Speed Narrative

Today we talked about the elements of a narrative.

-Narrator: 1st or 3rd person.  This is the one that tells the story, or narrates it.  Whatever is "said" by the narrator is called narration.  Do not confuse it with dialog.

-Setting:  This is the when and where of a story.  It usually affects the characters in some way.

-Specific Details:  These are words that describe the characters, setting, or other important things in a story.  Often they are sensory details, with sight being the most important/most prevalent one.  Remember, an author doesn't put in details that don't have significance; there are no random details.

-Dialog:  This is a very important kind of detail, where characters speak.  Their words are in quotation marks.  Like all other details, they usually show something about a character or help move the conflict along.  Authors do NOT put in random dialog that doesn't help move the story along.

-Reflection:  This is where the narrator shows their thinking process on the situation.  Usually there are signal words like "I remember" or "He thought."

So, you are going to write a one-paragraph short narrative that has all of these above elements used at lest once.

Day 23: Last Day to Workshop Your Essay

Today is the last day to add the finishing touches to your essay.

The biggest area of concern is sensory details usage.
In a group of three: each person will read the anecdote portion of their essay...that's the "five minute movie" to the other two listeners.  Leave out the intro and conclusion.  The two listeners need to then brainstorm a list of additional ideas of details that the writer could incorporate, using the worksheet Mr. Stowell handed out.  Switch roles until every person winds up with four worksheets of suggestions.

The second area of concern is to check your draft for spelling and capitalization.  Any word that you see and are unsure of the spelling, double-check.  That's why you have the iPads...use the dictionary.

Homework:  Final draft is due Sunday night, by passing it into Edmodo.

Specific Details Brainstorm List

While the reader reads their anecdote to you, brainstorm a list of details that they could add to create a more vivid picture.  You must come up with a minimum of two details under each category.

Proper Nouns (What things needed a name to help create a clearer picture?)

1.

2.

Smell (What smells could be described in the scene?)

1.

2.

Taste (What taste sensations could be described in the scene...remember, they aren’t just food tastes, think outside the box like smokey, gritty, metallic, bitter, chalky)

1.

2.

Touch (What physical feelings/sensations could be described in the scene?)

1.

2.

Sound (This includes dialog.  Suggest some phrases or sentences that might have been said by one of the characters/people in the scene)

1.

2.

Sight (What visual descriptions did you want more of from the scene?)

1.

2.

Day 22: Adverbs, Specific details, and Transitions

We are going to begin the day by discussing adverbs, and why we need to limit them in our writing.

Adverbs:  most of them end in -ly, but not all of them.  Here is the list of some of the most common, which you should rid from your writing:

extremely, entirely, unusually, dangerously, definitely, surprisingly, entirely, especially, quite, terribly, unusually, rather, completely, dreadfully, awfully, totally, really...


Secondly, we will check our dialog punctuation rules with one partner.  Some of you still need work.  If your partner can't figure it out, check with Stowell.


Thirdly,  we will partner up with three new partners...sitting side by side to listen to each other read our narratives.  When we are listeners, will be listening for the following three things:

A)  What do you think the thesis is?

B)  Where could there be more specific detail?

C)  Where could there be a better transition (where did it not flow, or where was it confusing, or jumped from one spot to the next too quickly)?


Homework:  Incorporate any new changes.  Final draft must be submitted to Edmodo by Sunday evening, or if you're having problems doing that, bring in a final print draft by class time on Monday.

Remember:  if you print it during or after class on Monday, I'll take off half a letter grade.  If you are a day late, it goes down a letter grade each day.

Day 13: Ordeal By Check

We will share the 100 word narratives, and take a dialog rules quiz on Monday.

Next, we shall break into groups and "read" "Ordeal By Check."  Like "Girl," it is a non-traditional narrative.  You can find the link to it here.  It is the group's job to find out the narrative story behind this story.  After discussion, as a group, write a 20-line summary of the "narrative."

Finally, we will begin talking about the personal narrative essay.

Homework:  Dialog quiz on Monday ... be prepared.  

Day 10: Sensory Detail Contest and "Girl"

Today we will take a few minutes to see who has found the most sensory details from the narrative, "Captain Hardcastle" from Boy.  Points are awarded if you noticed the same sensory details that Mr. Stowell found.

Secondly, I'm going to have you fill out a short summary of the narrative.  In it, you must mention the point, and give supporting details to back up that point.

Thirdly, we will quickly take a look at a shorter narrative, "Girl," by Jamaica Kincaid.  (It has been edited for your young minds)  This is a non-traditional narrative (and quite famous) and is presented as a list of commands.  It is entirely in dialog (without quotation marks) and is mostly commands and statements from a Jamaican mother to her daughter.

Homework:  write a 90-100 word short narrative story, either in the style of "Captain Hardcastle" or "Girl."  Be sure to include dialog and other sensory details.  Post it on Edmodo for Exit Card #5, due Thursday.

Day 9: Captain Hardcastle

Today we will be sharing the Tagxedo pictures.  Let me know if you do NOT want me to put them on the Pod TV.

Secondly, we will begin reading "Captain Hardcastle" by Roald Dahl's Boy.  You will be expected to answer the same five questions I asked you in class on Friday.

Your job: notice all the sensory details that you find.  Be prepared for a competition on Tuesday.

Homework:  finish reading "Captain Hardcastle," on Edmodo:  Pages 55-62.  You will find this on Exit Card #4: which is due tomorrow by class time.

Day 7: Narrative Introduction

We are officially starting our Narrative unit today!  Everyone has a story to tell, it's just asking the right questions.  We are going to listen and talk about several animated narratives from an organization called StoryCorps.  They record interviews that are then played on the radio.

http://storycorps.org/

Over the the next two days, we'll be listening and discussing these stories.  For each one, we'll be asking four questions:

1)  What one thing did you like/dislike about this story?

2)  How did it make you feel?

3)  What is the point, the message, or lesson of this story; what is it trying to show us?  (Thesis)

4)  What are some details that illustrated that point?

In addition, if needed, we will go over how to post your Tagxedo picture to Edmodo (see last post).

Homework:  No NEW homework, but see the last post.