Lower School Classroom Chronicle
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Personal Narratives in fifth grade Social Studies
Eric Hooper, Fifth Grade
We start the fifth grade year with a personal narrative, which allows the students to share part of their story. The students begin with five or six, 6-minute writings with the prompt, I will always remember…. Their final 6-minute writing is the start of their personal narrative. Some choose to restart a previous 6-minute writing and others choose a new moment from their lives to share.
After the first draft is completed, the students participate in mini lessons to strengthen word choice, add dialogue, add sensory details, revise to show not tell, and finally zoom in on the hotspot (the climax of the story). Throughout the writing process student’s personal narratives can transform from vague six sentences to a detailed page (or even pages!) that share with the reader a memorable experience in their lives.