonged in a lush il tiv
e
tropical jungle. Instead, it inhabited the same dry, flat sagebrush plains as I did.

On this sunny afternoon, I was dreaming of the day I’d fall in love and feeling
as free as a bird myself due to the fact that I was away from the house of heavy
sorrow. That’s how I come to think of my home in the past few years. Shortly
after the War of Northern Aggression broke out, my brother left home to join the
cavalry and almost instantly, my mother’d been stricken with melancholy. My
father looked exhausted from working without Travis’ help every single day and
lying awake with worry every night.

When Travis returned home in the dark of night two weeks ago, it was clear
that he was a changed man. While unharmed in the fighting, Travis came back
from the war looking infinitely older and sadder. I couldn’t help but wonder what
he’d had seen or done that transformed him into the young man with the wary
eyes and the trembling hands he was today. But Travis was a steel trap. I knew
the good-humored boy I remembered was lurking somewhere within this quiet,
haunted version of my brother, and hoped he’d come back to us soon.

Suddenly, I felt Clover stiffen with tension beneath me. Her ears pricked up sus
pen
and she tossed her head nervously. I knew she’d detected danger in the air, so I se

(continued)
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 Annotated Teacher Page

My head was spinning with confusion. I found it hard to believe that the union
main event cont.

soldiers had instigated a battle just to steal horses. After all, the weary, soft-
spoken soldier I’d met on the banks of the Rio Grande could have easily taken
Clover from me and he hadn’t. Instead, he’d been a gentleman, and he might well
have been among the many union casualties.

Some time later, I heard that the mission of the union soldiers was to take
back a nearby fort, which definitely sounded familiar. Hadn’t union soldiers been

conclusion
ordered to reclaim Fort Sumter from the Confederate rebels four years earlier?
Could it be that the first and the last battles of the Civil War were fought
for the same reason? Doesn’t it seem like we should have learned our lesson?
Even if I’m lucky enough to live to a ripe old age, I doubt I’ll ever make
sense of the battle that took place so close to my backyard. It may have
been fought without much of a purpose but it taught me to never question
ding
the horrors of war and to take every opportunity to work for peace. En
ded
n
te y
Theme: take every opportunity to work for peace Ex emor
M
See p. 42 for annotated summarizing framework.

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 Summarizing Frameworks

Look back at the narrative pieces on pp. 37-41. Notice how they fit into the summarizing
frameworks:

The Battle in My Backyard - Personal Experience - pp. 37-39

a girl who meets up with an encampment of
This story is about___________________________________________________________

Union Soldiers while she is riding her horse near her home
___________________________________________________________________________ .
Character
the Union soldiers and the
The problem, adventure, or experience was that________________________________

Confederates engage in a battle, even though the war is over

___________________________________________________________________________ .
Main Event
when the
The problem was solved/adventure, experience concluded when _________________

battle is won by the Confederates but the girl is left wondering

____________________________________________________________________________

about why it took place.

___________________________________________________________________________ .
Solution/Conclusion

Moody Molly Meets the Past - Character/Problem/Solution pp. 40-41

a girl who visits a Civil War battlefield with
This story is about___________________________________________________________

her family
___________________________________________________________________________ .
Character
she finds battlefields
The problem, adventure, or experience was that________________________________

spooky and sad

___________________________________________________________________________ .
Main Event
when she
The problem was solved/adventure, experience concluded when _________________

discovers fascinating new facts about a civil war battle and the
____________________________________________________________________________

people involved in it
___________________________________________________________________________ .
Solution/Conclusion

In each case, the use of the summarizing framework helps the reader reduce a fully
elaborated piece of writing to the author’s basic story plan.
Another benefit of using these frameworks as a follow-up to every reading experience
is that students will internalize the frameworks and can use these as a concise, simple
prewriting graphic organizer. However, they will need more guidance in order to FULLY
ELABORATE their writing.

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 Lesson 3: Elaborative Detail - Reading with Author’s Eyes

Objective:
Students read a sample of powerful elaborative detail from middle-grade fiction and
identify the questions the author must have generated in order to compose the description.
Additionally, students use it as a model for creating an elaborative segment of their own.

