Lesson 42: Ordinary Moments, Peer Reviewing a Narrative

Think-Pair-Share

Use this time to ground students in the purpose of peer review by reconnecting them to the performance task rubric and their own writing goals. This step builds ownership by having students identify specific areas where they want feedback, ensuring that the peer review is targeted rather than general. Emphasize that strong peer review begins with clear intentions about what kind of support is needed.

Have students take out their homework from the previous lesson that describes areas of their narrative they want feedback on. Display or handout the Performance Task Handout to each student or display one where it is visible to all students. Remind students that they used this rubric when they examined the exemplar personal narrative in Lesson 39.

• Say: This is the rubric you used when you examined the exemplar personal narrative in Lesson 39. We are going to look over the rubric and use it to reflect on which parts of your personal narrative you feel confident with and which parts need support. Then you will discuss your ideas with a partner.

• Say these Directions: Look at the Performance Task Handout. Think about which parts of your project you’re feeling good about and which you feel need support. Once you have an idea, turn and talk with your partner about it, and be prepared to share with the large group. 

  • I feel good about having a clear moment and good description, but I feel like I need some support with pacing.

Ask two or three students to share quick responses. 

• Say: “Now you know what areas of their project your partner wants support with. Today, you’ll keep that in mind as you read their work and help them find ways to improve it. Then you’ll each have some time to use one another’s suggestions to revise your work into a final draft.”

Connection to Today’s Learning 

• Say: Reviewing your work with a peer can help you identify areas of strength and areas for improvement. It is very helpful to get an outside perspective. As we’ve been studying in this unit, shifting your perspective can help you see the world in a new way. In this case, it can help you develop your writing in new ways.

Peer Review

This section is critical for modeling expectations before students attempt peer review independently. Students often default to vague praise or surface-level corrections, so explicit modeling of evidence-based, rubric-aligned feedback is essential. Focus on demonstrating how to move from general comments to precise, actionable suggestions that directly support revision.

• Say these Directions: Now we’re going to conduct a peer review of one another’s work. That means you’re going to switch narratives with your partner, read each other’s work, correct mistakes as you see them, and—most importantly—give each other advice on how to improve work according to the rubric. The focus of peer revision is to strengthen writing by identifying areas for revision. Make sure you identify one section of strength and one section of suggestion for your partner. In the next lesson, your partner will focus on those sections for annotation and revision.

Have students switch work with the same partners with whom they did the Launch activity. Remind them to keep in mind which parts of the project their partner already said may need support.

• Say: I might look at my partner’s paper, look at the rubric, and say, “I think your reflection is thoughtful, and your voice feels authentic. I really get a sense of who the narrator is. I think you need more detail to establish the setting. I’m not sure where the story takes place. Do you have any ideas about how you can make the setting clearer?“

Display sentence frames for students.

• One strength is __________ because ________.

• One suggestion is ____________ to make it clearer. This would strengthen ______.

• I noticed _________ connects well to ____________.

• In paragraph _______, you wrote _______. This is a great example of [narrative technique] because _______.

• In paragraph _______, what did you mean when you wrote _______? I think this could be clearer if you _______.

• The section that starts _______ is a great opportunity to use [narrative technique]. Let’s brainstorm some ideas!

Next, model constructive feedback using some of the frames:

• • One strength is your dialogue because I can imagine people really saying these things. One suggestion is to add more figurative language to make the story more interesting. I noticed that your ending connects well to the idea of belonging. In paragraph 3, you wrote, “Her gaze buzzed around the room like a bumblebee.” This is a great example of figurative language because it really makes me imagine what the character’s eyes are doing.

  • In paragraph 7, what do you mean when you wrote, “I’d never seen someone so close before”? I think this could be clearer if you used figurative language to show what you mean by “close.”

  • The section that starts “I shut my eyes tight” is a great opportunity to use pacing to slow down the narrative.

• Say: I’m going to display a first draft of part of the exemplar we looked at in Lesson 33. The writer of this narrative felt good about their use of vivid details but wanted help making their dialogue realistic.

The cafeteria was loud. Trays clattered, someone dropped a fork, and some seventh graders were arguing about who should get the last order of fries. I stood in the lunch line holding my tray and scanning the tables. My usual spot—the table next to the windows—was full.

I felt that tight, twisty feeling in my stomach. I could sit alone. I had done it before. Or I could ask to sit at another table. Asking felt harder.

I spotted Maya sitting at the end of a table near the vending machines. She had moved here last month and still mostly kept to herself. She was unwrapping her sandwich carefully, like she didn’t want to make a sound.

