Reading Like a ReaderReading Like a Writer

Narrative Writing

Professional Development presented by

Cynthia Mann

First, Read Like Readers

• Spend time getting to know a text as readers.

• Begin with a read-aloud/think aloud followed by students sharing about their connections with the text.

• Reread the text and have students interact with the text as you reread. Raise questions and share insights.

Beginning Author Inquiry Learning to Write from Writers

• Read the text again and have students begin to look and see all they can about how the writing is done.

• Begin in whole group with some of your noticings. Gradually release students into small groups with typed text or copies of the book and have them talk, talk, talk about what they see the author doing in the text.

Examples from Something Beautiful

Structure:Author writes a story that has a beginning, middle, and

end.She writes it so that it makes a circle (begins with word

Die on the door and ends in the same place).

Way with Words:She uses words that describe.She uses dialogue or has characters talking.She uses the same statement over and over “I am

looking for something beautiful.”

What Next?

• Come back together after students have had time in small groups to talk about what they saw in the text.

• Introduce students to the Author Inquiry Chart: 1. Notice something about the craft of the text. 2. Talk about it and make a theory about why

a writer might use this craft. 3. Give the craft a name. 4. Think of other texts you know where you

have seen this craft. 5. Try and envision using this craft in your own

writing.

Notice What the Author is doing in Narrative or Story

StructureAsk “What do you notice about this?”

“ When I look through my window, I see a brick wall. There is trash in the courtyard and a broken bottle that

looks like fallen stars. There is writing in the halls of my building. On the front door, someone put the

word Die.”

Author Inquiry Chart

What is the author doing?

Why is the author doing this?

What can I call this?

Have I seen another author do this?

Examples of this in my own writing…

Author Inquiry ChartWhat is the author doing?

“I see a brick wall; trash in courtyard..”

“I see…; There is writing on the walls of my building… Where I walk I pass a lady….I run past a dark alley. . .

“Hi there, sugar pie”, says Miss Delphine. “What are you up to?”“I’m looking for something beautiful,” I tell her.

Why is the author doing this?

The author is telling us about where the story happens so we can understand the place.

The author is telling a story in a sequence so I can remember the story.

The author is having the characters talk to each other so it feels like I am really there hearing their conversation.

What can I call this?

The author is developing the setting.

The author is telling a story in a sequence so I can remember the story; a narrative through a sequence of events and it is in a circle.

The author is using dialogue to bring the characters to life and actually show me what they are thinking instead of telling me.

Have I seen another author do this?

Yes in Little Cliff and The Porch People: “…he was in front of Uncle Abe Brown’s house; Everybody was out, even Mr. Boot-Nanny. Little Cliff could see Miss Callie’s house from the road. But he had to see Cousin Savannah. Cliff passed the same people on their porches and he finally got back home to Mama Pearl.”

Yes, in Little Cliff’s First Day of School: “Mama, these shoes too little. I can’t go to school now, “ he said. “Too little? Why, boy, I can get two of ya’ll in them shoes,” Mama Pearl said.

Examples of this in my own writing…

One place I will always remember is my first school at Lineville Elementary. The red brick building still stands like a wise lady against the blue Alabama sky. The double doors open from a low concrete porch with two arms of brick. . .

Screaming out, Miss Bernice Clegg said, “Bob Morrison, I’m going to put a dress on you if you don’t stop playing with the girls!”

Authors use:

• setting to make us feel like we are in the story or narrative.

• characters to help us feel the ideas in the story or narrative through another’s experience.

• sequence of events to help us remember and deepen our understanding of what is happening in the story. This is a plot.

• a problem to hook us into the story or narrative.

• a resolution to complete the story or narrative so we can make a judgment about the story and determine the author’s message.

Seeing the Narrative

• Use story maps or story vine to chart the narrative so students can see the story.

• Use a text map of the story so students can see whole text.

• Use typed text so students can look at and hear all story or narrative elements.

Story Vine“Something Beautiful”

Characters Setting Problem Solution Text Structure

Word Choice

Little girl; homeless lady; teacher; Miss Delphine; Sybil, Rebecca, Jamil; Mr. Lee; Marc; Mr. Sims; Aunt Carolyn;

Neighborhood Looking for something beautiful amid difficult setting.

Looking carefully for signs of beauty in people not in places.

Narrative through sequence of events in a circle story

“…a broken bottle that looks like fallen stars.”

Author’s Message: “When die disappears, I feel powerful.” We can all use our inner strength to find beauty. We make our own beauty.

Setting Problem/Conflict

Solution

little girl, lady in the carton, the teacher, Miss Delphine, Sybil, Rebecca, Jamal, Mr. Lee, Marc, Georgina, Mr. Sims, Aunt Carolyn, baby Carl, Mommy

Neighborhood where the little girl lives

Looking for something beautiful amid difficult setting.

Looking carefully for signs of beauty in people not in places-little girl goes and asks people in neighborhood what they think is beautiful. Cleans up and washes word Die off the door.

Characters

Story Vine

Name __________________________________ Date ____________________________

Continue this process with numerous narrative texts. You might choose:

•another text by the same author•a similar type of text•a very different, but well-crafted text

Gradually release students to choosing their own text and going

through the process with guidance.