Plan and Begin Narratives

Overview

In this 45-minute lesson, students explore a sound-themed prompt and plan, then begin, a personal and entertaining narrative. They develop character, setting, problem, action and resolution while considering purpose, audience and paragraph structure.

Learning intentions

• WALT choose and develop a sound-themed narrative prompt.
• WALT plan a well-structured story with an engaging character, setting and problem.
• WALT organise ideas into paragraphs and sequence events clearly.
• WALT use actions, feelings, sensory details and transitional words to develop our writing.
• WALT reread our writing and identify a strength and a next step.

Success criteria

• I can create a believable character and setting.
• I can sequence a problem, actions and likely resolution.
• I can organise my ideas into paragraphs.
• I can use sensory details, feelings, actions and transitional words to engage my audience.

Curriculum links

• Creating and presenting texts for a clear purpose and audience.
• Planning and developing imaginative writing with connected ideas, structure and detail.
• Using language features, vocabulary and sentence structures to create meaning and effect.
• Speaking, listening and sharing ideas to develop confidence as a communicator and writer.
• Making meaning through creativity, personal experience and knowledge.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Introduce the prompts and audience

Open with the hook and prompt slides. Present three sound-themed choices:

• A sound came from inside the locked cupboard.
• The music stopped, but one instrument kept playing.
• At midnight, every sound in the neighbourhood disappeared.

Ask: “What kind of story could this become?” and “What would entertain or interest our reader?” Briefly discuss that a narrative needs a character who wants or needs something, and that sound can create mood, mystery or excitement.

2. 5–15 minutes – Model the story arc and paragraph structure

Use the story arc and paragraph model to model a quick plan. Think aloud as you develop a character, setting, problem or purpose, plan, action and resolution. For example: “Mere, who is curious but nervous, hears tapping beneath the school stage during a rehearsal.”

Show how the opening paragraph introduces the character and setting, the next paragraph builds the sound and problem, and later paragraphs develop action and resolution. Model adding sensory details such as a thin metallic tapping and feelings such as her stomach tightened. Highlight transitional words including first, meanwhile, suddenly, after that and finally.

3. 15–25 minutes – Plan and share

Distribute the narrative planning worksheet. Students choose one prompt and record:

• character, traits, feelings and goal
• setting and sensory details
• the sound and the problem or purpose
• three or four sequenced events
• a possible resolution
• paragraph ideas and useful transitional words

Circulate and ask: “What does your character want?” “How will the sound change the situation?” and “What will happen next?” Students share their plan with a partner, explaining their character, setting and problem. Partners offer one question or suggestion that could make the story more engaging.

4. 25–40 minutes – Write the opening and develop the problem

Return to the writing instructions and checklist. Students write the opening of their narrative, aiming for at least two developed paragraphs. The first paragraph should establish character and setting; the second should introduce or develop the sound and problem.

Remind students to show feelings through actions as well as naming them, for example, “Ari’s fingers shook as he reached for the handle” rather than only “Ari was scared.” Encourage varied sentence beginnings, precise verbs, sensory language and transitional words. Confer with individuals or small groups, focusing on one manageable improvement at a time.

5. 40–45 minutes – Reread and reflect

Display the rereading and reflection slide. Students quietly reread their writing and underline one effective detail, action or transitional word. They then write at the bottom of their worksheet:

• “One strength in my writing is…”
• “My next step is…”

Invite two or three students to share a strength. Collect the worksheets and writing, or ask students to keep both together for the next lesson.

Resources

• Sound and Story teaching deck
• Narrative planning worksheet
• Writing books or lined paper
• Pencils, erasers and highlighters
• Board or modelling space
• Visible timer

Assessment

• Observe partner discussions and planning for a clear character, setting, sound-themed problem and sequenced events.
• Confer during writing, checking that students establish the setting and character before or while developing the problem.
• Review the plan and opening for paragraph organisation, connected ideas, sensory detail, actions, feelings and transitional words. Use students’ identified strength and next step to inform the following lesson.

Differentiation

• Provide a small-group oral rehearsal before writing. Scribe or co-construct one opening sentence with students who need support.
• Offer sentence starters such as “At first…”, “The sound grew louder when…” and “Although ___ felt ___, they…”.
• Allow students to plan through labelled sketches and key words before converting ideas into sentences. Read prompts and instructions aloud for students with literacy, dyslexia or visual-processing needs.
• Extend confident writers by asking them to create a deliberate mood, vary sentence lengths, or reveal character through actions rather than direct description. EAL learners may orally rehearse with a partner and use a personal word bank of sensory and feeling words.