1. Narrative Writing (Imaginative)
Recognizing Important Elements of Imaginative Narrative Writing
Objective: Today we will learn about the important elements in imaginative narrative writing. Imaginative narrative writing means make-believe stories. Knowing the elements of narrative writing is important to you because it will help you better understand and remember the stories that you read. It will also help you write your own stories. You will be able to name the important elements as well as identify them in stories that you read.
(Naming the important elements and identifying them in stories will be the assessment items for this lesson which may extend across numerous sessions depending on the rate of understanding of your class.)
Written by T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT

2. Narrative Elements Setting Characters Situation Problem Events
Resolution/Conclusion
Ideally the study of narrative elements would have begun during reading lessons when you modeled the thinking behind how to identify each narrative element. You will probably want to complete this first one together even if you already used it during reading lessons.
Review the elements with students with special attention to the Situation, Problem, and Resolution (see below).
Situation = what is happening before the problem occurs (The situation in Little Red Riding Hood is that she needs to take a basket of goodies to her grandmother.) The problem occurs within or from the situation. The situation sets the scene/context for the problem and the rest of the story.
Problem: In an imaginative narrative, there is usually a problem. With personal narratives – when you tell about something that you actually experienced – there does not have to be a problem.
Resolution: The problem in the story is sometimes solved (a happily ever after type ending) OR sometimes the characters just come to an understanding or agree to something that is mutually acceptable instead of the solution that maybe the main character had hoped for. This is resolution. So we say that stories have some sort of resolution, which can mean the problem was solved or resolved. The conclusion follows the resolution and is where the author tells us a little more or ties up any loose ends.
Written by T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT

3. As you can see the graphic organizer for an imaginative narrative is different from the organizer we use when we are writing about what we have learned or about our opinion. This graphic organizer has a place for each of the important elements in imaginative narrative writing. Of course every story doesn’t have to have just 3 events. We can add or take away event boxes as needed.
Written by T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT

4. Imaginative Narrative Forms
Adventure Stories
Folk Tales
Fables
Realistic fiction
Fantasy
Legends
Myth
Discuss with the students different types of Imaginative Narratives that the students may have read.
Create a list of titles of the different books/stories the students have read in these imaginative narrative forms.
Written by T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT

5. Listen to this story and watch how I listen for and
fill in the important elements
on the narrative map.
Hot Link:
If you have already been studying narrative elements during reading instruction, you might skip this slide only.
Have students listen to this story (or use another story that your class has already read or heard). Model for the class how you listen for, identify, and then fill in each of the narrative elements on the map. (If you use this story, be aware that the situation goes on for a while before the character verbalizes the problem – he has been turned into a cat.) Be sure to explain your thinking as you choose what to include on the map.
You can use the actual book or click on the link or go to Click on All Stories Index, then choose Me and My Cat? When you click on Let’s Read It! The story will begin. It is not possible to pause the story.
Written by T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT

6. Stellaluna Setting Characters Situation Problem Events Resolution
Hot Link
Guided Practice: Name the important elements of narrative writing with me as they appear on the screen. Listen to this book (or another) and then fill out the narrative map together as a class. Be sure to guide students’ thinking as they identify what to write on the map. Everyone can have their own copy of the map or the teacher can act as a scribe. Next slide shows narrative map again.
You can use the actual book or click on the link or go to Click on All Stories Index, then choose Stellaluna. When you click on Let’s Read It! The story will begin. It is not possible to pause the story.
Written by T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT

7. Give students multiple opportunities to identify the important elements in stories and to fill out the narrative map as a class, in small groups, and/or with a partner BEFORE having them do it independently
Have students chorally name the important elements from memory
Have students create the narrative map itself from memory before filling it in
Written by T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT

8. Assessment List the important narrative elements.
Complete a narrative map for the story.
When you feel your students are ready, have students do the assessment pieces on this slide.
It would probably be best to read a short story to the class, so everyone completes the narrative map about the same story.
Written by T. Pandoff ©Davis School District Farmington, UT