Paragraph Writing Genre A personal narrative tells a story about an experience in the writer s life. It is written in the first person, using I or we. Lively and specific details make the story interesting. Read Chris Knudsen s personal narrative about an experience that taught him a life lesson about money. Introduction A topic sentence identifies the topic of the personal narrative. 1. UnDERLINE the topic sentence. The topic sentence includes a clear and interesting controlling idea about the topic. 2. Box the controlling idea. Detail Sentences Lively and specific details make events come to life for readers. 3. check at least four lively, specific details. Transition words and phrases connect ideas in a paragraph. 4. four transition words or phrases. Concluding Sentence The concluding sentence returns to the writer s main point and tells how the experience affected the writer. 5. STAR the concluding sentence. Student The Shirt on My Friend s Back by Chris Knudsen Loaning money to a friend was a major money mistake, but the consequences taught me a lesson. Last fall, my friend Erik needed $40 for a new soccer jersey. He had $50, but the shirt cost $90. He said he would pay me back after he received birthday money from his grandparents the following week. However, when his birthday came, his grandparents sent him a watch instead of cash. Erik bashfully admitted that he had no way to pay me back. He had already worn the shirt, so he couldn t return it. I had a choice I could either hold this against Eric or let it go. So, I decided to forgive the debt as a lesson learned. In conclusion, I learned that I should not loan money to a friend, because I don t want to lose money, nor to lose a friend.
Paragraph Brainstorm Read the writing prompt in the middle of the idea web. Use the boxes to help you brainstorm writing ideas. Then use the frame below to state your topic. Money Mistakes I ve Made Good Money Decisions I ve Made Lessons That Involve People I Know Writing Prompt: Write a personal narrative about how you learned an important life lesson about money. Other Money Lessons Choose the Topic Use your ideas from the idea web to help you choose a writing topic. I will write a personal narrative about this money experience: losing my wallet with money in it. This experience taught me that: I need to be careful about where I put my wallet.
Paragraph Write Your Draft Write a draft of your paragraph. Writing Prompt: Write a personal narrative about how you learned an important life lesson about money. The time I Everyday got smart dumb money (the event you will write about) word choices Precise purchased, borrowed wise, cautious unwise, naïve, thoughtless income, costs, finances taught me Once when I was (the lesson you learned) Next, I realized that In the end,
Paragraph Persuasive Paragraph Revise Your With a partner, evaluate your work and discuss how you can improve your personal narrative. Then revise your paragraph. Evaluate Rate your personal narrative. Then have a writing partner rate it. Scoring Guide needs improvement average good excellent Discuss Give feedback on your partner s personal narrative. 1. Start with a positive comment about your partner s personal narrative. You made a good point about 1. underline the topic sentence. Does it state the topic of the paragraph? Self Partner 2. Box the controlling idea. Does it show the lesson the writer learned? Self Partner 3. check details in the paragraph. Are they lively and specific? Self Partner 4. transition words and phrases. Do they connect ideas? Self Partner 5. star the concluding sentence. Does it revisit the writer s main point and tell how the experience affected the writer? Self Partner The most interesting detail in your narrative is 2. Give your partner suggestions for revision. A word you might want to replace with a more specific word is One detail that seems out of place is You could also add 3. Answer any questions your partner has about your suggestions. Ask your partner for feedback. Use the frames below to summarize your partner s feedback. My partner says an effective detail was... My partner asked me to replace... I might want to add... Revise Now revise your personal narrative.
Paragraph Writing Genre A personal narrative tells a story about an experience in the writer s life. It is written in the first person, using I or we. Lively and specific details make the story interesting. Read Chris Knudsen s personal narrative about an experience that taught him a life lesson about money. Introduction A topic sentence identifies the topic of the personal narrative. 1. UnDERLINE the topic sentence. The topic sentence includes a clear and interesting controlling idea about the topic. 2. Box the controlling idea. Detail Sentences Lively and specific details make events come to life for readers. 3. check at least four lively, specific details. Transition words and phrases connect ideas in a paragraph. 4. four transition words or phrases. Concluding Sentence The concluding sentence returns to the writer s main point and tells how the experience affected the writer. 5. STAR the concluding sentence. Student The Shirt on My Friend s Back by Chris Knudsen Loaning money to a friend was a major money mistake, but the consequences taught me a lesson. Last fall, my friend Erik needed $40 for a new soccer jersey. He had $50, but the shirt cost $90. He said he would pay me back after he received birthday money from his grandparents the following week. However, when his birthday came, his grandparents sent him a watch instead of cash. Erik bashfully admitted that he had no way to pay me back. He had already worn the shirt, so he couldn t return them. I had a choice I could either hold this against Eric or let it go. So, I decided to forgive the debt as a lesson learned. In conclusion, I learned that I should not loan money to a friend, because I don t want to lose money, nor to lose a friend.
Paragraph Brainstorm Read the writing prompt in the middle of the idea web. Use the boxes to help you brainstorm writing ideas. Then use the frame below to state your topic. Money Mistakes I ve Made Sample responses: I lost my wallet with money in it. I didn t ask first how much I d get paid for babysitting. Good Money Decisions I ve Made saving up for my bike instead of borrowing getting a part-time job so I could buy things I wanted Lessons That Involve People I Know Rita never paid me back when she borrowed money. My brother helped me do research before buying a smart phone. My parents showed me how they do our household budget. Writing Prompt: Write a personal narrative about how you learned an important life lesson about money. Other Money Lessons Responses will vary. Copyright Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Choose the Topic Use your ideas from the idea web to help you choose a writing topic. I will write a personal narrative about this money experience: losing my wallet with money in it. This experience taught me that: I need to be careful about where I put my wallet. SAM Keyword: Closed Single Paragraph Syllable FII W8
READ 180 Transparency FII 30 Revise: Losing Money by Abdon Alrazzi I found out the hard way that I need to be careful with cash. I finally had enough money to buy the game console I wanted. I saw that the console was on sail near my house! I rolled up my money and put it in my pocket Revise Use the ratings to revise the paragraph. Scoring Guide needs average good excellent improvement 1. Does the topic sentence clearly identify the topic of the personal narrative? and headed out to the store on my bike. I felt something, and turned back in time to see my roll of bills fall through a slot in a storm drane. It was gone, and so was my plan to buy that console. Since, I have made sure to put my money somewhere safe so it does not get lost. 2. Does the topic sentence contain a clear controlling idea? 3. Does the paragraph use lively details to describe story events? 4. Do transition words and phrases connect ideas? 5. Does the conclusion restate the main point about the experience? Transparency: FII 30 SAM Keyword: Revise FII
READ 180 Transparency FII 30 Revise: Losing Money by Abdon Alrazzi One day last year, I found out the hard way that I need to be After months of saving, careful with cash. I finally had enough money Even better, to buy the game console I wanted. I saw that sale the console was on sail near my house! I rolled up my money and put it in my pocket and headed out to the store on my bike. Along the way, I felt something, and turned back in time to see my roll of bills fall through a slot in a drain storm drane. It was gone, and so was my plan then to buy that console. Since, I have made sure to put my money somewhere safe so it does not get lost. Revise Use the ratings to revise the paragraph. Scoring Guide needs average good excellent improvement 1. Does the topic sentence clearly identify the topic of the personal narrative? 2. Does the topic sentence contain a clear controlling idea? 3. Does the paragraph use lively details to describe story events? 4. Do transition words and phrases connect ideas? 5. Does the conclusion restate the main point about the experience? Transparency: FII 30 SAM Keyword: Revise FII