Classroom Resource

Comics in the Classroom as an Introduction to Narrative Structure

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

2, 3, 4, 5

Overview

A strong plot is a basic requirement of any narrative. Students are sometimes confused, however, by the difference between a series of events that happen in a story and the plot elements, or the events that are significant to the story. In this lesson, students select a topic for a personal narrative and then do the prewriting in comic-strip format to reinforce the plot structure. Finally, they write their own original narratives based on the comic strip prewriting activity, keeping the elements of narrative writing in mind. The lesson uses a version of "The Three Little Pigs" fairy tale to demonstrate the literary element; however, any picture book with a strong plot would work for this lesson.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 2

ELA21.2.45e

Form and use frequently-occurring irregular plural nouns and verbs.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.2.45e

Vocabulary

  • Irregular plural nouns
  • Irregular plural verbs

Knowledge

  • Some nouns and verbs do not follow the regular pattern when forming a plural.

Skills

  • Form and use frequently-occurring irregular plural nouns, such as feet, children, mice, fish, teeth.
  • Form and use frequently-occurring irregular plural verbs.

Understanding

  • Some nouns and verbs are made plural by changing vowels, changing the entire word, or adding a different ending.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 3

ELA21.3.33

Write personal or fictional narratives with a logical plot (sequence of events), characters, transitions, and a sense of closure.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.3.33

Vocabulary

  • Personal narrative
  • Fictional narrative
  • Logical plot
  • Sequence of events
  • Characters
  • Transitions
  • Closure

Knowledge

Students know:
  • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
  • A personal narrative tells about an event that was personally experienced by the author, while a fictional narrative tells a made up story.
  • A narrative story describes a sequence of events in a logical order (beginning, middle, end) and provides a sense of closure as an ending.
  • A narrative story describes the actions, thoughts, and feelings of the characters.
  • Narrative transitions indicate when and where the story is occurring.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Write a personal narrative that recalls a personal experience or a fictional narrative with a made-up story.
  • Write a narrative with a logical sequence of events and details that describe how the characters feels, acts, and thinks.
  • Use appropriate transitions in narrative writing.
  • Write a narrative that ends with a sense of closure.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Narrative writing includes predictable elements, like a logical sequence of events and an ending that provides the reader with a sense of closure.
  • Because narrative writing describes a chronological sequence of events, it includes transitions that indicate the time and place in which the story is occurring.
  • Narrative writing can be used to tell about something that happened to them personally or it can tell a story they made up.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 4

ELA21.4.R1

Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.4.R1

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Discussion
  • Conversation
  • Rules
  • Participation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • How to engage in discussions and conversations in a variety of settings.
  • Agreed-upon rules for participation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings.
  • Converse in pairs, small groups, and large groups.
  • Practice the agreed-upon rules for participation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow agreed-upon rules which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 4

ELA21.4.35

Write personal or fictional narratives using a logical plot, transitional words and phrases, sensory details, and dialogue, and providing a sense of closure.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.4.35

Vocabulary

  • Personal narratives
  • Fictional narratives
  • Logical plot
  • Transitional words and phrases
  • Sensory details
  • Dialogue
  • Closure

Knowledge

Students know:
  • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
  • A personal narrative tells about an event that was personally experienced by the author, while a fictional narrative tells a made up story.
  • A narrative story describes a sequence of events in a logical order (beginning, middle, end) and provides a sense of closure as an ending.
  • Narrative transitions indicate when and where the story is occurring.
  • Sensory details use descriptions of the five senses.
  • Dialogue is a conversation between two or more people.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Write a personal narrative that recalls a personal experience or a fictional narrative with a made-up story.
  • Write a narrative with a logical sequence of events and sensory details.
  • Use appropriate transitional words and phrases in narrative writing.
  • Include dialogue in narrative writing.
  • Write a narrative that ends with a sense of closure.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Narrative writing includes predictable elements, like a logical sequence of events and an ending that provides the reader with a sense of closure.
  • Because narrative writing describes a chronological sequence of events, it includes transitions that indicate the time and place in which the story is occurring.
  • Narrative writing can be used to tell about something that happened to them personally or it can tell a story they made up.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 5

ELA21.5.R1

Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.5.R1

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Discussion
  • Conversation
  • Rules
  • Participation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • How to engage in discussions and conversations in a variety of settings.
  • Agreed-upon rules for participation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings.
  • Converse in pairs, small groups, and large groups.
  • Practice the agreed-upon rules for participation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow agreed-upon rules which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 5

ELA21.5.34

Write personal or fictional narratives incorporating literary elements (characters, plot, setting, conflict), dialogue, strong voice, and clear event sequences.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.5.34

Vocabulary

  • Personal narratives
  • Fictional narratives
  • Literary elements
  • Characters
  • Plot
  • Setting
  • Conflict
  • Dialogue
  • Voice
  • Event sequences

Knowledge

Students know:
  • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
  • A personal narrative tells about an event that was personally experienced by the author, while a fictional narrative tells a made-up story.
  • A narrative story describes a sequence of plot events in a logical order (beginning, middle, end).
  • Narrative writing includes text elements, like characters, setting, and conflict.
  • Dialogue is a conversation between two or more characters in a text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Write a personal narrative that recalls a personal experience or a fictional narrative with a made-up story.
  • Write a narrative with a logical sequence of plot events.
  • Incorporate literary elements into their narrative writing, like characters, setting, and conflict.
  • Include dialogue in narrative writing.
  • Use a strong voice in writing by developing a personal writing style.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Narrative writing includes predictable elements, like a logical sequence of events and characters, setting, and conflict.
  • Incorporating dialogue between the characters can add details to their narrative writing.
  • Narrative writing can be used to tell about something that happened to them personally or it can tell a story they made up.
Link to Resource
http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/comics-classroom-int…

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

ReadWriteThink
Accessibility
License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

http://www.readwritethink.org/util/legal.html

Approved Date

raulstoncg
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