Topic: Personal Narrative Writing Subject: Language Arts

Grade: 3/4
Unit Plan Rationale:
The overarching theme for my writing unit is What good writers do. My hope for this theme is that my
students will begin to see themselves as valued writers. They are not simply completing a writing
assignment; they are becoming authors by crafting a writing piece that they can be proud of. A lot of the
focus during the beginning stages is to write drafts that they can practice their skills with, without the
pressure of it being the one. This way they are able to work on various aspects, such as having strong
beginnings, in an authentic way but without having to make everything perfect. They will really come to
understanding through the revision process how to build upon their writing and make improvements. This
is an important life skill to learn in general too. The first time you attempt something it doesnt have to be
perfect.
I think that the writers workshop approach that I have taken to this unit will be beneficial because it allows
for larger amounts of time designated to focus on writing. I also tried to incorporate a lot of literature into
my lessons so that students could see real life examples of these writing techniques in practice.
 Date/ Teaching/ Learning
Lesson Topic Objectives Assessment Materials
Lesson # Strategies
Lesson 1 Introduction To identify 1. What is a personal Class Quilt Templates
Characteristics of elements of narrative? Discussions
Personal Narratives narratives 2. Brainstorming Quilt
character, setting, -Grannys Quilt to
and dialogue discuss memories
To brainstorm 3. Briefly model and
writing topic ideas discuss character
description, setting,
and dialogue
Lesson 2 Applying Elements To identify the 1. Review elements of Writing folder for Writing Folders
elements of character, setting, ideas and drafts
narratives in a dialogue
story 2. Use short story
To brainstorm passage so students
writing topic ideas can locate these
elements
3. GUM strategy for
writing ideas
-Guess, Underline,
Move on
4. Add ideas to quilt and
pick an idea to start
writing about try to
use 2-3 of the
elements
5. Writing goes into their
drafts folder
Lesson 3 Focusing the topic To narrow their idea 1. Choose new idea to write Hourglass
into a manageable about Organizers
moment to write 2. Hourglass organizer to
about narrow down a focused
idea
3. Begin writing on the
focused idea then add to
drafts

4. Add to: What good

narrative writer do - Have
a Narrow Focus
Lesson 4 Hooking the reader To write a variety of 1. Demonstrate various Exit Activity: put A selection of
narrative types of beginnings from a tally under books with
beginnings diff. books which type of strong
-foreshadowing, action, lead you wrote beginnings
dialogue, character about
description, setting
description ect.
2. Choose new idea or try a
new lead on a previous draft
3. 1 or 2 students share a
beginning they are happy
with
Add: Hook the Reader
Lesson 5 Setting To use detail to 1. Read-Pair-Share short
enhance setting story passages to identify
description how the setting was
To identify described
comparisons 2. Teach Comparison/Simile
writers use to 3. Considering all 5 senses,
describe the write details for your
setting setting for new writing or
To identify and use an old draft
strong adjectives - Close eyes and remember
 the scene like its a movie
4. 5 mins for sharing
Add: develop a detailed
setting

Lesson 6 Characters To use detail to 1. Use Pax to discuss Peer Feedback of Pax Novel
enhance character what we know about descriptions Character
description each character Pictures
To identify and use 2. They can choose books
strong adjectives to look through the find
sentences that
describe characters
3. Hand out pictures of
characters, in partners
back to back they have
to describe the
character while the
other draws
4. Pick a character in your
story and write 2-3
sentences to describe
them

Add: have well-established

characters
Lesson 7 Improving To use a variety of 1. What is a transition Exit Activity : Story Glue
Transitions transition words 2. Transitions Story Glue show that you Poster
and phrases to Poster used at least 1 Sticky Notes
assist reading - Place sticky notes with new transition
fluency transition words on the word before
glue poster putting away
3. Continue working on your draft
draft by adding/using
transition words.
 Add : Good writers use
transitions

