Lucy Caulkins Narrative Writing for 7th grade Bends 1 and 2 put onto Powerpoint slides for sharing with class

2.  Fiction Writers get their ideas from real life
not from the clouds!
 John Green-The Fault in Our Stars
› A personal friend inspired his story!
 S.E. Hinton-Outsiders
› Thought of it when she was 15!
› Her friend was called a “Greaser” and was
beaten up while walking home from school.
***Just remember they don’t write down all the
details. That is where their imagination comes
from!

3.  Fiction writers can find significant stories
in the most ordinary, maybe even boring
moments from their notebooks.
 Any event that you experience
(emotions) could be the starting point of
a great fiction story!

4.  One time I remember that I had some
really strong emotions was when I was in
7th grade, and I was walking into school
and I slipped on the wet floor in front of
everyone. I was so embarrassed. I wrote
a sample of this story for you to see.

5.  As I was working on that story, many
ideas popped into my head for fiction
stories that I could write.
› Maybe I could write a whole fiction story
about a girl who is clumsy and everything
always seems to go wrong for until one day it
all goes right.
› Maybe I can write a story about a boy who
seems to have bad luck and until he realizes
his self-confidence can’t escape the
misfortunes he endures.

6.  Think of a person who matters to you, list
small moment stories, then choose one
and write.
 Think about a place that matters to you.
 Think of a first or last time you did
something you feel is important.
 Think of moments that really matter to
you because you feel you have realized
and or learned something from that
experience.

7.  Think of a small moment that has
happened in this classroom so far this
year.
 Now turn to a partner at your table and
share your ideas.
› Make sure to tell it with dialogue, action and
thinking.
› If, as you’re telling your partner a story, you
get an idea for a possible fiction story that
could be built off of it, go ahead and share
that new idea too.

8.  Great fiction ideas reside in small
moments from our REAL life experiences
and emotions.
 Spend the next few minutes, jotting
down small moments from your lives,
using the handout, in your writers
notebook section.

9.  Think about the ‘setting’ of events. Almost
any location will work to help you produce
a fiction story.
› Principal’s office, a backyard, a grandmother’s
kitchen, a fast-food restaurant, etc…
› On your handout add the following:
 Think about a place that matters and jot about the
small moments that occur there, choose one, and
write a story.
 Then, spend a few more minutes jotting small
moment stories in your writers notebooks.

10.  Let’s look at the Grade 6 Narrative
Writing checklist
 Assess my small moment story with me.
› This often takes me more than one look at a
product!
 Look at your small moment stories and
star two or three small moments that you
think represent the kind of work you
typically do as a writer.

11.  Carl Hiassen admits that he reads
newspapers to get inspiration for his fiction
stories. He looks for interesting and quirky
stories that really happened and imagines
how he might change them.
 On a separate sheet of paper, jot down as
many ideas as you can for fiction stories.
Look at a blog or newspaper for inspiration
if you have time. You will be showing me
this in class tomorrow, so make sure you do
it!

12.  Teaching Point: Today I want to teach you
that writers collect ideas for stories by both
discovering tiny details that could blossom
into whole stories and by thinking about
stories that they believe should exist.
 Think “How can I write a story for people like
me so I can see myself in books?
› We like finding ourselves in the books we are
reading. It makes it more exciting to us.
 Examples: books on divorce when our parents are
splitting up, books on being selected last for a
sports team, etc…

13.  First, they thought about the books they wanted to read.
Wished there was more books about people like her who
were half Mexican. Want to be more popular than she is.
 Her story plan: A girl who is half Mexican lives with both her
parents but she thinks her father works too much. She
wishes her father were around more because when he’s
around she feels less lonely. But his job keeps him far away
and the little girl tries to put on a brave face so her parents
don’t worry about her.
› Can you see how when she wrote she jotted a few sentences
like how she might actually write the story? She didn’t just tell
what her story idea was.
› Here’s an idea you should hold onto: when you are collecting
ideas for stories in your writer’s notebook, you get ideas not only
from rereading old entries, but from thinking about books you
wish existed in the world!

