Seniors+-+Scholarship+Writing+Using+Personal+Narrative+Tools

Article from [] Loose-leaf paper or computers for students Pens/pencils
 * Class:** 12th Grade English
 * Teacher:** Sarah Essay, Elm Creek High School
 * Unit**: Scholarship Writing using Narrative Tools
 * Materials:**


 * Duration**: 7+ day process

Students will write scholarship essay responses by using the Personal Narrative planners and writing techniques.
 * Instructional Objectives:**

LA 12.2.1 Writing Process: Students will apply the writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit and publish writing using correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other standard conventions appropriate for grade level.
 * Standards:**

LA 12.2.1.a Select and use appropriate prewriting tools to generate and organize information, guide writing, answer questions, and synthesize information

LA 12.2.1.b Generate a draft by: -Constructing clearly worded and effectively placed thesis statements that convey a clear perspective on the subject -Structuring ideas and arguments in an effective and sustained way, following an organizational pattern appropriate to the purpose and intended audience -Applying standard rules of sentence formation, including parallel structure and subordination

Pass out the “I Dream a Dream” sheet and give students a few minutes to fill it out. Short answers will be fine, just tell them to start thinking about the answers.
 * Set**:

Tell them that these are some of the types of questions they may answer for scholarship essays. They are going to learn techniques to answer scholarship-type essay questions in the next few days.


 * Teaching:**

Explain that scholarship answers are a lot like personal narratives, but in a condensed form. Students will use their answers for the “I Dream a Dream” sheet as starters for their scholarship answers. Using the website, “Common Essay Questions and How to Handle Them,” [], students will pick questions from the “Personal Achievements” and “Background and Influences” sections to write their scholarship answers in personal narrative form.
 * Day 1:**

Pass out the Level 3 planner, p. 22 of the Personal Narrative Write Tools section. Have students put the question and their answer in the “Title” blank. Explain the who, where, when of the introduction. Have students either draw or write their basic outline in the boxes for beginning, middle, and end. Have them jot specific information in the lines. Explain that their reflection, with the answers of what they felt and learned from the experience, should directly tie back to the question and the specific scholarship they are writing in response to.

Break students into groups to share their narratives. Try to pair students who answer the same questions so they can see similar responses. Remind them to read their narratives through so they can see if the information flows sequentially from beginning to end, and ties back to the scholarship question.

Either give them one full sheet of paper and four half-sheets, or have them open a word document and page break between each section: introduction, beginning, middle, reflection, end.
 * Day 2:**

Work through the introductions, p. 24-28 in the Write Choice Personal Narrative section. While they are not telling a story in the exact same way, they should be able to use similar introductions to answer the question in an engaging fashion. Have students work on writing at least three different types of introductory paragraphs. Have them read aloud with their partners.

Start with the telling-the-story paragraphs, p. 29. Remind them of the Super Six, but I would add one more (later): Be concise. For many scholarships, the maximum word count is 250 words. I would encourage them to write longer at first, but be aware that they will eventually have to reduce their word count. Voice can best be developed through longer writing, so I would have them write at their leisure at first, but then after their first attempt, add the seventh “Super” rule: be concise. Then, have them go through and find the sections that fit all the other six super rules but cross out anything that isn’t completely necessary.
 * Day 3, 4:**

During the middle of day four, have them share with partners, reading through their entire pieces.

Move into reflection, p. 33 in the Personal Narrative Write Tools section. Encourage them to use level three type responses (reflection both on what they learned and felt), but also to tie back to the scholarship and original question. It is important to make each scholarship response unique, and finding a fluent way to tie back in the scholarship stem helps to make a lasting impression. Mentioning the scholarship’s name, or the way it contributes to the community or students, will cement the narrative’s purpose.
 * Day 5:**


 * Day 6**: After reflections/endings are written, have students read aloud their entire narratives to their peers. Choose one or two to share. Move into the revision and editing process. Revision might be the best place to mention the seventh “Super” rule – have them go through and select their most vivid sections, or perhaps have their peers listen for them.


 * Day 7+**: Have students start again with a different prompt. I would continue the process several times, so they have a databank of responses to choose from, depending on their scholarship question.