Great endings

Sometimes authors end their stories with a memory, a feeling, a wish, or a hope. Other times they end the story by referring back to the language of the beginning. In this lesson, students will examine the characteristics of good endings by reading good endings of narrative picture books. They will then practice writing good endings for their own narratives.

A lesson plan for grades 2–4 English Language Arts

By DPI Writing Strategies

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• Examining effective openers and closures in writings: Students will listen to a reading of Dr. Seuss' and Jack Prelutsky's Hooray for Difendoofer Day! Students will then work cooperatively to edit one another's rough drafts of analytical essay, focusing on openers and closures.
• Oh, the places I will go!: Students will listen to the story by Dr. Seuss Oh, the Places You'll Go! The students will brainstorm a list of places they would like to go. Places such as nouns and proper nouns will be separated during the listing process. The students will write a response to: "Oh, the places I will go! I will go____________." and illustrate their responses. Each student response will be collected for a class book entitled "Oh, the Places We Will Go!"

Related topics

• Learn more about The Relatives Came, conclusions, cooperative learning, language arts, organization, read-alouds, and writing.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• identify the characteristics of good endings in personal narrative picture books.
• rewrite weak story endings by using the characteristics of good endings.
• revise the ending of a draft of their own personal narrative.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 hour

Materials/resources

• Make Your Choice Transparency (pdf | rtf)
• Six pieces of chart paper with one of the following poor endings written on the top of each:
  • “We had a lot of fun.”
  • “Then we went home.”
  • “It was a fun time.”
  • “We drove home.”
  • “Finally we left.”
  • “I fell asleep on the way home.”
• Copy of The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
• Other books with good endings (see supplementary resources)
• Great Endings sheet (pdf | rtf)
• Vis-à-Vis markers

Technology resources

Overhead projector

Activities

Modeling/Mini-lesson

1. Pass out paper or have students get out their journals. Tell students that you want them to take notes during the lesson. Discuss with students the importance of a good ending to a story.
2. Point out that good endings may let the reader know how the writer feels and should wrap up the main idea of the story.
3. Discuss the ending of the book The Relatives Came. Sometimes authors end their stories with a memory, a feeling, a wish, or a hope. Other times they end the story by referring back to the language of the beginning.
4. Show the Making Choices transparency on the overhead. Discuss the story endings. Have students select the endings they like best and explain their reasons. Remind students to write down the good endings on their note sheet so they can file them in their writing notebooks.

Guided Practice

5. Place students in six small groups.
6. Pass out the chart paper with poor endings, one to each group. Have students work in small groups and think of better endings, keeping in mind that they need to refer back to the main idea of the story. Monitor and give assistance with group work.
7. Have students share their endings with the class and discuss the characteristics of good endings (e.g., closure to the story, reflection of main idea).

Independent Practice

8. Have students select a draft from their writing folders. Have them write at least 2 endings that use the characteristics of good endings and share their endings with a partner. Ask them to add one of the new endings to their draft.

Transfer

9. Have students examine the characteristics of good endings for different genres, such as imaginative narrative, informational, persuasive, instructions, etc.

Assessment

1. Can students choose the best ending for a story?
2. Can students write a good ending for a narrative about a common event?
3. Can students write a good ending for their own personal narrative?

Supplemental information

Books with Good Beginnings/Good Endings:

• The Gentle Giant Octopus by Karen Wallace
• Bat at Night by Nicola Davies
• Look Out Jack! The Giant is Back! by Tom Birdeye
• A Storm on the Desert by Carolyn Lesser
• Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
• Because of Winn Dixie by Kate Dicamillo
• My Great Aunt Arizona by Gloria Houston
• Bubba, The Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman
• Stop That Dog! The Great Gracie Chase by Cynthia Rylant
• The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
• Click Clack Moo by Doreen Cronin, Betsy Lewin (Illustrator)

Other Information:

• Writing Feature(s): Organization
• Writing Process Stage: Planning, Revising
• Writing Environment: Expressive
• Writing Genres: Personal Narrative