8th Grade Writing – Coach Holland – Unit 1: Narrative Writing (1st 6 weeks)
Stage 1 Desired Results
ESTABLISHED GOALS
Students will engage in writing as a recursive
process as they brainstorm, draft, revise, edit,
and publish an original personal narrative.
Students will engage in both independent
revising and editing as well as peer reviews. In
collaboration, students will confer with peers
and help each other as writers as they engage
in a writing community
TEKS:
8.6A, 8.10A, 8.10B, 8.10B.i,
8.10C, 8.10D, 8.10E, 8.11A
Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to…
Apply authors craft to their own writing products; establish focus and coherence in revising
efforts, grammar, and spelling skills to support editing efforts; continue with word studies and
collaboration in writing.
Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will understand that…
Why am I writing?
Writing is the act of using language to
What is my purpose, audience, and topic?
communicate thoughts, the meaning of
How do I write clearly and effectively using
experiences, and an understanding of the
the conventions of language?
world; Writers make deliberate choices
What do I want to say? Why is it important?
regarding content, language, and style to craft What can others learn from my writing?
texts for specific purposes, audiences, and
What influences a writer’s choices regarding
contexts
content, language, and style?
Acquisition
Students will know…
Students will be skilled at…
How authors develop literary elements, theme Literary elements
and message; How the writer determines the
Author’s Purpose
intended audience of their text; In what ways Message/Theme
writers adjust their writing depending on their Audience
audience
Stage 2 - Evidence
Evaluative Criteria
Quality, Content, Understanding
Assessment Evidence
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Personal Narrative – Students will plan, draft, edit, and publish an original literary/narrative
about an experience that connects with one of the topics or situations in the mentor texts from
this unit, using the following guidelines:
1. Determine your topic for this narrative
2. Brainstorm ideas for essay using provided guiding questionis
3.
4.
5.
6.
Understanding and Review
Plan and outline narrative following given guidelines
Draft narrative following the outline and plan in step 3
Revise the narrative for focus and coherence to improve clarity and precision
Edit the narrative to ensure the draft is ready to be published and ready by intended
audience, including your paired peer review.
OTHER EVIDENCE:
1. Reflective Essay
After turning in a final copy of their personal narrative, students will then complete a reflective
essay on the steps taken to complete their personal narrative, including changes, growth, and
ideas for improvement, which will result in a test grade
2. Parts of Narrative
Students will turn in certain parts of the narrative for critique during the unit, which will result
in daily grades in class or a weekly quiz grade
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction
This is a six week unit on Narrative Writing and will follow the below events of instruction.
Day 1 – Review 3 types of Narratives through the use of a PowerPoint presentation. Students will share specific examples to be read aloud in
class. Point of View mini lesson where students can talk with a partner about which of the point of view examples that will be handed out in
class, they prefer and why. If time allows, students may practice writing a brief event from an unusual point of view.
Day 2 – Review Parts of a Narrative. In small groups or as a full class, discuss the parts as they pertain to the narrative read previously in class.
Being the Paragraphing mini lesson. Hand out the necessary pages and ask students to just LOOK at it and decide if they would like the read it. If
not, why not? Explain and discuss. Review the rules for paragraphing. Have students read and paragraph the earlier handout and review the
results.
Day 3 – Read and discuss Personal Narratives. Students will complete the personal narrative idea gathering handout during this class period. This
is to help with brainstorming and mind mapping ideas for their narrative.
Day 4 – Read and discuss Biographical Narratives and hand out the idea gathering sheet which they can complete in class.
Day 5 – Read and discuss Fictional Narratives. Explain the fictional narrative idea gathering sheet briefly, but remind students they are writing a
story, not a novel. Their idea has to be completed in a few pages only. Students can then complete the fictional narrative idea gathering handout
for practice.
Day 6 – Cover the Sensory Detail mini lesson. Students may then complete the accompanying hand out, but only during the revision stage. Catch
up on completing any idea gathering handouts that are unfinished. Inform students that in the next class, they will need to make a final decision
on what idea they would like to work on.
Day 7 – Ask students to decide which of the ideas they would like to expand and elaborate upon. Show students the three types of planning
sheets/handouts that are available. Students may choose any one and then being planning their narrative in class.
Day 8 – Introduce “Magnetic Ways to Start a Story” and pass around the handout for this activity. Students can try their own magnetic starters
when they are ready. Students will continue the planning phase of their writings.
Day 9 – Distribute Essay Rubric for Personal Narrative and review the rubric with all students so they understand the grading criteria. Today,
students will begin writing their outline and first draft if time allows.
Day 10 – Concrete Language mini-lesson – review of Concrete Nouns and Vivid Verbs. Ensure students understand that they must communicate
their ideas clearly. Give handout to all students for review. After mini-lesson, students will continue working on their first draft.
Day 11 – Review Creating Characters for nonfiction writing. At this point, some students may be ready to revies and others will still be drafting.
Students who are revising can begin revising for concrete language, dialogue, etc and can work with teacher one – on - one during class as
needed.
Day 12 – Mini Lesson on Writing with Voice, including handouts. All students should now be revising their first drafts and will continue to do so
during this class.
Day 13 – Mini Lesson on Dynamic Endings. Go over tips and hand out on how to effectively end a narrative. Continue revising. Some students
may be ready for the Revision Checklist handout. This handout corresponds with the rubric and will be handed out today.
Day 14 – Mini Lesson on Transitions in Writing with handout. Peer reviews will begin after the mini lesson. Students will be paired up with a
classmate for peer review, which will include a checklist for each student to complete and hand back with their classmate’s essay. After their
peer review, students will use remaining time to begin writing their final drafts in class.
Day 15 – Mini Lesson on Titles for Narrative Essays. Students will continue with their final drafts.
Day 16 – Finish final drafts and move into final Peer Reviews.
Day 17 – Publication/Due Day! Students will organize their portfolio to turn in with their final essay. Portfolio should include the following in this
order:
1. Personal Narrative handout from Day 3 (Gathering Ideas)
2. Biographical Narrative Handout from Day 4
3. Planning Sheets from Day 7
4. First Rough Draft
5. First Peer Review Worksheet
6. Revision Checklist
7. Final Peer Editing Checklist
8. Final Draft
9. Rubric
Day 18 – Reflection Day. Students will work on a reflection essay, answering questions about the Narrative Writing Process, what they learned,
how they felt through the process, their strengths and weaknesses and what they see can be improved before the next writing unit.
SPED, 504, GT Accommodations – Accommodations will be included, and revised once class lists have been completed. Accommodations will
include, but not be limited to: extra time, the use of a laptop or tablet, dictionary usage, written instructions/notes, handouts, graphic organizers,
extra writing practice if work is finished early