Personal Narrative

One Pager Narrative Essays in a Jiffy!

Look at the picture. What do you see? Take notes on the prompt.

Now Read the Quote. What is it talking about? Circle the key words on the prompt.

• “The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” - Henry Kissinger

Now read the prompt. What is it asking you to do? Write it in your own words.

• Write a personal narrative about a time that your leadership guided others in a positive way.

BRAINSTORM

• I remember when I lead a group in history class in a project.

• Another time, when I was at camp I lead my tribe in sing yell competition.

• One time at school, there was a new student and I went out of my way to get to know her. Now she is my best friend.

• When I was a summer camp counselor, I led a group of girls back to camp to avoid a thunder storm.

• NOW YOU BRAINSTORM USING A BUBBLE MAP

Check your ideas. How to tell if your idea will work for this prompt:

• Did someone require a leader?• Did you lead someone? • Was it a positive type of leadership

• Any ideas that do not answer yes to all three questions cannot be used.

• I chose… When I was a summer camp counselor, I led a group of girls back to camp to avoid a thunder storm.

Identify the conflict of the story: Do this on your paper.

• Who needs leading? My campers• Why do they need leading? There is a

thunderstorm. • So it is people needing leading v. Why they

need leading• _______________ v. ______________• MY CONFLICT STATEMENT:– Campers v. Thunderstorm, Person v. Nature

How can you fit your situation on the plot diagram?

• Start with the climax. • In this case the climax is the moment you

needed to take leadership. Write this at the peak of the plot diagram.

• The climax of my story is when camp calls me on the walkie-talkie to tell me that I need to bring the campers back to camp.

TAKE A MOMENT – complete your plot diagram for your story

Exposition – Who? What? Where? When? Rising Action – description of the problem that required you to be a leader. Climax – The moment when the tension is at its greatest.Falling Action – the results of your leadershipResolution – how the leadership made you feelReflection – relate your story back to the requirements of the prompt.

FOCUS YOUR PAPER WITH 575-PADS

• 1st paragraph = 5 sentences, exposition and initial incident on the plot diagram

• 2nd paragraph = 7 sentences, rising action and climax on the plot diagram

• 3rd paragraph = 5 sentences, falling action, resolution on the plot diagram AND reflect on how you answered the prompt

• P = past tense• A = Adjectives and Adverbs (20)• D = dialogue, 2 people talking • S = similes (at least 2)

My First Paragraph

– Exposition, Initial Incident“ Tonight we will have an overnight camp

out!” I announced. This was my 5th summer as a camp counselor at Sierra Vista. This year I was in a cabin of 20 sixteen year old girls, and they frequently did not get along with each other. Even worse, I was the only counselor working that night. I had to hike them safely to the top of the hill alone.

Now write your first paragraph.

• At least 5 sentences• Use your plot line to help you. • You should include the exposition and the initial

incident. • Begin with dialogue, a quote, or description to engage

your audience. • Elaborate on your plot line:– Who was involved?– Where did it happen?– When did it happen?

My Second Paragraph• Rising Action (6 sentences)• Climax (1 sentence)

Before we left, I asked the girls to pack up all their belongings. They were completely disorganized with swimsuits, flip-flops, towels, and toothbrushes scattered everywhere. When we finally had everything together, we loaded begin our long hike to the top of the hill. When we made it to our campsite, everyone relaxed and had fun roasting marshmallows and gossiping. However, The girls began to nervously look up at the sky because it grew cloudy very quickly, and thunder rumbled in the distance. I told them, “It will clear up soon! Camp will call me on the walkie-talkie if it is not safe!” Sure enough, camp called me on the walkie-talkie and told me I had 30 minutes to get them back to the cabin!

Now write your second paragraph.• Look at your plot diagram• Elaborate on what is there. • Include your rising action– What happened first?

• Give details by elaborating on your plot diagram

– What happened next?• Give details by elaborating on your plot diagram

– What happened after that?• Give details by elaborating on your plot diagram

– Climax – What is the turning point where it can go right or wrong?

My Final Paragraph

• Falling Action, Resolution, Reflect the promptI had to immediately step up as a leader to

avoid panic and fear of the approaching storm. I told them to quickly and silently gather their things, so we could make it to the cabin. My strong, calm voice told them I meant business, and there was not time to waste. When we arrived faster than we got there, all were thankful that I remained calm in a time of chaos. My leadership in organizing our hike and our return resulted in the safety of all present.

Now write your final paragraph.

