Graphic Organizers for

Teaching Narratives
 1. TITLE

TAB
Author

2. SETTING
3. CHARACTERS

TAB
5.
4. A
EVENTS
PROBLEM

TAB
AND
SOLUTION
Beginning Middle End

When First How did you

Who Next feel?
Where Then
Last
Title

Setting

Characters

Problem

Events

Solution
Title: _______________________________________
Characters: Setting:

Problem:

Events:
First,

Next,

Then,

Last,

Solution:

My thoughts:
T itl e

S e ttin g

C h a racte rs

G oal

P robl em

A tte m p ts O u tc o m e s

S o l u tio n
1. Cut out the flower
2. Fold the petals
Title
3. Add a green stem
and leaves Author

Now add your flower o the flower garden board

 Main
Setting: characters:

North Pole? Tacky

Antarctica the Hunters

Problem:

Hunters came to capture the

penguins.
1
Tacky greeted Solution:
the hunters Events The hunters left
rudely.

4
2
3 Tacky and his
Tacky companions
Tacky did a
marched sang dreadfully
splashy
sloppily.
canonball.
 Zabala
Main
Setting: characters:
Sebgugugu
Africa Unanana
Rwanda Imana

Problem:
Sebgugugu could not find enough
food to feed his family.

Events

4
3 Sebgugugu
Sebgugugu 5
2 chopped the
widened Sebgugugu
Sebgugugu vine. the crack. shot Igwababa
killed Gitale the crow
1 the cow. Solution :
Sebgugugu did The god of
not listen to his Rwanda took
wife everything
away.
 Mandy
Pearl’s house
Grass

Pearl’s school

School bus
Events Before the Story is Told

Story Events

Events After the Story is Told

Improving Reading: Strategies and Resources

Plot Relationships Chart

Somebody Wanted But So
 10
Sylvester
9
Parents
8
7
6
Tension

5
4
3
2 v
c
1
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ? ? ?
Time
Incident summary: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steiz
1. Collect rocks 6. Becomes rock 11. Fall (Autumn)
2. Find extra ordinary one 7. Cannot return 12. Winter, wolf howls
3. Rock is magic 8. Parents worry
4. Sets out for home 9. Parents seek Sylvester ? Father locks people in safe
5. Meets lion 10. Become despondent ? All happy together
Movie Title: ________________________________ Director: _________________

Write the events of the film on the board. Record them in the correct order.

1 2

4
Improving Reading: Strategies and Resources
Thinking Chart
What has What will Why do I think
happened? happen next? so?
 What happened when? Write the events in the correct order on the time line.

TOPIC:

Time Line/Story Map

 Title of the Story_______________________________________
Character: ________________________________
What he or she thought: ____________________________
____________________________

How he or she felt:

What he or she did:
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________
________________

Where he or she went: _____________________________________

How he or she changed: ____________________________________
Choose a character from the book (or your own story). Then complete the chart.

Character’s
name

One thing
One thing character
character did
did
 Compare and contrast two characters. How are they different?
Write your answer in the outer part of the circles. How are they
the same? Write your answer in the parts of the circles that
overlap.

Venn Diagram
Choose two or three things to compare and contrast. What is different? Write it
in the outer part of the bubbles. What is the same? Write it in the parts of the
bubble that overlap.
Character:
very somewhat neither/both somewhat very

good evil
kind unkind
honest dishonest

gentle violent
brave cowardly
 Heroes
You must decide if (main character) is going to be the hero of
(a movie/TV program ). Below are listed some of the qualities of a storybook hero. Decide if you think
(main character ) has these qualities. You must state something from the story to support your decision.
a hero Support
Young
Intelligent
tall and muscular
invincible (unbeatable)
Strong
Wise
Brave
rides a horse
carries a weapon
is set a task
has to leave home
must face grave danger
has a servant or helper
G etting to K now M y Character Chart
Story: _______________________________________________
Character: ____________________________________________

Facts about my character My character’s actions

My character’s conversations My character’s thoughts

 Says Feels

1. ________________
1. ________________
2. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________ Character
3. ________________

