Experiential Learning through Narrative Writing
Presented By: Katy Thomas
Experiential Learning is a student centered model of instruction which requires active and
vocal participation from the students, and focuses on the process of learning and not necessarily
the product. There are five phases of experiential learning: experiencing (an activity occurs),
sharing/publishing (reactions and observations are shared), analyzing/processing (patterns and
dynamics are determined), inferring/generalizing (principles are derived), and applying (plans
are made to use learning in new situations) (Instructional Strategies Online, 2009). There are
several methods involved with experiential learning - field trips, running experiments, roleplaying, surveys, etc. - but today, we will be focusing on learning through narratives.
What is a narrative?
When referring to narratives, within the context of experiential learning, we are generally
referring to essays written from a defined point of view, usually the author's. The narrative
expresses feeling and also provides specific sensory details which involve the reader in the
elements and sequence of the story.
What is its purpose?
Since a narrative relies on depicting personal experiences, it is often delivered in the form of a
story (fictional or autobiographical). When using this technique, the writer must be sure to
include all the conventions of storytelling: plot, character, setting, climax, and resolution. The
narrative is usually filled with specific details that are carefully selected to explain, support, or
enhance the story. Ideally, all of the details relate to the main point the writer is attempting to
make.
Assessment and Evaluation:
Writing assessment can take many forms and should take into account both product and process.
● In process assessment, teachers monitor the process students go through as they write by
using self/group-assessment, conferencing, anecdotal records, and/or checklists. Selfassessment is a particularly powerful tool in that "it allows the student an opportunity to
observe and reflect on their own approach, drawing attention to important steps that may be
overlooked. Second, self-assessment … is a means of internalizing an explicit strategy,
allowing opportunities for the student to mentally rehearse the strategy steps," (Isaacson,
1996). Following this section, a sample check list has been included that demonstrates the
use of a five-step conceptual model for students and teachers to use during the writing
process.
● In product assessment, teachers evaluate students’ finished compositions. Product assessment
should be based on many different criteria. A writing rubric or scoring criteria can be used. In
both types of assessment, the goal is to help students become better and more confident
writers.
Self-Assessment using a student/teacher checklist:
POWER Looking at How I Write
Student Comments
Teacher Comments
Plan
I chose a good topic
Yes
No
I read about my topic
Yes
No
I thought about what the readers will want to know
Yes
No
I wrote down all my ideas on a "think sheet"
Yes
No
I put similar ideas together
Yes
No
I chose the best ideas for my composition
Yes
No
I numbered my ideas in logical order
Yes
No
Yes
No
I read my first draft to myself
Yes
No
I marked the parts I like
Yes
No
I marked the parts I might want to change
Yes
No
I read my first draft to my partner
Yes
No
I listened to my partner's suggestions
Yes
No
I made changes to my composition
Yes
No
I edited for correctness
Yes
No
I wrote the final draft in my best writing
Yes
No
Organize
Write
I wrote down my ideas in sentences
When I needed help I…
____did the best I could
____looked in a book
____asked my partner
____asked the teacher
Edit
Rewrite
Additional Online Resources
Bradley, L. Narrative Essay Prompts. Mrs. Bradley's English Pages. Retrieved from:
http://members.accessus.net/~bradley/narrativeprompts2.html
Annotation.
Narratives. (2009). Instructional Strategies Online. Retrieved from:
http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/pd/instr/strats/narratives/index.html
Annotation.
Isaacson, S. (1996). Simple Ways to Assess the Writing Skills of Students with Learning
Disabilities. LD Online: the world's leading website on learning disabilities and ADHD.
Retrieved from: http://www.ldonline.org/article/6208/
Annotation.
Warm Up Activities for English Clubs. (2011). English-club.com. Retrieved from:
http://www.englishclub.com/english-clubs/english-club-warm-up.htm
Annotation.
Lesson Plan: Learning about Narratives through Chain-Writing
Name:
Date:
Katy Thomas
Monday, 12 December 2011
Lesson Duration: 30 minutes .
