Oak Class Narrative Story Writing Parent Workshop
During Literacy Week Oak Class have been focusing on narrative writing, based on Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe. We spent time looking at each of the characters within the story and recorded our own character profiles. Next, we developed our use of descriptive and figurative language to describe a setting within the book. Before inviting our parents into school, we planned our alternative stories, retelling Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters from one of the main characters points of view.
On Thursday 5th March, we held a Parent Workshop where we began to write our narrative stories. To start the session the children shared some of their one minute presentations with the adults to explain the events of the story. After this we discussed the different features of a narrative and shared our story plans with our parents.
Oak Class spent time recording an opening paragraph, introducing the main characters and the setting on whiteboards and then edited these with our parents before recording the final draft into our books. Throughout the session different children’s work was shared and discussed.
Here are some example opening paragraphs from the session:
By Jessica, Year 6
Sat by the road leading out of our rural village through the forest, I spotted, out of the corner of my eye, my sister – Nyasha. She was probably going to tell me it was time for tea – being her usual eager-to-please self. When she came nearer, I noticed the delighted look on her face – I had to destroy it. I approached her, saying how her kindness was only a weakness; I didn’t want to hear what she was going to say. I just didn’t care.
By Sean, Year 6
Waiting around under a bush is hard, I had an impulse to attack any moving creature. As well as that, I was lonely until the girl came – she was beautiful – I wish I could change now but I couldn’t and anyway she’d just run away. Then she saw me, picked me up and talked to me caringly. “You are as welcome as a cool breeze Nyoka” she said. After that I left – she knew my name.
By Lottie, Year 6
There I was, sitting on the heather that was as soft as a feather mattress pondering upon my thoughts of becoming Queen, when out of the corner of my eye I saw her, my good for nothing goodie sister Nyasha. Everybody thinks she is so lovely and caring, but her kindness is just a weakness. Anyway I don’t care what they think, I know that I’m the most beautiful and worthiest daughter. A letter came from the king today; I have a plan for him to pick me as his wife.
Click here to return to our One World Literacy Week page or click here for Oak page.
