J.Gruntorad-Transitions+&+Movers

English 9 Personal Narrative: Transitions or Movers Jessica Gruntorad Lexington High School

This lesson has been created using Write Tools, Personal Narrative Unit as a resource. This lesson focuses on the transitions used for writing a personal narrative. Sometimes they are called ‘movers’. When writing a personal narrative, these transitions, or movers, will help beginning writers keep their ideas organized. Authors use movers to move readers along, ‘unobtrusively’, in their writing.


 * Objectives: **
 * By the end of the day, students will be able to listen and identify ‘movers’ in a reading selections. **
 * By the end of the day, students will be able to use a variety of ‘movers’ in their writing. **

Example indicators: •Develop narrative, persuasive, descriptive, technical, and/or expository writing for a designated audience and purpose. •Write to describe, explain, persuade, inform and/or entertain.
 * Standards: **
 * 12.2.4 By the end of the twelfth grade, students will use multiple forms to write for different audiences and purposes. **


 * Set: **
 * In today’s writing lesson, we are going to begin by reading a children’s story. As I read, I would like you to listen for ways the author signals a transition. OR I want you to listen for what WORDS the author uses at the beginning of each new ‘event’ in the story. You may jot down the words on a scratch piece of paper. **

Read story out loud. Suggestions include The Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, or other fairy tales or familiar children’s stories. Choose something students have already read/heard and already have a good idea of the plot.


 * As a class lets compile a list on the board of words that the author has used to signal transition. **

Compile the list on the board AND discuss what these words ‘DO’ and why they are effective. These words signal a new event, move the story along.


 * In our writing lesson today, we are going to use a new type of transition words called ‘MOVERS’. First….lets think about the topic we’ve already brainstormed and began to PLAN for for our own Personal Narrative. **


 * Many of you have chosen to write about the suggested topics, a vacation or a favorite place you have visited. Take a look at your plan. Glance over your three Beginning, Middle, and End (or Big Ideas). Don’t you think it would be helpful to have words that will move from one event/place to the next? What are some words and/or phrases that might help the readers of our narratives move from beginning, to middle, and end? **

Write a list on the board. If students are struggling, give them two headings… Time-to-Time and Place-to –Place


 * Now that we have this list, lets categorize these ‘movers’. **
 * Time-to-Time and Place-to –Place **

Then give students the complete list of MOVERS, from Write Tools.


 * Lets practice using these ‘movers’ in sentences. **
 * I have sentence strips already made, each of you will be getting three of them, but lets do a couple together first. **
 * * ** You might ask students to fold a piece of paper in to three sections, write three complete sentences, tear, and trade.

Model how to add a ‘mover’ at the beginning of a variety of sentences.


 * Here are three sentence strips. **
 * _______________________I went to my grandmother’s house. **
 * _______________________We made a blueberry pie. **
 * _______________________The dessert was gobbled up! **


 * What movers can we use from the Time to Time list? **
 * Yesterday morning….. **
 * Later that day…. **
 * At supper that night…. **

Hand out three sentence strips to each student.


 * Please write a ‘Mover’ from either the Time to Time or Place to Place category at the top/beginning of each sentence strip. **

Student Practice.


 * Please share with your group by reading all three sentence strips out loud. After each person reads, stop and identify on another’s ‘movers’. You might discuss other fitting ‘movers’ as well. **

Groups may share out with the class.


 * Finally, take out your PLAN for your personal narrative. At the beginning of each topic sentence for your Beginning, Middle, and End please pencil in a ‘mover’. Consider whether a Time to Time or Place to Place transition would work better for your narrative. **


 * Assessment ** - If students are being graded on their PLAN, transitions/movers should be included on rubric.


 * Closure ** : Please read your Beginning, Middle, and End PLAN – including the movers – to a classmate. Listen and the provided feedback to your classmates about their choice in transitions.

Materials: List of Write Tools Movers 3 Sentence Strips per Student Student PLAN for personal narrative

Duration: 45-50 min