Strategy:Using Thinking Maps for

Organizing a Personal Narrative

Alejandra Palafox

EESL-545(70)

May 3, 2010

Discuss the prompt

Step 1: Lead the class in a discussion about what personal narratives are.

Help students by giving them examples of some of the personal narratives they have worked on.

Discuss with student the prompt: Tell about the best birthday you ever had.

Brainstorm

Step 2: Lead the whole class on a discussion using the prompt and the following questions.

-What do you remember about your best birthday?

-Think about where it was, what you did, the gifts

you received, or the people who came.

Continue by drawing a circle map on the board and showing and example.

Circle Map

Best Birthday

10people

played video games

chocolate cake

Pizza Hut

Gameboy new bike

Organize

Step 3: Discuss with students the possible categories that the information in the Circle Map can be transferred into a Tree Map. With the students transfer the information from the Circle Map to a Tree Map.

Tree Map

Best Birthday

Who came Presents Games

Sequence for Writing

Step 4: After all the information has been arranged on the Tree Map, help students construct the sequence in which you will write the story.

Write an opening sentence that tells who, did what, and when.

Last year for my birthday I had a great

party at Pizza Hut

Who came

Presents Games

Closing the lesson

Step 5: Review with students the steps for organizing a personal narrative.

Answer any questions or clarify any confusion the students might have.

Remind them that for the next lesson they will be doing their own Circle Map, Tree Map, and wring the sequence of events on their own.

CreditsWrite from the Beginning: A K-5

Developmental Program for Schoolwide Writing Success.