Lesson 35: A Different Perspective, Narrative Writing, Part 2

Use this launch to bridge students’ pre-writing to drafting by having them reflect on how their graphic organizer and outline clarified their character’s perspective and sequence of events. Emphasize that strong narratives are planned, not improvised, and that today’s task is to translate those plans into a coherent, well-developed narrative. This reinforces the connection between planning and effective narrative writing.

Instruct students to take out their homework from the previous lesson.

• Lesson 30 Homework: Students were instructed to complete the outlines of the narratives that they began in the previous lesson.

Turn-and-Talk

Instruct students to turn and talk with partners about the following prompt:

• Ask: How did completing the graphic organizer from your character’s perspective and writing your outline help you to plan your writing for today?

  • Filling out the graphic organizer helped me think about who my character really is and how he would feel about really specific things that were in the book. Writing the outline helped me organize my ideas better so I could see how they would fit into the story I’m writing.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, you’re going to use the pre-writing materials you created in the last lesson to write your narrative retelling the story from an adult character's perspective.

Language Study

Target Words: genre, narrative

Reintroduce the Word: Write or display the word “genre” where all students can see it. Ask a volunteer to say it out loud.

1. Ask: What does the word “genre” mean?

A genre is a category of art, writing, or music with a distinct style, form, or subject matter.

Recall the language study from Lesson 17 about the genre of Look Both Ways.

• Say: Back in Lesson 17, we talked about the genre of Look Both Ways. Does anyone remember what genre this book is?

It is a narrative story.

Reintroduce the Word: Write or display the word “narrative” where all students can see it. Ask a volunteer to say it out loud. Engage students in a discussion about the word.

1. Say: The genre of Look Both Ways is “narrative.” What does that mean?

A narrative is a type of writing that tells a story.

• Ask: Is Look Both Ways a fictional narrative or a nonfiction narrative? What does that mean? Is this the only type of narrative?

Look Both Ways is a fictional narrative. That means it isn’t true. There are also nonfiction narratives.

Recall the discussion of an author’s purpose when writing narrative stories from Lesson 17.

• Say: Back in Lesson 17, we discussed what the author’s purposes usually are when writing a narrative story.

• Ask: What are some authors’ purposes when writing a narrative story?

  • To entertain and to help the reader connect with characters or ideas on a personal level

Transition to discussing figurative language as a narrative technique.

• Say: Authors use different narrative techniques to achieve their purposes. One narrative technique we’ve talked about before is figurative language. How does figurative language help achieve an author’s purpose in a narrative story?

  • Figurative language can make the story more entertaining, especially if it’s funny. It can also explain how characters feel instead of just what is happening.

Display your model intro paragraph from the previous lesson.

• I love the way that smoke hits me when I walk in the front door. It smells like the brand my Granddad used to smoke before Grandma made him give ‘em up. The clacking of the pool balls means my friends are already inside, having a good time. When I walk in, everyone shouts “Hey, Carl!” and I know I’m home, here with my best friends. Some dogs just have to bark a few times before they lick your face.

Instruct students to reread the paragraph and focus on how it uses figurative language to achieve its purpose. Briefly discuss.

• Ask: How does this paragraph use figurative language either to entertain or to help the reader make personal connections?

  • It uses a metaphor, comparing the men in the bar to dogs that seem scary at first but are actually friendly. This describes the kind of people the friends are and shows how the narrator feels about them. That helps me make a personal connection with Carl because I have some friends like that, too.

By the end of this discussion, students should understand how narrative techniques, especially figurative language, support an author’s purpose by helping readers connect to characters and ideas. Students should be prepared to intentionally select and apply techniques in their own writing based on the effect they want to have on the reader.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: “Today, you’ll use narrative techniques like using figurative language to help you write entertaining narratives of your own. Your goal is to keep your reader connected to all your characters. Remember to also use some other narrative techniques we’ve talked about before, such as pacing and structure.”

Narrative Writing from a New Perspective (W.6.3.a) (30 minutes)

Use this writing time to support students in drafting a coherent narrative that reflects their planned perspective, structure, and techniques. Emphasize that effective narratives maintain a consistent point of view, develop a clear sequence of events, and use techniques purposefully to shape meaning. As students write, prompt them to align their details, pacing, and language choices with their narrator’s perspective and intended effect on the reader.

Say: Before you start writing, make a quick plan at the top of your page. Write down the two narrative techniques you plan to use and why. What effect do you want each one to have on your reader?

Distribute the Narrative Retelling Self-Check. Direct students to fill in their technique goal before they begin drafting.

Narrative Retelling Self-Check ✓

☐ I am writing from my chosen adult character's point of view (not my own).

☐ My narrative includes specific characters, settings, or events from Look Both Ways.

☐ I used at least one sensory detail.