Acts Appearance

1. ________________ 1. ________________
2. ________________ 2. ________________
3. ________________ 3. ________________
 The character map strategy helps students gain insight about qualities that characters in
both fiction and nonfiction may possess. This activity provides an excellent basis for
classroom discussion because it requires students to form and support opinions. A general
character map and directions follow

example example
Quality

example example

Name of Quality
Quality
Character

example example
Directions
1. Students write or draw a character they wish to study in the central square.
2. In the rectangles, students list adjectives or qualities that describe the character.
3. In the ovals, students write examples that support the adjectives or qualities.
4. Through discussions students may confirm, add to, refine, or change their initial
responses.
main character main character

relationship
relationship

= minor character
 Story MapShowing CharacterChange
Turning Point

Character at the Events that Caused Character at End of Story

Beginning of Story Change
Watch something change over time. Record the changes here.

Date: ________
 Nadia

Hide father Admit father

and brother’s and brother
death. are dead.
CHEAT NOT CHEAT
weight Weight
Everyone should look after _________ She will be punished, if she’s _________
themselves. _ caught.

Her mother was sick and Its wrong to cheat. _________

needed soup. _________
_ Everyone else was suffering. _________
The little extra would not be
missed. ________________________ _________
_________ _
Others were probably cheating. _ _________
________________________
_
_________
What is your decision? _____________________________________________ ========
Total:final reason? _________________________________________________
Your _ =
A. QUICKWRITE. Now think of an animal you could write about. Do a 1-minute quickwrite
about an animal that is now or once was important to you.
1 – minute Quickwrite

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

B. DEVELOP YOUR IDEA. Use the questions in the web diagram below to develop a
paragraph about the special animal.
What does it look like? How does it act?

Animal:

What makes it Why do you like it?

special?
 C. PLAN. Study the example and then complete the graphic organizer to help you
plan your paragraph.
1. Write 1 sentence that sums up why this animal is so important to you.
2. Then list 3 details that support your main idea.
3. Write a closing sentence that sums up why the animal is special to you.
Example
Subject: Panda
Main Idea: Panda is important to me because he keeps me company when
I’m feeling alone
Detail: He’s always Detail: He sleeps with Detail: He never
there after school me during storm argues with me or
makes me feel left out
Conclusion: If it weren’t for Panda, I’d feel lonely sometimes.

Subject
Main Idea

Detail Detail Detail

Conclusion:
Now write your paragraph about the animal.
1. Start with your main idea sentence.
2. Then offer 3 details that will help your readers get to know the animal. End with a
closing sentence.
3. Use the Writers’ Checklist to help you revise.

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
 Story Frame
Complete this Story Frame for ______________. Share and discuss what
you wrote with a partner.
The STORY TAKES PLACE IN

______________ IS A CHARACTER IN THE STORY WHO

______________ IS ANOTHER CHARACTER WHO

A PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN

AFTER THAT

THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED WHEN

THE STORY ENDS WITH

GATHER YOUR THOUGHTS

A.RECALL PLOT- Thinkabout theplot of________________. Then list, inorder, the4 most
important thingsthat happenedinthestory.

B. PLAN- Nowthinkofatimewhen someonetaught youright fromwrong. Completethesentencesbelowto

helpyouplan aparagraph about theexperience.

When I was years old, I When my

found out, he/she

and
Later, he/she
I Felt
The whole thing was resolved when I

Afterwards, I decided
WRITE
Now write a narrative paragraph about the time someone taught you right from wrong.
1. Write in the first-person (I said, we thought).
2. Use your notes from the previous page to keep your narrative brief and to the point.
3. Use the Writers’ Checklist to help you revise.

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
WRAP-UP
What did ____________________ mean to you?

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
GaTHER YOUR THOUGHTS
A.RECALLTHE PLOT - Usethis storyboard to showthe6 mainevents intheplotof “Pandora.”What happens
first?What happens next? Draw apictureandwriteabrief captionineachframe

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

B.CONTINUE THE PLOT -Recallwhat happens at theendof “Pandora.” Pandorahas fainted, and theevil creatures
haveflownaway. Think aboutwhat happenswhenPandorawakesupagain.Brainstormideas aboutwhatshemightdo,
whereshemight go, and howshemightfeel.

