Write About an Experience

ELPAC Skill Focus: Task Type 3 – Narrative Writing

What You Need to Do:

When you write about an experience, you are telling a true story from your life. Your writing should include:

• A clear beginning, middle, and end

• What happened, where it happened, and who was involved

• Thoughts and feelings during the experience

• Specific actions or events (what you did or what happened)

Steps for Success:

1. Choose a real experience — something simple like a special day, a surprise, a challenge, or a time you helped someone.

2. Plan your paragraph – Think about:

   • What happened?

   • Where were you?

   • Who was with you?

   • How did you feel?

3. Use time-order words to organize the story.

4. Add emotion and reflection — what did you learn or feel?

Sentence Frames to Help You Write:

Practice Ideas:

Mr. Tretyak's Slide Deck (To Be Made)

Your Photo Drive Game (To Be Made)

Memory Walk (You Create a Slide Deck) (To Be Made)

Sample Prompt:

Think about a time when you helped someone or someone helped you. Write a paragraph about what happened and how you felt.

Sample Student Response (High-Scoring Model):

One time, I helped my younger brother learn how to ride a bike. First, we went outside to the park near our house. Then, I showed him how to balance and helped him start pedaling. At first, he was scared, but I encouraged him. After a few tries, he was riding by himself. I felt really proud because I helped him do something new. I will never forget that moment.