Procedure:
1. Copy and distribute student activity pages Elaborative Detail (1) - (3), pp. 77-79.

2. Read the literary sample aloud from Elaborative Detail (1), p. 77 and discuss the
following:
• the numerous specifics rather than general details
• the sentence variety
• the sensory details

3. Discuss the detail generating questions the author must have asked in order to
generate the detail. Have students refer to SRP 10.

Ex. “It smelled like the country. It was a filet mignon farm, all of it, and the tissue
spread for miles around the paths where we were walking. It was like these huge
hedges of red all around us, with these beautiful marble patterns running through
them. They had these tubes, they were bringing the tissue blood, and we could see
the blood running around, up and down. It was really interesting. I like to see how
things are made, and to understand where they come from.”

The author asked himself: What would be growing on the farms of the future? What
would they look like? How would they work? How would the character react to seeing
this?

From Feed by M.T. Anderson, Candlewick Press, 2002

4. Have students work independently to complete the Elaborative Detail activity sheets
and the bonus homework assignments.

5. Use the “Make it Your Own” template on p. 80, to reinforce this lesson using a passage
from a book you are reading together as a class.

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 Student Page
Name____________________________________________

ELABORATIVE DETAIL (1)

Read this descriptive segment below. The author uses elaborative detail to describe
this story critical setting. The sensory information allows the reader to see, and
experience the setting right along with the main character.

I had never been in a hospital before, so I was surprised to see that it

resembled our school in a lot of ways. Inside, people moved through hallways
and doors like blood cells pumped along by an invisible heart. Every possible
surface was labeled and marked by arrows. The last door we went through
was labeled “Children’s Ward” and had streamers and clowns taped to the
door. One clown had a bubble coming out of his mouth that read: “Don’t
share. Germs, that is.”

From: The Phoenix Cave by Hope A.C. Bentley, Golden Light Factory, 2018

Now, think about the questions the author must have asked herself in order to compose
this descriptive passage. Write the questions on the lines below.

CHALLENGE: Where did the last party or family gathering you attended take place?
Write an elaborative segment describing this place in great detail. Make sure your
reader will be able to visual the setting of the party or gathering. The questions below
will help you.
• Where did it take place?
• What size was the space?
• Who was there?
• What kinds of decorations? Games?

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 Lesson 2: Extending this Ending

Objective:
Students recognize effective endings and boring endings, and learn the following
techniques to revise boring endings:

• a memory of the main event

• the main character’s feelings about the main event
• a decision the main character makes
• the main character’s wish or hope

Procedure:
1. Photocopy and distribute the student activity page Extend this Ending, p. 118. Model
and direct students to practice revising the boring ending. Circulate and read effective
revisions aloud.

Tino licked his lips and gave a satisfied belch. When that green goop was
slopped onto his plate he vowed he’d never try it. Of course, that’s when
the dare was thrown down. With one tiny bite at a time, Tino discovered
he actually like the taste of this exotic food and made a decision to try new
things when they came his way.

2. Make-it-Your-Own: Use the template on p. 119, to complete this activity using a

story summary and ending of your choice. You may choose to relate it to a theme you
are exploring or a book you’re reading together as a class.

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 Student Page
Name____________________________________________

EXTEND THIS ENDING!

REMEMBER: S
 tory endings should sum up the story and show how the main
character has grown and changed. Extended endings often include:

• A memory - What do you remember most?

• A feeling - How did you feel after everything that happened?
• A decision - What did you decide to do after everything that happened?
• A wish or hope - What did you wish or hope for?
• A defining action - What did you do to show how you felt, or what you decided?

Read this story summary:

This is a story about the first time Tino ate a new food.

Now read the way the author ended the story. It is abrupt and unsatisfying.

Tino realized that he really did like the new food. THE END

REVISE this story ending. Include the main character’s memories, feelings, decisions,
hopes, or wishes.

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 Teacher Background

Prompts, Assessment, and Process Writing

As students learn critical writing skills they need opportunities to apply these skills in
a variety of ways. Included are strategies for process writing, prompts that can be used as
jumping off points for the application of skills (assignments) or for assessment purposes.

