Writing a Personal Narrative
Your mission:
This week you will write two personal narratives.
For the first you will be able to select from several topics, and we will work on these in the classroom today and Wednesday. You may also work on the first at home.
The second will be done on MYAccess in the computer lab on Friday, and will be a test, so you will receive the prompt that day, and will complete the essay that day. This will be on a different topic from the other essay we’ll work on this week.
Learn about Writing Personal Essays:
a. Turn to pages 153-157 in the Write Source 2000 book. Follow along as the class reads together from pages 153 and 154.
b. You will work in a small group of 5 students. Each student will read a part of pages 155 - 157, and will fill in blanks and answer questions below.
Then you will share in your group to help each other fill in all the answers and blanks, and to understand the information.
Group Work:
Group members #1 and 2: Prewriting
1. Any event that ________________________ is a good subject for a personal narrative.
2. Something ________________in scale may make far better story.
3. Jodi Klion’s story about Splash Mountain is based on an experience that probably lasted ____________ minutes.
4. To gather details, you would write a ________list, or use a 5 ___ chart.
5. The 5 _____are 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Once you finish your list, . . .
6. Get rid of any ________________that is not _________________.
7. _____________________ if they’re not in the ___________________.
8. Add important _________________ you forgot.
9. Use your list to begin your ___________________.
Group member #3: Writing
Three key elements in any good personal narrative are:
1. ____________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
4. Begin by introducing _________________ and
by describing _____________________
5. Make readers feel as if they are right in the ____________________.
6. In the middle, describe the ______________. Never tell ___________________.
7. Focus a lot of attention on capturing the ________________________.
8. The ending should bring your story to a __________________, either by
_______________________, or by
___________________
Group member #4: Revising and Editing
Use this list as you revise:
1. Does the opening part ___________________________________
2. Do I express genuine __________________________ in the narrative?
3. Do I capture the important ________________________ and ________________________ related to the experience?
4. Is every detail in the story ______________?
5. Does my narrative build in ______________ and make a _________________
6. Does my ______________ come through?
7. Does the story reveal the true me to my readers?
8. Once revision is complete, check the style of your writing by carefully reviewing the __________________ of your________ and the effectiveness of your ______________.
9. Then ___________ your writing for_______________, _____________, and __________ errors.
Group member #5: Knowing Where to Begin
1. Jump right into the ______________ of the _____________.
2. Figure out the most ___________ thing that happens in your story, and _________ right _________that.
Being Selective
3. Don’t waste time telling us a lot of things that ________________.
4. Leave out the things that people _________________.
5. Leave out anything that’s _________
Ending It:
6. Begin your narrative right before the ___________ in your story, and end it ______________.
7. Jodi’s ending works because she didn’t _____________.
She knew when to ____________.
