Breaking Apart the Common Core Standards
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
For this particular standard, students are expected to write narratives in order to develop an experience or event utilizing specific, grade-appropriate techniques. This is a three-prong standard! Students need to understand what a narrative is and how to use "effective technique," "descriptive details," and "event sequences" while crafting one. There may be some misconceptions about what a narrative is, and I feel that most of the time students assign it a much stricter definition. A lot of this probably stems from the fact that we focus on "personal narratives" so much in the middle school. It's developmentally appropriate, but the wording of this standard makes it very clear that there are many ways to go about it ("real or imagined experiences or events"). Thankfully, this means students can have some say in how they prove their mastery!
Students need to understand that effective narratives are clear and engaging. They utilize narrative techniques (such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, etc.) to develop the story. They use language efficiently (description, figurative, etc.) to "show" the audience specific experiences and events.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
For our specific unit design, we want to focus on narratives as a way of "sharing our stories." We asked: "How do personal narratives affect us individually?" What effect does writing your own personal narrative have on you? What about sharing it? How does reading someone else's personal narrative affect you? Throughout this whole process, what do you learn about yourself? What do you learn about others? How does this shape you? In essence, we want to build community through our stories (finding common threads) and recognize that we are all part of the human experience. To bring in the craftsmanship part of this standard, it would be imperative to ask how technique, details, and event sequencing affect our experience with the narrative--how does good writing affect our understanding of and connections to a narrative? What is good writing? What makes a good narrative?
So, to boil this all down... What are personal narratives and why are they important?
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
By the end of the unit, students should be able to produce a well-written narrative that is effective in "hooking" its audience, contains relevant descriptive details, and has a well-structured event sequence. They will obtain an understanding of the considerations a writer takes when telling a story (i.e. "How can I engage my reader?" "What narratives techniques can I use to augment my story?" "How can I word this to capture the moment and really 'show' this to my audience?" etc.). Ultimately, the mastery of these skills will make them more articulate, both in their writing (all types) and speaking. Narrative skills transfer directly to persuasive skills, and the ability to tell a story and make someone see from your point of view is a skill you will always need (in every day life, in your occupation, etc.).
ASSESSMENT
There will be a two-part assessment for the end of this unit. First, students will be keeping an interactive notebook throughout the unit for their quick-writes, notes, drafts, responses, etc. One the last day of the unit the students will also write a reflection on their work. The notebook will be turned in for a "journal check" (formative assessment). In addition to the notebook, students will also have a personal narrative project as their summative assessment. They are required to write a personal narrative, but have choice in how they present their final version: traditional written prose, narrative poem or song, a video with transcript provided, or another teacher-approved media.
ACTIVITIES
1. Watch Phil Kaye's TEDxMiddlebury video, "Why We Tell Stories."
2. Daily implementation of Kathy King-Dickman's (KKD) Writer's Workshop throughout the unit.
3. Read a level-appropriate informational text on the neuroscience of sharing stories, then participate in a simulation to demonstrate the findings of the article.
4. Targeted, small-group lessons on relevant software and technology to create multi-media project (i.e. Animoto, Garage Band, etc.).
3. Feather Circle sharing with optional multi-media project presentation at the end of the unit.
4. Publishing a class anthology of students' personal narratives to keep in the classroom library.
For this particular standard, students are expected to write narratives in order to develop an experience or event utilizing specific, grade-appropriate techniques. This is a three-prong standard! Students need to understand what a narrative is and how to use "effective technique," "descriptive details," and "event sequences" while crafting one. There may be some misconceptions about what a narrative is, and I feel that most of the time students assign it a much stricter definition. A lot of this probably stems from the fact that we focus on "personal narratives" so much in the middle school. It's developmentally appropriate, but the wording of this standard makes it very clear that there are many ways to go about it ("real or imagined experiences or events"). Thankfully, this means students can have some say in how they prove their mastery!
Students need to understand that effective narratives are clear and engaging. They utilize narrative techniques (such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, etc.) to develop the story. They use language efficiently (description, figurative, etc.) to "show" the audience specific experiences and events.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
For our specific unit design, we want to focus on narratives as a way of "sharing our stories." We asked: "How do personal narratives affect us individually?" What effect does writing your own personal narrative have on you? What about sharing it? How does reading someone else's personal narrative affect you? Throughout this whole process, what do you learn about yourself? What do you learn about others? How does this shape you? In essence, we want to build community through our stories (finding common threads) and recognize that we are all part of the human experience. To bring in the craftsmanship part of this standard, it would be imperative to ask how technique, details, and event sequencing affect our experience with the narrative--how does good writing affect our understanding of and connections to a narrative? What is good writing? What makes a good narrative?
So, to boil this all down... What are personal narratives and why are they important?
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
By the end of the unit, students should be able to produce a well-written narrative that is effective in "hooking" its audience, contains relevant descriptive details, and has a well-structured event sequence. They will obtain an understanding of the considerations a writer takes when telling a story (i.e. "How can I engage my reader?" "What narratives techniques can I use to augment my story?" "How can I word this to capture the moment and really 'show' this to my audience?" etc.). Ultimately, the mastery of these skills will make them more articulate, both in their writing (all types) and speaking. Narrative skills transfer directly to persuasive skills, and the ability to tell a story and make someone see from your point of view is a skill you will always need (in every day life, in your occupation, etc.).
ASSESSMENT
There will be a two-part assessment for the end of this unit. First, students will be keeping an interactive notebook throughout the unit for their quick-writes, notes, drafts, responses, etc. One the last day of the unit the students will also write a reflection on their work. The notebook will be turned in for a "journal check" (formative assessment). In addition to the notebook, students will also have a personal narrative project as their summative assessment. They are required to write a personal narrative, but have choice in how they present their final version: traditional written prose, narrative poem or song, a video with transcript provided, or another teacher-approved media.
ACTIVITIES
1. Watch Phil Kaye's TEDxMiddlebury video, "Why We Tell Stories."
2. Daily implementation of Kathy King-Dickman's (KKD) Writer's Workshop throughout the unit.
3. Read a level-appropriate informational text on the neuroscience of sharing stories, then participate in a simulation to demonstrate the findings of the article.
4. Targeted, small-group lessons on relevant software and technology to create multi-media project (i.e. Animoto, Garage Band, etc.).
3. Feather Circle sharing with optional multi-media project presentation at the end of the unit.
4. Publishing a class anthology of students' personal narratives to keep in the classroom library.