Lesson 8 Work on Writing To apply writing 1. Review the list of what Observation of
strategies good readers do focused writing
practiced in class 2. Read their drafts pick Determine how
to their narrative a story to finish writing much more time
writing 3. Partner up, explain to is required to
To develop a partner what happens finish writing
narrative story of a next and where the
personal story is going
experience 4. Continue writing
5. Share to class if
comfortable

Lesson 8 Ending with a Bang To create an ending 1. Model various endings Exit Activity : A selection of
to their narrative through a selection of Share with a books with
that books they will be partner at least strong endings
redefines/provides familiar with 1 of the endings
insight into why 2. Model writing an
their experience is ending to a story
important 3. They write 2-3 different
endings to their
stories, share with a
classmate and pick the
one they like best
Add: write strong endings
Lesson 9 Revision : Word To identify and 1. Read Brian P. Cleary Formative Brian P. Clearly
Choice choose strong books Assessment Books
verbs and adverbs - To root, to shoot, to - Students - Verbs and
to enhance writing parachute share strong adverbs
- Nearly, dearly, insincerely words they
2. Class to act out the chose
sentences I say with - Hold up
progressively stronger fingers for
verbs and adverbs number of
3. Model revising a draft words they
by striking out weak revised
verbs and replacing
with strong verbs
4. Go back to their
writing, underline the
verbs and chance 3-5
to be stronger
Add: use strong verbs
Lesson 10 Sentence Variety To edit run-on and 1. Read: This sentence Check sentence This sentence
incomplete has 5 words lengths in has 5 words
sentences 2. Variety of sentence margin of drafts passage
To rearrange lengths use and look for
sentences to get a conjunctions to revisions
variety of sentence combine sentences
lengths together
3. Sentence beginnings
should vary too
4. Write the number of
words in each
sentence in the margin
5. Underline the first 4
words in each
sentence
6. Adjust if they are
 repetitive
Add: use a variety of
sentence lengths and types

Lesson 11 Peer Revision To demonstrate use 7. T.A.G. group feedback Peer Feedback T.A.G Feedback
of pre-established model through TAG forms
criteria to provide - Tell something you liked
feedback to peers - Ask a question
on their writing - Give a suggestion
To identify 8. Model giving and
strengths and ideas receiving feedback
for improvement 9. In small groups each
To appreciate the read their story and
feedback of others receive written
feedback from peers
10.Pick which suggestions
you will use and which
ones you will not
Add: Receive and give
feedback
Lesson 12 Revision To utilize a 1. Hand out a checklist to Self-Assessment Writing
checklist to make each student Checklist Checklists
final changes to 2. Go through each item
their narrative and ensure you have
completed it fully add
in a few more detailed
where needed
3. Share revisions
Lesson 13 Editing To demonstrate 1. ARMS and CUPS Peer Check ARMS and
correct use of editing guide CUPS visual
punctuation, 2. Rainbow editing Rainbow Edit
spelling and checklist visual
grammer
To use a variety of Add: Edit their work
strategies to
correct spelling
Lesson 14 Publishing To use keyboarding 1. Microsoft word review Final Copy to be Class Set of
skills to publish - Navigating Microsoft tools handed in as Laptops
their narratives and typing summative
To use computer 2. Class time to transfer assessment
skills to edit their their written drafts,
writing revisions and edits to a
final copy
Add: Publish!

What Good Writers Do!