Making-it-Your-Own

Every state has its own test and related guidelines for administering these
assessments. In preparing students for testing the goal is to make them thoroughly
familiar with the test format, instructions, and timing considerations. We strongly
encourage you to consider district and state guidelines and expectations and adjust the
resources here accordingly. Doing so will only increase student confidence, competence,
and preparedness.
The primary objective of using impromptu (or prompt) writing is as a diagnostic tool
to help teachers assess student writing. When a group of students write to a prompt (a
writing assignment provided to the entire class) teachers can compare their pieces against
some objective criteria - usually a rubric. A rubric typically consists of a rating scale
ranging from 1 to 4 points, each point characterized by specific writing characteristics, 1
representing the weakest characteristics, 4, the strongest. (A zero score is often used to
indicate that the student wrote nothing, or wrote so totally off topic that the paper could
not realistically be compared to the other pieces to be scored.) A rubric for assessing
narrative writing is included on SRP 15 (although rating scales can vary). A
holistic rubric and a skill specific rubric are both available to use as needed, SRP 16.
Follow the scoring recommendations as put forth in your state or district.

Student Reference Page Student Reference Page

Narrative Writing Rubric

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
4 Point Narrative Writing Rubric
Clear beginning, middle, end Beginning, middle, end Basic beginning, middle, No story sequence
Organization
end
Sequence of events unfolds Sequence is loosely Events are random and
0 - Unscorable! Wrote nothing, illegible or wrote about something different from naturally connected Confusing in parts and hard to follow
hard to follow
the prompt. Consistent use of a variety Some transitional No transitional strategies
of transitional strategies strategies Few, if any, transitional
strategies

1 - Still has a Way to Go! Shopping list. Too short. Hard to understand. Not Begins using a variety of Begins using a simple Begins in a didactic way Lacks an entertaining
Entertaining
strategies to establish the strategy to establish the beginning
enough details and interesting words. Beginning character, setting and story character, setting and story
Does not compel the reader
to read on Does not compel the reader
purpose purpose
to read on
Draws the reader Brief and may not compel
2 - Still needs Work! It has a little bit of detail, but mostly general details like immediately into the story the reader to read on
and compels them to read on
nice, good, red, blue, very, etc. It has an okay beginning, middle and end. Lacks
Creative descriptive and Some specific descriptive Few relevant descriptive Lacks descriptive and
a single entertaining MAIN EVENT! Does not include the main character’s Elaborative sensory details and sensory details and sensory details sensory details

feelings or reactions. Needs more elaboration to make it interesting. Detail “Shows” character emotion “Shows” character emotion “Tells” character emotion Shows no character emotion
Uses a variety of detail Uses some detail generating Does not focus on story Does not focus on story
generating questions with questions with story critical critical characters, settings, critical characters, settings,
story critical characters, characters, settings, and and objects and objects
3 - Good! Has a beginning, middle, end, organized. Has some specific elaborative settings, and objects objects
Little variety in sentence Little or no variety in
details and remains focused on the important events. Needs more elaboration Interesting words and Some sentence variety structure sentence structure
sentence variety
to make it interesting. Although there is a single main event, the piece lacks
Skillfully provides sense of Some sense of anticipation Little sense of anticipation Lacks a sense of anticipation
a balance of action, description, and dialogue for a significant, single, and Suspense
anticipation or tension using or tension using red flag or tension using red flag or tension
red flag words/ phrases and words/ phrases and story words/ phrases and story
entertaining main event. Does not include enough of the main character’s story questions questions questions

feelings or reactions. Includes evidence of most parts of the writing diamond. Single, significant main Single, significant main A series of actions or steps Uses a summary statement
event with a balanced mix of event with some strategies
Main Event Lacks focus
strategies
Maintains focus
Weak word choice and little
Maintains focus
4 - Great! Fantastic! Has a strong beginning, middle and end. It is interesting Some interesting word sentence variety
Interesting word choice and choice and sentence variety
and entertaining. Stays focused on the important events. There is clear sentence variety

evidence of every section of the writing diamond and lots of great description. Extended Skillful extended ending Somewhat satisfying ending Ends abruptly No sense of closure

