Writing Fables, Part 3 - Planning for Strong Writing

Good ideas don't always translate into good stories. When writing narratives, I remind my students to do their "BEST WORC."

How does this play out for our first brief narrative of the year, a fable? 

• A fable's beginning is brief and to the point. It sets the stage for the plot by introducing the characters and setting.
• The end of a fable wraps up the plot and exposes the moral.
• "Show, Not Tell" is a complex strategy. For our first attempt, I simply ask students to use dialogue.
• Word choice for this assignment focuses on specific nouns (bulldog instead of dog), active verbs (sauntered instead of walked), and sequence words (at the end of the day, finally, etc.)

In my experience, slowing down for this little bit of extra planning makes a big difference in student writing. This short narrative is the first step in building strong writers.

Common Core State Standards W.3.3, W.3.4, W.3.5, W.4.3, W.4.4, W.4.5, W.5.3, W.5.4, W.5.5