Practicing MCAS Narrative Essays

Objectives

Students will review information and take notes related to the
Narrative Essay prompt from MCAS.

Students will create a pre-write for an MCAS narrative essay
prompt to practice for the MCAS test.

Who will

you

choose to

be the

narrator?

The Narrative Essay: Example

The articles, "When Mindfulness Meets the Classroom" and "Instead of

Detention," describe how mindfulness is beneficial for students. Write a

narrative from the perspective of a teacher introducing their students to

mindfulness practice and how it can help students. Use details from

both essays to support your narrative.

What do you need in a Narrative?

◦ Characters

◦ Conflict

◦ Conversation/Dialogue

◦ Plot

◦ Setting

Tips for Writing a Narrative

◦ Write clearly and purposefully

◦ Don't describe each and every movement and action

◦ Avoid the second-person (You) narrative

◦ To interest the reader, try to be dynamic with your words

◦ Plan or pre-write some ideas on a separate sheet of paper!

Tips for Writing a Narrative

◦ Write clearly and purposefully

◦ Don't describe each and every movement and action

◦ Avoid second-person (You) narration

◦ To interest the reader, try to be dynamic with your words

◦ Plan or pre-write some ideas on a separate sheet of paper!

Narrative Web Example

Narrative Web Example

Introduce the characters and the setting
- Who are the people? What do they want?
- What does the setting look like? What details can you think of?

Introduce the
conflict
- What is the

problem in the
story?

- How do the

character
respond to it?

Develop the
Conflict
- How does the

conflict change
over time?

- How does the

disruption affect
the setting?

Resolve the conflict
- How does the conflict

resolve?

- What action from the

main character(s) helps
resolve the conflict?

- What is the

resolution/what is
learned?

The Narrative Essay: Example

The articles, "When Mindfulness Meets the Classroom" and "Instead of

Detention," describe how mindfulness is beneficial for students. Write a

narrative from the perspective of a teacher introducing their students to

mindfulness practice and how it can help students. Use details from

both essays to support your narrative.

Initial Thoughts for a Response

The teacher introduces the lesson on mindfulness to their students.
-How does the teacher greet their students?

-How do they start their lesson?

-What details describe the setting?

Introduce the conflict
-Is there a disruption
to the lesson?

-How does the
teacher respond to
the disruption?

Develop the conflict
-How does the
disruption change
after the teacher
responds?

-How does the
disruption affect the
environment?

Resolve the conflict
-How does the conflict
resolve?

-What action from the main
character(s) helps resolve the
conflict?

-What is the resolution/what is
learned?