Narrative Writing Assessment

Narrative Writing
Assessment Protocols
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Warm up the prompt by reading something short, such as a picture book, that matches the prompt.

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The prompt is to be “loose”, that is the student can write on any subject that comes to mind, tweaking the prompt to fit him/her.

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The mode of the piece is narrative. This simply means a personal experience.

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The maximum time to write is 30 minutes. When the student is finished, proceed with other assessments or share the pieces you wrote to one another.

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The teacher writes as well. This encourages and motivates the student, showing him/her you value the writing

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This piece is to be an “on-demand” piece. This means that the writer is not to recopy. It is expected to be a rough draft.

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Provide composition paper with lines, or use the spiral and tear the paper out. You can cut off the messy ripped paper along the side if you want later.

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The primary “topics” to use are subjects many authors write about: a favorite person, place or thing. Writers usually tell about their favorite using the narrative mode because the narrative, a true story that follows a story line, is more interesting. Narrative Writing
Assessment Protocols
Picture Books Matching the Topics:
Place All the Places to Love (MacLachlan)

If You’re Not from the Prairie (Bouchard)
The Canoe (Gary Paulsen)

Person My Rotten Redheaded Brother (Palocco)

Thank You Mr. Falker (Palocco)
My Great Aunt Arizona (Houston)

Thing (can be an object or a pet)

My Grandpa Was a Cowboy (the ring—Silky Sullivan)
The Worry Stone (Dengler)
Everybody Needs a Rock (Baylor)

What to say:
“Today we are going to write a narrative about something--anything—that matters to you or comes to your mind about a favorite person, place or thing. Tell your piece like a story, that is, something happens. When we were younger, all of us have had something or someone or someplace that comes to mind that stands out. Which would you like to write about? (Show the student the three books, one on a favorite person, one a place, etc. The student selects.) Pick a favorite to write about: person, place or thing. I’ll read you the picture book you pick to help stimulate some ideas.”
Scoring Protocols:
• Use the “3” anchor papers for each grade from third through twelfth to find a match between the anchor and your student’s writing. This is holistic scoring.
Record the grade and date.
• Count by estimating the number of words the student wrote. Record.
• Record how many minutes he/she wrote.
• Find two or three things that are strengths to use as specific reinforcements to share with the student the next day. What you notice and show to the student will be repeated in future writing.