CREATIVE WRITING:WEEK 2

Do Now: Plot PracticeToday’s Title: Autobiographical Narratives

• Directions: Please answer the following questions in your interactive notebook.

1. A plot diagram can be a simple triangle ( True or False)

2. How many parts are there in a plot diagram?

3. How are the events in a story like links in a chain?

4. Compare and contrast “Rising Action” with “Falling Action?”

5. Explain why the main character hasn’t changed at the “Exposition?”

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Do Now: Plot ShuffleToday’s Title: Autobiographical Narratives

• Directions: Please put the plot diagram in the right order.

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2 Rising Action4 Exposition

3 Falling Action

5 Resolution

1 Climax

Do Now: DefinitionsToday’s Title: Autobiographical Narratives

• Directions: Please write the definition of these words in your own words.

• Resolution• Climax• Autobiography • Non-Fiction• Genre

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PLOT DIAGRAM

IDENTIFYING THE ELEMENTS OF A PLOT DIAGRAM

Student Notes

Plot Diagram

2

1

3

4

5

Plot (definition)

•Plot is the organized pattern or sequence of events that make up a story. Every plot is made up of a series of incidents that are related to one another.

1. Exposition• This usually occurs at the beginning of a short story.

Here the characters are introduced. We also learn about the setting of the story. Most importantly, we are introduced to the main conflict (main problem).

2. Rising Action

•This part of the story begins to develop the conflict(s). A building of interest or suspense occurs.

3. Climax• This is the turning point of the story. Usually the main

character comes face to face with a conflict. The main character will change in some way.

4. Falling Action•All loose ends of the plot are tied up. The conflict(s) and climax are taken care of.

5. Resolution•The story comes to a reasonable ending.

Putting It All Together1. Exposition

2. Rising Action

3. Climax

4. Falling Action

5. Resolution

Beginning of Story

Middle of Story

End of Story

LITERARY GENRES

Source: Open Court Classics; SRA/McGraw-Hill

Example: Autobiography

Some of the elements of the genre of autobiography:

•An account by a person about his or her own life •Tells important information about their own life, including achievements or talents.•Tells how the person talks, feels, and thinks about things•Either may be about the person’s whole life or part of their life•Events are usually told in the order they occurred (chronologically)

•

The Study of Genre

Autobiographical Narrative• Today you are going to begin writing your autobiographical

narrative.

• This is a rough draft that must be typed when it is turned in. You must write your draft before typing it.

• Please use your time wisely and do not waste time with random conversation.

• You will have limited time to work on this assignment in class.

• While you are writing I will call students up for testing for the reading program.

1. This paper needs to be typed, double spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font, 2 pages long AND 500 words (I will accept flash drives).

2. This is your chance to write about one defining moment in your life. Choose from the events you wrote about in class and expand on one in your paper. Be sure to include all details and description about the event (use the five senses). This autobiographical narrative should be about an event that changed you, inspired you, or taught you a valuable lesson in life.

3. This is your chance to describe an event that shaped you and made you who you are today! When I read these papers I want to be able to visualize this moment in your life. Always remember to show rather than tell. Just like all papers in this class your grade will be affected by grammar, punctuation, spelling, organization and proper use of transition. Figure out a way to map out your event so that each paragraph connects or smoothly transitions to the next.

4. Rough Draft for peer editing will be due Monday 8/27 (period 1,3, and 5) or Tuesday 8/28 (period 2 and 4) and final drafts will be due 9/6-9/7.

LANGUAGE OF THE DISCIPLINE

Language of the Discipline

• Non-Fiction• Writing that has real people, places, and events

• Fiction• Writing that has made up people, places, and events

• Autobiography• The story of your life written by you.

• Biography• The story of someone else’s life, not written by that

person

Language of the Discipline• Plot

• A series of events that make up a story.

• Exposition• The beginning of a story where characters, the setting and the main

conflict are introduced

• Rising Action• A series of complications in a story that build interest or suspense.

• Climax• The exciting or intense turning point in a story that changes the

characters.

• Falling Action• A series of events that solves or wraps up the complications in the story.

• Resolution • A reasonable ending to a story.

WHIP AROUND

CFU: Whip Around• It’s time for Whip Around!

• Directions: Please write 5 things you have learned today. Use phrases or complete sentences.

• When the teacher says so, everyone in the class should stand up.

• The teacher will call on students to share 1 thing from their list.

• When you hear something from your list then you may sit down.

• The last person standing win a prize!

LIFE MAP: BRAINSTORMAutobiographical Narratives

Life Map• Today you are going to make a Life Map as a brainstorm

activity for your autobiography.

• A Life Map charts important moments in your life, in other words it is the events, places, and people that have changed your life.

• The reason we are creating Life Maps is to help you visualize the important moments in your life.

• You will have about 20 to 30 minutes to complete this Life Map based on the check list I give you (please do not write on the checklist.)

READING COMPREHENSIONAutobiographical Narratives

Reading Comprehension• Today, we are going to read part of an autobiographical

narrative called, “An American Childhood,” by Annie Dillard. The story starts on page 52.

• WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?:• This autobiographical narrative is an example of the kind of writing

we are starting next week. We are also going to practice getting a deeper understanding of what we read (or reading comprehension).

• TEXT PREVIEW:• This part of the story, “a young man energetically chases the

narrator and her friends after they throw a snowball at his car.” This is a memorable moment in her life that she chose to write about,

FREE WRITEA creative writing exercise

Write

• Please take out at least 1 sheet of paper. We will not use the interactive notebook for this exercise.

• A “free write” is an opportunity for you to express yourself in creative writing.

• In this exercise, you will be able to write based on anything you want. You get to create it.

• In the past, some students have written short stories, journals, prayers, poems, songs, recipes, raps, or comics.

• You will be writing for about 20 minutes. This is a silent writing period, but you will share your work with the students next to you when we are done.

• PLEASE REMEMBER THE RULES FOR APPROPRIATENESS:• No drugs or alcohol• No references to sexual activity• No cursing• No extreme violence• No toilet humor