14.  So let’s try it. Maybe think to yourself, “I wish
there were books about kids who aren’t
that good at sports.”
 Remember that to make that wish into a
story idea, you need to invent some details.
 You can do so by asking questions of your
story idea. Why isn’t the kid in the story
good at sports? Which sports? What has
happened lately that shows these
struggles?

15.  Tell your partner how you could turn this
into a story idea. Remember to think
about the character, his or her traits, and
their struggle. Think about the characters
wants and what he or she does.
 Who would like to share their detailed
story idea with the class?

16.  Think about an issue that is important to
you, and create a character who struggles
with that issue.
 Examples:
Maybe honesty is important to you, so you
write the topic at the top of the page and
then you brainstorm all the stories that
could stem from honesty.
You could write about a character who lies
and gets caught or about a parent who
insists on honesty, except one time the kid
caught their parents lying.

17.  You can use any of the strategies we’ve learned or others that you
invent. Add the following to your notebook!
How to Find Ideas for Fiction
1. Pay attention to the small moments in your life that could be
fictionalized.
2. Think of a person who matters to you.
3. Consider places where stories could take place, and then imagine
those stories.
4. Think of a time you did something you felt was important
5. Think of moments that matter to you because you learned something
from them.
6. Read about current events in newspapers, blogs, magazines, etc.
Allow yourself to be inspired by true events that could be fictionalized.
7. Ask, “What stories do I wish existed in the world?” Let this question lead
you to invent a character with traits, struggles and actions.
8. Think about an issue that is important to you, and create a character
who struggles with that issue.

18.  I want to give you a chance to share your
ideas, quickly, before writing time is over.
When I point to you, give a short synopsis of
just one of your story ideas. Tell us:
› The name of your character
› What his or her struggle or longing is
› The circumstances he or she is in that swings the
story into action.
Rules for Symphony Sharing:
1. No commenting. Just listen to the story ideas!

19.  Choosing a meaningful story
idea!
 Think about which story idea
you like best.
 Which of these stories feels
the most meaningful to you?
 Or you might consider,
which one does the world
need you to write?
 Don’t write the story itself for
homework! Just complete
the handout provided!
7th Grade Bend 1 Session 2 Homework: Choosing a Meaningful
Story Idea
Name: ______________________________________________ Period: _________________
Directions:
1. Select one of the story ideas you put down in your writers notebook as the one you’d
like to write about over the next few days/weeks. Name one character: _____________
2. Answer the following: “I think this is an important story for me to write because
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Explain what the story idea does for you and what you imagine it would do for your
readers. What should your audience learn from your story?
7th Grade Bend 1 Session 2 Homework: Choosing a Meaningful
Story Idea
Name: ______________________________________________ Period: _________________
Directions:
1. Select one of the story ideas you put down in your writers notebook as the one you’d
like to write about over the next few days/weeks. Name one character: _____________
2. Answer the following: “I think this is an important story for me to write because
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Explain what the story idea does for you and what you imagine it would do for your
readers. What should your audience learn from your story?

20.  Get our your homework from yesterday!
 Teaching Point: Today I want to teach
you that, just as people take a car for a
test-drive before buying it, writers take
their characters from a possible story out
for a test scene. They place their
characters in everyday scenes, outside
of the storylines, and then see how their
characters think, move and act.

21.  A few years ago, I was working on a book, a fiction story,
and I was just at the beginning. I wasn’t exactly sure how
my story would go or what my character was really like.
But then my writing teacher made a suggestion. She said I
should take out my notebook, set aside the story I was
thinking about, and just place my main character in an
everyday scene. You know, like washing dishes, or getting
up in the morning, or having dinner. Something the
character does almost every day, as a way to get to know
who the character really is, what the character thought
about, wanted. So I tried it. I actually tried just getting my
character ready for bed. But, as I wrote the scene,
something really interesting started to happen-not only did
I get to know the character better, but it almost felt like
the character was coming to life, almost as if she was
writing the story.