What PandoraMight Do... WherePandoraMight Go... HowPandoraMightFeel...

Write
Write a tale that continues the story of Pandora.
1. Tell what happens when Pandora wakes up again.
2. Use E vslin’s characters or invent a few of your own. Be creative. G ive your tale a title.
3. Use the Writers’ Checklist to revise your tale.

Title: ______________________________________
After more than an hour, Pandora began to stir. She opened her
eyes and ...

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
WrAP - UP
What did you like best about “ Pandora”? Why?

READERS’ Checklist
ENJOYMENT
___________________________________________________________
 Did you like the
___________________________________________________________
reading?
___________________________________________________________
Was the reading
___________________________________________________________
experience
___________________________________________________________
pleasurable?
Would you want to
___________________________________________________________
reread the piece or
___________________________________________________________
recommend it to
___________________________________________________________
someone?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
 GATHER YOUR THOUGHTS
H oles is a young boy’s account of what happened w hen he w as sent to reform school for a crime he didn’t commit.
A.CON N E C T - T hink of a time you w ere punished for somethng you didn’t do.W hat happened? W rite 1 - 2 sentences
describing the event.

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
B. G A TH E R DE TAILS- N ow list 3 details that w ill help you w rite a journal entry about w hat happened.

Example:

SUBJE CT FO R JO URNAL E NTRY the day my friend broke my dad’s camera

D E TAIL # 1playing around in the garage
D E TAIL # 2sweeping up and hiding the pieces
D E TAIL # 3getting grounded

SUBJE CT __________________________________________________________
FO R JO URNAL E NTRY
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
D E TAIL #1
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
D E TAIL #2
__________________________________________________________
D E TAIL #3
 WRITE
WRITERs’ Checklist
Now write a journal entry. EASILY CONFUSED
1. Remember to use plenty of details. WORDS
2. Write in the first-person (I said, we thought)
 Did you correctly use the
words it’s and its? It’s is a
3. Use the Writers’ Checklist to help you revise.
contraction for it is. Its is
___________________________________________________________
date: the possesive form of it.
___________________________________________________________
Dear Journal, E XAMPL E S: It’s the funniest book I’ve read . Its
___________________________________________________________
cover makes me laugh.
 Did you correctly use the
___________________________________________________________
words their, there, and
___________________________________________________________
they’re? Their is a possesive
___________________________________________________________
pronoun used to indicate
ownership. Use there to point
___________________________________________________________
out a location and they’re as
the contraction for they are.
E XAMPL E S: H oles is their book. They’re
WRAP – UP upset because we left the book there.

What did “ -- - - - - - - - - - ” mean to you?

___________________________________________________________
READERs’ Checklist
___________________________________________________________
MEANING
___________________________________________________________
 Did you learn something
___________________________________________________________
from the reading?
___________________________________________________________
 Did it affect you or make
an impression?
• ANTICIPATION
Look at the title and at the drawing that accompanies the story. What can
you infer from the two? What is a ____________? What do you think the
story is about?

• RIGHT or WRONG – TRUE or FALSE

Students are given a list of statements about the text and must decide
whether they are true or false
a. All the statements given are either right or wrong. The answers
can be found in the text and the students must write/tell whether they are
right or wrong. They are then told to justify their answers by quoting a few
words from the text when it is possible, or by briefly giving their reasons
in their own words. They can also rewrite and correct the statements that
are false.

• FIND the REASON

a. The students are provided with a list of sentences or phrases from the
text, describing an action, an event or quoting a character. They must
briefly explain why this happened that way.
b. A list of adjectives or some of the words spoken by the characters were
given. The students find out who/what they refer to and on what occasion
and why they were applied to that person/event/action/etc.
 Adjective Who Where Why Etc.