• Look at your plot diagram• Elaborate on what is already there. • How were you a leader• What was the result of your leadership? • What did you learn from the experience?• How does all this relate back to the prompt?

Editing: P – Past tense* Underline and check your verbs

• I capitalized my verbs and made sure they are in past tense unless they are in dialogue.

“ Tonight we will have an overnight camp out!” I ANNOUNCED. This WAS my 5th summer as a camp counselor at Sierra Vista. This year I WAS in a cabin of 20 sixteen year old girls, and they frequently DID not get along with each other. Even worse, I WAS the only counselor working that night. I HAD to hike them safely to the top of the hill alone. – Change verbs not in past tense to past tense unless they are in dialogue or are

conditional verbs (should, could, would, can).

Revising: A – Adjectives & AdverbsCircle your adjectives and adverbs

• Check for at least 10 adjectives or adverbs in the body paragraph (describing words).

• Add MORE if you need to. I DID!!! Before we left, I asked the girls to pack up all their belongings. They

were completely disorganized with colorful swimsuits, flip-flops, beach towels, and toothbrushes scattered everywhere. When we finally had everything together, we began our long hike to the top of the hill. When we made it to our overnight campsite, everyone relaxed and had fun roasting marshmallows and gossiping. However, The girls began to nervously look up at the ominous sky because it grew cloudy very quickly, and loud thunder rumbled in the distance. I told them, “It will clear up soon! Camp will call me on the walkie-talkie if it is not safe!” Sure enough, camp called me on the walkie-talkie and told me I had 30 minutes to get them back to the cabin!

Revising: D - Dialogue• Make sure you have Dialogue (someone talking to someone

else)

“ Tonight we will have an overnight camp out!” I announced. This was my 5th summer as a camp counselor at Sierra Vista. This year I was in a cabin of 20 sixteen year old girls, and they frequently did not get along with each other. Even worse, I was the only counselor working that night. I had to hike them safely to the top of the hill alone.

– If you need to add dialogue add it now! Also, check your quotation marks.

Revising: S – Similes (try for 2)• You need at least 2 similes in the entire story. (Comparisons using like or

as)• You can see that I had to add one in the following paragraph. You may

need to add similes too.

I had to immediately step up as a leader like John F. Kennedy in the Cuban Missile Crisis to avoid panic and fear of the approaching storm. I told them to quickly and silently gather their things, so we could make it to the cabin. My strong, calm voice told them I meant business, and there was not time to waste. When we arrived faster than we got there, all were thankful that I remained calm in a time of chaos. My leadership in organizing our hike and our return resulted in the safety of all present.

Editing• Now hand your paper to a neighbor to check for 5 periods, 7

periods, and 5 periods. Do you need to add more sentences? • Your neighbor also needs to check for:

– Spelling– Commas – Compound sentences joined by commas and FANBOYS: for,

and, nor, but, or, yet, soExamples:• My strong, calm voice told them I meant business, and there was not

time to waste.• This year I was in a cabin of 20 sixteen year old girls, and they

frequently did not get along with each other.• I told them to quickly and silently gather their things, so we could make

it to the cabin.

Editing

• Have your partner also check for COMPLEX sentences.

• Complex sentences are joined with – because, when, since, although, unless, if, before, etc…

• If the joining word is at the beginning it needs a comma in the middle:– Before we left, I asked the girls to pack up all their

belongings.– When we arrived faster than we got there, all were

thankful that I remained calm in a time of chaos.

Editing

• If the joining word is in the middle, NO comma is necessary in a COMPLEX sentence. (See joining word examples on the previous slide)• Camp will call me on the walkie-talkie if it is not safe!• The girls began to nervously look up at the ominous sky

because it grew cloudy very quickly and loud thunder rumbled in the distance.

• NOW CHECK YOUR PAPER TO SEE IF YOU DO OR DO NOT NEED A COMMA!

Now Check for INFORMAL language like…

• So I at camp for the hundreth millioneth time and going to the overnite. It lookt like it would rain but we going newayz. SO I totally had to be a leeder and getz the girlz up their. Wunce we where their we had to go back to the cabun bc it was gonna rain and stuff. I wuz like OMG. They r annoing in rain but wutevs. But we got bak and wint to bed. I wuz a leader n getting them back. We where safe. THE END.

Now WRITE a FINAL DRAFT!

• Writing process:– Brainstorming (pre-writing)– Rough Drafting– Editing and Revising– Final Drafting