Author uses interesting words, vivid vocabulary and sentence variety. There is Ending Strong sense of closure Sense of closure

a mixture of action, description, feelings and dialogue. This story is smooth and Precise and appropriate Adequate vocabulary Simplistic and general Vague and inappropriate
vocabulary vocabulary vocabulary
easy to read. Vocabulary, Average understanding of
fluency, Thorough understanding of mechanics with adequate Incomplete understanding Frequent errors in spelling,
mechanics mechanics with few errors in spelling, punctuation, of mechanics with punctuation, capitalization,
spelling, usage, punctuation, capitalization, or usage frequent errors in spelling, or usage
or capitalization punctuation, capitalization,
Errors do not interfere with Difficult to read or
or usage
Fluent response the readability understand
Errors affect the readability

SRP 15 21
SRP 16

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 Student Page
Name____________________________________________

Learning something new can be challenging. Write a story about a

time you learned how to do something you’d never done before.

As you prepare to write:

1. Analyze the givens and variables in this prompt.

2. List at least two segments of elaborative detail you would include.

______________________________ _______________________________ .

3. Remember to showcase all of the writing skills you have learned.

4. Use the following framework to plan your story:

This is a story about ______________________________________________ .

character - GIVEN

The adventure, experience, or problem is that

__________________________________________________________________ .
main event - GIVEN and VARIABLE

The adventure or experience concluded/problem solved when__________

___________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________ .

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 Section 2: Responding to Source Text

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foundational Lessons:
A&A
Lesson 1: Introducing Literary Elements......................................................137
A&A T&T
Lesson 2: Turning Questions into Responses................................................141

Lesson 3: Analyzing Assignments for Givens and Variables........................146

Lesson 4: Digging Deeper - Be a Text Detective!..........................................148

Make-it-Your-Own: Framing Questions for Reading and

Responding to Literature................................................................................151

Teacher Background: Literary Analysis Task......................................155

Teacher Background: Narrative Extension Task.................................165

• Beginnings
A&A
• Literary Analysis Task..........................................................................156
A&A T&T SE
• Narrative Extension Task.....................................................................166

• Elaborative Detail
A&A
• Literary Analysis Task..........................................................................170
A&A T&T
• Narrative Extension Task.....................................................................179

• Suspense
A&A T&T SE
• Literary Analysis Task..........................................................................184
A&A
• Narrative Extension Task.....................................................................192

• Main Event
A&A T&T SE
• Literary Analysis Task..........................................................................195
A&A
• Narrative Extension Task.....................................................................204

• Endings
A&A T&T SE
• Literary Analysis Task..........................................................................208
A&A
• Narrative Extension Task.....................................................................217

Writing in Response to Multiple Texts..........................................................220

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 Lesson 3: Analyzing Assignments for Givens and Variables

Objective:
Students review the process of identifying given and variable elements in a writing prompt
in order to compose a successful response.

Procedure:
1. Project the example below for your class. Have them imagine that they’ve just read a
story called Stowaway on a Submarine.

You’ve read the story Stowaway on a Submarine. Write an essay

describing how the author foreshadows the main event of this story.
Additionally, identify examples of figurative language throughout the
story and recount how the story is eventually resolved. Be sure to provide
evidence to support your ideas.

2. Explain to the class that they will be presented with such a task many times as
they proceed through middle school and into high school. Read the prompt together
and discuss the GIVEN elements — those included in the task itself that need to be
included in the response. For example, GIVEN elements might include a specific
setting, a point of view or secondary character, or a theme. Pick these out and
emphasize the fact that everyone’s response should include the GIVEN elements.
(NOTE: Be sure students understand that this is an informational response even
though they’re reading literature. Refer to the informational pillar if needed.)

In this case:

GIVENS: how the main event is foreshadowed, the use of figurative language and the
resolution of the story.

Then, go on to discuss the VARIABLE elements. These include the decisions the author
needs to make. The variables are the elements that will set each author’s writing apart
and allow the author to showcase her own personal response to literature.

In this case:

VARIABLES: the explanation for how the main event is foreshadowed, specific
examples of figurative language and the description of the resolution.

