Myth, Fairytales and Realistic Fiction from U.A.E

Narrative Writing Assignment

Grade 6-12

 

Guidelines for Writing an Emirati Fairytale:

1. New narrative must include at least one of the Emirati characters listed below. You need to do some research about these characters to learn about their traits and their deeds.
2. Your story should be creative, original and should adhere to one of the themes that reflect Emirati values. A list of themes is listed below.
3. Word Limit: The narratives have to be a
   1. Grade 6 minimum of 250 words and a maximum of 450 words.
   2. Grade 7 minimum of 350 words and a maximum of 550 words.
   3. Grade 8 minimum of 450 words and a maximum of 650 words.
   4. Grade 9 minimum of 550 words and a maximum of 750 words.
   5. Grade 10 minimum of 650 words and a maximum of 850 words.
   6. Grade 11 minimum of 750 words and a maximum of 950 words.
   7. Grade 12 minimum of 850 words and a maximum of 1100 words.

 

4. The setting of your narrative should be inspired from the UAE’s geography and landscape: desert, oasis, mountains, sea, demolished neighborhoods, or any other place and time that pertain to U.A.E. to ensure cultural awareness.
5. Names your characters must be associated with U.A.E’s culture and heritage.
6. The skill of your characters must be associated with U.A.E’s traditions. Your character can be for example a sailor, shepherd, weaver, blacksmith, farmer, pearl diver, potter etc. However, note these skills can change to reflect the varied time periods and roles Emiratis play in all sectors of modern day industries.
7. The plot should be logical. Chain of events be clear and coherent.
8. Narratives should be told from a specific point of view or perspective.
9. Students are required to use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
10. Use a variety of transitions to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.
11. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.
12. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative
13. Differentiation:
    1. Visual learners can create a graphic narrative story.
    2. Kinesthetic learners are invited to dramatize their stories.

What do you need to turn in?

All teachers have been working with students on simple constructive writing tasks that will eventually help all students write a narrative. Students have been brainstorming characters, setting, conflicts, etc…

Therefore, by Nov 30, 2015, you need to turn in the following:

• All prewrites and brainstorming with teacher’s feedback
• The rough draft
• The final draft
• A Self-Assessment: Self-Assessment will include a summary of your work that describes the techniques you used in your particular piece of work.

You will be asked to present your fictional written work orally to the class. Some presentation ideas include: Read Aloud, Prezi, PowerPoint, poster board, or video.

 

Emirati characters

Characters stem from six categories:Emirati Fairytale

1. Animals: Abu al Les, Hemarat el Ghayla, Al Naghaga (The Owl), Nagat el Eid (The Eid Camel)
2. Jinn: Abu Salasel (man of many chains), Baba Daryah, Fatouh, Ghareeb (Stranger), Um Al Heilan
3. Half humans: Um al Duwais
4. Humans: Saber (Patient)
5. Objects: Al Medfah (The Canon), Khattaf Raffay, Salama and her Daughters
6. Plants: Ghaf Tree, Al Sedra, Abu Kharbah

 

To learn more about these characters, research the following key words/phrases:

• Kharareef
• New fairytales and fables from UAE.

 

 

 

 

Themes you need to focus on:

• acceptance
• anger
• being different
• charity
• community
• conformity
• cooperation
• courage
• courtesy
• creative thinking
• determination
• fairness
• family
• forgiveness
• friendship
• generosity
• gratitude
• helping
• honesty
• hospitality
• justice
• kindness
• loyalty
• mercy
• non–‐violence
• perseverance
• respect
• selflessness
• sharing
• compassion

 

 

