Narrative Structure: Beginning
Beginning
when where
who/what
Who
When-name-details
Where-name and details
Who/what-
This framework is useful to help students develop details in the introduction to
their stories.
1. Name the time and then add details-eg- in the above framework, the
picture shows that it is night time-name the details in the picture: the
moon, the bats and the stars all show those who are reading your
writing, that it is night time.
2. Step two: add more detail to a sentence. I think that starting with
“when” is the easiest way to start the beginning of a story.
Here is an example-When the moon shone brilliantly over the
mountains, when the trees gave the bats a resting place and the stars
twinkled tirelessly, a lost bird fluttered aimlessly and afraid.
3. Step three: add the where to the story: The first thought that comes to
mind is the mountains. Then what is the detail about the mountainsteep slopes, rocky, slippery, wild dense vegetation. Its eyes flittered
across the steep mountain slopes and the rocky gorges that were half
hidden by the dense bush.
4. Step Four add the who\ what-the bird. Because the bird is not very
clear in the picture, it is important for the student to draw the birdcolours, size, age and other discerning features. Then construct a
sentence that incorporates the details listed
The dappled bird hovered above the soundly sleeping bats and at once
thought that it could easily rest on the edge of the branch for the night
without being noticed.
Now the children can be put together all the sentences:
5. When the moon shone brilliantly over the mountains, when the trees
gave the bats a resting place and the stars twinkled tirelessly, a lost
bird fluttered aimlessly and afraid. Its eyes flittered across the steep
mountain slopes and the rocky gorges that were half hidden by the
dense bush. The dappled bird hovered above the soundly sleeping bats
and at once thought that it could easily rest on the edge of the branch
for the night without being noticed.