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 Lesson 3: Analyzing Assignments for Givens and Variables

3. Ask the class to identify what they must address. Highlight or color code the key
words in the task. (Key words: essay, foreshadows, figurative language, resolved,
evidence). Based on the task, guide them in filling out the summarizing framework as
a prewriting tool. MODEL what this framework might look like:

Ex. TOPIC: Stowaway on a Submarine

MAIN IDEA #1: Foreshadowing of Main Event

MAIN IDEA #2: Use of Figurative Language

MAIN IDEA #3: How the story is resolved

EXPOSITORY PILLAR
Student Reference Page
PREWRITING FRAMEWORK
Informational Pillar
INTRODUCTION
Lead/Topic Sentence
Main Idea #1____________

Detail Detail

Detail Detail

Main Idea #2____________

Detail Detail

Detail Detail

Main Idea #3____________

Detail Detail

Detail Detail

Conclusion
©2005 Empowering Writers

Summarizing Framework
TOPIC: ___________________________________________
MAIN IDEA #1: ____________________________________
MAIN IDEA #2: ____________________________________
MAIN IDEA #3: ____________________________________

SRP 4

4. Have students refer to the Informational Pillar, SRP 4, to indicate the organizational
structure of this response. Students need to understand that the response is informational
even through the source text is narrative.

5. Explain that this analysis is the process they would use to read an assignment or task and
plan for their response.

6. For this objective, there is no need to actually have students write the task. You might
even go through this procedure with numerous tasks simply for the purposes of analyzing
and planning (prewriting). This will be valuable as students are presented with similar
assignments in a multitude of testing situation.

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 Literary Analysis Task - Elaborative Detail

LESSON AT A GLANCE:
Objective:
Students will read and analyze a source text and identify the Whole Class Activity
ways in which the setting influenced the character and plot • Read and annotate story for
development, as well as the mood of the story. the literary elements.
• Project and discuss the task -
Procedure: what needs to be included in
1. As a class, read, analyze and annotate The Island, pp. 173- the response. (the givens)
175 (link), according to SRP 6, pointing out the way the story • Reread each elaborative
detail segment and mark
follows the organizational structure of the Narrative Writing as evidence. (Highlight or
Diamond. underline)
Student Reference Page
• MODEL and practice each
Annotation and Analysis Process for Narrative Stories main idea.
• Guide students through the
1. Label the title – what genre does the title hint at?

2. Circle the entertaining beginning, identify, label the technique.

3. Identify the purpose of the story action and main character’s

motivation.
writing process.
4. Find elaborative detail describing the setting – mark and label
this.

5. Underline and label suspense, story tension, conflict.

6. Bracket the main event.

7. Underline and label the conclusion/solution or conclusion of

adventure.

8. Circle the extended story ending and label each technique.

9. Identify the theme. Highlight the parts of the story that indicate
theme.

10. Circle examples of foreshadowing and irony

ENTERTAINING
within the text. BEGINNING
ELABORATIVE DETAIL
Story Critical Character, Setting, Object

11. Underline any use of alliteration or figurative SUSPENSE

or anticipation leading to the main event

language in the title or text.

THE MAIN EVENT
Show action in slow motion, frame by frame,
12. Fill in summarizing framework. Allow students to stretch it out! Include description and main
character’s thoughts and feelings!
prompt you. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Action leading to SOLUTION

This is a story about __________. of problem or
CONCLUSION of adventure.
The problem/experience was _________. EXTENDED ENDING
Memor y, Decision,
The problem ended/concluded when __________ Feeling,
Wish

SRP 6

Discuss the literary elements in the text, using SRP 19, drawing verbal responses from the
class, and/or chart them. Color code evidence from the text to identify character, setting,
motivation, and conflict. Fill in the summarizing framework.

Student Reference Page

Literary Analysis Questions

Locate evidence from text to identify character, setting,

motivation, and conflict. (Color Code)

• Who is the main point of view character?______(red)

• What is the setting?____________(green)

• What is the main character’s motivation? What does she/he

want?________(blue)

• What is the conflict? (What stands in the way of the character’s

motivation?) ______________(orange)

• What is the plot:

This story is about _____________________________________ .

The problem/adventure/experience was __________________

______________________________________________________ .

The problem was solved, experience or adventure concluded

when _________________________________________________
______________________________________________________ .