Narrative writing Teacher’s  Checklist for first draft
Structure		Done!	Starting to…		Not yet L
Overall	created a narrative that has setting, characters,  conflict, and theme.
exposiiton	The beginning sets the story in motion and includes details that will later be important to the story
Transitions	used transitional phrases to alert reader to the passage of time, to connect parts of the story,(and suddenly, if only, meanwhile)
conclusion	wrote an ending that conveys change and creates a sense of closure by showing clearly how the character or place has changed or the problem has been resolved.
Organization	The narrative structure is mostly conventional and linear, and the sequence of events is clear.
Development
Elaboration	–        developed the action, dialogue, details, and inner  thinking –        developed the central character as well as the setting. –        characters, setting and theme adhere to assignment requirement.
Description	–        developed characters’ motivations and showed why characters do what they do. –       used specific details to help the reader picture the place and the mood. –       varied the language and sentence structure to match the tone and the characters.
Conventions
Spelling	–           used the available sources to check spelling of words.
Punctuation	–           used correct punctuation marks to avoid run-ons and lack of clarity. –           punctuated dialogue accurately.

 

 

 

 

Narrative Writing Rubric

 

Description	5 Exceptional	4 Skilled	3 Proficient	2 Developing	1 Inadequate
Exposition	The text creatively engages the reader by setting out a well- developed conflict, situation, or observation. The text establishes one or multiple points of view and introduces a narrator and/or complex characters.	The text engages and orients the reader by setting out a conflict, situation, or observation. It establishes one or multiple points of view and introduces a narrator and/or well-developed characters.	The text orients the reader by setting out a conflict, situation, or observation. It establishes one point of view and introduces a narrator and/or developed characters.	The text provides a setting with a vague conflict, situation, or observation with an unclear point of view. It introduces a narrator and/or underdeveloped characters	The text provides a setting that is unclear with a vague conflict, situation, or observation. It has an unclear point of view and underdeveloped narrator and/or characters.
Narrative Techniques	The text demonstrates sophisticated narrative techniques such as engaging dialogue, artistic pacing, vivid description, complex reflection, and multiple plot lines to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.	The text demonstrates deliberate use of narrative techniques such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.	The text uses narrative techniques such as dialogue, description, and reflection that illustrate events and/or characters.	The text uses some narrative techniques such as dialogue or description that merely retells events and/or experiences.	The text lacks narrative techniques and merely retells events and/or experiences.
Organization and Cohesion	The text creates a seamless progression of experiences or events using multiple techniques—such as chronology, flashback, foreshadowing, suspense, etc.—to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.	The text creates a smooth progression of experiences or events using a variety of techniques—such as chronology, flashback, foreshadowing, suspense, etc.—to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.	The text creates a logical progression of experiences or events using some techniques- such as chronology, flashback, foreshadowing, suspense, etc.- to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.	The text creates a sequence or progression of experiences or events.	The text lacks a sequence or progression of experiences or events or presents an illogical sequence of events.
Style and Conventions	The text uses eloquent words and phrases, showing details and rich sensory language and mood to convey a realistic picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.	The text uses precise words and phrases, showing details and controlled sensory language and mood to convey a realistic picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/ or characters.	The text uses words and phrases, telling details and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.	The text uses words and phrases and telling details to convey experiences, events, settings, and/or characters.	The text merely tells about experiences, events, settings, and/or characters.
Conclusion	The text moves to a conclusion that artfully follows from and thoughtfully reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.	The text builds to a conclusion that logically follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.	The text provides a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.	The text provides a conclusion that follows from what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.	The text may provide a conclusion to the events of the narrative.

 

 

 

Narrative Presentation Rubric

KINDLY NOTE: Teachers need to stop students at exactly 1 ½ minutes.

 

Students are to present responding to the questions below only

1. What is your story briefly about?
2. What was the most rewarding or the most challenging aspect of writing a narrative?
3. As you wrote what are new things that you learnt about UAE?

 

0= Emerging                          ½ = Developing                                  1= Mastering

Student’s names	Volume: Does the student speak loudly enough for all listeners to hear?	Tone: Does your tone determine/ relate to the tone of your story?	Eye contact: Do you use eye contact to involve readers?	Gestures: Do you use gestures such as shrugs, nods, or hand movement to illustrate the narrative?	Posture: do you stand upright to help portray a serious attitude?