Ms. Melissa Levonick’s fifth grade class used a checklist and the theme of show, don’t tell when they each created a personal narrative. The students’ work in a recent writing unit resulted in stories with vivid descriptions, much emotion, structure, pacing and other elements that recreated an event and introduced themselves in unexpected ways.

According to student Jack Laieta, Ms. Levonick taught the class how to describe the details and setting to help readers imagine the story. Jack mapped out his story, “Risks,” about his thoughts with a bat in his hand at home plate during a cold day at a ball game.

“It was fun to plan out my story and write something interesting,” he said.