Narrative Writing

Primary Grades

Narrative

When you are asked to write a short story, or asked to do some "creative writing", you are doing what is called

"Narrative Writing." Narrative writing is meant to entertain! Part of being human is getting to tell great stories! 

Examples: Story (personal, true, imaginative), Fable, Myth, Poem,Play, Biography, and Autobiography.

Step One

1) Write a title• Bat Summer• The Elephant in my Garage• Rafting Down the Rapids

Step Two- Make a Story Board

Sketch the events of your story in anorder that makes sense. Use your sketch to orally tellyour narrative to someone.

Step Three- Jot down ideas, descriptions, and feeling for your story.

•Bats by street lights•Watch out

•Asleep in bed•Bat flies in•Sister runs out

•Bat flying around•Hiding under the sheets•Scared

•Dad opens door•Catches bat in net

•Sad that bat died•Feel close to all animals

Step Four- Get your story rolling

• Talk about where or when the story takes place

• Introduce a character• Use dialogue• Make an interesting comment• Use action

Beginning

example

One warm summer night I was trying to get to sleep. I had my window open to let in the cool air. All of the sudden, I heard what sounded like a bat.

Step Five- Use transitions

• The next day• When we arrived• Finally• As soon as• Around noon• During• One evening

Middle

My sister heard it too and ran out the door. The door slammed shut and I was alone with the bat.

example

Middle I threw the blanket over my heard and

screamed for help. Finally my dad heard me and came running.

example

Middle

example

As the bat flew wildly around my room, my dad snuck up on it with a net. He caught the bat and then set it free outside.

Step Six- End Your Story

• Feel a feeling – Thinking about that poor bat still makes me sad.

• Remember a character- My dad did his best to protect me.

• Think about the ending/ reflect- Maybe the bat could have been set free.

End

My room was again safe, but I never slept with the window open again.

example

Step Seven- edit, revise, and publish

Edit- spelling, punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure

Revise- make it better, reword parts, does the story make sense?

Publish- recopy or word process and share!

Final Product

Bat Summer

• One warm summer night I was trying to get to sleep. I had my window

open to let in the cool air. All of the sudden, I heard what sounded like a bat.

My sister heard it too and ran out the door. The door slammed shut and I

was alone with the bat. I threw the blanket over my heard and screamed for

help. Finally, my dad heard me and came running. As the bat flew wildly

around my room, my dad snuck up on it with a net. He caught the bat and

then set it free outside. My room was again safe, but I never slept with the

window open again

Wendy RandazzoNarrative WritingSeptember 25,2005

Ideas for Narratives

• Write a narrative about an exciting athletic event.

• Think of an historical time. Write about someone your age living in that time.

• In a short story, write about an experience you might have with an unusual animal.