☐ I used at least one pacing move (short sentences for tension, longer sentences to slow down).

☐ I used at least one piece of figurative language.

☐ My character's perspective sounds different from the original narrator's.

My technique goal for today: ___________________________

Say: Keep this self-check next to you while you write. Before you turn in your draft, check every box. If you can't check one, that's your revision target.

Have students refer to their 3-Column character perspectives graphic organizers and outlines from the previous lesson. Instruct students to begin writing their own narratives.

• Say: Keep your copy of Look Both Ways open to the chapter you're retelling. As you draft, check back to make sure you're capturing the setting, events, and other characters accurately. Make sure your second paragraph clearly connects to your first—your narrator should react to what happens, not just describe it. Even though you're writing from a new perspective, the facts of the scene should stay consistent.

Write or display the prompt where all students can see it: Rewrite part of a story from Look Both Ways from the perspective of an adult character.

• Say: Today, you are going to begin writing your narrative retellings. Remember, you're retelling a scene from Look Both Ways from the perspective of an adult character, not yourself. Aim for 1–2 paragraphs, or as long as you need to give us a sense of what happens from your character’s perspective.

Note to teacher: This is the same model paragraph from the Literacy Lab, now expanded with a second paragraph to show students what a complete 1–2 paragraph narrative retelling looks like. You do not need to reread the first paragraph aloud; direct students' attention to how the second paragraph introduces the events from the scene while maintaining Carl's adult voice and perspective.

• Teacher Model (expanded from Literacy Lab): I love the way that smoke hits me when I walk in the front door. It smells like the brand my Granddad used to smoke before Grandma made him give ‘em up. The sound of the clacking sound of the pool balls means that my friends are already inside, having a good time. When I walk in, everyone shouts “Hey, Carl!” and I know I’m home, here with my best friends. Some dogs just have to bark a few times before they lick your face.

• The last thing I expected to see here in my home away from home was a group of kids no more than twelve years old. The bartender told them they couldn’t be there, but they just ignored him. I kind of shook my head at their disrespect and smiled at their courage at the same time. I didn’t think much of it when they said they were selling candy. I don’t really like the candy kids eat these days. But once they mentioned Mary Janes, it’s like they strapped me in a time machine and sent me back to my grandparents’ house down South. I couldn’t say no to that, even at the outrageous price of $2.50. As they walked out the door I shook my head and smiled while enjoying my overpriced candy. These kids today still got some hustle!

With around five minutes remaining, instruct students to stop writing. Invite a few students to share the narrative techniques they used and how each impacted their stories.

• Ask: Who would like to share a narrative technique they used today? How has it impacted your story?

• Say: When you share, use the vocabulary from today's lesson. Don't just say "I added a cool detail"—name the technique: "I used a sensory detail to show…" or "I used pacing by…" or "My figurative language creates the effect of… ."

  • One technique I used was pacing. I decided not to have the Low Cuts walk into the bar until my second paragraph, so we could learn a little bit about who Carl was first. This helped introduce my new character and the setting before I shared the characters and plot points that my readers already know.

With the remaining time in this part, introduce the Showcase Task and instruct students to begin brainstorming ideas for their writing. Inform them that this can be a simple task they do every day, such as brushing their teeth or eating lunch at school. They will have an additional 5 minutes to discuss their initial ideas during the Look Back at the end of this lesson.

Showcase Task: Write a personal narrative about an ordinary moment from your life.

Lesson 35 Writing Rubric: Narrative — Perspective Shift Draft, Part 2

Writing prompt: Continue and complete the perspective-shift narrative draft. Develop the middle and ending of the scene, showing how the different narrator experiences and responds to the key moment.

Quick Wrick

Use this quick write to reinforce students’ ability to evaluate their own writing in terms of technique and perspective. Students should identify where they apply a narrative technique, explain its purpose, and demonstrate where the narrator’s perspective is clearly established. This reflection strengthens their ability to make intentional writing choices and prepares them for independent narrative writing in the upcoming Performance Task.

Before you turn in your draft:

1. Underline one narrative technique you used.

2. In the margin, write which technique it is (figurative language, pacing, sensory detail) and why you chose it.

3. Circle one place where your adult character's perspective is clear — where the reader can tell this isn't the original narrator speaking.

Turn in your draft with these annotations.

Showcase Task preview

Say: Starting in Lesson 39, you'll write a personal narrative based on an ordinary moment from your life. Between now and then, start noticing ordinary moments that could make interesting stories. Jot one idea in your Journal tonight.

Instruct students to finish the narratives they began today if necessary. Ask students to write the Showcase Task prompt in their Journal:

• Prompt: “Write a personal narrative paragraph based on an ordinary moment from your life.”

• Continue brainstorming ideas below the prompt.