Narrative Writing Grade 6

You will be asked to write a story based on a picture prompt

When writing your story, you should be sure to Consider your audience Focus on your purpose Organize your thoughts appropriately in sentences and paragraphs Use vocabulary that is interesting and descriptive Edit your work directly on your writing Budget your time

Planning

Consider the following questions when you are planning your story: What are the notable features of the picture prompt? What does the picture and its features remind you of or make you think about? What type of story would you like to write for this picture prompt? Who will your main character(s) be?

Consider the following questions when you are planning your story: When and where will your story take place? Your story can take place in more than one location and/or more than one time period For example, you might decide to have your story take place: In the present In a foreign country In the past In the future In an imaginative place At night In your own city In a playground In a crowded area

Consider the following questions when you are planning your story: What problem(s) will your character(s) face? Some possible conflicts are: Character versus character (a conflict between two people) Character versus nature (a character’s struggle to survive against the elements of nature) Character versus society (a conflict between a main character and a societal rule, belief or system) Character versus self (a character’s internal struggle that tests his or her ability to cope)

Consider the following questions when you are planning your story: How will the story end? Will the events of the story result in a character’s change of heart or way of thinking? Will the ending bring closure to all parts of the story or leave some unanswered questions? Is the ending a logical conclusion or is it an unexpected one?

Consider the following questions when you are planning your story: Will your story have a theme? Some examples of possible themes are: Love conquers all Good triumphs over evil Kindness is the best gift one can give or receive Friendship is more important than popularity Through struggle, we gain Hard work always pays off Working together is better than working alone

Consider the following questions when you are planning your story: Will you state the theme of the story directly or will it be implied? If the theme is implied, it will be up to the reader to figure out the theme based on the events and details in the story.

Assessing

Written assignments will be graded on the following criteria: Content Organization Sentence Structure Vocabulary Conventions Content and organization are weighted to be worth twice as much as each of the other criteria

Criteria Content The response is plausible and uses ideas and events that are appropriate for the assignment. The response should establish a context using specific details and hold the reader’s interest Plan your story and the events you will write about before you begin Choose one storyline and stay on topic Make sure that every event relates to your storyline Choose a genre (mystery, adventure, drama, etc.) and stick to it Use descriptive details to enhance your story events Tell your story in an interesting way Develop a story voice (funny, sarcastic, serious, poetic, gripping, etc.)

Criteria Organization The response is organized effectively and coherently to produce a unified composition that achieves its purpose. The story should be effectively introduced and concluded. Set the order of events in your story before you write Begin your story by introducing the characters and the storyline in an interesting way Describe what characters are thinking and how they are acting Explain how one event leads to another Break your writing into paragraphs Build relationships between actions and characters Tie everything together in the end Work to create a reader response. Try to leave the reader smiling, crying, intrigued, etc.

Criteria Sentence Structure A variety of sentence types and structures are used to achieve clarity, interest and emphasis Write in complete sentences Avoid run-on sentences Vary sentence beginnings Vary sentence type Vary sentence length

Criteria Vocabulary Use specific words and expressions accurately and effectively to communicate to the audience and achieve your purpose

Criteria Conventions Communicate clearly by using appropriate Spelling Punctuation Capitalization Grammar The number of errors in the story will be considered in relation to the length and complexity of the response