Setting the Stage for Narrative Writing

This week we started looking at story elements in hopes that soon my students will be able to write their own story with well developed story elements. I decided to start with teaching them setting.

The first day I introduce setting with this anchor chart.

As I was going through the anchor chart, I went around the room and had students give me examples of a place, time, and environment a story could take place in. I do have to say there were some very creative ideas as students tried to one up the precious response 🙂

After we went through the mini lesson students were given a chance to design a setting and brainstorm words to describe their setting. I used a page in Sarah Cooley’s super cute Setting Scavenger Hunt Activity to inspire my students. They had to take a character from the ones provided and create a scene for the character. The character was then glued onto the scene to finish it off. My students were very excited to complete this activity.

Most of them got it right away but there are a few who still need practice.

The next day, I read the class one of my favourite books, The Great Kapok Tree, and students had to brainstorm adjectives to describe the setting and then write me 3 sentences all about the setting.

In other classroom news, I received some new books for my classroom library from Scholastics. The Boy Who Cried Ninja is way too cute!

We are getting very close to our goal for a class pet.

Each day the class is given a score, 1-4, for their lunch behaviour. I told them if they could get 40 fours I would get them a class pet ( a moment of weakness or desperation). Well they are going to make it and now I have to think of a good class pet. I would love some suggestions if you have any.

Cheers,