let’s check out narratives! produced by
TRANSCRIPT
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS A NARRATIVE?
A story
A tale
An
anecdote
A yarn
A myth
A legend
An account
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
NARRATIVES CAN BE..
Real life
Magical
Funny
In the past
In the future
Scary
Adventurous
In another world
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
WHAT DO THEY HAVE IN COMMON?
An ORIENTATION
A COMPLICATION
A RESOLUTION
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
SOME HAVE
More than one complication
A moral or a lesson to be learnt
A twist to the plot
A resolution that still leaves you wondering
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
ORIENTATION
This “sets the scene”
It introduces the main characters
It tells about time and place
It makes the reader want to know
more
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
HERE’S HOW!
Jessica sat in her bedroom and stared angrily around her.
She didn’t really see the comfortable bed, the posters of
bands and movie stars on the wall, the desk with the laptop
on it or the wardrobe full of clothes that her parents had
supplied for her. As she blinked the angry tears out of her
eyes, all she could see was the unfairness of it. She heard
her older brother, Sam, knock on her door and she turned
round. “Jess, open the door and let me explain,” he pleaded.
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
AND THIS!
Once, long ago in the time of magic, there lived a
very naughty pixie. His little house in a large
toadstool was always in a mess, his clothes always
needed washing and mending, and he was always
borrowing things from the other pixies in Green Forest
Village and then never returning them. It was a pity
that Paddy was so naughty because everyone else in
the village lived happily together as good friends and
neighbours.
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
COMPLICATION
A series of events that happen to the characters
How the characters react to situations or
circumstances
How the characters interact with each other
The problems/dramas/events that the
characters have to solve
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
HERE’S HOW! Pete and Josh sprinted along the river bank, each trying to
out-pace the other. Josh had narrowly won their last contest
and so Pete was determined to reach the end of the pathway
first. He began to pull ahead of Josh as the finish line came in
sight, “I’m going to beat you this time!” he gasped as he
gathered himself for a final spurt. Suddenly Josh’s arm snaked
out and grabbed Pete’s shirt and he was dragged to a halt.
“Not fair!” he shouted angrily, but stopped when he saw Josh’s
face, which was white and shaken. He looked to where Josh
was pointing and that was when he saw it! Floating face down
in the river appeared to be a body.
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
AND THIS!
Ella rushed through the front door, hardly stopping to throw
down her school bag on the way to the kitchen, “Mum, mum, you
won’t believe where we’re going on school camp this year!” she
yelled excitedly as she burst into the room where her mother
was sitting. “It’s only to Briar Farm Horse Camp,” she added
with her eyes sparkling with pleasure. “And it’s only going to
cost $250.00,” she finished triumphantly. Her mother looked
down at a letter in her hand, “Oh dear,“ she said sadly, “I think
we may have a problem finding the money. I’ve just lost my job!”
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
RESOLUTION
How the characters solve the
complication
The things that happen because of the
events
How it turns out in the end
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
LIKE THIS!
Josie held her breath as she peered round the broomstick she
was hiding behind. She saw Evilia hunched over the cauldron
stirring the foul-smelling brew and adding a variety of
disgusting looking ingredients to it. She slowly and carefully
stretched out her hand and replaced the glass bottle on the
shelf with the one that the kindly old lady had given her. She
watched as Evilia grabbed it without looking and added it to the
potion. There was an almighty blinding flash of light and when
Josie looked again – there was no Evilia – only a tiny green frog!
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
AND THIS!
Hunter climbed up the wall and leant down to help Cooper. Silently
they dropped to the other side and scurried under the overhanging
branches of a tree. They looked towards the mansion and saw the
light on in the ballroom. “They are definitely after the silver!”
whispered Cooper. Hunter nodded and they crept across the garden
to the house. Peering into the window they spotted the gang filling
up bags with the silver cups and trophies. Silently the two boys slid
round a corner and Hunter pressed triple zero on his mobile. It was
only a few minutes later when they heard the sirens and the saw the
flashing blue lights arrive.
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
CHARACTERS
Make them real – even though they’re
not!
Give them a “look”
Give them conversation
Give them emotions
Give them a personality
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
HERE’S HOW!
Miserea cackled softly to herself as she stared into the
cauldron. Her cruel eyes blinked in the foul-smelling
smoke and the wart hairs on the end of her nose
twitched as she slowly stirred the potion that would
soon make her beautiful. She patted her stringy black
hair with the talon like fingers of one hand and imagined
what she would look like once the spell was complete.
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
AND THIS!
Mr Drummond stamped into the classroom and slammed the
door. The class all hunched their shoulders waiting for the
explosion. “Which of you hideous children broke my coffee
cup yesterday?” he demanded, sweeping his beady eyes
round the room. Jamie began to tremble, his brown curly hair
flopped across his forehead with each shake, he tried to sink
into his seat and become invisible but he knew he’d have to
own up. Slowly, painfully, he raised his skinny arm.
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
SETTINGS
Describe the “time and place” of your story
Help the reader to visualise where and when
this is happening
Make the setting and the time fit the events in
the story
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
HERE’S HOW!
It was the hottest day of summer. The sun frizzled the dry,
brown grass and baked the bare patches of earth in Jack’s
back yard. He wandered past the washing line, down the
cracked cement path to the old tin shed. The padlock on the
door was gaping open and he wrestled it out and shot the
bolt. The door squeaked harshly as it swung open. Inside it
was dark and a mouldy smell wafted out. “Don’t be long
Jack,” he heard his mother shout, “it’s nearly teatime.”
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
AND THIS!
Once long ago, so long ago that history has forgotten it,
there was the kingdom of Futasia. Oh! What a place it was!
High rolling mountains, clear, fresh rivers, green lush fields,
picturesque villages and bustling towns. One particular
village, called Puddlestone, was the home of Conrad, a
strong lad who worked for the blacksmith. Conrad loved the
forge where he worked. The clanging of the metal and the
sparks from the fire excited him every day.
Produced by www.linkingtoliteracy.com
REMEMBER THESE
Don’t just “tell” your reader – “show” them
Vary your sentence starters
Vary the length and types of your sentences
Stay in one verb tense – usually 3rd person past tense
Replace overused vocabulary with more imaginative
words
Use figurative language such as simile, metaphor,
alliteration or onomatopoeia