Lesson 10 - Unit 2

Teachers: Grace Chang, Yinan Gong

Level: Intermediate 4 (I4)
Date/Time: Monday, October 13, 2014, 7:10 - 9:10pm

Goal: Students will learn to identify the structure and different components of a narrative
and apply their knowledge to write a narrative.

Objectives (SWBAT):
Students Will Be Able To
1. understand the elements of a narrative
2. identify the key information and main ideas of each component of a narrative and draw
a diagram model
3. use transition words and phrases for narrative writing
4. practice writing narratives using details, transition words/phrases based on the unit
theme of whodunit/mystery.
Theme: Whodunit (Writing - Narrative)
Extensions: Ss are asked to complete homework in the workbook (practice 12 on pg. 15)
outside of class where they will need to write a four-paragraph narrative based on the
four illustrations on Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
Aim/Skill/Microskill

Activity/Procedure/Stage

Interaction

Time

Review or Preview (if

applicable)

Homework Check: Collect Homework

T-SS

2min

Linking & Transitioning to rest of

lesson: Now lets start our lesson
today. We are going to cover the last
section of this unit which is writing.

Activity 1:
Pre-teaching Warm up
Activity

1.1 Pre-Stage:
- T briefly reviews the writing
T-SS
taught in unit 1 (formal writing
- letter of inquiry) and introduce
the specific type of writing
(narrative) we are going to learn
today.
- T asks Ss based on the article in
the writing section they have
read as homework, what do

7min

they think a narrative is.

(story/tell a story)
T gives the formal definition of
narrative writing (the writing of
a series of connected events); T
explains the word event
(something that happens or is
happening) and the definition
and gives Ss an example of
narrative (childrens book; fairy
tales)
T introduces 2 basic types of
narratives (first person narative
vs. third person narrative)
T points out that a good
narrative should include many
details; it should be vivid and
make the reader feel close to
the scene and make it more
engaging.
T has Ss do an activity to find
out what details should be
included in a narrative
T divides Ss into 2 groups, rearrange the seats and gives Ss
the instruction on the activity
(written instruction will be
displayed on screen).

INSTRUCTION:
Step 1:
- Each group receives a picture
- Do not show your picture to the
other group
- Within your group write one to
two sentences to describe the
scene in the picture.
- In your sentence, you should
include as many details as you
can so the readers can picture
the scene in their minds exactly
as it is on the picture.
- Write down your sentence on a
piece of paper.
Step 2:
- Now, exchange your sentence

with the other group.

Within in your group, draw a
scene on the poster based on the
sentence you received.
You should draw the scene
exactly as how it is described in
the sentence.

1.2. During Stage:

- Ss write sentences to describe
the scene in the pictures
- Ss draw pictures based on the
sentence received from the
other group.

SS-SS & TSS

1.3 Post-Stage:
- T asks each group to compare
the pictures they drew to the
original pictures.
- T asks Ss what details they
T-SS
think a good narrative should
have based on the activity they
have just done; (Ss answers will
be listed on the board: people,
place, time, weather, sounds,
feelings, conversations, actions,
etc.)
Tangible Outcome & T. feedback/peer
feedback:
- Tangible Outcome: descriptive
Transition to #2: So, we
sentences written on a piece of
know what details we should
paper and pictures drawn on
include in a narrative, and
the poster according to the
now what we need to do is to
descriptive sentences
think of a way to tie these
- Peer feedback will be given
details together, organize
when they write the sentences
them and make them into a
and draw the pictures
story. It is not easy, so lets
collaboratively
start off with identifying the
- T feedback will be given while
structure/organization of a
walking around to help the
narrative
groups write the sentences as
well as during the post-stage ss
give their opinions on what
details should be included in a
good narrative.

11min

5min

(25)

Activity 2:
Identifying the structure of
a narrative

2.1 Pre-Stage:
- T asks Ss to turn to page 20 in T-SS
their textbook.
- T asks Ss to scan the first
paragraph (setting the scene)
and asks them what the first
paragraph is about; what
information is included in the
first paragraph (the background
of your story: time/date, city
names, the weather, what were
you doing before the events
happened, etc.)
- T introduces diagram model for
narrative writing

T has Ss scan the second

paragraph where several events
are described; T reminds ss the
definition of events
(something happens or is
happening).
T asks Ss to identify the
different events in the second
paragraph has them give their
answers and T will list the
events on the board
T asks ss to look at one specific
event in the second paragraph
and find out how to write an
event; what information/details
should be included in an even
(Who, Where, When, What,
Why, How)
T asks Ss how these events are
connected together (through the
order they occur in time)
T introduces the three types of
orders Ss can use in writing a
narrative (rank order: in the
order of importance;
chronological order: in the

