Writing a Fable - Grade 3 - Narrative Writing Performance Task

Aug 26, 2026

Uploaded by Jacob

Grade 3 Narrative Writing Performance Task materials guide students through learning the characteristics of fables, reading and comparing sample fables, and identifying morals as life lessons. The process is organized across three days: reading and discussion on Day 1, planning and drafting on Day 2, and revising, editing, and producing a final draft on Day 3. Teacher scoring directions align responses to a Common Core narrative writing rubric, including narrative elements, writing process expectations, and language conventions with adult guidance.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

Day 1: Reading about Fables and Sample Fables

Day 2: Planning and Writing a Draft

Day 3: Revising and Editing

Teacher Directions for Scoring Rubric

Common Core Narrative Writing Rubric

Common Core Standards Narrative Writing Performance Task | Teacher Version | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Grade | 3 | Title/Subject | Writing a Fable | Included in this packet: 1. Teacher directions 2. Student prompt and directions. Overview Students will write an original fable after learning about fables and reading several samples. On Day 1 they will read an informational list of information about the characteristics of fables, and several sample fables, then discuss possibilities for their own fable. On Day 2 they will plan their fable and write a draft. On Day 3 they will revise, edit, and produce a final. (Adapted from a Narrative Writing Performance Task for Grade 4 from the Smarter Balanced website [smarterbalanced.org](smarterbalanced.org).) Process: Day 1: Reading about Fables and Sample Fables Up to 60 minutes Read the characteristics of fables list with the students. Discuss each of the 8 points with the students making connections to other stories they have read over the course of the school year. Students may take notes on this chart during the lesson. Have students read the three sample fables. When they are finished discuss how they are the same and different. Discuss the moral of each as a “life lesson”. Make connections between these fables and the list of 8 characteristics. Discuss storyline possibilities with peers Tell students to take turns sharing ideas for a fable of their own. Remind them that all narratives have characters, setting, and a plot, and that fables also have a life lesson or moral. Day 2: Planning and Writing a Draft Up to 60 minutes Planning: Distribute blank paper to the students. Tell them to plan their fable using whichever techniques you have taught them that they prefer. This may include storyboarding, a storymap or graphic organizer, storyhill, etc. You may remind them of the strategies for planning, but DO NOT provide a pre-printed graphic organizer. They need to create their own plans for this on-demand writing task. Drafting Review the process for writing a story by going over the student-friendly directions included with this prompt. Tell the students they will now have up to 50 minutes to write their stories. Maintain a quiet atmosphere during the writing period so that all students may concentrate on their own work. © Charlotte [Knox at www.knoxeducation.com](Knox at www.knoxeducation.com) – Narrative Writing Performance Task – Page 1 Common Core Standards Narrative Writing Performance Task | Teacher Version | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Grade | 3 | Title/Subject | Writing a Fable | Day 3: Revising and Editing -Up to 60 minutes Step 1: Review of process Tell students that they will now have up to an hour to revise and edit their story. You may use the student prompt to remind them of the elements needed in a quality narrative and a fable. If there is time, students may choose to type or re-copy their work to a final draft, or they may just make corrections on their first draft. Step 2: Revise and Edit Provide students with up to an hour to finish a final draft. When they are finished, collect all pieces of their work: planning page, drafting pages, and final draft. Teacher Directions for Scoring Rubric: YOU EDIT…Use the narrative writing rubric to score the work. Enter scores in School City. Student responses to Part 2 will be scored using the Common Core based Narrative Writing Rubric. Ascore will be given in each of the two rubric categories. For grades 3-6, student revisions will be scored. Each student’s final scores should indicate a 1, 2, 3, or 4 in each of the categories (no partial scores such as 2 . 5, 3+, etc. ) . A score of 3 or 4 in each category is considered a passing score and a total of 6-8 points is considered a passing overall score. © Charlotte [Knox at www.knoxeducation.com](Knox at www.knoxeducation.com) – Narrative Writing Performance Task – Page 2 Common Core Standards Narra

FAQs

What do students learn about fables before writing?

Students read informational content about fables’ characteristics and discuss how those features connect to other stories. They also read sample fables and identify each moral as a “life lesson.”

How is the task structured across the three days?

Day 1 focuses on reading and discussion, Day 2 includes planning and drafting, and Day 3 is for revising, editing, and producing a final draft. Each day includes time guidance for student work.

What does the rubric evaluate for Grade 3 narrative writing?

The rubric checks narrative writing elements such as establishing a situation, organizing events, using dialogue and descriptions, signaling event order with temporal words, and providing closure. It also includes writing process expectations and language conventions with guidance and support from adults.

Aug 26, 2026

Uploaded by Jacob