Third Grade Fictional Narratives Writing Unit

Amp up your writing curriculum with this third grade fictional narratives writing unit. With this 5-week unit for fictional writing, everything is included to make your life easier!

3rd grade fictional narratives writing unit — Click on the picture to check out the unit.

Are your third-graders moaning and groaning every time you get to writing time? Not anymore! I created a whole unit on fictional narratives. It includes everything for a 5-week study with tons of prompts, worksheets, and activities.

fictional narrative writing prompts - writing a hook - how to write an introduction

Introducing Terrific Writing

Terrific Writing is a comprehensive writing curriculum for Third Grade. This curriculum is standards-based (to the common core) and genre-based. But best of all, it’s actually easy to teach and engaging for students!

In this curriculum, your students will develop a love of writing. The graphic organizers, interactive notebooks, and final craft will engage students much more than a blank piece of paper. It allows students to be creative but also learn. After all, students love to write about things they are interested in.

Writing doesn’t have to be dull, and students definitely shouldn’t hate writing!

In Unit 4, ‘Fictional Narratives Writing,’ students learn how to write imaginative stories.

3rd grade unit at-a-glance calendar for fictional narratives

ARE YOU SHORT ON TIME?

This five week unit has EVERYTHING you need because, let’s be honest, teachers are time-poor.

So, let’s get your evenings and weekends back, my friend! Take a break from lesson planning and searching for engaging materials. It’s all right here.

Are you ready? I’m going to share some of the awesome things about it!

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS THIRD GRADE Fictional Narratives writing UNIT?

First up, there are a bunch of teacher docs. Unit contents, common core standards, and teacher directions? Check.

To begin, there are some suggested mentor texts (with links to Amazon and YouTube). Also, a scope is included, which shows the 25 lessons in this unit and the relevant third-grade common core standards.

3rd grade fictional narratives unit scope and sequence

Also, there is a unit at-a-glance calendar and a table that tells you what materials you will need for each lesson. Basically, I’ve tried to make this unit super easy to implement. It has everything you need!

Next, there are some suggested lesson times. To clarify, it doesn’t matter how long your writing block is; this unit can be adapted to suit it!

A lot of teachers struggle with finding the time to teach writing. If this is you, you’re not alone!

Then, there are the 25 scripted (and step-by-step) lesson plans. The lessons follow a simple format of mini-lesson, think and share, and independent writing time. There’s a lesson focus to guide you, and all required materials are listed with numbers. For example, you’ll know exactly which posters and printables you need.

posters for fictional narratives unit - anchor charts third grade

Subsequently, there’s a video that comes with this unit. This will help you organize and implement everything.

ASSESSMENT

Wondering how to assess your student’s writing? Don’t sweat it!

There’s an assessment document for this unit too. It includes a rubric to help you grade your student’s writing.

However, I’m not just throwing you to the sharks here! Rubrics can sometimes be generic or difficult to decipher. That’s why I’ve made a comprehensive document with teacher directions, elaborations, and examples. Moreover, there’s a video to help you understand the rubric.

fictional narrative writing rubric third grade writing assessment

Fictional Narratives WRITING MENTOR TEXTS

I give a list of suggested mentor texts that you can source, but I also provide three original mentor texts for this unit! These come in PDF and PowerPoint versions (as well as color and black and white). You can print them in any size or display them on an interactive whiteboard.

The great thing about these original mentor texts is that they include all of the features of fictional narrative writing that are taught in the unit. For example, students will see examples of characters, settings, and so much more!

3rd grade fictional narratives worksheets character setting prompts

Fictional Narratives WRITING POSTERS

This unit comes with 25 posters that you can reference! Each lesson corresponds to them. Most importantly, they are great for giving writing ideas and reinforcing the fictional narrative writing structure.

fictional narrative writing posters anchor charts

You can print them in color and laminate them. They are great for displaying in the classroom. However, you can also display these posters digitally (if you have limited printing options).

Ready to take the leap and get this Fictional Narratives Writing Unit for your class? Grab it here!

Fictional Narratives WRITING PRINTABLES

There are student workbook covers that you can print. There are three options, ‘My Writing Folder’, ‘My Writing Notebook’, and ‘My Writing Journal’. Your students can glue these covers onto their folders or books. The covers come in color and black and white (there are also boy and girl versions).

fictional narratives writing folder cover for third grade students - writing journal

Let’s now take a look at the writing prompts, worksheets, interactive notebooks, and graphic organizers!

HANDS-ON PRINTABLES

There are two interactive notebooks and one writing craft. This way, learning is hands-on and engaging!

third grade fictional narratives writing craft - bulletin board

GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

There are a variety of graphic organizers to help students plan their fictional narrative writing and organize their thoughts. For example, students complete multiple graphic organizers to help them complete the final writing project.

graphic organizers for fictional narratives - problem solution worksheets

PROMPTS AND WORKSHEETS

There are many different writing prompts and worksheets to help students learn to write fictional narrative pieces.

This is the common core standard for fictional narratives writing that is covered with these printables –

CCSS.ELA- LITERACY.W.3.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

stretch a sentence better vocabulary worksheets

how to teach point of view and teaching suspense worksheets

THE FINAL WRITING PIECE

After students have learned about fictional narrative pieces and the requirements to include in a fictional narrative piece, they begin to prepare for their final writing piece.

These are the common core standards for narrative writing that are covered with these printables –

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.A
Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.B
Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.

CCSS.ELA-LITEACY.W.3.3.C
Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.D
Provide a sense of closure.

fictional narratives writing unit for third grade

WRITING CHECKLISTS

After students have written their first draft, they use two checklists to proofread their work. One checklist grades writing structure, and the other is a more generic checklist for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

The students do a self-check, peer check, and adult check.

TASK CARDS

I think it’s super important to have purposeful early finisher tasks and extension activities during writing lessons. Above all, we should be challenging our advanced writers. That’s why this unit also includes task cards for fictional narrative writing.