Summer Shorts

Brief Description

Students use sequence maps to create personal narratives about their summer vacations.

Objectives

Students learn to use a sequence map to create a personal narrative.

Key Concepts

narrative writing, summer, language arts, sequence map, PowerPoint

Materials Needed

Materials Needed

• computer and printer
• PowerPoint software (optional)
• crayons
• markers
• construction paper
• glue

Lesson Plan

• Ask students to close their eyes and think about their summer vacations. Have them list their experiences and then circle or highlight one they think they could write three paragraphs about.
• Help each student create a story web for the event, using the five W's and an H: Who was involved? Where and when did it take place? What happened? Why did it happen? How did it happen? Point out that the answers to these questions form the groundwork for their narratives.
• Have students create a sequence map with five squares (in a column). Explain that square 1 will be the introduction, square 5 will be the conclusion, and squares 2 to 4 will be the body. The arrows in between represent transitions.
• When students complete their sequence maps, have them use a word processor to type and edit their narratives. The finished versions should be in narrow-column format and printed to fit the "summer shorts" shape described in the next step.
• Have students cut summer shorts from construction paper. Then have them paste the narrative text on one leg of the shorts. On the opposite leg, have them create drawings to illustrate the narrative.
• Optional: Older students might also create PowerPoint presentations. When they're finished making their shorts, have students create six-slide PowerPoint presentations of their narratives.

Assessment

A writing rubric was used to grade the written summer short. A rubric was also used to grade the PowerPoint presentation.