1. Point of View Narrator Details Strategy:
Climb inside the moment and write within the narrator’s point of view
Point of View
In a personal narrative, there is one point of view—the narrator.
Narrator
Only include details that the narrator can notice. If the narrator cannot see those details, they don’t belong in the story.
Details
Session 4
SmartArt graphic with pictures on red background
(Intermediate)
To reproduce the SmartArt graphic on this slide, do the following:
On the Home tab, in the Slides group, click Layout, and then click Blank.
On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, click SmartArt.
In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialog box, in the left pane, click Picture. In the Picture pane, double-click Title Picture Lineup (fifth row) to insert the graphic into the slide.
Click each of the four picture placeholders in the SmartArt graphic, select a picture, and then click Insert.
Select the graphic. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Size group, enter 5.92” in the Height box and 8.75” in the Width box.
Also under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Arrange group, click Align, and then do the following:
Click Align to Slide.
Click Align Center.
Click Align Middle.
Select the graphic, and then click one of the arrows on the left border. In the Type your text here dialog box, enter text.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all of the text boxes above the pictures. On the Home tab, in the Font group, select Gill Sans MT from the Font list, and then select 26 pt. from the Font Size list. Click Font Color and select White, Background 1.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all of the text boxes above the pictures. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shapes group, click Change Shape, and then under Rectangles, click Round Diagonal Corner Rectangle.
Also under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the Format Shape dialog box launcher. In the Format Shape dialog box, click Fill in the left pane, in the Fill pane, click Gradient fill, and then do the following:
In the Type list, select Linear.
In the Angle box, enter 0.3°.
Under Gradient stops, click Add gradient stop or Remove gradient stop until three stops appear in the slider.
Also under Gradient stops, customize the gradient stops as follows:
Select the first stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 0%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 77, Green: 28, and Blue: 27.
Select the next stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 50%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 136, Green: 50, and Blue: 48.
Select the last stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 100%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 77, Green: 28, and Blue: 27
Also in the Format Shape dialog box, click Line Color in the left pane, in the Line Color pane, click No line.
Also in the Format Shape dialog box, click Shadow in the left pane, in the Shadow pane, click the button next to Presets, and then under Outer, click Offset Diagonal Bottom Left (first row).
Press and hold CTRL, and then select the three text boxes below the pictures. On the Home tab, in the Font group, select Gill Sans MT from the Font list, select 24 in the Font Size box, and then click Font Color and select White, Background 1.
Also on the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Align Text Left.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select the three vertical lines in the SmartArt graphic. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the Format Shape dialog box launcher. In the Format Shape dialog box, click Line Color in the left pane, in the Line Color pane, click Gradient line, and then do the following:
In the Type list, click Linear.
In the Angle box, enter 90°.
Under Gradient stops, click Add gradient stop or Remove gradient stop until two stops appear in the slider.
In the Position box, enter 46%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 40, Green: 15, and Blue: 14.
In the Transparency box, enter 0%.
Click the button next to Color, and then under Theme Colors click Black, Text 1 (first row).
In the Transparency box, enter 100%.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all three pictures. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shapes group, click Change Shape, and then under Rectangles, click Round Single Corner Rectangle.
Under Picture Tools, on the Format tab, in the Picture Styles group, click Picture Effects, point to Shadow, and then under Inner, click Inside Diagonal Top Right.
Also under Picture Tools, on the Format tab, in the Picture Styles group, click Picture Border, and then click No Outline.
To reproduce the background effects on this slide, do the following:
On the Design tab, in the Background group, click Background Styles, and then click Format Background. In the Format Background dialog box, click Gradient fill, and then do the following:
In the Type list, click Radial.
In the Direction list, click From Center.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 153, Green: 57, and Blue: 55.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 114, Green: 42, and Blue: 40.

2. Consider a story written like this:
I was still at the changing table, my sister squirming beneath me, when my dad put the box on the kitchen table and then, peeling off a long strip of tape and pulling back one of the flaps, looked in on a jumble of family photos, with little photo albums scattered throughout. The photos showed me and my sister when we were little—they were the ones he’d lost.
Now read this version—the way the narrator ACTUALLY experienced it:
I was at the changing table, my sister squirming beneath me, when my dad came into the kitchen and dropped a heavy carton on the kitchen table. I heard him rustling about, and then I heard him mutter, “Unbelievable, just unbelievable.” He looked up from across the room and called, “Remember all those lost photos from our farm? They’re all here!”

