This document provides information and materials for teaching a 1st grade narrative writing unit, including targeted vocabulary words and assessment strategies. It introduces a narrative writing unit which focuses on reading, writing, and understanding brief narratives. It then lists 10 targeted vocabulary words to be taught: narrative, setting, character, plot, beginning, middle, end, personal experiences, and sequencing words. Finally, it provides examples of formative and summative assessments including exit slips, KWL charts, and matching vocabulary definitions that can help evaluate student understanding of the targeted words.

1. Best Practices in
Assessing
Vocabulary for:
Whitley Gaines
January 25, 2016
SEI 300
University of Phoenix

2. English Language Arts – Grade 1
Narrative Unit
• This unit introduces first grade students to narrative
texts
• students will read and write narrative texts
• Students will begin to write brief narratives that
include a main idea based on real or imagined events,
characters, and a sequence of events.

3. Narrative Lesson: I can change the World
• Read “I can change the world” By : Jennifer Derwing
• Next, explain what a narrative paper is.
• Go over steps to write a narrative paper.
• Review Lesson Plans:
- Vocabulary Words
• narrative, setting, character, plot
• beginning, middle, end
• Personal experiences
• Sequence words: (First, second, last)

4. 10 Target Vocabulary Words
• Narrative
• Setting
• Character
• plot
• beginning
• middle
• end
• Personal experiences
• First
• second
• last

5. 3 Ways to effectively review vocabulary words
• Review words through authentic assessment, through real life
assessment
• Ticket out the door. To be used as an end of less assessment
• KWL Chart. This will assess the students before a lesson as well as
during and after the lesson.

6. Formative Assessment
• Exit slip (Ticket out the Door)
1
Things I learned today……
2
Things I found Interesting……
3
Questions I still have….

7. Summative Assessment
Define the following vocabulary words by selecting which letter
defines the following words:
1. Narrative ____ a. Tells where the story takes place
2. Setting ____ b. Situation character is facing in story
3. Character _____ c. Tells a story
4. Plot _____ d. How the characters solve their problem
5. Beginning ___ e. When the problem is solved
6. Middle ___ f. A person in a story
7. End ___ g. Idea that runs through the story
8. Personal
Narrative___
h. Where the character tries to solve the
problem
9. Problem ____ i. Events that happen in the story
10. Theme ____ j. character/setting introduced
11. Solution ___ k. Tells a story about self

8. How to determine whether students
understand targeted vocabulary words :
• Give assessments
• When assessments are given this could
determine if the student understands required
vocabulary words
•These can be discussed as a whole class/group,
or one-to-one interaction with students