Write a Narrative
(Based on an Event in your Life)

A narrative is a story. When you write a narrative based on a personal experience, you are writing about an interesting event in your life. The story can be about something you did or about something that happened to you. The narrative that you are about to write will be about two pages long.

ELA Standard 2.1

Before you write a narrative about a personal experience,

• Think about your favorite stories about your own life. Was it the time you lost your first tooth? Or your first day at a new school? Maybe it's the time a new member of your family was born, like a sister or a cousin. Your narrative can be about a big event in your life, or it can be about something small, like a quiet afternoon you spent at home. The main thing is to tell a story in which something interesting takes place.

Jot down ideas! Think about the memory you will write about. Be sure to write down answers to the following questions:

• Where does your story take place? At home? At school? At the beach? Think about the place and think of three details that describe it. Your details should tell what the place looked like, what the weather was like, and how it felt to be there. Try to use your sense of smell. If you were at a place like the beach, you might write about the scent of the ocean. If you were in a forest, you might write about the smell of pine.
• When did the story take place? Was it in the afternoon? Early in the morning?
• What happened? Did you build a sand castle? Did you win a game of checkers? Write down the event that took place.
• Who are the other characters in your story? Were your parents there? Your best friend? Jot down who else appears in the story. Write two details about each character.
• Why is the memory important to you? What did you learn from the experience you want to write about? Write down some ideas about why you want to share this story and what you learned.

Use a Story Map like the one below, to plan your story. Be sure to include the: Title, Setting, Characters, Problem, Action and Ending. Create extra circles if you need to.

Now that you’ve come up with a plan for your story, it’s time to write a first draft! Use your story map to help you remember all the details you want to include. If you can, try to write the whole story all at once. Don't worry about any spelling or grammar mistakes. Since this is a first draft, you don't even need to make sure that your handwriting is neat!

Read your narrative over. You might even read it aloud to a friend or teacher. You and your friend or teacher should decide:

• Have you given your story a time and place? Have you included interesting details about the time and place where your story takes place? Do the details help make the story interesting and exciting?
• What happened in your story? Is it clear what the main event is? Is there a clear beginning, middle, and end to the action?
• Have you given your story a conclusion?
• Does it make clear why your memory is important to you?

Rewrite your narrative so that it fully answers these questions.

You should also edit your work by checking your spelling and punctuation. Look up any words that you are unsure of in the dictionary.

Now copy out the final version of your narrative in your best handwriting or print it out on a computer. Read through your final draft twice. The first time, check that the story is exactly the way you want it. (If it isn't, go back and make more changes.) If you like your final draft, check that there are no spelling or punctuation errors. Be sure to put your name, the date and title on the first page. Now, you can share your story with your friends!

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