Week 28 - Narrations are Not Essays

Lesson Planning, Vol. 11

Dear Mama,

I have noticed there is a desire to turn narrations into essays. However, narrations are not meant to be essays. They are only meant to summarize in the most concise yet thorough way. Writing such a paragraph is a skill that can be difficult, but it is worth learning and teaching.

In my narration notebooks, I give a specific amount of space based on age group on how much to write. If a student needs a lot more space, they are writing too much. If they are not using the space well, they are writing too little.

Today, I’m going to share how to write a concise yet thorough history narration.

1. Who/What: Have the student write down who or what was discussed in the lesson.

2. What/Describe: Have the student write down all of the details they remember from the lessons.

3. When: When did this event happen? When did the person live?

4. Where: Where did this event take place? Where did the person live?

5. Why: Why should they care about this event or person? What impact did this event or person have on our lives?

Although the example I gave is from history, one can still grasp the basics and apply them to other subjects.

How to prep for the week:

1. Make copies for the school week

2. Schedule appointments

3. Meal planning

I hope these tips help you balance pacing and progress. Falling a couple of days behind is one thing, but don’t let it add up.

Take care for now, bye!

Mirley

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