3. Choose a Small Moment Story
Think of a topic and think about how you will begin your story.
Choose a Small Moment Story
Now that you have your story, travel back in time, back into your point of view, at that time.
Reflect
Hold tight to that picture you have in your mind. Zoom into the tiny details of the place—the ones you can see from exactly where you are in the story. What are you saying or doing?
Use the Strategy
SmartArt graphic with pictures on red background
(Intermediate)
To reproduce the SmartArt graphic on this slide, do the following:
On the Home tab, in the Slides group, click Layout, and then click Blank.
On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, click SmartArt.
In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialog box, in the left pane, click Picture. In the Picture pane, double-click Title Picture Lineup (fifth row) to insert the graphic into the slide.
Click each of the four picture placeholders in the SmartArt graphic, select a picture, and then click Insert.
Select the graphic. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Size group, enter 5.92” in the Height box and 8.75” in the Width box.
Also under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Arrange group, click Align, and then do the following:
Click Align to Slide.
Click Align Center.
Click Align Middle.
Select the graphic, and then click one of the arrows on the left border. In the Type your text here dialog box, enter text.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all of the text boxes above the pictures. On the Home tab, in the Font group, select Gill Sans MT from the Font list, and then select 26 pt. from the Font Size list. Click Font Color and select White, Background 1.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all of the text boxes above the pictures. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shapes group, click Change Shape, and then under Rectangles, click Round Diagonal Corner Rectangle.
Also under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the Format Shape dialog box launcher. In the Format Shape dialog box, click Fill in the left pane, in the Fill pane, click Gradient fill, and then do the following:
In the Type list, select Linear.
In the Angle box, enter 0.3°.
Under Gradient stops, click Add gradient stop or Remove gradient stop until three stops appear in the slider.
Also under Gradient stops, customize the gradient stops as follows:
Select the first stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 0%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 77, Green: 28, and Blue: 27.
Select the next stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 50%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 136, Green: 50, and Blue: 48.
Select the last stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 100%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 77, Green: 28, and Blue: 27
Also in the Format Shape dialog box, click Line Color in the left pane, in the Line Color pane, click No line.
Also in the Format Shape dialog box, click Shadow in the left pane, in the Shadow pane, click the button next to Presets, and then under Outer, click Offset Diagonal Bottom Left (first row).
Press and hold CTRL, and then select the three text boxes below the pictures. On the Home tab, in the Font group, select Gill Sans MT from the Font list, select 24 in the Font Size box, and then click Font Color and select White, Background 1.
Also on the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Align Text Left.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select the three vertical lines in the SmartArt graphic. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the Format Shape dialog box launcher. In the Format Shape dialog box, click Line Color in the left pane, in the Line Color pane, click Gradient line, and then do the following:
In the Type list, click Linear.
In the Angle box, enter 90°.
Under Gradient stops, click Add gradient stop or Remove gradient stop until two stops appear in the slider.
In the Position box, enter 46%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 40, Green: 15, and Blue: 14.
In the Transparency box, enter 0%.
Click the button next to Color, and then under Theme Colors click Black, Text 1 (first row).
In the Transparency box, enter 100%.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all three pictures. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shapes group, click Change Shape, and then under Rectangles, click Round Single Corner Rectangle.
Under Picture Tools, on the Format tab, in the Picture Styles group, click Picture Effects, point to Shadow, and then under Inner, click Inside Diagonal Top Right.
Also under Picture Tools, on the Format tab, in the Picture Styles group, click Picture Border, and then click No Outline.
To reproduce the background effects on this slide, do the following:
On the Design tab, in the Background group, click Background Styles, and then click Format Background. In the Format Background dialog box, click Gradient fill, and then do the following:
In the Type list, click Radial.
In the Direction list, click From Center.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 153, Green: 57, and Blue: 55.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 114, Green: 42, and Blue: 40.

4. Open your notebook and let that pencil fly across your paper
Open your notebook and let that pencil fly across your paper. Write your next personal narrative!

5. Go back and add to or revise one of the personal narratives you have already started. Use the back of your writer’s notebook pages as needed.

6. Listen to and Experience: “Everything Will Be Okay” by Jim Howe
Note: Label the next available page in your writer’s notebook, “Lessons from Mentor Narratives” and begin a list of strategies Jim Howe used that you might also be able to use in your own writing. If you’re not sure of the strategy he used, copy down his quote.
Listen to and Experience: “Everything Will Be Okay” by Jim Howe
Think about: What has this writer done to affect me so profoundly that I can try it in my own writing?
Session 5

7. Lessons from Mentor Narratives
When characters talk, writers make them say the words and use the tone that shows their personalities and hints at the bigger meaning of the moment.
Writers explain why the characters act the way they do.
Writers zoom in on the small but powerful details that really capture big moments and feelings.

8. Re-read “Everything Will Be Okay” alone or with a partner
Try to find new lessons that you can take away from Howe’s writing and that you could imagine adding to your chart and then trying in your own writing. Add to your list.