Before I could change my mind, my feet started walking.

“Hello,” I said. “Is there anyone sitting in this seat here?”

She looked up quickly, surprised. Her brown eyes darted around, like she expected a crowd to pop out and yell, Surprise! “No. There isn’t. You could sit down if you want.”

“Thank you.”

For a few seconds, we ate in silence. I wondered if I should say something or pull out the library book I’d just picked up. I noticed the drawing on her journal—a tiger crouched in tall grass.

“I think that’s really good,” I said, pointing to it. “Did you draw it?”

Her eyes lit up. “Yes. I draw a lot in my spare time.”

“My little brother is obsessed with big cats,” I said. “He would really enjoy your work.”

She smiled, just a little. “I could show you some others if you want.”

• Say: The writer feels good about their use of vivid details. I’ll look for an example that I think is strong. I can say, “In paragraph 2, you wrote, ‘that tight twisty feeling in my stomach.’ I felt like this was a good, vivid detail that felt relatable.” The writer wants support with writing realistic dialogue. You might say, “The dialogue feels a little formal. When I’m talking to friends, I use more slang and speak less formally. You might consider adding some contractions or slang into the story. For example, instead of Maya saying, ‘No. There isn’t,’ she might include a filler word like ‘Um’ and say, ‘Um, no. You can sit.’ Maya seems a bit shy, so I don’t think she would say a lot at the beginning of the conversation.”

Remind students that the peer review should be a conversation. They can make notes on their classmates’ drafts to help remind them of what they’ve discussed. The purpose of peer review is to support revision and to support students’ confidence in what they have already done well.

• Say: Explain to a partner what you are most looking forward to and what you predict you will find most challenging about peer review.

  • I am really looking forward to hearing a classmate’s thoughts about the dialogue in my narrative. I think I can make it more realistic. When it comes time to review someone else’s work, I think I may have difficulty pointing out areas for improvement because I am afraid I will offend them.

Allow time for students to volunteer some of the challenges they anticipate during the peer review process, and discuss as necessary.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Peer review helps generate ideas for how to improve writing. It can help you “get out of your own head” when it comes to articulating ideas and telling your story.

Learning in Action: Peer Review (W.6.5, SL.6.1.c) (30 minutes)

Today’s Learning in Action is not separated into Part A and Part B. Students should spend the first half discussing Partner A’s work, and the second half discussing Partner B’s work.

This is the core application of the lesson, in which students practice both giving and receiving feedback. The structure (timed partner rotations, checklist, and sentence frames) ensures accountability and equitable participation. Monitor closely to ensure feedback remains focused on rubric criteria and includes specific evidence, rather than general opinions or editing-only comments.

Teach: Peer Review

Students will work with the same partner they worked with during the Launch activity to complete their peer review.

Say these Directions: Switch narrative writing with the same partner you did your Launch activity with. Keep in mind which parts of the project your partner thinks need more support. Take the first 15 minutes to discuss one narrative and then switch. I’ll prompt you when it is time to switch.

Remind students of the Literacy Lab sentence frames available to them. Display this checklist for pairs to refer to as they work:

• Find one section of strength. Explain why you find it strong.

• Identify strong examples of specific narrative techniques, such as vivid detail and realistic, engaging dialogue.

• Find one section that could be clearer. Suggest ideas for making it clearer.

• Ask your partner to explain sections that you hope to better understand.

Halfway through the designated Learning in Action time, prompt students to switch and focus on their partner’s narrative, repeating the peer-review process.

Close this section by reinforcing that the purpose of peer review is revision, not evaluation. Ensure students leave with clear, actionable next steps by prompting them to articulate at least one specific revision they will make. This prepares them for Lesson 35 and strengthens the connection to W.6.5.

Quick Write

Use the Quick Write to assess whether students can translate feedback into revision priorities. This is a key checkpoint for determining readiness for the next lesson. Look for responses that move beyond identification and begin to show planning for revision, as this indicates a deeper understanding of the writing process.

Invite students to consider the peer-review process and to write their Quick Write. Collect formative feedback so you can provide support in the next lesson.

• Ask: Based on the peer review process, what is one section of your narrative that you think would benefit most from revision? Which area is the strongest?

  • • Optional Sentence Starter:

  • “One section that would benefit from revision is ________. One thing I did well was _________.”

    • One section that would benefit from revision is the final section where the narrator reflects on what has happened. One thing I did well was write realistic dialogue.

Instruct students to take notes in their Journal on the following prompt:

• What section of your narrative would benefit most from revision? What are two things you can do to strengthen this section?