1. NARRATIVE ESSAY

2. Group Brainstorming 1. Get into groups of 6.
2. You will have 15 minutes to share your memory trigger list and song of self.
3. Give each other feedback on
what the most interesting stories are,
what they liked to talk about the most.
4. Star the interesting stories and ones you liked the most as possible story topics.

3. Clustering Choose 2 topics from your story list.
Draw a circle in the middle of the paper.
Choose one topic- you will have 2 minutes to make clusters of related ideas.
Repeat, using the second topic.
Circle one of the clusters that interests you the most.

4. Free Write
You have 3 minutes to write as much as you can on the ideas from the circles of one of your clusters.
Read your free write and circle the most interesting part.
Take that part of your free write and write for 3 more minutes on it.
Do not stop writing even if you run out of things to say- write “I can’t think of what to write next…” or something similar.
Spelling, punctuation, and grammar don’t count.

5. Deciding on a Story 1. Write down your 3 best ideas.
For each of these ideas, ask yourself the following questions:
Can I tell this story in 2 pages?
Did I learn something or gain insight from this experience?
Is this topic appropriate for my audience? (classmates and teachers)
Circle the choice that seems to fit the assignment best. This is your story

6. “Say Cheese”
“Come on, let’s take some pictures,” said my mom. “You all look so nice!”
Our small group of four had just walked into my dad’s appliance warehouse from the cold, drizzly rain outside. My nerves felt like a swarm of butterflies trying to escape out of my abdomen. The twenty minute ride to the warehouse from my house had already felt like a spaceship ride to the moon and back. And now my mom wanted us to take pictures!!
“Where do you want us?” giggled my best friend Liz. She grabbed her boyfriend, Lance’s hand and walked over to my mom.
I nervously looked at Stephen. He didn’t move. Suddenly the butterflies escaped from my abdomen and filled the dense air of the already crowded appliance warehouse. I stood frozen. My feet wouldn’t move. The warehouse air felt so thick I could have cut it with a dull knife.

7. In the meantime, Liz and Lance enthusiastically smiled for the camera
In the meantime, Liz and Lance enthusiastically smiled for the camera. My eyes were glued on them as they hugged each other, their bodies meshing together in a cute couple picture. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. My heart was pounding so loudly I figured it was reverberating off the walls of the cinderblock warehouse.
All too soon, my mom turned around to Stephen and me- two statues held to the floor with our cement laden shoes.
“Your turn,” she motioned for us to walk over.
Hesitantly, I turned to Stephen and slowly smiled, one corner of my mouth going up before the other one.
“You ready?” I asked with a shaky voice.
He nodded quickly and smiled, but the smile didn’t make it up to his eyes. We stiffly walked over to where my mom was standing next to a row of cardboard appliance boxes stacked two high. The comparison of six foot two Stephen to the stiff cardboard appliance boxes broke through the debilitating nerves of the night and

8. made me giggle. I couldn’t help but see the comparison and with it how silly my nerves had been. We were friends after all. We had known each other most of our lives. Yes, I had had a crush on him for years, but we were standing in an appliance warehouse, full of appliances and we were going to survive the night.
“Come on Michelle,” said Liz as she reached her hand out for me to stand next to her. I quickly walked over to Liz and Lance, an excited bounce in my step now. I turned and smiled my biggest smile at Stephen, hoping he would relax. All I got in return was a deer in the headlights look.
“Oh well,” I thought and shrugged.
I stood close to Liz and Lance who were hugging once again, hoping to melt into the happiness of their embrace. In the meantime, Stephen stood stiffly not far from me with a pained expression on his face.
“Say cheese,” my mom exclaimed as the bright flash popped on the Nikon camera momentarily lighting up the dimness of the warehouse.

9. Lance and Liz immediately moved towards the candlelit table, giving Stephen and me room to have our
‘couple’ pictures taken. I waited, hoping he would step closer to me, not daring to look at his face. I heard
a soft rustling behind me as he stepped closer and my mom positioned herself to take our picture. I knew
he was still miles away from me, but it didn’t matter because I was determined to have a great time on my
date of a lifetime.

10. Narrative Essay Planner
Fill out the Essay Planner for your story

11. Discovering Your Purpose
Answer these 2 questions in your Writers Workshop
What specific thing did I learn from this experience?
2. What could someone else take away from this essay, even if he or she hasn’t had the same
experience?

12. Effective Description
What is the difference between these two paragraphs?
I was really scared to ride the roller coaster. I felt a little sick, but excited at the same time. When the bar clicked into place, I held on tight. When the ride started, I hoped for the best.
As I slid into the red plastic seat of the roller coaster, my mouth went dry and my hands felt clammy. The bar in front of my clicked into place and I gripped it so hard my knuckles turned white. I could taste the cotton candy I’d eaten earlier at the back of my throat. When the car jolted forward, my stomach dropped, I held my breath, and I told myself I would survive.

13. SHOW, NOT TELL Use concrete, sensory detail
Use 5 senses-
Smell, Touch, Sight, Hearing, Taste

14. Use concrete detail to show what it would be like to be
this bike racer. What does he see? What does he hear?
What is he thinking? What is going on inside his body?
Use all the senses to help the reader be in the moment.

15. Peer Edit
Choose a partner and complete the Narrative Essay Group Worksheet