Middle School Narrative Assignment 2010-2011

9th Language Arts

Warfield

Assignment:
Write a 2-3 page narrative story about a time you were very successful or unsuccessful in
middle school. This narrative may focus on your school, social, and/or family life. Be
sure to center your narrative on a main event or occurrence, rather than simply rambling
on about an entire year in Mr. So-and-so’s class.

If you have access to word processing, please type the story in 12 font and double-
spaced. If you do not have access to word processing please write neatly in pen (it will
probably take 3-4 pages).

Narrative tips:
• Use first person “I”
• Center your story on a main event or happening
• Employ vivid description and imaginative language
• “Show” rather than tell emotion
• Use dialogue for interesting or exciting parts of the story
• Have a beginning, middle, and end
• Use an interesting hook into the story
• Have a point, moral, or lesson in the story
• GIVE YOUR PIECE AN ORIGINAL TITLE (NOT “Middle School Narrative”!!!!!!)

Due Date: _____

We will peer edit this piece in class on ___________

See Scoring / Grading Guidelines on the other side of this page

Grading Rubric

Name__________________________________ Period______

Writing Assignment: Middle School Narrative

_____ Title (relevant and entertaining) 2

_____ Hook (opening sentence grabs reader’s attention) 3

_____ Narrative Traits (Ideas and Content) 35

• Setting details

• Sensory imagery (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell)

• Dialogue

• Blocking

• Character Description

• Figurative Language (simile, metaphor, personification)

• Fancy Stuff (internal monologue and/or flashback)

_____ Organization (narrative has clear and effective beginning, middle and end) 15

_____ Conventions (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, consistent verb tense,

consistent point of view—I, me, my, standard use of dialogue) 15

_____ First Peer-Edited Draft 20

_____ Format (2-3 pages, 12 point font, double-spaced, word-processed or 3-4 pages
neatly written in ink) 10

Comments: Total points:__________/100