15min

order they occur in time; spatial

order: in the order in which
they are located)
T points out whichever order Ss
choose to use they usually
should follow the rule that the
first event being the beginning
of the main story, and then
arrange the events in a way that
the readers level of interest will
increase as the story goes on,
and at the end of the body
paragraph should be the climax
or the event that catches
readers highest interest
(illustrated using the diagram
model) (In Hollywood movies,
the climax <the highest or most
intense point in the
development or resolution of
something> usually comes in
the last five minutes of the film)
T has Ss scan the last paragraph
and elicits from Ss the
information included in the last
paragraph (ending of the story result/solution)
T points out in addition to the
result, the ending of the story
should also include the falling
action part of the story where
events start to unfold and
results become more and more
obvious, and readers interests
start to fall down (illustrated on
the diagram)
After going over the structure
and all the elements of a
narrative, T gives students a
sample narrative and asks Ss to
practice identifying the
structure of the narrative by
drawing a diagram model in
groups for the narrative. T
instructs Ss that they need to
write down the key information

of each component in the

diagram.
T gives ss instruction on the
activity (instruction will be
displayed on the screen)

2.2. During Stage:

- Ss complete the diagram model
for the narrative in groups on a
poster
- T will walk around and assist
SS-SS
each group with drawing the
diagram
2.3 Post-Stage:
- T will stick the posters on the
wall and have ss compare their
diagrams

Transition to #3: I believe

you are all very familiar
with the structure of the
narrative now, so lets put
what weve learned into
practice

Activity 3:

Learning about
Transitional Words and
Phrase in Narratives
Preparation for
Narrative Writing

17min

Tangible Outcome & T. feedback/peer T-SS

feedback:
- Tangible Outcome: the diagram
drawn by each group on the
poster
- Peer feedback will be given
during the group activity when
they draw the diagram for the
narrative; T feedback will be
given when ss give their
opinions on the structure of the
narrative as well as when they
draw the diagram in groups.

3min

3.1 Pre-Stage:
T-SS
-T says, We have just learned that in a SS-SS
narrative, it is very important to add
details and for readers to understand
the order and sequence of a story. Now
we will focus on learning words and
phrases that helps the reader
understand the order and sequence
better. What are some words/phrases
we use to make transitions, tell order or

7 min

(35)

time?
-T asks Ss to contribute to class
discussion and writes the ideas on the
board.
-T now uses the PowerPoint to show
some of the purposes for using
transitional words/phrases. These
include:
~to clarify
~show relationships
~create cohesion
~create links
~show sequence/order
~show time/setting
~build particular tone/outcome (build
supsense)
-T now passes out the 2 handouts
Transition Words/Phrases for
Narrative Writing and Transitional
words and phrases - narratives
-T reviews the handout and explains
that these two handouts are organized
differently; one is sorted by order (first,
then, finally) and the other allows
students to use words by its purpose.
These two handouts will act as tools for
the students.
-T now introduces the next activity. T
explains that today they will start
practicing writing their own mystery
narrative story with a partner.
However, there is a trick! Their
classmates get to decide the character,
setting, and events in their story!
-T now explains to Ss to use the color
paper strips to write down
1) two names of famous people
2) two events/actions
3) 2 setting
SS
3.2. During Stage:
-SS now starts writing individually on
the paper strips and T will walk around
helping Ss with any difficulty with
expressions or spelling. T may also
need to clarify/repeat some instructions

7 min

to lower-level students.
-Ss will place the paper strips in the
coordinating bag.
T-SS

1 min

3.3 Post-Stage:
-T builds excitement and tells Ss that
he/she sees some very interesting
things and cant wait for them to write
their own mystery narrative.
-T will transition to the next activity
which is the actually writing part of the
narrative exercise.
Tangible Outcome & T. feedback/peer
feedback:
This activity is part 1 of the next
activity and so the tangible outcome is
not any type of assessment or practice
of their understanding of transitional
words/phrases. They are prepping for
the next activity. Nevertheless, the
tangible outcome are the paper strips of
names, setting, and events/actions that
Transition to #4 or Wrap-up: they have written. At this point, peer
T says, Great! I saw some and T feedback are not given yet. T
really exciting and
may be able to provide feedback and
interesting things on the
assistance while the Ss are writing
paper strips! Lets now get
individually on their paper strips (help
the writing process started! with clarification, spelling, expressing
ideas).

