Narrative Writing

Active Beginnings
This 3-page printable handout focuses on crafting strong leads. It is designed for elementary students and requires Adobe Reader or compatible application.

Assignment: Narrating an Event from Bedford St. Martins
An assignment and sample student essay.

From Object to Story: Writing a Historical Narrative Featuring an Artifact from One's Family History
Students share observations about the history of familial artifacts. They then research the history and cultural significance of selected objects to prepare their own historical narratives. Includes short reading as prewriting activity.

In Search Of Wisdom: An Interview With An Elder
Students develop interview questions, interview someone aged 60 or older, and write a narrative using that person's voice.

The Kite Runner
This 6-page documents contains an excerpt from the novel, background information, and 4 followup activities, including a narrative based on an incident in the reader's childhood. Adobe Reader or compatible application required for access.

Make Kids' Writing Shine: Using Beginnings and Endings to Teach Craft
Strategies to build elementary writing skills. Scroll down for revision and assessment ideas, resources.

More Narrative Essay Prompts
Ten prompts designed for high school students.

Narrative Essay Prompts
Three prompts designed for high school students.

Nibble, Nibble, Little Mouse
Students in grades 6-8 explore the implications of point of view in literature and write a narrative, retelling a traditional story from a different character's point of view.

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words
Students are given a picture that tells a story. They brainstorm words and ideas, then write a story based on what they see. This lesson is designed for grades 6-8.

Personal Narrative
This writing activity promotes invention. Narrative skills are listed along with suggestions for freewriting and revision.

Note: more ideas for teaching the personal narrative can be found on the Biography page.

Prewriting Exercises for Personal Narratives
Ten activities for personal narrative writing.

Ten Narrative Writing Prompts
These prompts are designed for high school and college students, but it might be possible to modify some of them for younger students.

Using Music to Teach Personal Narrative
Students use songs like "Snapshots" and "Crossing the Border" to reflect on their own experience. From the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

Using Personal Photographs to Spark Narrative Writing
The lesson plan asks students to bring in a photograph that has special meaning for them and to write about it.

Using Picture Books to Teach Narrative and Six-Trait Writing
A bibliography of children's literature to help students focus their writing on a single moment. Scroll down to find a table of titles.

Using Pictures to Teach Narrative Writing with Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Students respond to pictures depicting segregation. They write a story from the point of view of someone in the picture.

Writing Narrative Poetry
Students read and respond to "The Charge of the Light Brigade." Scroll down for other narrative poems.

Writing to Photography/Photography to Writing
A teacher designed this project with two goals in mind: (1) to improve students' writing by incorporating photography into descriptive and narrative writing exercises designed to inspire more varied and creative perspectives, and (2) to enhance visual as well as verbal literacy.