Title – Personal Narratives

By – Stefanie Patrick

Primary Subject – Language Arts

Grade Level – 3-5

Personal Narratives

Objective: When given a written example of a personal narrative students will be able to discuss the characteristics of a personal narrative, and the features that make a personal narrative appealing to the reader.

Materials:

• Personal narrative section of Steck and Vaughn’s
  
  Writing Workbook
  
  for 3rd grade – this activity can be adapted to different writing levels by raising and lowering the individual student’s performance expectations.
  
• Novel -
  
  Joey Pigza Loses Control
  
  – I use this novel because it is humorous. My students are able to identify with the main character through things such as taking medication for hyperactivity, being a special education student, having divorced parents, playing a sport, and caring for a pet.

Procedures:

1. I start by telling the children that they will be writing their own personal narrative.

2. I then show the children Joey Pigza Loses Control and explain to them that this is an example of a personal narrative.

3. I read the first two chapters of the book. The beginning is very funny and appealing to children, therefore, it grabs their attention.

4. We discuss as a class why the story is a personal narrative. I point out that Joey tells the story from his point of view. We know this because he says “I” when talking about himself.

5. I then tell the children that Joey’s personal narrative is about a single experience in his life, which is the summer he spent with his father.

6. We then talk about what elements make Joey’s personal narrative fun to read such as the humor and how well the characters are developed.

Assessment:

Students are assessed by teacher observation of their participation in the group conversation — students are asked to repeat the characteristics of a personal narrative to the teacher and to identify them in the novel.

Closure: Students are instructed to begin thinking about ideas for their own personal narrative, which will be about their best friend.

E-Mail

Stefanie Patrick

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