Activity 4:
Write Your Mystery
Narrative

4.1 Pre-Stage:
-T now asks each student to pick one
T-SS
paper strip from each bag (one red/one
yellow/one blue).
-T now reads out the assigned pairs.
Since in most of the activities students
are allowed to work with a partner of
their choice, for this exercise, the T
will assign pairs so that higher-level Ss
can work with a lower-level Ss. The
purpose is for lower-level Ss to be able
to get more help during the activity and

(15)

10 min

it also gives the higher-level Ss a

chance to teach and share.
-T then explains that using the sentence
strips, the pairs are supposed to write a
narrative and include those characters,
setting, and events that are written on
the paper strips. Most importantly, the
Ss must include at least 5 different
transitional words/phrases in their
writing.
-T explains that they will have 25
minutes to draft a short narrative with
their partner and then they will have 10
minutes to draw it on a poster paper (2
each) and they are encouraged to be as
creative as possible, including putting
illustrations on the poster.
-T also reminds them that since they
are writing a mystery narrative, they
should keep in mind the following..
A mystery story
-includes a puzzling event
-uses clues and evidence to help solve
the puzzle
-use details and descriptive language
-may include some key vocabulary that
we have gone over in the previous class
-T will now pull up the slide showing
the poster work they have done two
classes before (This poster shows a list
of words they think of when talking
about mystery. It includes a list of
nouns, verbs, and sometimes
adjectives, adverbs.)
-The transition words/phrase handout
along with the poster images act as a
scaffold for the Ss so that they are
reminded what words they could use to
create a narrative.
4.2. During Stage:
-Ss now work in pairs and draft the
narrative.
-T will walk around and sit in with

SS-SS

25 min

different pairs facilitating their writing

process; reminding them to use
transitional words/phrases, help with
spelling, help with expressing ideas,
help clarify anything, and also
encourage them to be as creative as
they can be.
-T will remind them at the 20 minute
mark to let them know they should start
wrapping up their story.
-T will now remind them it is time to
publish their work on the poster paper
using the provided markers.
4.3 Post-Stage:
-After Ss have written everything on
the poster paper, they will be asked to
tape their poster up on the wall/white
board around the classroom.
-Each pair will go up next to their
poster and read/share their stories.
-At the end of each pair share, other
students are asked to give positive
feedback (what they liked about the
story).
Tangible Outcome & T. feedback/peer
feedback:
The tangible outcome in this activity is
the narrative story Ss have written
down as draft in their notebook as well
Transition to Wrap-Up:
as the final version published on the
-T gives feedback on their
poster paper. Throughout this time,
hard work and well written peer feedback will be given when they
stories. T may also give
work with their partners and T
some reminders on what to feedback will be given when T walks
include in a good narrative
around to facilitate. Further peer and T
story (details and transition feedback will be given at the end of the
words). T also says that there activity when each pair shares with the
are many more elements like class their story.
using different characters
-As another form of tangible outcome,
perspective to tell a story or these posters will also be photographed
building characters. We will and posted on our class website.
continue to work on that in
the future.

SS-SS
T-SS

10 min

(45)

Wrap-up

Lesson Evaluation Procedures:

-T will compliments Ss on their
hardwork and that every story were
very well written.
-T will assign homework in the
workbook (practice 12 on pg. 15)

T-SS

1 min

Materials:
Dry-ease marker and eraser
Large sketch paper
Poster paper (About 20 sheets)
Crayons and colored markers
Narrative Structure Activity worksheets (14 copies)
Transitional words and phrases - Narratives handout (14 copies)
Transition Words/Phrases for Narrative handout (14 copies)
Anticipated Problems & Suggested Solutions:
The reading article that students will be using in the identifying narrative structure
activity contains some advanced vocabulary that might hider students understanding of
the article. Solution: T will tell students before the activity that neither vocabulary nor
grammar is the focus of this activity. The goal of the activity is to have them be able to
identify the structure and information contained in each component of a narrative. T will
not spend class time going over the vocab with the students together but instead T will
walk around while students read the article independently as well as during the group
discussion to answer any questions (vocab, confusions, etc.) they may have regarding the
article.
During the write your own mystery narrative part of the exercise, students may be lost
if it is their first time writing a narrative and perhaps something imaginary and creative. T
should encourage Ss to work with their partners and to help each other, but will step in if
it is necessary to guide the Ss through the writing process. T facilitating Ss during this
stage is crucial. Also some Ss may not know when to use which transition words, so T
may need to spend more time explaining how to use them.
Contingency Plans (what you will do if you finish early, etc.):
If we finish early, we will start the review session of unit 2 by going over the vocabulary
in the back of the textbook
Post-Lesson Reflections:
The class went pretty well in general. For the identifying structure activity, there was
too much teachers talk. It might be necessary because for many students this was their
first time looking into details for the structure of a narrative so they might not know what
to look at or where to start. However, we could have had students do more group

discussion to encourage the student-student interaction instead of passive listening and

response to the teachers talk.