• What is the theme? ____________(purple)

Examples of:

Figurative Language __________________________________

Irony _________________________________________________

Foreshadowing _______________________________________

SRP 19 9

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 Literary Analysis Task - Elaborative Detail

2. Project the Literary Analysis Task: Elaborative Detail, p. 176, read the assignment out
loud, and discuss with the class. Remind students that the givens are what everyone
needs to include and the variables are the decisions that writers get to make. (Refer to
the Informational Pillar, SRP 4, as the organizational structure for this response.)

You’ve read the story The Island which takes place on a faraway island.
Write an essay examining how this dramatic setting influenced the main
character, plot and mood of this story. Be sure to provide evidence from
the text.

Ask the class to identify what they must address. Highlight or color code the key words
in the task. Based on the task, guide them in filling out the summarizing framework as a
prewriting tool.
Ex. TOPIC: The Island
MAIN IDEA #1: influence of setting on the main character
MAIN IDEA #2: influence of setting on plot
MAIN IDEA #3: mood of the story

Givens: how the setting influences the main character, plot and mood of the story
Variable: the evidence and explanation

3. Encourage students to share their ideas about the task. Find evidence in the text to
support their ideas. Have them skim and scan to find each piece of evidence in their
copy of the source text, highlighting or color coding.

4. MODEL, with student input, the first main idea paragraph using some of the suggested
sentence starters.
Ask: Who is the main character?
Response: The lighthouse keeper’s wife.
Ask: How does she feel about the setting of the story?
Possible responses: She doesn’t feel at home on the island at first. She is lonely and
bored. But she doesn’t like the city either and wonders if she’ll ever find a place where
she really belongs.
Ask: Why is this important to the story?
Possible responses: Because the story is about her getting used to living on the island
and feeling like she belongs there.

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 Literary Analysis Task - Elaborative Detail

Ask: Can you understand her feelings? How would you feel in her place.
Possible responses: I understand that she has to make a difficult adjustment, which is
always a challenge. I would feel really lonely and bored in her place. I think I’d rather be
in the city, even though the island sounds beautiful and peaceful.
Ask: How do the character’s feelings about the island change from the beginning of the
story to the end?
Possible responses: At first, she appreciates the natural beauty and peace of the island,
but then she gets bored and notices all the things she doesn’t like about it (like the smell
of rotting seaweed on the beach). By the end, she has made the island her home and she
loves it, even though she says it’s sometimes boring

(See Modeled Response on p. 178.)

5. GUIDED PRACTICE: Direct students to student page 176 and have them write their
first paragraph. They can choose any of the details generated by classroom discussion.
Remind them to answer the question “Why is it important to the story?” with every bit of
evidence they include in their response. Be sure to provide suggested sentence starters
to encourage sentence variety.

6. As students work, circulate, offering guidance and encouragement. At any point, you
may stop and pick up again the next day. It’s important not to overwhelm them.

7. Continue onto Main Idea #2. Model the paragraph as outlined above and then direct
students to write their second paragraph providing the evidence and explanation.
Remember that this can be done on another day. (See full modeled sample on p. 178.)

8. On another day or as homework, have students work independently to complete their

third paragraph about the mood of the story.

9. Close the lesson by having students reiterate the steps necessary for a well-supported
written response. Be sure to emphasize that in order to show their analysis, they need to
answer the question, “Why is it important?” to explain the evidence they have chosen.

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 Student Page
Name____________________________________________

LITERARY ANALYSIS TASK: ELABORATIVE DETAIL

You’ve read the story The Island which takes place on a faraway island.
Write an essay examining how this dramatic setting influenced the main
character, plot and mood of this story. Be sure to provide evidence from
the text.

THINK ABOUT IT: Is this a narrative or informational assignment?

Your teacher will walk you through the following STEPS:

1. Read, annotate, analyze, and summarize the story.

2. Fill in the following:

• Who is the main point of view character? _____________________________
• What is the setting? __________________________________________________
• What is the main character’s motivation? (What does she/he want?) ______
_______________________________________________________________________
• What is the conflict? (Who or what stands in the way of the main character’s
motivation?)___________________________________________________________
• Fill in the summarizing framework that outlines the plot.

This story is about __________________________________________________________ .

