Narrative writing for a stated purpose and audience for Primary 4

Class: Primary Four
Term: Third Term
Week: 5
Age: 9 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Writing
Focal competence: Writing narrative and descriptive compositions
Skills:

• write a narrative composition

Previous Lesson: Literal, inferential and critical response to a new passage in Comprehension
Topic: Narrative Composition: Purpose and Audience
Subject Matter: Narrative writing for a stated purpose/audience

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Define narrative writing.
• Identify the purpose of writing a narrative.
• Identify the intended audience for a narrative.

Psychomotor Domain

• Write a short narrative composition for a stated purpose and audience.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of considering purpose and audience when writing.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Macmillan Primary English for Primary 4
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Flash cards showing different types of narratives (e.g., storybook, newspaper report, letter)
• Course books
• Flannel board
• Pictures and visual aids depicting various audiences (e.g., children, adults, friends)

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding narrative writing with a clear purpose and audience helps pupils communicate effectively. This skill is fundamental for developing strong writing abilities, enabling them to tailor their stories to engage specific readers and achieve desired outcomes, whether to entertain, inform, or persuade.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have basic knowledge of writing simple sentences and paragraphs, and they can identify different types of stories.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Narrative Composition: Purpose and Audience

What is Narrative Writing?

Narrative writing is a type of writing that tells a story. It can be real or imagined, and it often includes characters, a setting, a plot (what happens), and a conclusion.

Purpose of Narrative Writing

The purpose of a narrative is the reason why you are writing the story. Common purposes include:

1. To Entertain: To make the reader enjoy the story.
2. To Inform: To tell the reader about something that happened.
3. To Persuade: To convince the reader to believe something or take action.
4. To Teach a Moral Lesson: To share a lesson about right and wrong.

Audience in Narrative Writing

The audience is the person or group of people you are writing the story for. Knowing your audience helps you choose the right words, details, and style. For example:

1. If your audience is young children, you might use simple words and lots of pictures.
2. If your audience is adults, you can use more complex words and detailed descriptions.
3. If your audience is your friends, you might use informal language.

Tips for Writing a Good Narrative

To write a good narrative composition, consider these tips:

1. Know your purpose: Decide why you are writing the story.
2. Know your audience: Think about who will read your story.
3. Have a clear plot: Make sure your story has a beginning, middle, and end.
4. Use descriptive words: Help your reader imagine the characters and setting.
5. Check for clarity: Make sure your story is easy to understand.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Guided Practice, Individual Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils what a story is and asks them to mention some stories they know. The teacher then introduces the topic of narrative writing, explaining that it means telling a story.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by sharing their understanding of stories and mentioning familiar ones.

Learning Point: Understanding of stories

Step 2: Defining Narrative Writing

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what narrative writing is, providing simple examples like fables, folktales, or personal experiences. The teacher uses flashcards to show different types of narratives.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and ask questions for clarification. They observe the flashcards.

Learning Point: Meaning of narrative writing

Step 3: Understanding Purpose in Narrative Writing

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that every story has a purpose. The teacher discusses various purposes (e.g., to entertain, to inform, to teach a lesson) and gives examples for each. For instance, a funny story entertains, a news report informs.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in the discussion, giving examples of stories and their purposes.

Learning Point: Purpose of narratives

Step 4: Identifying Audience in Narrative Writing

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Inquiry

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the concept of “audience” and why it’s important to consider who will read the story. The teacher shows pictures of different audiences (children, parents, classmates) and asks pupils how they would tell the same simple story to each different group.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify different audiences and discuss how their storytelling might change for each.

Learning Point: Role of audience

Step 5: Planning a Narrative for Purpose and Audience

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher gives a simple story idea (e.g., “A boy found a lost puppy”) and asks pupils to plan how they would write it for two different scenarios: 1) to entertain young children, and 2) to inform their parents about the event. The teacher guides them to think about word choice and detail.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils brainstorm ideas and discuss how to adapt the story for different purposes and audiences.

Learning Point: Adapting narratives

Step 6: Writing a Short Narrative

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Individual Practice

Teacher’s Activity: Based on the planning from Step 5, the teacher instructs pupils to write a short paragraph or two of the narrative for one of the stated purposes and audiences. The teacher moves around to provide support and check for clarity.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils write their short narrative paragraphs, focusing on the chosen purpose and audience.

Learning Point: Writing narrative compositions

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is narrative writing?
2. Mention two purposes for writing a narrative.
3. Who is the audience of a story?
4. Why is it important to know your audience when writing?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Narrative writing understanding

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes on narrative writing, purpose, and audience into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson points

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the key points of the lesson, reminding pupils that good writers always think about why they are writing and who they are writing for. The teacher encourages them to practice writing stories with a clear purpose and audience.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and affirm their understanding.

Learning Point: Consolidating narrative concepts

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Write a short narrative composition (about 5-7 sentences) on the topic “My Favourite Day”. Remember to choose a clear purpose (e.g., to entertain a younger sibling, to inform your teacher) and a specific audience for your story.

1. State your purpose.
2. State your audience.
3. Write your narrative.

Lesson Keywords

• Narrative – A story or account of events.
• Purpose – The reason for writing something.
• Audience – The person or people who will read the writing.
• Composition – A piece of writing.

Differentiation

For weaker learners, provide sentence starters or a simple story outline to help them structure their narratives. Encourage them to focus on just one purpose and a very familiar audience. For faster learners, challenge them to write a narrative with a more complex plot or to adapt the same story for three different purposes/audiences, paying attention to changes in vocabulary and style.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, pupils can search on YouTube for: narrative writing purpose and audience primary 4

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, prepare flashcards or pictures that clearly illustrate different types of narratives and potential audiences. Begin by engaging pupils with familiar stories to activate their prior knowledge. Guide them through the concepts of purpose and audience with clear, relatable examples. During the guided practice, encourage discussion and allow pupils to share their ideas before writing. Emphasise that understanding purpose and audience helps them choose the right words and details. Ensure pupils copy the Board Summary notes accurately in Step 8. Provide individual support during writing activities and check for common errors like unclear purpose or inappropriate language for the audience. Encourage all pupils to participate and celebrate their efforts in storytelling.