Unit plan includes...
Unit Plan
Developing Narrative Writing Skills Unit Plan – Year 3 and Year 4
This English unit addresses the narrative text type, specifically how to plan and write an engaging story.
It consists of 15 lessons of approximately 60 minutes duration.
The sequence of lessons and suggested time frames should be regarded as a guide only; teachers should pace lessons in accordance with the individual learning needs of their class.
An independent writing task, which may couple as an assessment task, is included in the unit. The number of lessons required to complete this task may vary from class to class.
This unit plan includes the following resources:
- Developing Narrative Writing Skills – Grade 3 and Grade 4
- Narrative Sentence Starter Cards
- Narrative Writing Word Wall
- Narrative Writing Stimulus Wheels
- Narrative Prompts Posters
- Narrative Setting Prompts Posters
- Exploring Characters Posters
- Story Ideas Sentence Starter Pack
- Writing A Narrative Poster
- Paragraphs in Narrative Writing Poster
- Goals – Writing (Middle Elementary)
- Narrative Structure Sorting Task
- Identifying Descriptive Language Worksheets – Nouns, Adjectives, Verbs and Adverbs
- Narrative Paragraphs Sequencing Activity
- Using Linking Devices in Narrative Paragraphs Worksheets
- Introduction to Narrative Features PowerPoint – Grade 3 and Grade 4
- Five Senses Graphic Organizer
- Using Quotation Marks in Narrative Writing PowerPoint
- Narrative Writing Planning Template
- Seven Sensational Story Starters PowerPoint
- Narrative Writing Checklist – Structure, Language and Features
- Narrative Writing Checklist (Simplified Version)
- Editing Passages PowerPoint – Grade 3
- Editing Passages PowerPoint – Grade 4
- Narrative Writing Visual Prompts Presentation
- Assessment Rubric – Narrative Writing
Overview
Objectives
- To introduce the narrative text type using familiar stories.
- To discuss writing goals and explore a classroom writing station.
- To identify and explore the structure of narrative texts.
- To identify and explore the language features of narrative texts.
- To identify and explore how descriptive language in used in narrative texts.
- To identify and use the correct paragraph structure for narrative writing.
- To use descriptive language effectively to create a narrative setting.
- To use descriptive language effectively to build a character.
- To explore the correct use of quotation marks in narrative writing.
- To develop a plot for a narrative which includes a setting, characters and a problem to be solved.
- To investigate exciting, attention-grabbing methods of starting a story.
- To write a narrative, in pairs, using appropriate text structure, language and features.
- To learn and apply proofreading and editing skills.
- To independently plan a setting, characters and plot for a narrative text.
- To independently write a narrative, using appropriate text structure, language and features.
Preparing for Learning
Develop a narrative writing station in the classroom before commencing the unit. Display texts, word wall vocabulary and posters that will stimulate the students’ interest and assist in their learning. Allow the students to use the writing stimuli and writing station to create their own narratives during writing time. For examples of teaching resources to display in your classroom, browse the Narrative Writing collection on the Teach Starter website.
Expose the students to a variety of narrative texts before and during the unit. Read and view picture books, traditional tales, short stories and children’s novels. Provide the students with opportunities to read and respond to short narrative texts. For examples of narrative comprehension teaching resources, browse the Comprehension Texts category on the Teach Starter website.
Some of the resources which accompany this unit plan will need to be prepared prior to teaching. For this reason, it is advised that teachers browse through all lessons before commencing the unit.
Lessons
NSW Curriculum alignment
- EN2-2A
Plans, composes and reviews a range of texts that are more demanding in terms of topic, audience and language
- EN2-6B
Identifies the effect of purpose and audience on spoken texts, distinguishes between different forms of English and identifies organisational patterns and features
- EN2-7B
Identifies and uses language forms and features in their own writing appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts
- EN2-9B
Uses effective and accurate sentence structure, grammatical features, punctuation conventions and vocabulary relevant to the type of text when responding to and composing texts
- EN2-10C
Thinks imaginatively, creatively and interpretively about information, ideas and texts when responding to and composing texts
- EN2-11D
Responds to and composes a range of texts that express viewpoints of the world similar to and different from their own
Victorian Curriculum alignment
- VCELA259
Understand that paragraphs are a key organisational feature of written texts
- VCELT264
Create imaginative texts based on characters, settings and events from students’ own and other cultures including through the use of visual features
- VCELY266
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features and selecting print and multimodal elements appropriate to the audience and purpose
- VCELA277
Identify features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text, and understand how texts vary in complexity and technicality depending on the approach to the topic, the purpose and the intended audience
- VCELA290
Understand how texts are made cohesive through the use of linking devices including pronoun reference and text connectives
- VCELT298
Create literary texts that explore students’ own experiences and imagining
- VCELY299
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features
- VCELT253
Discuss how language is used to describe the settings in texts, and explore how the settings shape the events and influence the mood of the narrative
- VCELT284
Discuss how authors and illustrators make stories exciting, moving and absorbing and hold readers’ interest by using various techniques
- VCELT254
Discuss the nature and effects of some language devices used to enhance meaning and shape the reader’s reaction, including rhythm and onomatopoeia in poetry and prose
Australian Curriculum alignment
- ACELT1599
Discuss how language is used to describe the settings in texts, and explore how the settings shape the events and influence the mood of the narrativeElaborationsidentifying and discussing the use of descriptive adjectives (âin the middle of a va...
