Narrative Resources

Students are working on their narrative story regularly in class starting today. They will have the rest of the week to work on their rough draft, and will have computers available to type their final draft starting Monday.

In the classroom, we do a mini lesson each day focused on one part of the narrative. Below are the resources from the mini lessons that are available on the resources board in the class, as well as here if students want to work at home. Please feel free to use them at any time to help with your work.

Narrative Notes: What is this project about? What are the requirements?
Rubric - this is a BIG project! It will be worth 6 separate writing grades.

How we brainstormed
Strong Beginnings
Developing Characters
Character Traits
Narrative Techniques
Show Don't Tell - What Is It?
Descriptive Writing (Show Don't Tell) Examples 
Strong Endings

FINAL DRAFTS OF STORIES ARE DUE SEPTEMBER 30 ON GOOGLE DOCS.

Exemplars:
Proficient
Partially Proficient
Does Not Meet the Standard
Advanced

Character Change

Tracking how a character changes within the course of a story is a key component of understanding the plot. Today, students will read the fabulous short story "Thank You Ma'am" by Langston Hughes and complete an exit ticket tracking the character change of the main character, Roger. They will also practice identifying the elements of plot (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution), for their assessment tomorrow.

Narrative Exposition Examples - Hook Your Reader!

Here are some good examples of narrative beginnings. Remember you are trying to hook your reader! Be sure to try some different beginnings out! After you have a couple of different beginnings for your own story, ask a partner to read them and tell you which one makes them want to continue reading!

NARRATIVE BEGINNING EXAMPLES

Narrative with Pixar Shorts

Objective: In reader's workshop, students will continue to practice identifying plot elements and charting them on a plot mountain in preparation for assessment RL6.3.

As a viewer today, practice identifying parts of the plot. Pay special attention to how the character changes over time. Make sure you include ALL elements of plot and are SPECIFIC about your details to support each part (use character's names and specific places).

FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS EXACTLY.

1. Click on this link to find the Pixar shorts:
   http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/pixarnarrative
   
    
2. YOU MUST CLICK "Start using this webmix," or "Add this webmix" to view the videos.
   
     
3. Choose one video to watch with your group.
   
    
4. In your notebooks, practice identifying the elements of plot for your assessment on TUESDAY 9/20
    
      
5. Check your answers AFTER you watch your video.
   https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZMw1T8DhNETb9BaaklngG7jeFoqyXEW2qtm1XwyGy6s/edit?usp=sharing
   
   
      
6. Find the video you watched using the THUMBNAILS on the left. Then click on that thumbnail. Click PRESENT to view the answers for that video.
   
    
7. Check your answers and discuss anything you got wrong with your partner.
   
   
   
8. If you complete one, choose another video to watch and repeat the process.

Want extra practice?  Write this website in your planner and access it at home!  This is your OWN STUDY GUIDE!!!

Book Groups

Today students were put into book groups based on their choice of novel and their lexile level. Your student created a calendar with the rest of the book group to determine deadlines for reading that need
to be reached each day. Some groups have a goal of a certain number of chapters a day, others have a certain number of pages per day.

Please ask your student about their deadlines and to see their book. They should all be bringing it home today to begin reading if they did not read in class. It is important that their book is kept track of and treated with the same care of a library book. Lost and damaged books will assess a replacement fee.

Thank you for helping your child with this important and rewarding piece of our unit. Kids get so much out of reading the same book as their peers and discussing the story in depth. We will begin tracking our thinking while we read tomorrow, so if you'd like to check in with your child each night or a few times a week to ask them how their book is progressing, that would be very helpful!

Theme Assessment Feedback

The theme assessment was returned today and students had a lesson on reading and interpreting feedback. They also learned the process for study sessions and retakes. Students will need to fill out a Request to Retake form if they choose to retake this assessment. I will have these forms available for them tomorrow and will be scheduling study sessions and retakes with them.

Please be aware that I have lunch duty and have only gotten coverage for one lunch time that I will be available for retakes. Students MUST make this lunch time work or be willing to come in before or after school to do a study session and/or retake.