Lesson plan

Topic

Narrative Writing

Grade/Age Group

Grade 2 (Age 7-8)

Subject

English

Objectives

Students will understand the basic components of narrative writing.
Students will be able to identify elements such as setting, characters, and plot in a narrative.
Students will practice writing a short narrative using prompts.
Students will demonstrate comprehension by filling out a narrative structure card.

Materials

Printable narrative structure cards (for each student)
Whiteboard and markers
Sample narratives (short excerpts)
Pencils
Timer

Lesson Length

30 Minutes

Class Size

20 Students

National Curriculum Alignment

This lesson aligns with the national standards for English Language Arts, focusing on narrative structure, character development, and creativity in writing.

Lesson Structure

Step Number	Step Title	Length	Details
1	Introduction to Narrative	5 minutes	Briefly explain what narrative writing is. Discuss elements like setting, characters, and plot. Provide examples.
2	Distribute Materials	2 minutes	Hand out the printable narrative structure cards to each student, explaining how they will use them.
3	Guided Practice	10 minutes	Read a short sample narrative together as a class. Ask students to identify the key elements presented.
4	Writing Activity	8 minutes	Instruct students to use their cards to create their own short narrative based on a given prompt. Remind them to include setting, characters, and plot.
5	Review and Collect Cards	3 minutes	Randomly check some of the completed cards for understanding. Collect all cards at the end of the lesson.
6	Assign Homework	2 minutes	Explain the homework assignment without asking students to present it individually. Provide clear instructions.

This structured lesson plan provides a comprehensive guide for teaching narrative writing to second graders, ensuring alignment with educational standards while fostering an engaging and interactive environment.

Lesson script

Introduction to Narrative

"Good morning, class! Today, we are going to dive into the exciting world of narrative writing! Can anyone tell me what a narrative is? Yes, that's right! A narrative tells a story. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Now, let’s talk about some important parts of a narrative. We have three main elements:

Setting – Where does the story take place?
Characters – Who is in the story?
Plot – What happens in the story?

For example, in the story 'The Three Little Pigs,' the setting is a forest, the characters are the three pigs and the wolf, and the plot is about the pigs building their houses and the wolf trying to blow them down.

Can anyone think of other stories and share their elements? Great! Keep those ideas in your mind as we move forward!"

Distribute Materials

"Alright, everyone! I have some special materials for you today. Please take one of these narrative structure cards that I am handing out.

These cards will help you as we create our own narratives. On the card, you'll find space to write down your setting, characters, and plot points. Take a look at it and make sure you understand how to use it.

Is everyone ready? Give me a thumbs up if you have your card!"

Guided Practice

"Now, let’s practice together! I’m going to read a short sample narrative aloud. Listen carefully and let’s identify the key elements together.

[Read a chosen sample narrative, then pause]

"Can anyone tell me what the setting was in that story? Excellent! And what about the main characters? Wonderful! Now, what happened in the plot? Great job!

You’re all doing an amazing job at recognizing these elements! Remember, we will use this same strategy when we write our own stories!"

Writing Activity

"It’s time for the fun part—writing our own narratives!

I want you to think of the prompt I’m about to give you: 'One day, a lost puppy found a magical place.'

Using your narrative structure cards, create your own short story. Make sure you include a setting, characters, and a plot.

I’ll give you 8 minutes to work on this. Remember to use your card to help you! I can’t wait to see what you come up with. Start writing now!"

Review and Collect Cards

"Time’s up, everyone! I hope you enjoyed writing your narratives. Now, I’m going to check some of your narrative structure cards to see how you did.

[Walk around the classroom, randomly checking cards]

If I stop by your desk, just explain your setting, characters, and plot to me.

Okay, can everyone pass their narrative cards to the front? I will collect them all now. Thank you for your hard work!"

Assign Homework

"For your homework, I want you to finish your narrative story that we started in class today. Take your time and make sure to include all the elements we talked about.

Also, I want you to illustrate your story. Draw a picture that represents something from your narrative.

You’ll not need to present this at school, but make sure to bring it in by next class. Do you have any questions about the homework? Great! Remember to have fun with it, and I can’t wait to read your stories!"

Homework

What are the three main elements of a narrative? Briefly describe each one.
In your own words, define what a narrative is.
Think of a story you know well. Identify its setting, characters, and plot. Write down your findings.
For the prompt "One day, a lost puppy found a magical place," outline the setting, characters, and plot you plan to use in your narrative.
Write the opening paragraph of your narrative based on the prompt given in class.
Create a list of at least five different story prompts you can use for your own narratives in the future.
Illustrate an important scene from your narrative. Describe what happens in that scene and explain why it is significant to the story.
Reflect on the story you wrote in class: What do you think is the strongest element of your narrative (setting, characters, or plot), and why?
If you could change one thing about your narrative, what would it be and why?
How does your narrative connect to the themes discussed in class? Provide specific examples.

Printables

| Question                                                             | Answer |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|-------|
| What are the three main elements of a narrative?                   |       |
| Can you define what a setting is in a narrative?                   |       |
| Who are the main characters in 'The Three Little Pigs'?            |       |
| What happens in the plot of 'The Three Little Pigs'?               |       |
| Why is it important to have a clear beginning, middle, and end?    |       |
| What prompt did we use for our writing activity?                   |       |
| How can a narrative structure card help you in writing?            |       |
| What is one way to illustrate your narrative story for homework?   |       |
| Why should we share ideas about stories before we start writing?   |       |
| How did we identify the elements of the sample narrative together?  |       |

Full lesson	Create for a teacher a set of content for giving a lesson, beginning with the lesson plan. Each new block of materials must begin with an H1 heading (other subheaders must be H2, H3, etc). When you describe required pictures, write those descriptions in curly brackets, for example: {A picture of a triangle}
Which subject	English
What topic	Narrative writing
What length (min)	30
What age group	Year or Grade 2
Class size	20
What curriculum
Include full script
Check previous homework
Ask some students to presents their homework
Add a physical break
Add group activities
Include homework
Show correct answers
Prepare slide templates
Number of slides	5
Create fill-in cards for students
Create creative backup tasks for unexpected moments