Part 2 of Narrative Writing offers instruction on how narrative writing tools such as observation diaries and logs can be used to keep order when writing an autobiographical incident. Composition skills of using precise nouns, combining sentences, and making comparisons will also be taught in this course. The structure of the class includes teacher modeling/demonstrations, guided practice, and independent practice. Students will be provided the opportunity to interact with other students by orally sharing their writing, thoughts, and ideas. Students will be provided the opportunity to interact with the teacher during class time and after class time through the classroom communications forum. Students should know paragraph structure and the importance of writing in complete sentences. 

Day 1 - Observation Diaries & Precise Nouns
Objective 1: Students will be encouraged to observe changes and sequences of events for the purpose of narrating them in a structured way.
Objective 2: Students will identify a precise noun as a word that provides a word picture so the reader understands the exact meaning of what the writer is stating. 
Activities
1.	Personal introductions.
2.	Course introductions: The course covers recording narrative information in observation diaries & logs and writing an autobiographical incident. 
3.	Observation diary introduction: An observation diary is used by a writer to record notes briefly about a selected object or nonhuman subject from their environment over a two- or three-day period. The writer is specifically noting what happens to the object and how it changes over time.
4.	Observation diary example was teacher created and is an observation of an overflowing email box in need of being cleaned out. The observation list was used to write a paragraph that models for students how to put observations into paragraph form. 
5.	Students will brainstorm a list of objects or animals they might observe. Then, students will choose an item from the list to write about in an observation journal.
6.	Writing Process Idea: Draft, Then Read Aloud – Students will use their diary entries to write a brief paragraph that narrates, in sequence, what they observed. Then, students will share their observation paragraphs and make notes about what could or should be changed. An example will be provided for student's reference.
7.	Students will rewrite their paragraphs with their notes added to the original draft. 
8.	Students will share their paragraphs.
9.	Objective 2: Precise nouns – A precise noun uses word pictures to help the reader understand better the written message. For example:
The room was cluttered with junk.
The room was cluttered with books, pencils, paper, and junk mail.
10. The students will complete guided and independent practices using precise nouns. After work is completed, the students will check and discuss their work. 
10.  Evaluation: 
Objective 1: Explain the importance of using an observation diary when writing a narrative of actual events that have taken place. 
Objective 2: How do precise nouns add clarity to your writing?

Day 2: Logs & Combining Sentences
Objective 1: Students will be encouraged to focus on exactly what they find out about a subject, record findings in a log, and use the log to write a narrative of the recorded events. 
Objective 2: Students will learn that an effective way to build a big idea is to combine it with supporting ideas to make one sentence. 
Activities:
1.	The teacher leads a discussion of the difference between keeping an observation diary and a log – An observation diary is an open-ended writing activity. The writer doesn’t know beforehand exactly what specific details she or he will be telling about the chosen subject. Keeping a log is a closure activity. Writers narrate in time-sequence information that applies only to a specific situation or task that has been defined beforehand. 
2.	What is a log?—A log is a list of events recorded in order according to the time each one occurred in relation to other events on the list. A log example will be provided. The log is a fabricated list of events that may occur when a hurricane hits. This log of hurricane events will be used to model taking these events and organizing them into paragraph form. 
3.	Next, students will create a list of subjects that use regular log entries to track events over a week or two. Then they will choose one subject from the list and create a log notebook with entries entered at regular intervals of time. Each entry should begin with a time or date stamp of when the event occurred. 
4.     Students will use log entries to write one or more paragraphs about the subject they chose. An example paragraph will be provided.
5.	Students will share and discuss their paragraphs.
6.	Objective 2: Combining Sentences
•	You can state a big idea in one sentence, for example:
	I admire my grandfather.
•	You can go on to support this main idea with more sentences:
	I admire him because he is always helping people. 
	The people need jobs, homes, or food.
•	There is a more effective way to build the big idea: combine it with supporting ideas to make one sentence:
        I admire my grandfather because he is always helping people who need jobs, homes, and food.
7.	Students will complete combining sentences guided and independent practice then checks & discusses their finished work.
8.	Evaluations:
Objective 1- Explain how a log is used to document event activities.
Objective 2- Describe the process of combining sentences to build a big idea.

Day 3: Autobiographical Incidents
Objective 1: Students will examine a personal experience and discover what they’ve learned from it. 
Objective 2: Students will make comparisons that explain how one thing is like another thing. 
Activities:
1.	The teacher defines autobiographical incident: An autobiographical incident narrates a personal experience that occurred over a brief span of time: within a few minutes, a few hours, or—at most—over a day or two. Like most narratives, the autobiographical incident presents events in sequence. To this sequential narration, the writer adds her or his sensory impressions and shares her or his feelings with the reader. An example of an autobiographical incident will be provided.
2.	The students will write down some titles of 3 or 4 autobiographical incidents from their personal life. Examples will be provided that include--1) enrolling in a new school, I was scared, then met a new friend; 2) the day I got my puppy; 3) lost in the shopping mall when I was 4 years old. 
3.	After sharing a sample autobiographical incident, the students will write about the autobiographical incident each selected. 
4.	The students will share their autobiographical incidents. 
5.	Composition Skills introduction: Making comparisons. The teacher defines making comparisons -- A comparison tells your readers how one thing is like another. To keep your readers interested, avoid boring, tired comparisons such as quiet as a mouse, white as snow, silly as a clown. Strive for original comparisons of your very own. 
6.   The students complete guided and independent practice of making comparisons. They will check and discuss their work when completed. After checking their work, students will be instructed to review their autobiographical incidents to determine if there is any place their writing could be enhanced by adding comparisons. 
Evaluation
Objective 1: What is important learning you received from writing an autobiographical incident?
Objective 2: How do comparisons add clarity to our writing?