- Have a narrow focus
- Hook the reader
- Include a detailed setting
- Have well-established characters
- Use transitions
- Write insightful endings
- Use strong verbs
- Use a variety of sentences lengths and types
- Receive and give feedback
- Edit their work for mistakes
- Publish and share!
 Criteria Gold Silver Bronze
Narrow Focus Topic of the story has Topic of the story is Topic of the story is too
been narrowly focused to slightly broad but still broad to be captured
capture a memorable able to be captured completely
moment
Hooks the Reader An enticing beginning An adequate beginning Beginning needs more
which hooks the reader peaks readers interest work
Setting Setting is well developed Setting has been Setting needs some work
an provides reader with established and some to provide the reader
a strong mental image details are included with a mental image
Characters Characters are well- Characters have been Characters are present
developed and include established and some but require more detail
rich detail detail is included
Ending The ending is insightful The ending is adequate Ending is off topic and/or
and connects to the to the story not fully developed
memorable moment in
the story
Word Excellent choice of words Sufficient choice of Word choice is
Choice/Sentence and variety words with some variety predictable and doesnt
Sentences are skillfully Sentences are somewhat leave the reader with a
Structure
varied by length and varied by length and strong image
type type Sentences are of similar
length and type
throughout
Revision/Editing Excellent attention paid Adequate attention paid Could use some more
to revising and editing to revising and editing revising and editing as
during writing process during writing process errors are present and
ideas not fully developed
Personal Narratives
Personal Narratives Learning Outcomes
Grade 3 Grade 4
GLO 2 GLO 2
Use Strategies and Cues Use Strategies and Cues

identify the different ways in which oral, print and
other media texts, such as stories, textbooks, letters,
pictionaries and junior dictionaries, are organized, and
use them to construct and confirm meaning
use headings, paragraphs, punctuation and quotation
marks to assist with constructing and confirming
meaning
attend to and use knowledge of capitalization, commas
in a series, question marks, exclamation marks and
quotation marks to read accurately, fluently and with
comprehension during oral and silent reading
identify the different ways in which oral, print and
other media texts, such as stories, textbooks,
letters, pictionaries and junior dictionaries, are
organized, and use them to construct and confirm
meaning
use text features, such as headings, subheadings and
margin organizers, to enhance understanding of ideas
and information
distinguish differences in the structural elements of
texts, such as letters and storybooks, to access and
comprehend ideas and information
Create Original Text
experiment with ways of generating and organizing
ideas prior to creating oral, print and other media
texts
use sentence variety to link ideas and create
impressions on familiar audiences
experiment with a variety of story beginnings to
choose ones that best introduce particular stories
add sufficient detail to oral, print and other media
texts to tell about setting and character, and to sustain
plot
GLO 4
Enhance and Improve
share own oral, print and other media texts with
others to identify strengths and ideas for improvement
combine and rearrange existing information to
accommodate new ideas and information
edit for complete and incomplete sentences
space words and sentences consistently on a line and
page
use keyboarding skills to compose, revise and print
text
Attend to Conventions
identify a variety of sentence types, and use in own
Create Original Text
use a variety of strategies for generating and
organizing ideas and experiences in oral, print and
other media texts
produce oral, print and other media texts that follow a
logical sequence, and demonstrate clear relationships
between character and plot
produce narratives that describe experiences and
reflect personal responses
GLO 4
Enhance and Improve
identify the general impression and main idea
communicated by own and peers' oral, print and other
media texts
use pre-established criteria to provide support and
feedback to peers on their oral, print and other media
texts
revise to ensure an understandable progression of
ideas and information
identify and reduce fragments and run-on sentences
edit for subject-verb agreement
use special features of software when composing,
 writing
identify correct subject-verb agreement, and use in
own writing
use adjectives and adverbs to add interest and detail
to own writing
distinguish between complete and incomplete
sentences
use capital letters appropriately in titles of books and
stories
use exclamation marks, appropriately, as end
punctuation in own writing
use apostrophes to form common contractions and to
show possession in own writing
identify commas, end punctuation, apostrophes and
quotation marks when reading, and use them to assist
comprehension
formatting and revising texts
use an increasing variety of words to express and
extend understanding of concepts related to personal
interests and topics of study
Attend to Conventions
identify simple and compound sentence structures,
and use in own writing
identify correct noun-pronoun agreement, and use in
own writing
use capitalization to designate organizations and to
indicate the beginning of quotations in own writing
use commas after introductory words in sentences and
when citing addresses in own writing
identify quotation marks in passages of dialogue, and
use them to assist comprehension