Draft the Rising Action

Overview

In this lesson, students move from analyzing conflict to drafting the rising action of an original narrative. They will expand one obstacle into connected complications, show how the character responds, and use transitions, precise verbs, and clear pronouns to create a logical event sequence.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Explain how each complication increases or changes a conflict.
• Draft at least two connected rising-action events.
• Show a character responding to each complication.
• Use clear pronouns, precise verbs, complete sentences, and transitions.

Success criteria

• I can write at least two complications that develop one conflict.
• I can show how my character responds to each complication.
• I can use transitions to make the sequence clear.
• I can explain how each complication increases or changes the conflict.

Curriculum links

• Narrative writing — develop real or imagined experiences using relevant details and well-structured event sequences.
• Narrative openings and organization — establish context, characters, and a logical sequence of events.
• Narrative techniques — use dialogue, pacing, and description to develop events and characters.
• Clear and coherent writing — plan, revise, and strengthen writing with teacher and peer support.

Lesson structure (55 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Bellwork: pronoun clarity. Display the bellwork in the bellwork and pronoun examples and distribute the rising-action drafting worksheet. Students revise sentences by choosing pronouns that clearly identify the speaker or character, then explain how unclear pronouns can confuse a reader. Review two examples aloud, emphasizing that a reader should always know who is acting or speaking.

2. 8–17 min · Model connected events. Use the obstacle-to-rising-action model to think aloud while expanding one obstacle into a sequence: obstacle, character response, new complication, and changed response. Students help identify the transition and precise verb in each event, then orally rehearse a possible sequence with a partner. Ask, “How does the second event make the conflict harder, riskier, or different?”

3. 17–27 min · Read and identify complications. Read “The Trail Splits” from the class text or teacher-provided copy; offer the guided reading and complication prompts and an audio version for students who need it. Students mark or record the initial conflict, at least two complications, the character’s response to each, and the transition words that clarify sequence. Pause after each complication for students to explain how the conflict changes.

4. 27–45 min · Draft the rising action. Students complete the planning boxes on the rising-action drafting worksheet, then draft a connected rising-action section of at least two complications. Require each event to include what happens, how the character responds, and how the conflict increases or changes. Encourage transitions such as at first, meanwhile, because of this, moments later, however, and before long. Students may use oral rehearsal, event cards made from their planning boxes, voice typing, or short writing sprints of four minutes followed by one-minute pauses.

5. 45–52 min · Partner connection check. Display the partner-check directions. Partners read each other’s drafts and complete a two-event connection check: identify the first complication, underline the character response, box the transition, and explain how the second complication changes the conflict. Students give one specific suggestion, such as “Add what the character does after…” or “Replace went with a more precise verb.” Writers make one immediate revision.

6. 52–55 min · Exit ticket. Finish with the success criteria exit ticket. Students identify one complication from their draft and complete the sentence: “This complication increases or changes the conflict because…” They also mark which success criterion they met and circle one area they will strengthen next lesson. Collect drafts or photograph them for planning the next lesson.

Resources

• the complete rising-action slide deck
• the rising-action drafting worksheet
• Teacher or student copies of “The Trail Splits”
• Audio recording or text-to-speech version of the reading
• Transition-word reference list
• Highlighters or colored pencils
• Timer
• Student notebooks or writing folders
• the success criteria exit ticket

Assessment

• During bellwork, check whether students select pronouns that clearly identify speakers and characters.
• Confer with students during drafting and look for two complications, a visible character response to each, clear transitions, complete sentences, and precise verbs.
• Use the partner connection check and exit ticket to assess whether students can explain how each complication develops or changes the conflict.

Differentiation

• Support writers with a color-coded planner: one color for the complication, one for the character response, and one for the conflict change. Provide sentence starters such as “When ___ happens, ___ responds by ___” and “This makes the conflict more difficult because ___.”
• Provide a transition list, oral rehearsal before writing, event cards, chunked writing intervals, and teacher check-ins after each event. Model one completed example without requiring students to copy it.
• For dyslexia-friendly access, provide an audio model and audio reading, a clear sans-serif worksheet with generous spacing, voice typing, text-to-speech review, and short writing sprints. Allow students to dictate ideas before drafting.
• For students needing enrichment, invite them to add characterization through a meaningful choice: show what the character chooses, why the character chooses it, and how that choice creates the next complication. Students who finish early may add a brief line of dialogue or sensory detail while preserving the logical sequence.