9. Begin your next personal narrative
As you move forward today, keep “Everything Will Be Okay” and the lessons you learned from Jim Howe near to you. Try some of his techniques. Remember, you want your writing to affect your readers just as Howe’s story affects you. You want to raise the hairs on the back of your readers’ necks; you want to take away your readers’ breath.
Session 6

10. Assessing Your Own Writing
Athletes and artists that we admire can teach us how to be better writers—set high goals for ourselves and work toward them each day.
Set Ambitious Goals
Some of you have already been asking me, “How am I doing as a writer…?” I’d like to equip you to be able to answer that yourself!
Assessing Your Own Writing
I have 2 checklists that I would like to teach you to use—one is 5th grade and one is 6th grade. Each is a list of skills that you should be achieving by the end of that grade.
Use the Checklists
SmartArt graphic with pictures on red background
(Intermediate)
To reproduce the SmartArt graphic on this slide, do the following:
On the Home tab, in the Slides group, click Layout, and then click Blank.
On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, click SmartArt.
In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialog box, in the left pane, click Picture. In the Picture pane, double-click Title Picture Lineup (fifth row) to insert the graphic into the slide.
Click each of the four picture placeholders in the SmartArt graphic, select a picture, and then click Insert.
Select the graphic. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Size group, enter 5.92” in the Height box and 8.75” in the Width box.
Also under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Arrange group, click Align, and then do the following:
Click Align to Slide.
Click Align Center.
Click Align Middle.
Select the graphic, and then click one of the arrows on the left border. In the Type your text here dialog box, enter text.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all of the text boxes above the pictures. On the Home tab, in the Font group, select Gill Sans MT from the Font list, and then select 26 pt. from the Font Size list. Click Font Color and select White, Background 1.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all of the text boxes above the pictures. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shapes group, click Change Shape, and then under Rectangles, click Round Diagonal Corner Rectangle.
Also under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the Format Shape dialog box launcher. In the Format Shape dialog box, click Fill in the left pane, in the Fill pane, click Gradient fill, and then do the following:
In the Type list, select Linear.
In the Angle box, enter 0.3°.
Under Gradient stops, click Add gradient stop or Remove gradient stop until three stops appear in the slider.
Also under Gradient stops, customize the gradient stops as follows:
Select the first stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 0%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 77, Green: 28, and Blue: 27.
Select the next stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 50%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 136, Green: 50, and Blue: 48.
Select the last stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 100%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 77, Green: 28, and Blue: 27
Also in the Format Shape dialog box, click Line Color in the left pane, in the Line Color pane, click No line.
Also in the Format Shape dialog box, click Shadow in the left pane, in the Shadow pane, click the button next to Presets, and then under Outer, click Offset Diagonal Bottom Left (first row).
Press and hold CTRL, and then select the three text boxes below the pictures. On the Home tab, in the Font group, select Gill Sans MT from the Font list, select 24 in the Font Size box, and then click Font Color and select White, Background 1.
Also on the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Align Text Left.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select the three vertical lines in the SmartArt graphic. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the Format Shape dialog box launcher. In the Format Shape dialog box, click Line Color in the left pane, in the Line Color pane, click Gradient line, and then do the following:
In the Type list, click Linear.
In the Angle box, enter 90°.
Under Gradient stops, click Add gradient stop or Remove gradient stop until two stops appear in the slider.
In the Position box, enter 46%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 40, Green: 15, and Blue: 14.
In the Transparency box, enter 0%.
Click the button next to Color, and then under Theme Colors click Black, Text 1 (first row).
In the Transparency box, enter 100%.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all three pictures. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shapes group, click Change Shape, and then under Rectangles, click Round Single Corner Rectangle.
Under Picture Tools, on the Format tab, in the Picture Styles group, click Picture Effects, point to Shadow, and then under Inner, click Inside Diagonal Top Right.
Also under Picture Tools, on the Format tab, in the Picture Styles group, click Picture Border, and then click No Outline.
To reproduce the background effects on this slide, do the following:
On the Design tab, in the Background group, click Background Styles, and then click Format Background. In the Format Background dialog box, click Gradient fill, and then do the following:
In the Type list, click Radial.
In the Direction list, click From Center.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 153, Green: 57, and Blue: 55.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 114, Green: 42, and Blue: 40.

11. Write the following in your Agenda:
“My language arts average on 9/20:________”
Keep your agenda out; bring it to my desk when I call you.

