Lesson 41: Reflective Narrative: Drafting

In the previous lesson, students began planning and pre-writing their Narrative using storyboarding. Now they will think about drafting an introductory paragraph for their narrative. Instruct students to take out their completed outlines and their homework from the previous lesson.

Turn and Talk

Say these Directions: Today, you will begin turning your writing plans into a full draft. Review your homework response and think back to the opening of The Outsiders. What makes the opening of The Outsiders memorable?

• The opening of the book immediately establishes Ponyboy’s voice and perspective, which draws in the reader.

Reconvene the class and ask a few students to share their ideas.

Connection to Today’s Learning: 

• Say: In the previous lesson, you planned your narrative. Now, you will begin drafting the introduction to your narrative. As you do so, keep in mind the techniques writers use to engage the reader, and consider how to apply them to your own writing.

Students learn about changing narration into dialogue, and how to use appropriate punctuation and transitions. Model examples for students, then students practice on their own. Share ideas in a whole-class discussion.

Dialogue and Transitions

Say these Directions: There are many writing tools that can make stories feel real and engaging. Today, we will focus on dialogue and transitions by evaluating some examples of how to change narration into dialogue.

Display the example: I told him to stop.

• Say: While this sentence conveys what happened, it doesn’t provide any additional context or emotion. To engage the reader, we could change the sentence into dialogue and instead write: “Stop,” I said. “You’re going too far.”

• Ask: What is different about the second version?

  • It sounds more real; we can hear the character speaking, making it more intense.

• Say: Dialogue allows readers to hear the characters. It also helps show emotion and conflict, instead of simply telling about it.

• Say: The way dialogue is punctuated also matters. Let’s practice adding the right punctuation to our new dialogue:

Display the example: “Stop” I said “You’re going too far”

Allow students to correct the punctuation in the sentences. Guide students to notice where the two missing commas and two missing periods belong.

• Say: There are three key rules we should apply to this dialogue:

  • Place a comma before the closing quotation mark when a dialogue tag follows.

  • Place a period at the end of the sentence inside the quotation marks.

  • Start a new paragraph when a new speaker begins their dialogue.

Model how writers can use dialogue to show emotion.

Display the example: “You’re not going to tell, are you?” Marcus asked.

• Ask: Writers also use dialogue to show emotion. What does the example dialogue show about Marcus?

  • He is nervous, guilty, or unsure about something.

• Say: Now, you practice. Turn the following sentence into dialogue: He asked me if I was going to tell the teacher.

  • “Are you going to tell the teacher?” he asked.

Transitions for Effect

Say these Directions: Writers also use transitions to help build tension. Transitions are connecting words or phrases that help build movement through time and action. Review the example sentences and rewrite them to include transitions.

Here is a list of some potential transitions you could add:

Display the example: I walked down the hallway. I saw Marcus. I felt nervous.

• Ask: Why do these sentences need improvement?

  • The short sentences feel flat and repetitive. There is no flow or sense of time or escalation.

• Ask: How could you rewrite the sentences to add transitions?

  • I walked down the hallway. Suddenly, I saw Marcus leaning against his locker. At that moment, my stomach tightened with nerves.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Dialogue and transitions can improve narrative writing and engage the reader. As you write your introduction, remember to turn flat portions of your narrative into dialogue that includes proper punctuation and transitions.

Part A: Modeling an Introduction (W.7.3.a, W.7.3.b, W.7.3.c) (5 minutes)

Students investigate a sample introduction in preparation for writing their personal narrative in Part B.

Say these Directions: Review the sample introductory paragraph. This is a different way to introduce the same story we read in the previous lesson. Think about how you might revise the paragraph as I read it out loud.

Read the sample introduction aloud:

The hallway was almost empty when I saw Marcus staring at the floor by his locker. Everyone had heard about the math test. Everyone knew that he had cheated. Now Marcus was waiting for me to choose a side.

• Ask: What does this paragraph do well? What expectations does it meet?

  • This paragraph introduces the narrator, point of view, setting, and conflict clearly. However, we can use dialogue and transitions to improve. Listen again.

• Ask: How would you revise the paragraph to include dialogue and transitions?

  • We could rewrite this paragraph by adding dialogue between the narrator and Marcus to show tension.

Display the new sample paragraph:

The hallway was almost empty when I saw Marcus staring at the floor by his locker. Slowly, I walked up to him. “Hey,” I said, trying to sound as if I hadn’t heard anything. “How’s it going?” But he knew that everyone had heard about the math test. They knew that he had cheated. Now Marcus was waiting for me to choose a side.

• Say: The phrases “Hey” and “How’s it going” help show the awkward exchange between Marcus and the narrator. The dialogue also slows the pacing slightly so readers can feel the tension in the moment. The new transition with “but” emphasizes the conflict and connects ideas more clearly.

Provide students with a confidence continuum (i.e., 1–5). As needed, model how to demonstrate a level of confidence using the continuum.

Part B: Drafting the Introduction (W.7.3.a, W.7.3.b, W.7.3.c) (25 minutes)

Remind students to use their outlines to create an introductory paragraph for their narrative. Present the Narrative Writing Checklist. Take a few minutes to review it and answer questions before students begin writing.

Say these Directions: Review the Narrative Writing Checklist below. Refer back to it as you draft your introductory paragraph.

• Say: Before drafting your introduction, decide your narrator’s point of view. Will your narrative use first-person (“I”) or third-person narration? Most reflective narratives use first person because it helps readers connect to the narrator’s thoughts and feelings.

• Then orient the reader in your opening sentences. Make sure the reader understands:

  • who is speaking,

  • where the scene takes place,

  • what moment or conflict is beginning

• As you continue into the rising action, use at least one narrative technique—dialogue, pacing, or description—to develop the moment, character, or conflict more clearly. Use transitions to help the events unfold naturally. Include at least two transitions that show sequence or shifts in time, such as later, the next morning, by the time, meanwhile, or when we got to the game.

Invite students to work with a partner to discuss the experience of drafting an introduction to their narratives. Have them share their work with each other and discuss what they like about their partner’s work. As time allows, invite students to share their introductions with the class.

Think-Pair-Share

Say these Directions: Exchange your paragraph with a partner. Read your partner’s paragraph, and give them at least one positive piece of feedback describing what you liked most.

Instruct students to review their introduction and write a short response to the prompt in their Journal:

• What words could I change in my introduction to be more descriptive and better grab a reader’s attention?