Narrative Writing Assignment

Narrative Writing Assignment / 50 point grade

Turn-in form for the Narrative Assignment blog post: https://goo.gl/forms/iFR5DhH8a68e3BXe2

The story you write for this unit should fit the following guidelines:

- The story must be based on the prompt given to you by Mr. Fromme.

The prompt for this school year is as follows:

Listen to Johnathan Owen's story. For this assignment, you are to write a creative nonfiction piece based on Owen's narrative. You can take some creative liberties, but the basic narrative elements (plot, characters, conflict, and setting) should be the same as those found in his telling. Basically, you're going to take the story he told and turn it into a short story. The cool thing here is that you're going to get to decide how to tell it, what theme to emphasize, from what perspective to tell it (e.g. the counselor's, the kid's, the mom's, etc.), etc.

- You should draft your story in a Google Doc before posting the finished product on your class website.

- The story should be at least 1000 words long.

- The story must be posted to your website with the post titled "Narrative Assignment."

- The story must include dialogue (which should be properly punctuated).

- The story must use all five of the key elements of well-written narratives. (http://bit.ly/storyelementsandpunctuation)

You will receive a 50-point grade for this unit based on a combination of the following:

1. Your story (posted to your class website)

2. Your inclusion of properly punctuated dialogue in your story,

3. Your oral presentation--in which you will do the following:

• • Read to the class a selection from your story that you think represents an effort on your part to pay special attention to one (or more) of the key elements of an effective narrative: plot, character, conflict, theme, or setting. 

  • Explain to the class why you selected the section you did, which narrative element it showcases, and how you hope it made your narrative more effective. 

Check out these helpful resources for assistance in writing your narrative.

Or, if you’d prefer…

You have the option of having an AI chatbot assist in the crafting of your story for this unit, but students who make use of that sort of assistance must do the following things:

1. You must have the chatbot craft the story in two substantially different ways, both of which you will post to your portfolio.

2. You must explain during your presentation how you fed the AI to craft the two distinct treatments of the story and which treatment you prefer (and why).

3. You must clearly indicate on your portfolio page (where the story is published) that it was generated by AI. (-5 on your grade if you forget this)

4. You must read to the class one paragraph/section that you modified on your own (i.e., without the assistance of the AI) and explain how and why you modified it so as to better deal with one of the elements of an effective narrative (e.g., plot, character, conflict, theme, setting)--explaining how your modifications do a better job than the AI originally did of dealing with that narrative element.

[Note: since students who choose the AI option for this assignment are not tasked with properly punctuating dialogue–as is the case with students who choose to craft their own narratives from scratch–the AI option will cap out at a score of 45/50.]