22.  Are small moments or mini-stories
 Include a clear setting that is woven
throughout the moment
 Have characters who are thinking,
talking, acting, or perhaps doing all
those things
 Contain a character motivation and
obstacle of some sort

23.  We will be writing a scene boot camp. I’m going to
lead you through a writing exercise where you write
as fast and furiously, getting as much writing down as
possible, while you also practice your scene writing
skills. I’ll give you a little tip, then I will model it with my
own writing. Then you’ll give it a go. We will repeat
the procedure a few times.
 Just remember tat not everything I teach you will be
something you will be able to do or will work for your
scene right now. That’s ok! Just keep working on the
last thing you were working on and then catch up
with me on the next part.

24.  First, I need to think about the character and story
idea I chose: the girl who knows it’s silly to feel this
way, but she wants to be popular-mainly because
she has a birthday party coming up and wants
people to come to it.
 Now, I have to think a bit about who she is as a
person and jot a few notes.
› Parents are old fashioned
› Esmerelda-beautiful name but not usually associated with
popular people
› Strange
› Wants friends and is friendly
› Tries too hard and comes off weird
Now you try it!

25.  Now that you’ve created a quick
background for your character, let’s try
them on for size in an everyday scene.
 I’m going to start with Esmeralda having
lunch at school.
 Esmeralda walked into the lunch room,
holding her lunch bag in her hands. Even
though everyone else in the school, it felt
like, bought school lunch, Esmeralda was a
picky eater.
 Now you try it!

26.  As I was writing, I learned something
about Esmeralda-that she is a picky
eater. She is different even when it
comes to lunch.
 I also learned something about my
writing! I wrote in third person, but I’m
wondering if it might flow better if I wrote
in first person?
 Realistic fiction allows for either.

27.  I stood in the doorway of the lunchroom,
half hiding behind the vending machines,
clutching my lunch bag. There were a few
kids who also brought their lunch from
home, but almost everybody else bought
from the cafeteria. I waited for Tilly to come
through the kitchen doors. Then waved to
her as she headed to our table, the one
closest to the janitor’s closet.
 Thoughts? Which version was better?

28.  Did you see how I developed the setting
a bit more and started to work in a little
bit of information about Esmeralda as I
wrote? I tried to show what she was
feeling-that she was nervous-by having
her hide behind the vending machines
until she saw her friend head for the
table.
 Try your own scene writing! Be aware of
the setting and the character’s feelings!

29.  Make sure your characters are doing things!
Small (like folding a piece of paper) or big
(like getting into an argument).
 Your characters might be talking or thinking.
 Make sure you show and not tell.
 Try again!
› Remember to include what the character is
feeling. But don’t tell us. Think of small actions
that can show us!
› Add dialogue
› Describe what the character wants in this scene
and what obstacles are getting in their way.

30.  Show the setting. Where is the character
right now? What little detail of the setting
can you mention?
 Describe what the character is thinking.
 Make sure someone says something in
the scene you are developing.
 Show your character’s actions.
 Have your character make a decision.
***After they’ve written for awhile…

31.  Brainstorm a great story idea (small moments, places,
events, issues, struggles, stories you wish existed in the
world).
 Make your characters come alive.
› Generate traits
› Reveal wants and challenges
› Consider character’s attitude toward self
› Explore character’s relationships with others.
› Describe character’s movements, facial expressions, tics, style,
quirks, etc…
 Test-drive your character in scenes.
› Make sure your character does things, big and small.
› Show feelings
› Include dialogue
› Develop the setting
› Try different points of view (first and third person)

32.  Work on your character
development today OR
 Finish finding the perfect
story to write about and
then move onto character
development
 If you need help
developing your
characters—See your
teacher at the writing
table.
Character Development
Internal Characteristics of your Character External Characteristics of your Character

33.  Turn to partner and share your character
development
 Class volunteers?!

34.  Finish developing your character if you
haven’t already.

35.  Before we begin our
lesson for today, pull
out your T-Chart from
yesterday.
› Draw a line underneath
your main characters
characteristics (Internal
and External).
› Begin the process again
with any minor
characters you will have
in your story. Give them
a name and their own
traits!
Character Development
Internal Characteristics of your Character External Characteristics of your Character

36.  Good characters in fiction have real life
struggles that they need to deal with.
They also have things that motivate
them to overcome their struggles. This is
something we must put in our writing!