12. Assessing Your Own Writing
Athletes and artists that we admire can teach us how to be better writers—set high goals for ourselves and work toward them each day.
Set Ambitious Goals
Some of you have already been asking me, “How am I doing as a writer…?” I’d like to equip you to be able to answer that yourself!
Assessing Your Own Writing
I have 2 checklists that I would like to teach you to use—one is 6th grade and one is 7th grade. Each is a list of skills that you should be achieving by the end of that grade.
Use the Checklists
SmartArt graphic with pictures on red background
(Intermediate)
To reproduce the SmartArt graphic on this slide, do the following:
On the Home tab, in the Slides group, click Layout, and then click Blank.
On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, click SmartArt.
In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialog box, in the left pane, click Picture. In the Picture pane, double-click Title Picture Lineup (fifth row) to insert the graphic into the slide.
Click each of the four picture placeholders in the SmartArt graphic, select a picture, and then click Insert.
Select the graphic. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Size group, enter 5.92” in the Height box and 8.75” in the Width box.
Also under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Arrange group, click Align, and then do the following:
Click Align to Slide.
Click Align Center.
Click Align Middle.
Select the graphic, and then click one of the arrows on the left border. In the Type your text here dialog box, enter text.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all of the text boxes above the pictures. On the Home tab, in the Font group, select Gill Sans MT from the Font list, and then select 26 pt. from the Font Size list. Click Font Color and select White, Background 1.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all of the text boxes above the pictures. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shapes group, click Change Shape, and then under Rectangles, click Round Diagonal Corner Rectangle.
Also under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the Format Shape dialog box launcher. In the Format Shape dialog box, click Fill in the left pane, in the Fill pane, click Gradient fill, and then do the following:
In the Type list, select Linear.
In the Angle box, enter 0.3°.
Under Gradient stops, click Add gradient stop or Remove gradient stop until three stops appear in the slider.
Also under Gradient stops, customize the gradient stops as follows:
Select the first stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 0%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 77, Green: 28, and Blue: 27.
Select the next stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 50%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 136, Green: 50, and Blue: 48.
Select the last stop in the slider, and then do the following:
In the Position box, enter 100%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 77, Green: 28, and Blue: 27
Also in the Format Shape dialog box, click Line Color in the left pane, in the Line Color pane, click No line.
Also in the Format Shape dialog box, click Shadow in the left pane, in the Shadow pane, click the button next to Presets, and then under Outer, click Offset Diagonal Bottom Left (first row).
Press and hold CTRL, and then select the three text boxes below the pictures. On the Home tab, in the Font group, select Gill Sans MT from the Font list, select 24 in the Font Size box, and then click Font Color and select White, Background 1.
Also on the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Align Text Left.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select the three vertical lines in the SmartArt graphic. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shape Styles group, click the Format Shape dialog box launcher. In the Format Shape dialog box, click Line Color in the left pane, in the Line Color pane, click Gradient line, and then do the following:
In the Type list, click Linear.
In the Angle box, enter 90°.
Under Gradient stops, click Add gradient stop or Remove gradient stop until two stops appear in the slider.
In the Position box, enter 46%.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 40, Green: 15, and Blue: 14.
In the Transparency box, enter 0%.
Click the button next to Color, and then under Theme Colors click Black, Text 1 (first row).
In the Transparency box, enter 100%.
Press and hold CTRL, and then select all three pictures. Under SmartArt Tools, on the Format tab, in the Shapes group, click Change Shape, and then under Rectangles, click Round Single Corner Rectangle.
Under Picture Tools, on the Format tab, in the Picture Styles group, click Picture Effects, point to Shadow, and then under Inner, click Inside Diagonal Top Right.
Also under Picture Tools, on the Format tab, in the Picture Styles group, click Picture Border, and then click No Outline.
To reproduce the background effects on this slide, do the following:
On the Design tab, in the Background group, click Background Styles, and then click Format Background. In the Format Background dialog box, click Gradient fill, and then do the following:
In the Type list, click Radial.
In the Direction list, click From Center.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 153, Green: 57, and Blue: 55.
Click the button next to Color, click More Colors, and then in the Colors dialog box, on the Custom tab, enter values for Red: 114, Green: 42, and Blue: 40.

13. Read the student exemplar, “Look Up and Watch the Show”
Discuss with a partner what you noticed about this piece.
Consult the checklist for “elaboration” and “craft” and make observations based on those points.

14. “Look Up and Watch the Show”
This time, follow along as I read the exemplar aloud. When you hear an example of something you discussed with your partner and that you noticed on the checklist, mark it on your copy of the story.

15. Assessing Your Partner
Talk with your partner about what you noticed in “Look Up and Watch the Show,” and then with your partner, reread one of your personal narratives together. Talk to each other about where you see evidence of elaboration in the draft. Push yourself to be a super supportive partner, to really help your partner notice where good work has happened in the draft.

16. Making Plans to Meet Your Goals
Later this week, you will reread all of your personal narratives and pick ONE of them, a seed idea, to take through the writing process.
Homework: Tonight, write one more new personal narrative—a drop-dead powerful story—so that you will have one more selection to choose from.