CHECKLIST:

Story Arc and Planning Template completed (handwritten)

First handwritten draft completed
Second typed draft completed (to be handed into teacher for editing)
Third typed draft with corrections completed (to be peer edited)
Final draft completed with all planning and editing submitted
 Narrative Basics
Complete the following template to assist with collating the ideas that you have for your short story. It is important
that you thoroughly plan out your work so that your piece remains focused.

Title

Every short story needs a title that will

immediately captivate the reader. Write
down a range of potential titles for your
story.
Characters

Short stories need a range of interesting

and diverse characters to intrigue the
reader. Write down potential characters
who will feature in your short story
along with brief characteristics.

Genre

Be sure to select a genre that most

interests you. You may select from a
vast range of genres including (but not
limited to) the following: romance,
comedy, horror, sci-fi, fantasy etc.
Explain the reasoning behind your
choice.
Point of View

It is important that the point of view

within your story is consistent. Have a
distinct perspective in mind during the
planning process so that your story
remains focused as you begin writing.
Explain the reasoning behind your
choice.
Tense

Tense helps the reader to distinguish

whether your story was set in present
time or in the past. Remain consistent
with tense and ensure that you avoid
changing. Explain the reasoning behind
your choice.
Setting

The setting is an integral aspect off your

story as it helps set the scene for the
reader. You may like to conduct some
research into your setting and write
down interesting facts that would
contribute to your story.
 Narrative Structure
Now consider how your story will be structured. Keep in mind that the key to an interesting story are the obstacles
or conflicts that your protagonist encounters. Consider a range of small conflicts and how your character will react
before building up to your climax.

Orientation

Who, what, when, where and why?

Conflict one

What is the first problem that the protagonist

encounters on their journey?

Character reaction to conflict one

What do they think, see and feel?

Solution to conflict one

How does the protagonist overcome this problem?

Conflict two

What is the second problem that the protagonist

encounters on their journey?

Character reaction to conflict two

What do they think, see and feel?

Solution to conflict two

How does the protagonist overcome this problem?

Climax

What is the highest point of your story (the turning

point)? Ensure that each conflict has built up to this
bigger problem.

Character reaction to climax

What do they think, see and feel?

Resolution

Describe how your story will conclude: will the story end
happily/sadly? Will there be a twist? Will anything be
resolved?
 Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjective: is a word that describes or clarifies a noun. Adjectives describe nouns by giving some information about
an object's size, shape, age, colour, origin or material.

Adverb: is a part of speech used to describe a verb, adjective, clause, or another adverb. It is used to tell the reader
how, where, when, or the degree at which something was done.

Fil in the table with 5 nouns you will use in your short story and then write down some adjectives (at least two for
each noun) that could describe it. You may like to refer to the list on the following page to assist you with this task.

Adjectives Nouns
Beautiful, ugly, old etc. House

Fil in the table with 5 verbs you will use in your short story and then write down some adverbs (at least two for each
noun) that could describe it. You may like to refer to the list on the following page to assist you with this task.

Adverbs Verbs
Lazily, hastily, slowly etc. Walked
 Adverbs and Adjectives
Please find a list of various adverbs and adjectives that you could use within your story. Try to extend on these

Adverbs to Adverbs to Adjectives to Adjectives to Adjectives to Adjectives Adjectives

describe action describe describe describe describe describing describing
(positive) action appearance setting setting personality personality
(negative) adjectives (positive) (negative) (positive) (negative)
Imaginatively Menacingly Adorable Beautiful Deserted Agreeable Aggressive
(threateningly)

Impressively Sarcastically Beautiful Tranquil Gloomy Brave Blunt

(dark)

Patiently Mockingly Clean Glittering Shaded Courageous Deranged

(mad,
crazy)

Sensitively Thoughtlessly Drab Placid Cramped Calm Conceited

(calm) (proud,
smug)

Sympathetically Rudely Elegant Exquisite Desolate Placid Anxious

(empty)

Respectfully Viciously Fancy Vibrant Bleak Delightful Feeble

(weak)

Tenderly Violently Glamorous Magnificent Dreary Chivalrous Dishonest

(boring) (polite)

Remarkably Cruelly Handsome Extravagant Polluted Faithful Malicious

(nasty,
cruel)

Eagerly Maliciously Long Vibrant Glum Gentle Obnoxious

(cruelly) (stubborn)

Optimistically Resentfully Magnificent Cosmopolitan Isolated Loyal Disrespectf

(jealously) (with people ul
from different
countries)
Majestically Perilously Old- Welcoming Barren Dynamic Cranky
(royally) (dangerously) fashioned (empty) (full of life and
energy)

Willingly Insensitively Plain Scenic (pretty) Dusty Jolly Boisterous

(dirty) (noisy,
lively)
 Promptly Unkindly Quaint Lively Eerie Conscientious Deceitful
(on time, (charming, (Creepy) (reliable, (lying,
quickly) pretty) hardworking) dishonest)

Modestly Wistfully Scrawny Luxurious Remote Lively Overbearin

(shyly) (sadly) (skinny) (lonely, g (bossy)
isolated)

Wisely Reluctantly Gorgeous Cosy Dingy Diligent Irritating

(cleverly) (unwillingly) (comfortable) (dirty) (hardworking,
dedicated)

Instinctively Carelessly Unsightly Whimsical Unnerving Obedient Hostile

(automatically) (loosely) (scary) (very
unfriendly)

Happily Needlessly Wide-eyed Spacious Monstrous Proud Immature

(without (outrageous,
reason) horrific)