Who When Why Meaning

Words spoken
by a character
“I must not only
punish, but
punish with
impunity

• One-sided conversation

A one-sided conversation between a friend/mother/police/etc. and the

major/minor character is given. The friend/mother/police/etc. is asking him/her
a lot of questions about what happened. Some of the questions are very general
while others more detailed.
 OTHER STRATEGIES
• Draw/Picture vivid images read.
• Respond to the sounds, sights and emotions conjured by the words in the
text.
• Imagine scenes, actions and characters.
• Imagine/Respond to the scenarios, tone and atmosphere.
• Create alternative endings.
• Identify with a particular character.
• Elicit a network of feelings.
• Make a connections with their personal lives and other texts they have
read.
• Imagine oneself in the character’s place or story events.
• Question, hypothesize about a story.
• Do parallel reading.
• Extend the story or create a new one.
Flight 19 was flying in the Bermuda Triangle, a dangerous area of the Atlantic
Ocean. Christopher Columbus wrote about the Bermuda Triangle in 1492. Read
the notes from his journal. Write wh-questions about the boldfaced words. Use
where, who, what, or when.

1. At that time, I was sailing west from Europe.

___Where were you sailing?____________________________________
2. My men and I were looking for a new way to the Indies.
________________________________________________________
3. On October 11, we were traveling in good weather.
________________________________________________________
4. Then we came into a terrible place. Strange things were happening.
________________________________________________________
5. Bright lights were flashing in the sky.
________________________________________________________
6. White water was bubbling in the sea.
_________________________________________________________
7. I noticed my compass. The needle was jumping around.
_________________________________________________________
Read the sentences below. Check ( / ) the sentences that describe completed actions.

1. Last night, I stayed up late. ___/____

2. I was watching a murder mystery on TV. _______
3. I Watched the movie for about an hour. _______
4. Halfway though the movie, I was falling asleep. ______
5. So I went to bed. ______
6. I closed my eyes and fell asleep. _______
7. Suddenly, big scary monsters were running after me. ______
8. They were laughing and showing their long teeth. ______
9. I Woke up and ran into my parents’ bedroom. ______
10. They said, “ No more mystery movies for you!” ______
Here are some different explanations for the disappearance of Flight 19.
Complete the sentences with the verbs from the box. Use the simple past and
the past progressive.
1. From the Navy:
be /have hit disappear make

Flight 19 _had____ a bad compass. Some of the pilots ________ new and
a b

Nervous. On that day, they _______ their first sea flight. They probably
c

_________ a storm and _________ into the ocean.

d e

2. From the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind:

take happen visit

It _______ like this. At that time, some aliens from outer space ________
a b

The Atlantic Ocean. Their UFOs _______ the five planes back to the alien planet.
c
 A Comparison of Learning Activities and Performance Tasks
Learning Activity
Designed to develop knowledge and/or
skills that support an enduring
understanding
Focused, informative activity directed
toward the acquisition of particular
elements of knowledge or clearly identified
skills
May be used on only one or two of the
facets of understanding
Can be accomplished by students who
have the prerequisite knowledge and skill,
who are engaged in the learning activity,
and who receive appropriate instruction
Students demonstrate comprehension of
knowledge or application of the skill
Usually assessed at the knowledge, skill,
and/or application levels
Assessments are focused on factual
information, concepts, or discrete skills
Assessments are usually clearly structured,
Performance Tasks
Designed to assess the enduring
understanding(s) that provided the frame
for the unit
Complex, culminating activity based on
integration of knowledge, skills and
understandings gained during the unit
Based on the six facets of understanding
Only students who have developed the
desired level of understanding will be
successful
Students thoughtfully apply their
understanding with flexibility, insight and
good judgment
Usually assesses at the analysis, synthesis,
and/or evaluation levels
Assessments involve complex, authentic
challenges frequently faced by adults in
the real world
Assessments involve the use of judgment
 Examples of Products/Performances
Examples of Output
Written Products/Performance
Oral Products/Performance
Visual Products/Performance
Advertisements, biography, book report,
brochure, collection, essay, experimental
record, magazine article, newspaper article,
position paper, script, web site
Audiotape, debate, interview, oral presentation,
puppet show, radio script, skit songs, speech,
teach a lesson
Advertisement, banner, cartoon, collage, data
display, diagram, diorama, drawing, filmstrips,
flyer, game