Narrative Writing: Using Dialogue

*50 minute lesson

11th grade English
Flipped Lesson Videos:
Original Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=gnWpJcTICyo&feature=youtu.be&hd=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie2KFXkpb4M
Rationale:
This lesson series strengthens student writing abilities. Students are in the eleventh grade and in
last quarter of school; they have just finished their FSA argumentative writing. To finish the year
they are doing a narrative writing unit. It is important for students to have experience with a wide
variety of genres so they are more diversified writers. This specific lesson plan focuses on
writing dialogue in a story. Dialogue is important in giving more realistic details and insight to
the reading by letting them in on conversation between characters. Students will learn how
properly punctuate quotations and construct realistic and creative dialogue tags. This lesson plan
uses mentor texts for students to analyze effective examples of dialogue from popular literature.
Mentor texts are important tools because they serve as a demonstration of effective writing,
students can them emulate this to improve their own writing skills. Students will apply the
techniques they learned for writing effective dialogue into their own writing with an interactive
partner exercise.
Standards:
LAFS.1112.W.1.3

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its
significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator
and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple
plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to
create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense
of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).

d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid
picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed,
or resolved over the course of the narrative.
LAFS.1112.RL.1.3
Analyze the impact of the authors choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a
story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed).

Objectives:
Students will be able to

Recognize effective dialogue through mentor texts

List examples of effective dialogue tags
Construct, with a partner, an effective dialogue that uses creative dialogue tags and
proper punctuation.

Materials:

Computer/Projector
Mentor Texts
Journal/Writing Utensil
Whiteboard/Marker

Anticipatory Set: 5 minutes

Bellringer prompt to write in journals: turn these indirect quotations into creative and direct
quotations.
She told me to take him outside.
He told me that he saw a whale yesterday.
She asked me what I wanted for breakfast.
Time
10 minutes

What students are doing

Students will be listening to
the mentor texts that teacher
reads aloud.

10 minutes

Students will volunteer to

What teachers are doing

Teacher will introduce several
example mentor texts that
demonstrate effective
dialogue.
Teacher will ask students to

come write on the board.

2 minutes

Students listen to activity

directions.

18 minutes

Students perform dialogue

writing activity with their
desk shoulder partner.

come make a list on the board

of as many words that they
can think of that can replace
the word said; for example:
exclaim, ask, shoutTeacher
will explain that word choice
and dialogue tags are
important for effective
dialogue.
Teacher will explain partner
dialogue writing activity.
Students will take turns
acting as a character and
writing a conversation
together using dialogue.
There will be a list of
different character types
displayed on the board for
ideas. It must be a page long;
they must use creative
dialogue tags, sensory detail,
and proper dialogue
punctuation. Teacher informs
students that they will have
10 minutes at the beginning
of class tomorrow to finish up
the assignment and turn it in
for a grade.
Teacher will monitor partner
work, answering any
questions students may have.

Summary/Closure 5 minutes.
Students will write an exit split and reflect on the writing activity, answering the following
questions: did they enjoy it? What troubles did they have with dialogue? What was their best
sentence they came up with as a partnership?
Assessment:
Students will be informally assessed on their participation in class discussion/volunteering
activities. Students will be formally assessed on their partner writing dialogue activity which will
be finished and worked on the following day. See Rubric, Appendix A

Accommodations:
Herbert Millner, the student with ADHD will be placed with a shoulder partner who is hard
working and on task to prevent distractions. Herbert will be allowed to take breaks in
concentration if needed. Herbert will be allowed extra time to take home his journal activities for
homework. The student is given preferential seating during class, somewhere away from
distractors like windows.
Paten Vander, the student with the speech impairment will be allowed to use a journal or an aid
to communicate their thoughts with peers. Participation grade will be based on students full
engagement in instruction and partner activity; he does not necessarily have to contribute in
whole class discussion if he does not feel comfortable.
The teacher will check in individually with Lya Gross, the student with dyslexia, to make sure
she understands the instructions fully. Lya will be allowed extra time to finish her journal
activities for homework.
Oliver Fore, the student with mild autism, will be placed with a shoulder partner that he feels
comfortable with. The student will be given preferential seating during class. The student will be
allowed extra time to complete the journal activities for homework. Participation grade will be
based on students full engagement in instruction and partner activity; she does not necessarily
have to contribute in whole class discussion if she does not feel comfortable.
The two English Language Learners will be provided with dictionaries and the teacher will make
sure that that the students fully understand the directions. The ELLs will be given extra time to
complete the journal activities for homework.

Plan B:
If students feel they are advanced in writing dialogue; they may skip the mentor texts and expand
on the partnership writing dialogue activity. If students are having trouble writing dialogue, the
class can write a dialogue together, with the teachers help.
Citations/Appendices
Appendix A: Rubric for Writing Dialogue Activity

Students both demonstrate understanding of effective dialogue writing by:

Each section worth up to 5 points
____ Employing effective dialogue tags
____ Using proper dialogue punctuation
_____Using sensory details

Equal Participation in partnership worth 5 points

Total Points ____ out of 20

Mentor Texts for dialogue

How do you feel, Georgie?" whispered Mrs. Weasley.
George's fingers groped for the side of his head.
"Saintlike," he murmured.
"What's wrong with him?" croaked Fred, looking terrified. "Is his mind affected?"
"Saintlike," repeated George, opening his eyes and looking up at his brother. "You see...I'm
HOLEY, Fred, geddit?
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Lenniess face broke into a delighted smile. 'Why sure, George, I
remember thatbutwhatd we do then? I remember some girls come
by and you saysyou say'
'The hell with what I says. You remember about us goin into Murray
and Readys, and they give us work cards and bus tickets?'
'Oh, sure, George, I remember that now.' His hands went quickly into
his side coat pockets. He said gently, 'GeorgeI aint got mine. I musta
lost it.' He looked down at the ground in despair.
'You never had none, you crazy bastard. I got both of em here. Think
Id let you carry your own work card?'
Lennie grinned with relief.
Of Mice and Men by George Steinbeck

http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/404/
Sample Character

movie star and fanatic fan

officer and speeder
psychiatrist and patient
waiter/waitress and diner
man on a ledge and psychologist
principal and student
hairdresser/barber and client
teacher and parent
little sis and big sis
driving instructor and student driver
deejay and phone-in listener
reporter and accident witness
priest and confessor
cheerleader and nerd
girl and boy on blind date
dogcatcher and dog owner
player and coach
two late-night grocery shoppers
girl's date and little brother or sister
flight attendant and passenger
angel and devil on character's shoulder