37.  Soul Surfer
 Pursuit of Happyness
 Forest Gump
 In your writers notebook, jot down their
struggles and motivations for each
video. Label with the movie title.

38.  What Esmeralda Wants (Motivations):
› Lots of friends
› No enemies
› To be invited to lunch tables
› To make sure no one feels left out and to be
friendly to everyone
› To have a boyfriend
 What gets in the way of Esmeralda
(Obstacles):
› Her shyness
› Her lack of self-esteem
› Her nerdy appearance
› Her friends who are just like her
› Former best friend befriends the school bully and
picks on her
 Your Turn! In your writers notebook (date your
entry)…explain what your character wants
and what gets in their way.

39. Characters Struggles and Motivations
Motivations/Wants Obstacles/What Gets in the Way of those Wants

40.  Discuss your main character and any
important minor character(s)!
› Begin with a specific compliment.
› Then move onto one specific suggestion or
tip.
› Question one another!
› Make necessary changes to your character!

41.  Finish developing your main character Use the T-Chart
to the right to help you.
 Develop any minor characters that will be a part of
your story! Use T-Chart to the right to help you.
 Use the T-Chart from today to finish giving your main
character motivations and obstacles.
 Do your minor characters need motivations and
obstacles? If so, fill out the T-Chart for them!
 Today is the last in-class day to develop your
characters!
 When you are finished, study your spelling words or
SSR!

42.  Once fiction writers have brought their
characters to life, they use an understanding of
characters’ wants and struggles to develop a
possible plotline.
 Teaching Point: Today I want to teach you that
after writers develop their characters, they
begin drafting possible plots for their stories.
Fiction writers plan by plotting the arc of the
story-and specifically, by aiming to intensify the
problem. They do this by using what they know
about plotting and then choosing a variety of
tools to help them plan.

43.  Story arcs are commonly used
when planning a story.
 There are many options!
 We are going to take a look at
one author who laid out many
different story arcs:
1. Man in Hole He described it this
way: “You will see this story over
and over again. People love it
and it is not copyrighted. The
story needn’t be about a man
and a hole. It’s this: somebody
gets into trouble, gets out of it
again. It isn’t accidental that the
line ends up higher than where it
began. This is encouraging to
readers.”

44.  What does this story
describe?
› It’s a famous one!
› The arc begins low and
a truly despondent girl
whose mother died and
whose dad remarried a
horrible woman with two
horrible daughters who
treat the girl like a
servant. Things are as
bad as they could be for
this girl.

45.  They help you to figure out the rises and the
falls of your own plot because they remind
you that it isn’t one event after another,
with no real change or climb.
 They also show you that something is going
to happen, and things are getting tough.
Then something changes that solves your
character’s problem. After that, things
change and your character is different,
and there isn’t a felling of anticipation
anymore.

46.  Earlier this year, we discussed how stories
usually go-that the main character has
wants, and something gets in the way of
him or her getting them. So the character
encounters a problem (or multiple), which
give movement to the story. Often, the
problem intensifies before getting resolved,
with the character experiencing several
challenges along the way. Or it gets
resolved a different way than the character
imagined or hoped for.
 Each scene builds on the one before it!

47.  Read the story together
 Discuss: how the story went, how the
events fit together, and what its shape is.

48.  When the author began writing this story,
she probably didn’t know exactly which
choices she would make, so she tried out
different scenarios!

49.  When we plot our Esmeralda story…
› Character will struggle to achieve what she yearns
for
› She will make choices
 Some choices may not work out (don’t know which
ones yet)
› Something will happen though that makes a
difference!
› She will find a way to resolve the struggle or she will
change her sense of what she wants
 As our story arc climbs and changes,
Esmeralda will take actions and things will
happen as a result.

50.  With a partner, create a possible
beginning plotline for the shared class
story on Esmeralda.
 If you finish early, try to plot how the story
might end!
 Use the story arc!

