Crafting True Stories

In this unit, the boys and girls invest time in rehearsal for writing, collecting quick drafts of possible stories in notebook entries, and later selecting one to take through the writing process. The students in this unit begin developing stories that are driven by characters’ experiences and their responses to those experiences. In addition, there is an emphasis placed on the volume of their writing.

Key Skills Taught:

• Leads
• Endings
• Using a storytelling voice
• Transition words
• Paragraphing
• Author’s Craft
• Use of Mentor Text
• Telling a story bit by bit
• Elaboration
• “Heart of the Story”