- ACELT1601
Create imaginative texts based on characters, settings and events from studentsâ own and other cultures using visual features, for example perspective, distance and angleElaborationsdrawing on literary texts read, viewed and listened to for insp...
- ACELY1678
Identify the audience and purpose of imaginative, informative and persuasive textsElaborationsidentifying the authorâs point of view on a topic and key words and images that seem intended to persuade listeners, viewers or readers to agree with t...
- ACELY1682
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features and selecting print,and multimodal elements appropriate to the audience and purposeElaborationsusing pri...
- ACELT1605
Discuss how authors and illustrators make stories exciting, moving and absorbing and hold readersâ interest by using various techniques, for example character development and plot tensionElaborationsexamining the authorâs description of a c...
- ACELT1607
Create literary texts that explore studentsâ own experiences and imaginingElaborationsdrawing upon literary texts students have encountered and experimenting with changing particular aspects, for example the time or place of the setting, adding ...
- ACELY1690
Identify characteristic features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the textElaborationsdescribing the language which authors use to create imaginary worlds; how textual features such as headings, subheadings...
- ACELY1694
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language featuresElaborationsusing re...
- ACELA1479
Understand that paragraphs are a key organisational feature of written textsElaborationsnoticing how longer texts are organised into paragraphs, each beginning with a topic sentence/paragraph opener which predicts how the paragraph will develop and i...
- ACELT1600
Discuss the nature and effects of some language devices used to enhance meaning and shape the readerâs reaction, including rhythm and onomatopoeia in poetry and proseElaborationsidentifying the effect of imagery in texts, for example the use of ...
- ACELA1491
Understand how texts are made cohesive through the use of linking devices including pronoun reference and text connectivesElaborationsknowing how authors construct texts that are cohesive and coherent through the use of: pronouns that link to somethi...
- ACELT1794
Create literary texts by developing storylines, characters and settingsElaborationscollaboratively plan, compose, sequence and prepare a literary text along a familiar storyline, using film, sound and images to convey setting, characters and points o...
- ACELA1492
Recognise how quotation marks are used in texts to signal dialogue, titles and quoted (direct) speechElaborationsexploring texts to identify the use of quotation marks (Skills: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking)experimenting with the use of qu...
Find more resources for these topics
EnglishWritingText TypesImaginative WritingNarrative Writing
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Resource Updates
Design updates to Powerpoint templates. Minor changes made to some lessons.
Change by Stephanie (Teach Starter) Nov 19th, 2018Unit reviewed and minor alterations made.
Change by Stephanie (Teach Starter) Nov 10th, 2016
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How could I use this (or another narrative unit) for a QLD 2/3 class please?
VickieP · Feb 5th, 2020
Hi Vickie,
Thank you for your comment! We do have a Year 1 and 2 narrative writing unit as well – https://www.teachstarter.com/au/unit-plan/exploring-narrative-texts-unit-plan-year-1-year-2/ Perhaps you could combine elements from this unit and the Year 3/4 version to make it suitable for your composite class.
Another useful resource might be our narrative Bump It Up Walls. These contain leveled narratives that may help with differentiation. We have a whole resource collection which can be found at the following link – https://www.teachstarter.com/au/teaching-resource-collection/bump-it-up-data-walls/
Don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any further questions.
Paul (Teach Starter) · Feb 5th, 2020
Hi, I’ve just gone through this unit in preparation for teaching Narratives to Yr 3 in 2020! It looks fantastic and I can’t wait to put it in action. I’d love to hear feedback from others about how this unit went for them. 🙂
Katrina · Dec 20th, 2019
HI Katrina,
Thank you for your lovely comment. I am so glad you are enjoying our resources. If anyone has feedback, we’d love to hear from you.
Kristian · Dec 23rd, 2019
Is there a rubric for this particular unit?
Casey Gagle · Jan 28th, 2018
Hi Casey, thank you for your comment. We don’t currently provide rubrics for our units. As I’m sure you would understand, all schools are extremely different in the manner in which student understanding is assessed, recorded and reported and we cannot possibly create a rubric that would suit everyone. There is, however, a generic rubric to assist teachers to assess the writing task at the end of this unit. This can be found here:
https://www.teachstarter.com/teaching-resource/naplan-style-assessment-rubric-narrative-writing/
In addition to this, we have a comprehensive set of assessment trackers linked to the Australian Curriculum which can be used to monitor student progress. These can be found here:
https://www.teachstarter.com/teaching-resource-collection/australian-curriculum-assessment-trackers/
Stephanie (Teach Starter) · Jan 29th, 2018
Thanks Steph. I found it last night after I posted. I really appreciate the link though 🙂
Mel Petrovski · Feb 7th, 2017
You’re most welcome!
Stephanie (Teach Starter) · Feb 7th, 2017
Would love to see an extension of this for Year 5 and 6 if possible! Your resources are fantastic!
Mel Petrovski · Feb 6th, 2017
Hi Mel,
Thank you for your positive feedback. Have you seen our Narrative Writing Unit for Year 5 and Year 6? You can dow load it here:
https://www.teachstarter.com/unit-plan/writing-narrative-texts-unit-plan-year-5-year-6/
Kind regards,
Steph
Stephanie (Teach Starter) · Feb 7th, 2017
I just love your units of work and ll the attachments . Are you planning to do more of these?
Colleen Williams · Sep 24th, 2016
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Colleen! Yes, the unit plans are very high on our list of priorities. You will definitely be seeing more of them!
Kind regards,
Steph
Stephanie (Teach Starter) · Sep 26th, 2016