Lesson 5

Lesson Goals

• Can I evaluate the effects of literary devices and narrative techniques in my narrative story?

• Can I revisit, refine, and revise my understanding, knowledge, and work based on review by myself and others?

Texts

Materials

Activity 1: Read – Write

We will review our drafts to determine the effectiveness of our narrative techniques.

Revision is the process of seeing your work with fresh eyes. Revision is a challenge for all writers—the art of making writing better is hard work that can feel messy at times.

Review your work, and ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I include enough sensory language so that readers can easily visualize my setting?

2. Are my characters believable? Are they complex?

3. Will my pacing keep readers engaged?

4. Do I use strong word choice and effective sentence structures?

5. Is my underlying message evident?

Consider how you might improve the draft by effectively using the following narrative techniques:

• description

• imagery

• personification

• dialogue

• inner dialogue

• foreshadowing

• irony

• understatement

• pacing

• suspense

• mystery

• reflection

• symbolism

• precise word choice

Revise your draft. Be prepared to share your revised version with a peer in the next lesson.

Activity 2: Read – Discuss – Write

We will examine a model and practice using an effective narrative technique in our own writing.

Follow your teacher’s directions for reading and analyzing a model passage.