You will learn
- Say what a personal narrative is.
- Plan events in order.
- Use sequence words and feelings.
- Write a short personal narrative.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- A personal narrative tells about something that happened to you.
- Use I.
- Tell it in order.
- Say how you felt.
Words to know
a story
about you
a word like first, next, then, finally
an emotion
1. Discover: My first day on a bike
Last Saturday I rode my bike for the first time. First, my dad held the seat. Next, I pedalled slowly. Then he let go and I wobbled. Finally, I rode all the way to the gate! I felt so proud and happy.
Think: What order are the events in? How did the writer feel?
2. Understand: Writing about yourself
Idea 1: What is it?
A personal narrative is a true story about you. It uses I.
Idea 2: In order
Tell events in order with sequence words: first, next, then, finally. Give a beginning, middle and end.
Idea 3: Add feelings
Say how you felt: I felt proud. Feelings make a narrative real.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Order
Which comes first: ride to the gate or hold the seat?
- Beginning.
Answer: hold the seat
Example 2 (We do it together): Word
Which word shows the end?
- Last.
Answer: finally
Example 3 (You try): Feeling
How did the writer feel?
Show the steps and answer
- Look at the last sentence.
Answer: proud and happy
Did you know?
Many famous authors began by writing about their own lives.
Why this matters
Personal narratives help you share your experiences and practise storytelling.
4. Explore: Story plan
Plan a personal narrative.
- Choose an event.
- List events in order.
- Add feelings.
- Write the story.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can write a personal narrative.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- Last ___ I ___.
- First, ___.
- Then, ___.
- I felt ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What word shows the beginning?
first
Question 2. What word shows the end?
finally
Question 3. Name a feeling.
proud
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- A true story about you is a personal ___.
- We use the word ___.
- Sequence words show ___.
- An emotion is a ___.
- A story has a beginning, middle and ___.
Level 2: Grow
- Write a beginning: Last Saturday…
- Write an ending with feeling.
- Write a sequence word.
Level 3: Stretch
- Why use I?
- Why feelings?
- Why order?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Write a personal narrative about a day out.
Show a sample answer
a narrative
Another one. Plan and write a narrative.
Show a sample answer
a narrative
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Use sequence words.
Fix: Say how you felt.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what a personal narrative is.
- I can plan in order.
- I can use sequence words.
- I can write one.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Tell a true story about you.
- Use I.
- Tell it in order.
- Include feelings.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Simple explanations. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is a personal narrative? [1 mark]
- Name two sequence words. [2 marks]
- Why add feelings? [1 mark]
- Write an opening sentence. [1 mark]
- Explain how to write a personal narrative. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- a true story about you [1]
- first [1]; next/then/finally [1]
- makes it real [1]
- valid [1]
- plan events in order [1]; use I and sequence words [1]; add feelings [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- A true story about you is a personal ___.
- We use the word ___.
- Sequence words show ___.
- An emotion is a ___.
- Beginning, middle and ___.
- True or false: use sequence words.
- True or false: leave out feelings.
- Write a sequence word.
- Write a feeling.
- Write a narrative opening.
Homework
Write a personal narrative about a day out.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A true story about you is a personal ___. | narrative | 1 |
| 2. We use the word ___. | I | 1 |
| 3. Sequence words show ___. | order | 1 |
| 4. An emotion is a ___. | feeling | 1 |
| 5. Beginning, middle and ___. | end | 1 |
| 6. True or false: use sequence words. | true | 1 |
| 7. True or false: leave out feelings. | false | 1 |
| 8. Write a sequence word. | then | 1 |
| 9. Write a feeling. | proud | 1 |
| 10. Write a narrative opening. | Last Saturday I went to the park. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 narrative; 2 I; 3 order; 4 feeling; 5 end. Level 2: 1 Last Saturday I went to the park.; 2 I felt happy.; 3 then. Level 3: 1 it is about you; 2 makes it real; 3 clear story.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what a personal narrative is | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Plan events in order | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Use sequence words and feelings | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Write a short personal narrative | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Out of order. Use sequence words.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use a story planner.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child writes about a personal experience. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Talk about memories.
- Read their story.
- Praise detail.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what a personal narrative is; plan events in order; use sequence words and feelings; write a short personal narrative.
Prerequisite knowledge. Descriptive paragraphs.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Model a narrative.
Explanation (10 min). Teach order and feelings.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise.
Independent activity (10 min). Share.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What happened first, next, last? How did I feel?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use a planner. Extension. Add dialogue.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Out of order. Use sequence words.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use a story planner. Enrichment. Add dialogue. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 2 » Writing; Grade 2 » Language. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core W.2.3 (write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event); Cambridge Primary English Stage 2 (writing). These sources informed the lesson.