7th Grade Writing Workshop: Personal Narrative
Getting Your Ideas Out!
I.
Journal Entry: Describe a time when something happened to you (interesting,
funny, traumatic, special, surprising, or sad). Make your reader ‘see’ the setting (time
and place) for this event in your writing.
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
II. Brainstorm: Share and list all class ideas.
Tell your story to a partner. What was your favorite part of your partner’s story?
(one sentence)
___________________________________________________________________________
III.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
IV.
On the back of this sheet, create a timeline that shows the main events that took place
in your incident.
Organize Your Ideas!
Introduction
Quote “Hook”
____________________________________
____________________________________
 What was the incident?
___________________________________
____________________________________
 Who was involved?
____________________________________
____________________________________
 When did it happen?
____________________________________
____________________________________
 Where did it happen?
____________________________________
____________________________________
Beginning
Sights? _______________________________
______________________________________
Sounds? ______________________________
_____________________________________
Smells? ______________________________
_____________________________________
Gestures? _____________________________
_____________________________________
Movements? __________________________
_____________________________________
Expressions? __________________________
_____________________________________
Middle
Sights? _______________________________
______________________________________
Sounds? ______________________________
_____________________________________
Smells? ______________________________
_____________________________________
Gestures? _____________________________
_____________________________________
Movements? __________________________
_____________________________________
Expressions? __________________________
_____________________________________
End
Sights? _______________________________
______________________________________
Sounds? ______________________________
_____________________________________
Smells? ______________________________
_____________________________________
Gestures? _____________________________
_____________________________________
Movements? __________________________
_____________________________________
Expressions? __________________________
_____________________________________


Did you address at least 3 of these?
Conclusion
Why was this incident significant in
your life?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
 What lessons did you learn?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
 Have you changed as a result of this
incident? Or What would you have
done differently?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________



Did you address at least 3 of these?
Did you address at least 3 of these?
I needed more room for my fabulous ideas!