Improve Narrative Writing – Practice Specific Strategies with a Passage

Improve narrative writing with focused activities and a passage. Third, fourth, or fifth grade students revise a simple story using eight strategy cards: varying sentence beginnings, varying sentence types, varying sentence lengths, choosing words for effect, using sensory language, using active verbs, adding details, and using transition terms.

Open the preview to take a closer look. You can use this activity for independent practice, group work, or stations.

Kids start with a short story prompt, “The Water Balloon Fight.”

Then they revise the passage using a series of eight strategy cards.

• Varying Sentence Beginnings – One of the easiest ways to improve writing is to begin every sentence in a paragraph differently. To accomplish this, the card suggests switching the order of words in a sentence, add a word or phrase, think of a replacement, and combining related sentences.
• Exploring Sentence Types – Shake up writing by throwing in a question, exclamation, or interjection.
• Varying Sentence Lengths – Long sentences flow to tell a story. On the other hand, short sentences punctuate. This card gives suggestions for accomplishing this.
• Choosing Words for Effect – As always, teachers want kids to improve their word choice. Activities encourage kids to use nouns specific to the topic; active, specific verbs; and unusual words.
• Using Sensory Words – In narrative writing, the reader should experience the story with multiple senses. Here, kids use onomatopoeia, texture words, and words that let the audience smell or taste.
• Choosing Active Verbs – Goodbye to being and having verbs. Instead, students practice using active verbs. To accomplish this, they may need to switch the order of words in their sentences.
• Adding Details – Elaboration makes writing better. This card encourages kids to add information, give examples, use proper names, describe, add adjectives, and include all the steps.
• Using Transition Words – To make writing flow, students add words, phrases, and clauses. A one-page handout of transition terms is also included.

Files include everything you need.

• Directions for the teacher
• Prompt - “The Water Balloon Fight”
• Eight activity cards (each with a proven strategy, suggestions, and examples)
• List of sample transition terms
• Themed writing paper
• Self-check
• Rubric

This lesson can be used in a variety of ways.

• Scoot – Arrange editing stations around the room and let kids move.
• Independent or group work
• Homework
• Sub plans
• Summer school
• Differentiation is easy – just limit or alter the cards each student uses.

Your students will love it – and so will you!

• The water balloon passage is fun for kids.
• The lesson runs itself as students follow directions for activities on the cards and practice a variety of strategies.
• Narrative writing magically improves!
• Strategies match third, fourth, and fifth grade standards.

Printable and digital versions are included.

• A PDF provides a traditional pencil and paper option.
• Easel Activities or Google Slides offer digital versions.

Looking for a holiday writing activity? This resource is also available with an elf theme.

Enjoy teaching!

Brenda Kovich