Links Between Modes

Andie

Use this mini-lesson to help students distinguish between and practice translating between news stories and narratives. (Suggestion: use before or after a lesson or unit about news writing or narrative writing, especially good as a bridge linking the two modes, or if students seem to be having trouble distinguishing or translating between the two.)

NC English Language Arts Competency Goal: 7^th Grade

1.01 Narrate an account such as a news story or historical episode which:

· creates a coherent organization structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and content.

· orients the reader/listener to the scene, the people, and the events.

· engages the reader/listener by establishing a context and creating a point of view.

NCTE Standards:

3 Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

5 Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

11 Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

Steps:

4. Discuss with the class how a news story differs from a narrative.

5. Give students a list of “facts”/or have them generate their own list of “facts” from a short story, video clip, current event, or a text covered in class.

6. Break the class into 2 groups; one group will write a news story, the other will write a short narrative, from the “facts” (from step 2.)

7. After 10 minutes reconvene one group. Have each group read their writing.

Total time suggested: 23-28 minutes

Materials Needed:

a class of students

handouts of information for students to use when writing news stories/narratives (sample handouts enclosed–feel free to use them)

students must have ability to write in groups

Script:

“Last unit, we were working on short-stories. This week we started our unit on news-writing. I have noticed some of you getting the modes mixed-up. They are very similar, but they also have many differences. For instance, a narrative is usually written in 1^st-person point of view and a News story is written in third-person point of view. Here is a hand out with some of the differences and similarities between News Stories and Narratives. (Ask if there are questions about the handout; answer and discuss any questions ex. If a student asks why it is important to state the important facts of a news story in the first line or two, discuss how people are drawn into a news story by first lines. )

“Do you remember when we watched the video about Ernest Miller Hemingway last week? Here are some facts about Hemingway from the movie [attached are 2 sample information-handouts, pick the handout by the length of writing you want the students to do.] Starting with *Sarah* I want the class to count off in twos. Ones use this side of the room [point to a place in the room], twos over here [point to another place in the room.] Ones I want to you use the two handouts to write a news story. Twos, Use the handouts to write a short narrative. In about 10 minutes I’ll stop you guys; we’ll come together to share our pieces and discuss any concerns or questions. Let’s get started!” (The discussion and handing out of handouts should take about 5 minutes.)

[10 minutes later]

“OK, times up! *Abbey* can you read your groups news story”

[Abbey reads the story.]

“Good! Did your group have any questions when you wrote your story? [Answer and discuss any questions.] *Ben* please read your groups narrative.”

[Ben reads the narrative.]

“That’s good to! Did y’all have any concerns when you wrote your narrative? [Answer and discuss any questions..]

“ Pass the final copy of your group-piece to me please. Alright guys, your next piece of writing that is due is what your group DID NOT write. So, if you were in group one you’ll write a short narrative, if your were in group two you’ll write a news-story. For the rest of the workshop today, you’ll each draft your piece. For workshop tomorrow, you’ll need a full draft of your piece.” I suggest using the “next piece of writing” as an in-class/workshop piece or as a homework piece. (This wrap up should take 2-3 minutes.)

Possible Follow-up Mini-lessons: How To Write the First Line of a News Story, News Story Headlines, Titles for Narratives, Components of Narratives,