AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVE
Chapter 5: Nonfiction Narration
PURPOSE
To tell a true story about real people’s lives, experiences, and thoughts.
Photo Activity p. 64
 Example: I see a young woman rock climbing. To do this, she had to master the techniques and
equipment. Maybe she had to overcome a fear of heights.
 What other challenges/problems would make an interesting story about the climber?
WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?
Think about an event that happened in your life. What details would help to build
interest in the story? List those details.
Consider these questions:
 What happened?
 What was your challenge or problem?
 How did you overcome or solve the problem?
NARRATIVE NONFICTION
Autobiographical Narrative
 Gives you the chance to present writing in which YOU are the leading character.
NARRATIVE NONFICTION CHARACTERISTICS
Engaging story
Well-developed conflict
Well-developed resolution
A range of literary strategies and devices to enhance the plot
Sensory details
Effective sentence structure
Details
Characterization
Theme
NARRATIVE NONFICTION EXAMPLES
Biographical narratives
Blogs
Diary entries
Narrative essays
Memoirs
Reflective essays
MENTOR TEXT/STUDENT MODEL
A Wild Ride by Callie McCafferty (p. 68)
A Lemonade Night by Tamara Fiero (p.70)
PREWRITING
Determine an appropriate topic.
Topics:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What’s So Funny?
Game On!
No-So-Everyday
Choose Your Own Topic
PREWRITING: NARROW YOUR TOPIC/AUDIENCE
Choosing a topic that is too broad can make your writing confusing, and it can keep
readers from identifying with your personal story.
Consider your audience and purpose.
 Questions for Audience
 Who are the people in my audience?
 Will the topic of my narrative engage each audience members interest?
 What might each audience member want to know about me – and why?
 Questions for Purpose
 What is my purpose? Do I want to be humorous, thought-provoking, or something else?
 As I develop my purpose, how much about myself do I want to share with each audience member?
PREWRITING ACTIVITY
Directions:
1.
2.
3.
Top box: broadest story idea
Middle boxes: narrow your topic
Bottom box: narrowest story idea, the focus of your autobiographical narrative.
PLAN YOUR PIECE
Develop Your Theme
 Think about what you learned from the experience or what you wanted your audience to learn.
Map Out Your Plot Events
 Structures ideas in a sustained way.
 Develop events from the climax (highest point in the conflict) then reveal the resolution.
GATHER DETAILS
Build on story elements of character, setting, and plot by using literary devices.
Literary devices:
 Dialogue
 Mood
 Suspense
ACTIVITY: USING A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
Directions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Map our your plot events for your story on the graphic organizer.
Decide which details are most likely to help you write an engaging story with interesting and
believable characters, setting, and action.
Add these details to your graphic organizer, matching each detail to the right part of the story.
Determine which literary strategies and devices, such as suspense and dialogue, you will use to
enhance the plot.
DRAFTING: INTRODUCTION OUTLINE
I.
Beginning (Introduction)
a)
b)
Engage: Catch your reader’s attention (Example: p 68)
Theme or point: Write in complete sentence. Make sure you only provide a hint.
ACTIVITY: DRAFTING OUTLINE (INTRODUCTION)
The following steps should all be typed on one word document and should be labelled!
Directions:
Step 1: Outline your introduction using the guide on page 76 or on slide 14 of notes. (Label this step as rough draft)
Step 2: Have 5 different people peer review your introduction outline.
Step 3: Use the 5 peer review sheets to help make changes to your outline.
Step 4: Make needed changes to introduction on outline. (Label this step as final draft)
Step 5: Write your introduction in paragraph form. (Label this step as rough draft)
Step 6: Login to the Pearson website. Click on To Do. Click on Interactive Writing Coach Personal Tutor.
Step 7: Type your paragraph introduction into the box labeled introduction and click get feedback.
Step 8: Use the feedback to write your final draft of your introduction. (Label this step as final draft)
Step 9: Put your topic narrow and graphic organizer on Pearson website then click submit for grading.
Once you have completed steps 1-8 print your rough and final draft of both the outline and the paragraph. Staple your 5
peer review sheets behind the printed document and hand in. Please make sure your name is on the assignment. Also,
hand in your topic narrowing activity and graphic organizer. This ALL must be handed in by the end of the period.
DRAFTING: BODY OUTLINE
I.
Rising Action (Events = chronological order, no minimum or maximum)
a.
b.
c.
II.
a.
b.
c.
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
Climax (Events = chronological order, no minimum or maximum)
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
III. Falling Action (Events = chronological order, no minimum or maximum)
a.
b.
c.
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
ACTIVITY: DRAFTING OUTLINE (BODY)
The following steps should all be typed on one word document and should be labelled!
Step 1: Outline your body using the guide on page 76 or on slide 16 of notes. (Label this step as rough draft)
Step 2: Have 5 different people peer review your body outline.
Step 3: Use the 5 peer review sheets to help make changes to your outline.
Step 4: Make needed changes to body on outline. (Label this step as final draft)
Step 5: Write your body in paragraph form. (Label this step as rough draft)
Step 6: Login to the Pearson website. Click on To Do. Click on Interactive Writing Coach Personal Tutor.
Step 7: Type each body paragraph into separate boxes and click get feedback.
Step 8: Use the feedback to write your final draft of your body. (Label this step as final draft)
Once you have completed steps 1-8 print your rough and final draft of both the outline and the body
paragraphs. Staple your 5 peer review sheets behind the printed document and hand in. Please make sure
your name is on the assignment.
DRAFTING: RESOLUTION OUTLINE
I.
Resolution
a.
b.
Well-developed resolution
Ending that reflects the theme
ACTIVITY: DRAFTING OUTLINE (RESOLUTION)
The following steps should all be typed on one word document and should be labelled!
Directions:
Step 1: Outline your resolution using the guide on page 76 or on slide 18 of notes. (Label this step as rough draft)
Step 2: Have 5 different people peer review your resolution outline.
Step 3: Use the 5 peer review sheets to help make changes to your outline.
Step 4: Make needed changes to resolution on outline. (Label this step as final draft)
Step 5: Write your resolution in paragraph form. (Label this step as rough draft)
Step 6: Login to the Pearson website. Click on To Do. Click on Interactive Writing Coach Personal Tutor.
Step 7: Type your paragraph resolution into the box labeled resolution and click get feedback.
Step 8: Use the feedback to write your final draft of your resolution. (Label this step as final draft)
Once you have completed steps 1-8 print your rough and final draft of both the outline and the paragraph. Staple your 5
peer review sheets behind the printed document and hand in. Please make sure your name is on the assignment.
DRAFTING: FINAL OUTLINE
I.
Beginning (Introduction)
a)
b)
II.
Engage: Catch your reader’s attention (Example: p 68)
Theme or point: Write in complete sentence. Make sure you only provide a hint.
Rising Action (Events = chronological order, no minimum or maximum)
a.
b.
c.
III.
a.
b.
c.
IV.
a.
b.
c.
V.
a.
b.
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
Climax (Events = chronological order, no minimum or maximum)
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
Falling Action (Events = chronological order, no minimum or maximum)
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
Resolution
Well-developed resolution
Ending that reflects the theme