Narrative Writing Workshop: Creative Writing for Middle School

The 4-square organizer is a tool that students can use to help them plan and organize any narrative essay.  In this course, students will be taught how to use the 4-square organizer to write a narrative essay about themselves.  Over the course of six lessons, students will learn how to organize narrative essays, create opening lines that capture their reader's attention, use figurative language to write descriptive settings, and use dialogue, thoughts , feelings, and actions to bring a scene to life.  Each lesson will focus on a different part of the narrative essay.  By the end of the class, students will have written a well organized narrative essay with themselves as the main character.

Lesson 1:  Students will learn how to use the 4-square organizer to plan out their narrative essay.

Lesson 2:  Students will learn how to write strong openings that capture the reader's attention.  They will write the first paragraph of their essay.

Lesson 3:  Students will learn how to use different types of figurative language in their writing.  They will use figurative language and sensory details to write descriptive setting paragraphs.

Lesson 4:  Students will learn how to write strong body paragraphs that create a scene for the reader.  They will use dialogue, actions, thoughts, feelings, and descriptive details to bring their stories to life.

Lesson 5: Student will learn how to write closing paragraphs that are reflective and express the lesson of the story.

Lesson 6:  Students will learn how to revise their essays and will have the opportunity to share their writing with their classmates.