Practicing MCAS Narrative Essays

NARRATIVE ESSAY

HOW TO

Objectives

Students will review information and take notes related to the
Narrative Essay prompt from MCAS.

Students will create a pre-write for an MCAS narrative essay
prompt to practice for the MCAS test.

Open Ended

Restate the two objectives for this lesson in your own words:

1. 1. Students will review information and take notes related to the Narrative Essay prompt from MCAS.​​

2. 2. Students will create a pre-write for an MCAS narrative essay prompt to practice for the MCAS test.​

Who will

you

choose to

be the

narrator?

Draw

Who would you select to narrate the story in this picture? Be ready to explain why in 2-3 sentences.

Open Ended

Who did you select and why? Tell me in 2-3 sentences.

The Narrative Essay: Example

The articles, "When Mindfulness Meets the Classroom" and "Instead of

Detention," describe how mindfulness is beneficial for students. Write a

narrative from the perspective of a teacher introducing their students to

mindfulness practice and how it can help students. Use details from

both essays to support your narrative.

Draw

Circle, highlight, OR underline all the words that tell you this is a narrative essay.

That should be 2 (+1 bonus) words, so 3 in total.

Open Ended

Make a list: what are some things you need in a narrative / some things you use to tell a story?

Handwrite the information for the next slide into your notes!

What do you need in a Narrative?

◦ Characters

◦ Conflict

◦ Conversation/Dialogue

◦ Plot

◦ Setting

Tips for Writing a Narrative

◦ Write clearly and purposefully

◦ Don't describe each and every movement and action

◦ Avoid the second-person (You) narrative

◦ To interest the reader, try to be dynamic with your words

◦ Plan or pre-write some ideas on a separate sheet of paper!

Draw

Circle/highlight the easiest 1-2 tips in green!

Circle/highlight the hardest 1-2 tips in red!

Handwrite the information for the next slide into your notes!

Tips for Writing a Narrative

◦ Write clearly and purposefully

◦ Don't describe each and every movement and action

◦ Avoid second-person (You) narration

◦ To interest the reader, try to be dynamic with your words

◦ Plan or pre-write some ideas on a separate sheet of paper!

Fill in the Blanks

How should you write? (one word answer)

Fill in the Blanks

What type of narration should you avoid?

Multiple Select

What should you always do with any MCAS essay?

• pre-write

• pre-write

• pre-write

• pre-write

Draw the following image in your notes!

Narrative Web Example

Write the BOLD text into your notes (in the correct boxes)

Narrative Web Example

Introduce the characters and the setting
- Who are the people? What do they want?
- What does the setting look like? What details can you think of?

Introduce the
conflict
- What is the

problem in the
story?

- How do the

character
respond to it?

Develop the
Conflict
- How does the

conflict change
over time?

- How does the

disruption affect
the setting?

Resolve the conflict
- How does the conflict

resolve?

- What action from the

main character(s) helps
resolve the conflict?

- What is the

resolution/what is
learned?

Multiple Choice

What comes first in writing a narrative essay?

• The conflict

• Developing the conflict

• Introducing characters

• The resolution

Multiple Choice

What (mostly) develops the conflict in a narrative?

Hint: What/Who responds to conflict?

• The author

• The characters

• The conflict

• The setting

The Narrative Essay: Example

The articles, "When Mindfulness Meets the Classroom" and "Instead of

Detention," describe how mindfulness is beneficial for students. Write a

narrative from the perspective of a teacher introducing their students to

mindfulness practice and how it can help students. Use details from

both essays to support your narrative.

Draw

1. 1. circle all the important verbs (what you need to DO) in this prompt

3. 2. underline or highlight WHAT you need to do with the verbs (ie. WHAT the essay is asking you to do)

Initial Thoughts for a Response

The teacher introduces the lesson on mindfulness to their students.
-How does the teacher greet their students?

-How do they start their lesson?

-What details describe the setting?

Introduce the conflict
-Is there a disruption
to the lesson?

-How does the
teacher respond to
the disruption?

Develop the conflict
-How does the
disruption change
after the teacher
responds?

-How does the
disruption affect the
environment?

Resolve the conflict
-How does the conflict
resolve?

-What action from the main
character(s) helps resolve the
conflict?

-What is the resolution/what is
learned?

Open Ended

Start writing a paragraph (3-5 sentences) to respond to the prompt. How does a teacher introduce a lesson to their students? What do they say? What do they see from their students?