Unit of Study: Narrative Writing
Grade: 1
Title: Unit 2
Length of Study: 6 to 7 weeks
Genre Description: What is narrative writing?
Priority Standards:
Supporting Standards:
W.1.3.1. c. Write narratives in which they recount two or more W.1.3.1.e. Use pictures or graphic organizers to plan writing
appropriately sequenced events, include some details
regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event W.1.3.1.f. With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools
to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers. (CCSS:
order, and provide some sense of closure. (CCSS: W.1.3)
W.1.6)
W.1.3.1.d. With guidance and support from adults, focus on a
topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and W.1.3.2.a.iii. Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic
sentences (e.g., He hops; We hop). (CCSS: L.1.1c)
add details to strengthen writing as needed. (CCSS: W.1.5)
W.1.3.2.a.iv Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns (e.g., I, me,
my; they, them, their, anyone, everything). (CCSS: L.1.1d)
W.1.3.2.b.i Write complete simple sentences.
W.1.3.2.a.vi Use frequently occurring adjectives. (CCSS: L.1.1f)
W.1.3.2.a.viii Use determiners (e.g., articles, demonstratives). (CCSS:
L.1.1h)
W.1.3.2.b.ii . Capitalize dates and names of people. (CCSS:
L.1.2a)
W.1.3.2.b.iii . Use end punctuation for sentences. (CCSS: L.1.2b)
W.1.3.2.b.v Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling
patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words. (CCSS: L.1.2d)
W.1.3.2.b.vi . Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic
awareness and spelling conventions. (CCSS: L.1.2e)
Essential Questions:
Why
How
How
How
do
do
do
do
we write personal narratives?
I use pictures and words to tell my experiences/stories?
I write a story using beginning, middle, and end?
writers use other authors as mentors for narrative writing?
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Unit of Study: Narrative Writing
Mini Lesson Concepts/Topics
Day 1: Pre-Assessment
Grade: 1
Mini Lesson Concepts/Topics
Resources
Mentor Text
http://www.njtesolnjbe.org/handouts10/SM_Small_Moment_S
tories.pdf
Title: Unit 2: Personal Narrative & Length of Study: 6 to 7 weeks
Small Moments
Resources
Mentor Text
Prewriting/ Planning
Generating Topics/ Real-life
Connections
First Grade Writers by Stephanie
*Heart Map (Mentor Texts by
Parsons Ch. 4 pg. 76-99
Lynne Dorfman pg. 54-58)
Small Moments: Personal
*Stones in the River (timeline)
*Prewriting: Topics to Write About Narrative Writing by Lucy Calkins
http://jmeacham.com/writing.mini.les and Abby Oxenhorn Session I pg. 1.
sons.htm
Special Memories by Rozanne
Lanczak Williams
A Chair For My Mother by Vera B.
Williams
Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee
(W.1.3.1.d)
Graphic Organizers/ Planning
*Prewriting: Story Map
Small Moments: Personal
Brainstorming Sheets
http://jmeacham.com/writing.mini.les Narrative Writing by Lucy Calkins
and Abby Oxenhorn Session VII pg.
sons.htm
55.
*Circle Map (Thinking Maps)
Thinking Maps & Write from the
*Story Board
Beginning
*Hand Map (Mentor Texts by
Lynne Dorfman pg. 65-68)
(W.1.3.1.e)
Focus on a Topic
*Why is the topic important?
*Why am I interested in the topic?
*Can I write enough about it?
*What do I want to tell my
audience about it?
Small Moments: Personal
Narrative Writing by Lucy Calkins
and Abby Oxenhorn Session II pg.
11.
Alexander and the Terrible,
Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by Judith Viorst
(W.1.3.1.d)
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Unit of Study: Narrative Writing
Audience
*Who is going to read it?
*Who is going to listen to it?
*Who are you writing it for?
Karate Hour by Carol Nevius
Canoe Days by Gary Paulsen
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
(W.1.3.1.d)
Drafting
Storytelling to a Partner
*look at the speaker
*listen attentively
*offer appropriate & constructive
feedback
*speak loudly
*speak clearly
Small Moments: Personal
Narrative Writing by Lucy Calkins
and Abby Oxenhorn Session IX pg.
71.
(W.1.3.1.d)
Illustrations
*Do the pictures tell your story?
*Do the pictures add to your
story?
*Do they include details?
Fireflies! by Julie Brinckloe
Snow Day! by Lester Laminack
A Place for Butterflies by Melissa
Stewart
(W.1.3.1.c; W.1.3.1.e)
Using Labels with Pictures
*Do labels match pictures?
*Use of specific nouns
(W.1.3.1.e)
My Map Book by Sara Fanelli
Cassie’s Word Quilt by F. Ringgold
Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert
Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois
Ehlert
Of Colors and Things by T. Hoban
Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book
Ever by R. Scarry
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Unit of Study: Narrative Writing
Stretching Out a Word
*Sound out the sounds in a word
(W.1.3.2.b.vi)
Setting
*Time (of day, year, month,
season)
*Place (inside, outside, location)
(W.1.3.1.d)
Character Development
*What do they look like?
*How do they act?
(W.1.3.1.d; W.1.3.2.b.i; W.1.3.2.a.vi;
W.1.3.2.b.ii)
Matching Illustrations to Words
*Do your pictures match your
words?