51. Esmeralda Story
Esmeralda walked into the lunch room, holding her lunch bag in her hands. Even though
everyone else in the school, it felt like, bough school lunch, Esmeralda was a picky eater.
I stood in the doorway of the lunchroom, half hiding behind the vending machines, clutching my
lunch bag. There were a few kids who also brought their lunch from home, but almost
everybody else bought from the cafeteria. I waited for Tilly to come through the kitchen doors.
Then waved to her as she headed to our table, the one closest to the janitor’s closet. As I walked
past Liz and Maeve’s gossip table, I overheard them. As the two girls talked, I felt
uncomfortable.
I slowed so I could get a good listen. “I know, right?!” said Liz. Maeve giggled and responded,
“Yes, Tilly’s hair today is atrocious! Who taught her to style hair?” The room felt really hot all of
a sudden. I was beginning to wish I had worn a lighter shirt. This one was making me sweat. Just
then I noticed that they knew I was listening in. I didn’t know what to do.
I looked down at my phone, checking for text messages that weren’t there. Then I noticed how
dirty it was and made myself concentrate on slowly cleaning the screen with the bottom of my
shirt before continuing my journey to the lunch table and to Tilly. After lunch the rest of the day
went fairly quickly and before I knew it I was sitting on the steps of the school waiting for my
bus to arrive when suddenly, Maeve came up and invited me to the party!

52.  Talk with your partner and think about what the
first scene in the arc should be.
 The starting scene should bring Esmeralda to
life, show what she yearns for, and show the
trouble (which we already know will be her
conflicting feelings of wanting to be popular
but not wanting to change who she is go
become well liked).
 Remember, things need to escalate and
become more difficult before they change, so
think about how we’ll make Esmeralda's
problem get worse.
 Turn and begin planning the start of the arc.

53.  Volunteers to share their beginning of their
story arc???!
 Now, close your eyes and imagine what
might happen next.
 Now talk about it! Keep in mind, you need
to SHOW (not summarize) her struggle, and
the problems need to get worse.
 Turn and plan
 As you go, draw your story arc together on
a separate sheet of paper, labeling it like
you saw in the sample Thirteen and a Half

54.  Summarize what Esmeralda has
done/felt so far in your story arc.
 Remember many times we need to
experiment before we make a selection!
 Another summary???

55.  Go back to your own story and begin
creating multiple story arcs for your story
(draw them out like the example if that
helps you!)
 Aim for 2-3 different story arcs, each one
should naturally be better than the last one.
 Too easy/hard? Instead of an arc, try using
a timeline, storyboards, flowcharts or a list.
Find a method that works best for you!
 Remember…

56.  Brainstorm a great story idea (small
moments, places, events, issues,
struggles, stories you wish existed in the
world).
 Make your characters come alive.
 Test-drive your character in scenes.
 Plot several versions of your story, aiming
to intensify the problem (use arcs,
timelines, storyboards, etc…)

57.  Don’t forget: the shape of a story, where it
starts and ends, says a lot about what
matters to the author!
 If the story is about the importance of fitting
in-or how much it doesn’t really matter if
you are true to yourself-then it makes sense
to have the beginning of the story with a
character struggling to fit in and the last
scene be a scene that clearly shows how
the character feels now about fitting in.
 Stop and ask yourself, what is my story really
about?

58.  Great job writers! You’ve grown leaps
and bounds so far!
 As I pass out these checklists, pick out a
few scenes that you want to assess.
 Assess yourself on those scenes!
 Now, set two or three goals for yourself
and write them in your writers notebooks.
Add today's date and use the grade 7
checklist to create them!

59.  A good writer can know if they are on the right track
if they can say what their story is about in one
sentence.
 Esmeralda Story: Esmeralda is a girl who likes being
different but part of her wants to be popular, so one
day she goes to a party and finds herself having to
decide whether it is more important to be popular or
true to herself.
 Tonight:
1. Finish your story arcs.
2. Pick one that you think describes how your story
goes and then try your hand at writing a one
sentence summary. This might take some time!
***Tomorrow we begin drafting our stories!