Focus Lesson Planning Sheet
Focus Lesson Contrasting Narrative and Non-Narrative
Structure
Topic
(adapted from Calkins and Gillette, 2006)
Materials
Connection
Explicit
Instruction
An example of an essay (see example below)
An example of a narrative story (see example below)
Copies of narratives and essays for students to read and
sort through while exploring with a partner
Anchor chart created prior to lesson to be referred to
later in lesson (see below for text of that chart)
Yesterday we began looking at the genre of essays. You noticed
several important characteristics of essays. One thing you noticed
was how an essay is structured. Today we are going to look at that
structure more closely.
During several units this year, you have written what we call
“narratives” which are pieces of writing which follow a certain
story-based structure. You have written personal narratives, true
stories from your own lives. You have written fictional narrative,
stories you have created. But all of these stories follow a certain
structure. Essays don’t follow this structure. In fact, essays are a
type of NON-narrative writing. “Non” means not, so non-narratives
are not like narratives. Let’s look at what that might mean.
Narrative stories tell what happened first, next, and next. Nonnarrative essays don’t.
Narrative stories show a character- in your personal narratives, you
were the main character- and what happens tohim or her. Nonnarratives don’t.
Narrative stories lead the reader through a sequence of events.
Non-narratives don’t.
Reveal anchor chart (below) created prior to lesson. Touch each
point as you continue. Instead of being organized by time (first
this happened, then this, then this), non-narratives are organized by
ideas. They might go “I think this one thing about this topic, and I
also think this other thought, and I think this other thing, etc. Or
they might go, “This idea of mine is true because of one reason A,
and also because of another reason B, and most of all because of C.”
Instead of being held together by a character who travels through
the events of the story, a non-narratives are held together by an
idea that is developed, or an argument that is advanced, across the
whole text. Instead of being written so the reader can participate
in the events with the character, non-narratives are written so a
reader can think about the topic.
Guided
Practice
Send Off [for
Independent
Practice]
Group Share
Writers can write in either narrative or non-narrative structure and
have to choose which structure makes best sense for what they are
trying to say. They need to choose between the two since they are
organized and written in different ways. Let’s take a look at two
short pieces of writing, one written as a narrative story and one as
a non-narrative essay. With your partner, read both pieces. Decide
which is a non-narrative essay and which is a narrative story. Jot
down your ideas on each about why you made your choice about its
genre. Think about what we just discussed in order to do this.
Allow some time for this activity and then elicit discussion.
Today you are going to spend your independent writing time
continuing to explore this new genre of non-narrative essay. Read
writing pieces you have been given. Sort them into 2 piles, one pile
for essays and one for narratives. Be sure to jot down your reasons
for placing each in its pile. Especially notice the structure of each.
An alternate way to use this exploratory independent time might be
to have students look only at essays and write what they notice
about their structure.
Students can discuss the way they sorted the pieces.
Characteristics of Non-Narratives (and of Essays)
-Non-narratives are organized by ideas.
-They might go, “I think this one things, I also think this other thing, I also think
this other thing, and furthermore I think this thing.”
-Or they might go, “This is true because of A, because of B, and most of all,
because of C.”
-Non-narratives are held together by an idea that is developed (or an argument that is
advanced) across the whole text.
-Non-narratives are written so the reader can think about the topic.
After a long, cold winter, the first signs of spring are
always a most welcome sight. The little daffodil and tulip leaflets
poking determinedly through the brown stubble, promise lush
green and growing plants in just a few short weeks. The first
buds of the forsythia provide new color to the dull, gray
background. Birds careening among the trees snatching up the
first-awakened insects, tell us that all creatures are preparing
for the plenty ahead. The sunlight, now longer and brighter in
the sky, teases us with thoughts of sultry days to come. Children,
removing their winter coats and mittens as they emerge from
school, know that it is already too warm to be so snugly clad.
Similarly, Nature, throwing off its winter vestments, reminds us
that life renews itself once more.
As I walked into the park on that afternoon in late March, I
was amazed to see what a change had occurred in just the few
short days since I had last visited. That morning about a week
earlier, I had hurried along, bundled up in my warm down jacket,
wishing I hadn’t forgotten my mittens when I had set out. The
others I passed that morning had been likewise clad and seemed
in the same rush to get inside to a warm cup of tea. Now folks
were laughing and greeting one another in a slow, relaxed manner,
with hearty “Hellos” and “What a nice day!!” I felt my spirits soar
as I observed the birds flying overhead, feasting on insects and
preparing their new nests. I cautiously left the path and made my
way over the newly greening grass, so recently a brown stubble. I
noticed the small shoots of daffodils and tulips beginning to
emerge near the edges of the garden. I approached the budding
forsythia bush and admired the bright gold beginning to enwrap
the branches. I took a long, deep breath of the fresh spring air
and felt myself renewed.