(W.1.3.1.d; W.1.3.2.b.i)
How Far Will a Rubber Band
Stretch? by M. Thaler
Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum by L.
Wheeler
Double Bubble Trouble by J.
Small Moments: Personal
Bradbury
Narrative Writing by Lucy Calkins
Arms, Legs, and Other Limbs by A.
and Abby Oxenhorn Session V pg. 39.
Fowler
All the Places to Love by Patricia
Mac Lachlan
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Canoe Days by Gary Paulsen
Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco
Where the Wild Things Are by
Maurice Sendak
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge
by Mem Fox
Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill
The Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko
Kasza
My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza
Where the Wild Things Are by
Maurice Sendak
Fireflies! by Julie Brinckloe
Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin
Henkes
Biggest, Strongest, Fastest by
Steve Jenkins
Bigmama’s by Donald Crews
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Unit of Study: Narrative Writing
Beginning, Middle, End
*Road Map
*Train (engine, car, caboose)
*Flow chart (Thinking Maps)
Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson
A Chair For My Mother by Vera B.
Williams
Widget by Lyn Rossiter
(W.1.3.1.e)
Ending the Story/Closure
*Surprise Ending ex. Snow Day!
The Great Gracie Chase by Cynthia
by Lester Laminack
Rylant
*Circular Ending ex. If You Give
When Sophie Gets Angry, Really,
a Mouse a Cookie by Laura
Really Angry by Molly Bang
Numeroff
*Lesson Learned ex. Stellaluna Mentor Texts by Lynne Dorfman Ch. Shortcut by Donald Crews
5 pg.116-132
Snow Day! by Lester Laminack
by Janell Cannon
The Great Fuzz Frenzy by Janet and
*Future Ending (wish/ hope)
Susan Stevens Crummel
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
Kevin Henkes
Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox
*Final Action ex. Crab Moon by
Ruth Horowitz
(W.1.3.1.c; W.1.3.2.b.i)
Revising
Sequence & Use of Temporal
Words
*first, next, then, finally
Stretching Out Small Moments
*Bubble Gum; Rubber Band; Arm- Small Moments: Personal
http://jmeacham.com/writing.mini.les Narrative Writing by Lucy Calkins
sons.htm
and Abby Oxenhorn Session IV pg.
*Mind Movie Mentor Texts by
29.
Lynne Dorfman pg.70
(W.1.3.1.c; W.1.3.1.d; W.1.3.2.b.i)
Tuesday by David Weisner
Alexander and the Terrible,
Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by Judith Viorst
Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox
Shortcut by Donald Crews
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
I Lost My Tooth in Africa by Penda
Diakite
Rain Romp: Stomping Away a
Grouchy Day by Jane Kurtz
Night Noises by Mem Fox
Little Ninos Pizzeria by Karen
Barbour
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Unit of Study: Narrative Writing
Details
*Show Don’t Tell (use descriptive
language instead of simply telling)
*Power Flowers
*5 Senses
*Character Traits
*Important Objects to Story
(W.1.3.1.c; W.1.3.1.d; W.1.3.2.b.i)
Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells
The Two of Them by Aliki
Small Moments: Personal
Fireflies! by Julie Brinckloe
Narrative Writing by Lucy Calkins
Ace Lacewing: Bug Detective by
and Abby Oxenhorn Session VII pg.
David Biedrzycki
55.
Many Luscious Lollipops by Ruth
Mentor Texts by Lynne Dorfman Ch.
Heller
4 pg.69
Mentor Texts by Lynne Dorfman pg.
65-68 Ch. 1 Charlotte’s Web
Editing
Sentence Styling/Fluency
*end punctuation
*capitalization-proper nouns/
dates; pronouns
*prepositions
*conjunctions
(W.1.3.2.a.iii; W.1.3.2.a.iv; WW.1.3.2.a.vi;
WW.1.3.2.a.viii; W.1.3.2.b.i; W.1.3.2.b.ii;
W.1.3.2.b.iii; W.1.3.2.b.v; W.1.3.2.b.vi)
Writing Alive: Sentence Styling
Max’s Words by Kate Banks
The Boy Who Loved Words by
Schotter
Punctuation Takes A Vacation;
Nouns and Verbs Have a Field Day
by Robin Pulver
How Far Will a Rubber Band
Stretch? by Mike Thaler
Arms, Elbows, Hands, and Fingers
by Lola Shaefer
Dear Mr. Blueberry by Simon James
Canoe Days by Gary Paulsen
Don’t Take Your Snake for a Stroll
by Karin Ireland
On Demand Writing Prompts:
Write about a time you were scared.
Write about a time you were mad.
Write about an enjoyable time that you spent with your family or friends. Make sure to include details.
Walking into the classroom on the first day of school.
Loosing a tooth.
Trying to get rid of a bee that has entered a classroom/ house.
Finding money.
Seeing or holding your baby brother/ sister for the first time.
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Unit of Study: Narrative Writing
Common Formative Assessment Tasks: Checks for Understanding
Collection of Student Created Books
Teacher Conference Records
Exit Slips ex. Tell in your own words what narrative writing is?; How can you use mentor text to better your
writing?; How can you stretch out a small moment?; Write a sentence that demonstrates your understanding of
possessive nouns (action verbs; pronouns; etc).; Use the editing checklist to revise/ edit a piece of your work.;
Describe your favorite toy without saying what it is.
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