The narrative genre is an excellent choice for working through a writing workshop. As adolescents, the meaning of love and trust is forming in an undeniable way. Our students are developing the meaning of mutual respect and authentic connection. Diving into the genre of “Can’t Buy Me Happiness” is a fulfilling way to write narratives, but also explore deep emotions and valuable lessons along the way proving that material items do not buy happiness. If you haven't run a writer's workshop before, you'll want to read this overview post, but if you already have experience with it, read on.
Suggested Texts
Mentor texts to demonstrate the “Can’t Buy Me Happiness” narrative themes are “The Jacket” by Gary Soto, “Family of Little Feet” by Sandra Cisneros and “Thank You M'am" by Langston Hughes.
Soto’s narrative story revolves around an ugly, oversized jacket that his mother bought him when he outgrew his old one. The jacket was a thorn in the narrator’s side, but his mother bought him a jacket when he asked for it, providing for the narrator any way she could even though they lived in poverty.
Cisneros explores the theme of expensive high heeled shoes as a symbol of love, but as the girls in the story soon realize, material items are not what family is made of.
Hughes ensures readers understand that having money is not as important as truth and understanding as a young boy, Roger, learns a lesson of humility from Mrs. Jones, a woman living a working life with little money. Mrs. Jones is teaching him a lesson about what is important and it is not the blue suede shoes he desperately wants, even though Mrs. Jones gives him the money for them proving empathy and understanding mean more than money.
Narrative Elements in Focus
Narrative writing allows for a wealth of author’s craft moves. Included in the “Can’t Buy Me Happiness” narratives are tone and figurative language. When working through narrative writing, tone and figurative language are vital elements to focus on to ensure that the message is fully understood. Along with this is dialogue. Characters speaking reveal tone and often use figurative language to fully describe what they are thinking and feeling. Understanding interior monologue or what characters are thinking is valuable to building a narrative where characters learn a huge lesson. Blocking, which reveals stage directions for characters, ensures readers understand what characters are doing while they are speaking. Diving deeper into these elements will build stronger writing.
Additionally, focusing on the plot diagram is vital to ensure the narrative follows the plot arch and is a complete story with a climax and resolution revealing the lesson that was learned. With the plot diagram, it is important to build a character description and a vivid setting using sensory language. This adds to the depth of the narrative. Lastly, using flashbacks is a critical element as students may be flashing back to the past and will need to understand this narrative element to fully grasp it in their writing.
Lesson Outline
Narrative writing is a treasure trove of mini lessons. In this lesson, I like to start with bell ringers for tone, that aid in development of understanding tone vocabulary but also deciphering tone in text. Mini lessons on tone and different types of figurative language with student practice are also a huge part of this lesson. Students must understand figurative language and tone to use it appropriately within their own writing.
Reading of the model text comes next. Using the plot diagram and the narrative criteria graphic organizers, I model for students the elements in one of the narrative model texts. Students will be guided in determining all of the elements prior to practicing again with one of the other mentor texts in small groups or pairs and ultimately completing the third text independently.
Constructed responses on tone and figurative language are utilized to allow students to fully share their understanding around figurative language and tone. The questions are carefully crafted to gauge understanding of not only constructed responses, but also of those narrative elements.
Also included in this lesson is a "silent discussion" for “Little Feet” allows for full engagement as it is timed and students work together but silently. This activity provides tremendous data for how students are understanding tone and figurative language through their notes in the discussion.
Dialogue and punctuation is explored by analyzing “Thank You Ma'm" and asking students to discover the punctuation rules by looking closely at how it was done in Hughes’ story. Share as a class and create an anchor chart of the rules the students have discovered.
Criteria review is the next step for students. Review all of the parts that are needed in their narrative and begin the writing process with brainstorming. Students can choose a similar topic to the model stories or develop their own idea. Students will draft and teachers can conference.
Then, students will use highlighters or different colored pencils to mark the narrative criteria in their drafts. Peer review and feedback is also essential at this point. Partners will fill out the plot diagram for their partner’s writing to ensure all plot points are clear. Revisions and conferencing continues until publication.
Creating a writing gallery is the last step. The best part is showing off the finished product for the class to see. Make it digital on Google Slides and share it with the class.
You can find all of the resources I use for this writer's workshop lesson here.
For more writing workshop lessons, read on:
0 yorum:
Post a Comment