The problem/adventure/experience___________________________________________ .
The problem was solved, experience or adventure concluded when_______________ .

• What is the theme? ___________________________________________________

3. Consider the task:

• How does the setting influence the character?
• Why is this setting important to the plot of the story?
• What is the impact of this setting on the mood of this story?

4. Your teacher will MODEL this process with you. You may use the sentence starters to
help you cite examples in the source text.

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 Narrative Extension Task - Suspense

Objective:
Students apply their knowledge of foreshadowing to create a suspenseful segment based on
the source text.

Procedure:
1. If they haven’t already, have students read, analyze and annotate Mr. Muscles, pp. 187-
189 (link), according to SRP 6, pointing out the way the story follows the organizational
structure of the Narrative Writing Diamond.

Student Reference Page

Annotation and Analysis Process for Narrative Stories

1. Label the title – what genre does the title hint at?

2. Circle the entertaining beginning, identify, label the technique.

3. Identify the purpose of the story action and main character’s

motivation.

4. Find elaborative detail describing the setting – mark and label

this.

5. Underline and label suspense, story tension, conflict.

6. Bracket the main event.

7. Underline and label the conclusion/solution or conclusion of

adventure.

8. Circle the extended story ending and label each technique.

9. Identify the theme. Highlight the parts of the story that indicate
theme.

10. Circle examples of foreshadowing and irony

ENTERTAINING
within the text. BEGINNING
ELABORATIVE DETAIL
Story Critical Character, Setting, Object

11. Underline any use of alliteration or figurative SUSPENSE

or anticipation leading to the main event

language in the title or text.

THE MAIN EVENT
Show action in slow motion, frame by frame,
12. Fill in summarizing framework. Allow students to stretch it out! Include description and main
character’s thoughts and feelings!
prompt you. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Action leading to SOLUTION

This is a story about __________. of problem or
CONCLUSION of adventure.
The problem/experience was _________. EXTENDED ENDING
Memor y, Decision,
The problem ended/concluded when __________ Feeling,
Wish

SRP 6

Discuss the following literary elements in the text, using SRP 19, drawing verbal responses
from the class. Color code evidence from the text to identify character, setting, motivation,
and conflict.
Student Reference Page

Literary Analysis Questions

Locate evidence from text to identify character, setting,

motivation, and conflict. (Color Code)

• Who is the main point of view character?______(red)

• What is the setting?____________(green)

• What is the main character’s motivation? What does she/he

want?________(blue)

• What is the conflict? (What stands in the way of the character’s

motivation?) ______________(orange)

• What is the plot:

This story is about _____________________________________ .

The problem/adventure/experience was __________________

______________________________________________________ .

The problem was solved, experience or adventure concluded

when _________________________________________________
______________________________________________________ .

• What is the theme? ____________(purple)

Examples of:

Figurative Language __________________________________

Irony _________________________________________________

Foreshadowing _______________________________________

SRP 19 9

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 Narrative Extension Task - Suspense

2. Distribute copies of the Narrative Extension Task: Suspense, p. 194, read and discuss
with the class:

You’ve read the story Mr. Muscles. Write a segment explaining what
happens the following day when Fred quits the team and comes clean
with his friends about his lack of interest in football. Make sure your
segment includes at least one example of foreshadowing.

3. Review the purpose of foreshadowing (to drop hints about what is to come in the story,
inspiring readers to make inferences and take guesses to increase reader involvement
and suspense.)

4. Move onto GUIDED PRACTICE. As students work independently to compose their

segment, circulate throughout the room as they work, reading successful pieces aloud and
offering help as necessary.

Example:

“Shake it off,” Nate advised me. “Everybody has a bad game once in a while.”

It was Monday morning and I was determined to come clean with Nate and all my other
teammates about my plan to quit the football team. I’d practiced what I was going to say
over and over again, but I couldn’t predict how they’d respond. They’d piled their hopes
on me and I wouldn’t blame them if they were disappointed or angry. On the other hand,
after my performance at the game, they might just understand.

“It was more than a bad game, Nate,” I said. “Sports just aren’t my thing.”

“Sports aren’t your thing?” He was incredulous. “You could be great.”

“Can’t I be great at something else?”