Grade Level:
7th
.
Lesson Overview
This lesson will reference the previously learning unit on "elements of plot" while introducing
the students to the concept of writing their own fictional narratives via an activity called "chainwriting." In chain-writing, students alternate (either every other sentence, or every 1 minute)
between who is writing, continuing the process until a conclusion is reached at the end of the
writing period. Ideally, students will utilize all five elements of plot within their narratives.
Materials
Teacher: Dry-erase board
Students: writing utensils, notebook paper
Objectives
● Students will create their own fictional narratives that include a beginning, middle, and
end; ideally all five elements of plot will be represented.
● Students will read/analyze previously written sentences as the narratives are being
created in order to continue the general style or theme of the chosen story. Silliness will
ensue, but coherent flow is key.
Oregon Standards Addressed/Assessed
8.RL.3
Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the
action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
8.W.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
8.W.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision)
and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of disciplinespecific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Vocabulary/Concept Objectives
Elements of Plot:
Introduction/Exposition, Rising Action, Climax,
Falling Action, Resolution/Denouncement
New Vocabulary:
Narrative - a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, which are
either true or fictitious.
Lesson Plan
Agenda:
Class Intro: Remember
Plot Elements?
5-10 min
Begin class by referencing previously learned vocabulary concepts related
to elements of plot: introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and
denouncement. Also introduce the main activity of chain-writing.
Introduce Activity: "Today, we've going to be doing some creative
writing. But before we get to good stuff, let's review our elements of plot,
as these will be very helpful in today's activity." As a class, engage in
information recall by identifying the five elements of plot and fill them in
on the dry erase board; have the chart ready to go before class starts.
Review definitions as needed.
Once the plot structure is filled in, transition into next activity.
Main Activity:
Chain-writing
15min
Transition: "Now we're going to use our five plot elements to create our
own fictional narratives. Who can tell me what a narrative is?" Define,
referencing the difference between true or fictitious narratives. (5 minutes
max)
Narrative: a story or
account of events,
experiences, or the like,
which are either true or
fictitious
"As I mentioned earlier, we are going to be writing short fictional narratives
today… but with a twist! So go ahead and pick a writing partner, get out a
couple of sheets of paper and a pen or pencil… pencil might be better if you
decide you want to edit your story later… and get ready for some
instructions! Remember, you can borrow paper from the classroom stash if
you need to."
Chain-Writing: Students
alternate writing every 1
minute (no finishing
sentences, drop what
you're doing!) for 10
minutes, with a 2 minute
warning at 8 minutes to
allow them time to come
to a conclusion.
Double check to see that students have the needed stationary. "Ready for
the twist? We're going to be doing what is called chain-writing… which is
where one partner writes for a little bit then, at the sound of the bell, stops
what he or she is doing and passes it to their partner. Your writing partner
will then read what you just wrote, then continue the writing process with
their own creative contribution. After one minute, we'll switch again, and
again, and again, for a total 10 minutes. Our goal here is to have a
collaborative story with a beginning, middle, and end…. But I would really
love to see all five elements of plot represented if at all possible. I'll give
you a 2 minute warning at the end, so you can work in a conclusion. Chainwriting can lead to some hilarious stories, so you can be as silly as you
want, or as serious as you want, but make sure your story has flow and try
to follow along using a similar style to your partner!"
Wrap Up:
Sharing Stories
Allow volunteers to read their stories out loud. Engage students in
reflection: "After completing this activity, are there any aspects you'd
want to change about your narrative? Something you'd like to add or take
away?" Explain how they will get to do that in the following week's
narrative writing project, which we will begin discussing on Tuesday.
5 min
This activity could be
extended by allowing time
for editing; however due to
the short class period today
we will likely skip this.
If time and behavior allows, have students pick their own groups of 4 for the
upcoming writing project; have each group turn in one piece of notebook titled
"Creative Writing Project" with group members names and class period.