October 8, Springboard 1.10 Reflecting on Narrative Openings H omework: Read your DEAR book. Objective: Students will analyze effective narrative beginnings - what does this mean??? Warm Up (in your composition book) D ate your notes, write down the objective Take out your DEAR book. What is an acronym?
What are some unique ways for a writer to "hook" a reader? AQQS
A - anecdote a short story account of a biographical incident
Q - question a question that focuses the reader's attention on the subject
Q - quote a line of dialogue or a famous quotation that points to the idea of the narrative
S - statement of intrigue / interest a statement designed to capture the reader's interest and compel him or her to read more.
ANECDOTE A n anecdote is a short story. It can be a story about your own experience or someone else’s experience. Use an anecdote to make a point. Example: The other morning, my brother Danny— who just got his license last month—was driving me to school. Danny’s cell phone started beeping and he checked the incoming text message, dropping the toast he was eating and nearly driving off the road in the process.
QUESTION A rhetorical question is a statement in the form of a question. You ask a rhetorical question to make a point, not to get an answer. Example: What’s more important: Driving as soon as possible or saving lives?
QUOTE A quote, or quotation, is a passage that you use in your own writing that was originally written or spoken by someone else. You indicate a quote by putting quotation marks around it and acknowledging its source. Example: “We were always together, but not as much after she got her license,” Gayle Bell says. “If I could bring her back I’d lasso the moon.” Bell’s 16-year-old daughter, Jessie, rolled her car into a ditch and died in 2003.
STATEMENT OF INTRIGUE A statement of intrigue is an interesting piece of information that your readers aren’t likely to know. It’s a statement that will make your readers say, “Really?” Example: The rate of crashes for 16-year-old drivers is almost 10 times the rate for older drivers.
So now read the openings of "Kira-Kira" and "My Superpowers" and answer the questions on pg. 27
1. Which technique does Dan Greenburg use to start his narrative?
2. Which writer uses an anecdote to start the narrative? What is the anecdote?
3. Which writer uses a statement of intrigue in the first paragraph? What is it?
4. Which opening do you believe is more effective? Why?
So now you try it... Boys - you will come up with 4 hooks (one of each) for Bill Cosby's narrative "Up and Over the Top" pg. 827 Girls - you will come up with 4 hooks (one of each) for Helen Keller's narrative "The Story of My Life" pg. 834
Boys you will come up with 4 hooks (one of each) for Bill Cosby's narrative "Up and Over the Top" pg. 827
Girls you will come up with 4 hooks (one of each) for Helen Keller's narrative "The Story of My Life" pg. 834
Now, you will get together with other members of your group and, come up with a catchy hook...one of each kind.
Up and Over the Top A - the story of him watching Sporty high jumping. Q - S -
The Story of My Life A - the story of her meeting her teacher for the first time. Q - S -
Cause and effect - pg. 30 in SB What is a cause? What is an effect? Now go back through your assigned narrative. Fill in the chart with two examples from your narrative.
Up and Over the Top Cause Effect
The Story of My Life Cause Effect
Homework: Read your DEAR novel.