Nate was quiet for a few long, tense moments. Finally, he turned to me and asked, “So
what is your thing?”

As it turned out, Nate liked hiking in the woods and kayaking on rushing rivers too.
While it was only October, I began counting the days until summer vacation. **

(**This revelation foreshadows the continuing friendship of Fred and Nate.)

5. Close this lesson by asking the class to share their ideas about the power of
foreshadowing as well as examples of it from their independent reading.

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 Student Page
Name____________________________________________

NARRATIVE EXTENSION TASK: SUSPENSE

You’ve read the story Mr. Muscles. Write a segment explaining what
happens the following day when Fred quits the team and comes clean with
his friends about his lack of interest in football. Make sure your segment
includes at least one example of foreshadowing.

THINK AND DISCUSS: Why do authors foreshadow key events in their stories? How does
foreshadowing increase suspense and reader involvement in the story?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

While it was only October, I began counting the days until summer vacation.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Revelation

What does this revelation foreshadow?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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 Writing in Response to Multiple Texts

Teacher Background: An important 21st century skill involves having students

read multiple texts, compare and contrast them, and write in response to them. It involves
close reading, analytical thinking, understanding of writer’s craft, and the ability to
express all levels of comprehension (literal, inferential, evaluative) in writing. This is a
very tall order for students, for if they are weak in any of these skills it will be reflected in
the written response. In addition, the necessary reading, analyzing, annotating, comparing
and contrasting – in other words the process - is complex. It’s easy for students to get
bogged down in this complexity and lose focus.

Therefore, it’s critically important to break this process into its essential
components, and guide students through it step by step. Throughout the year
students have been asked to respond in writing to a single narrative story. This experience
provides a solid foundation for you to build on. Think of it this way: when analyzing and
comparing two or more texts, simply follow the process that they’ve been using, but apply
it to each text. After each individual text has been read, annotated and analyzed, students
will read the assignment, go back and skim and scan for relevant evidence in each text,
marking as needed, then place elements to be compared on a simple comparison grid p. 225.
As always, they can use sentence starters, turn questions into responses, etc.

In this lesson we’ll walk students through every step, demystifying the process.

Procedure:
1. Project and distribute copies of the first text and follow the usual annotation and
analysis process on SRP 6, including filling in the summarizing framework. Discuss the
story with the class using the guiding questions to guide the conversation:
• Who was the protagonist or main point of view character?
• What is his/her conflict?
• What is his/her motivation?
• How do you think this story will end?
• What was the theme?

2. Have the class help you fill in the summarizing framework for the text.
3. Project and distribute copies of the second text. Have the class help you fill in the
summarizing framework for the text.

4. Explain to the class that they will be comparing two texts and writing about them.
Project and distribute p. 223, Literary Analysis Task – Comparing Two Narrative Texts,
read through the assignment together, and discuss. If possible, send both texts and the

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 Writing in Response to Multiple Texts

Literary Analysis Task sheet home with them, and for homework ask them to think
about their response to the assignment.

You’ve read two texts. Compare and contrast the conflict, plot, and
theme from both texts and cite evidence from both texts.

5. Read through the writing assignment and briefly review/discuss it with the class,
allowing them to share ideas and evidence.
6. Help students fill out an informational summarizing framework, based on the
assignment:
TOPIC: Text #1 and Text #2
Plot
MAIN IDEA #1: ________________
MAIN IDEA #2: _________________
Conflict

MAIN IDEA #3: _________________

Theme

7. Based on these elements (conflict, plot, theme) have students skim and scan, marking
evidence of their ideas about these elements with a check mark in the text. You may
ask them to color code their check marks – ex. red – conflict, green – plot, blue – theme.

8. Project and distribute Literary Analysis Task: Comparing Two Narrative Texts,
p. 223, and explain that this is a tool to help them look at important evidence
from both texts and more easily compare it. Using the sample grid on p. 225, fill
in the chart collaboratively, eliciting student input.

9. Finally, citing evidence from the text, MODEL writing this Response to Text. Refer to
the Sentence Starters, on the following page, to help students more easily articulate
their ideas in writing. Once students understand the process, move on to GUIDED
PRACTICE. Circulate as they work, offering encouragement, suggestions, and
support.

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