Narrative Writing - FREEBIE
PRIMARY WRITING - UNIT 3
I am so excited to teach this narrative writing unit!
This writing curriculum is geared for kindergarten, first grade and can even be used in second grade classrooms.
In Unit 3, we are learning how to write a personal narrative.
We practice writing about what we like, what we do and how we feel.
Our kiddos love to share all about what they did over the weekend, their personal experiences and their preferences.
Now we get to put it all on paper!
These activities provide students with the scaffolding they need to be successful.
Try a couple activities for FREE right here on this blog post.
I just updated my best selling narrative writing unit to include even more activities!
The new worksheets and centers shown above are not included on this blog post yet, but you can view them all on TPT on the product preview.
BILINGUAL ACTIVITIES: all of my writing units have also been translated to Spanish as a FREE bonus.
Let’s get started with narrative writing!
These adorable anchor charts are the perfect way to introduce this writing unit.
In Unit 1 Labeling and Unit 2 Making Lists, students were learning that letters and words have meaning.
Students are now learning how to combine words to make a sentence.
These can be printed as a 16x20 poster and we discuss the differences between letters, words and sentences.
There are so many activities to help scaffold students into writing a narrative piece.
We start by using these sequencing practice pages. A topic sentence is given, and we get to give the details by looking at the pictures.
I do these activities using direct instruction at first, and then once students have the hang of it they can complete them in small groups, literacy centers or even on their own.
These come in both color and BW.
Next I tell students that they get to tell me about something they did! These graphic organizers provide the perfect scaffolding.
With these pages, students finish the sentence starter, and then draw three pictures - one in each box.
If they are ready, they can also add words to describe their picture in each box.
The goal is for students to simply be thinking about an event and providing a topic sentence and detail through their pictures and words.
Complete sentences, conventions, etc. will come with practice and time.
This narrative All About Me book is the perfect opportunity for students to practice writing complete sentences.
Students must complete the sentence “I like…” using a word from the word bank.
They also check their conventions and can check if they used a capital, finger spaces and punctuation.
Then they rewrite the sentence on their own on the second line.
Students are now ready to use the Narrative Prompt word bank posters!
These are so fun to complete with students and provide the exact support they need to begin writing a narrative piece.
The different combinations and possibilities students can write about are endless.
They simply choose one box from each poster and then complete the coordinating recording sheet.
Students get to choose:
Where did you go?
What did you do?
What was it like?
This is the perfect way to scaffold students and provide the support they need to complete their first narrative writing pieces.
I do these activities using direct instruction in small groups first.
We walk through the expectations and then I show them how I would complete the activity.
Then we do a narrative piece together, and finally they complete one writing piece with me observing.
These posters are the exact same, but instead students get to decide “If I were a…”
I love to see how quickly students become confident and excited to write!
They are not facing a blank paper grasping at straws… rather they have scaffolding in place so they are ready to get to work. It is so cute to watch them complete a piece they can be proud of and excited share.
Now that students understand how to compose a narrative piece and have practiced using many different resources, we are ready to move on to snapshot moments!
These are so fun to do with kiddos.
I can usually do these whole group, but depending on the kiddos, they may need small group instruction.
By now, students understand how to use the word banks and sentence starters which makes my life so much easier!
To help them with complete sentences, we say the sentence out loud (at least three times) count the words and then get to writing it down.
I always review our writing and say, “Does this sound like how we talk?”
For a year-long writing center, I use this Narrative Writing Prompt poster that gives the sentence starer One Time I….
Students simply choose a box to complete their sentence and then give details.
I use this at the end of our unit and then throughout the rest of the school year so students can continue using their narrative writing skills. I provide different kinds of writing paper shown below for students.
Extra writing pages and graphic organizers are provided as well for any other narrative writing ideas you have!
FREE DIGITAL BONUS
I now have coordinating digital Boom Cards to support all of my writing units!
This digital task cards have embedded audio and are self correcting. Students instantly know if they got the correct answer, so they can be 100% independent writing activities.
This makes teaching writing virtually, homeschooling or classroom instruction so much easier!
Watch this quick video to see a few of these activities.
These interactive, digital Boom Cards are now an included BONUS in my complete Narrative Unit.
Try these narrative writing activities with your students for FREE!
Purchase the entire writing unit below.
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K-1 WRITING UNITS FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR
Click each unit below to learn more, or save with the year long bundle!
SAVE MONEY WITH THE WRITING BUNDLE
Don’t forget this fun freebie linked in the blog post above!