Politely Timidly Fashionable Vibrant Futuristic Relieved Pessimistic

(shyly) (can be (negative,
positive or distrustful)
negative)
Delightfully Vaguely Feminine Spacious Ancient Amiable Inconsider
(unclearly) (friendly) ate

Delicately Aggressively Masculine Picturesque Modern Grateful Defiant

(cheeky,
disobedien
t)
Lightly Sorrowfully Pretty Peaceful Plain Entertaining Arrogant
(sadly)

Truthfully Wearily Stunning Colourful Uninspiring Considerate Greedy

(unenthusiasti (kind, caring)
cally)
 GROUP: Year 8 English
TASK: Short Story Writing

Task Instructions

 For this assessment task, you must choose a genre (e.g. romance, science fiction or crime) and then
plan and write a short story that follows the appropriate conventions for that type of writing.
 You will begin this task by thoroughly planning your story and closely considering what plot,
character, setting and mood elements are most appropriate for the genre you have chosen.
 Your story will need to follow correct short story structure. This mean that you must have an
orientation, conflict (problems and solutions), climax and resolution.
 You will be required to submit the following planning:
- Handwritten planning template
- Handwritten draft of initial concept
- First typed draft to be edited by your teacher with feedback
-Second typed draft to be self-edited and peer assessed
-Final copy
 Your story should be at least 600-800 words in length. Your ability to reach or stay within the word
limit will depend on how thoroughly you planned your story. Make sure you allocate adequate time
towards this part of the task.
 Use a range of adjectives, verbs, metaphors, similes and idioms to make your story more interesting
and engaging.
 It is expected that you use your class and homework time to complete your story. Each lesson, you
should be able to show your teacher the progress you have made.
 Make sure you read the criteria sheet carefully. Ask your teacher if you are unsure about any of the
task requirements. It is a good idea to check your work against the criteria sheet before you submit it.

Due Date: ________________________________________

 Year 8 Short Story Writing Student: Class:
Your work will be assessed according to the criteria below. Read this sheet carefully before beginning work on the task. Ask your teacher if you
are unsure about any requirements of this task. Before submitting your work, you should check it against the Assessment Criteria to ensure you
satisfy all requirements.

Criteria 5 4 3 2 1 NS
Evidence of planning All planning was Planning was Planning was A plan was
 Has this work been planned? submitted with submitted but submitted but it is sighted in class
 Was all planning submitted story. further detail largely but not submitted
with the story? needed. incomplete. with final copy of
essay

Textual Structure Coherent, Contains Contains Contains a Minimal evidence

 Does the story have a controlled and orientation, orientation, beginning and of narrative
clear orientation, conflicts complete complication and complication and some structure or a
and resolution? narrative, using resolution. resolution. Little complications, recount of events
 Are the stages organised effective plot Includes a clear indication that however, they are with no
into an effective text devised in an indication that further generally weak in complications.
structure? appropriate further complications will nature.
structure, complications will arise.
including an arise.
effective ending.

Dramatic Tension Dramatic tension Attempts to build Attempts are Describes people Contains some
 Does the writer engage, is expertly built dramatic tension made to engage and place but simple writing
orient and affect the with deliberate with deliberate the reader but does not develop content.
reader by building language choices language choices intensity of the dramatic tension.
dramatic tension? & the use of & the use of original problem
narrative devices narrative devices is too high or
in problem and in the problem there is no
reaction phases. and reaction increase in
phases. tension over time.

Ideas Ideas are skilfully Ideas are Ideas show some Ideas are few, not Ideas are few and
 Does the story develop used to generate, substantial and development or elaborated or simple and at
and craft interesting ideas craft and develop effectively elaboration. All very predictable. times seem
to develop theme? a recognisable contribute to the ideas relate unrelated.
theme. development of a coherently to a
recognisable central storyline.
theme.

Character and Setting Convincing Convincing Characterisation Suggestion of Only names

 Is there a clear dialogue, inner dialogue, inner emerges through characterisation characters and
development of thoughts and thoughts and descriptions, through brief does not provide
character? reaction to other reaction to other actions, speech or description or much insight into
 Are clear setting/s characters are characters are attribution of speech or feelings or
established with a sense of used to expertly used competently thought and feelings, but lacks responses AND
time, place and to enhance the to enhance the feelings to a substance or only names the
atmosphere? plot &character plot &character character AND continuity AND setting.
 development development setting emerges suggestion of
AND details are AND details are through setting through
selected to create selected to create description of very brief
a clear sense of a some sense of place, time and descriptions of
place and place and atmosphere. time and place.
atmosphere. atmosphere.

Vocabulary A range of precise Precise use of Very short

 Are a range of language and effective words or word narrative with
choices used to enhance words are phrases groups (may be little thought to
the writing? EG: noun are used in a verbs, adverbs, expression and
groups, verbs, adverbs natural and adjective or word choice.
and figurative language. articulate nouns)
manner.
Language choice
is well matched to
genre.

Sentence Structure All sentences are Most simple and Some correct
 Are sentences correct, well- compound formation of
grammatically correct, developed, sentences are sentences. Some
structurally sound and express precise correct. Some meaning is
meaningful. meaning and complex communicated.
effectively vary in sentences are
length. correct. Meaning
is mostly clear.

Language mechanics Correct spelling of Correct spelling of A number of

 Spelling all words with at simple words, notable spelling
 Punctuation least 10 difficult most common errors.
 Grammar words. Writing words and some Punctuation is
 Proof reading? contains accurate difficult words. minimal and of
use of all Provides little assistance to
applicable adequate the reader.
punctuation. punctuation.

Teacher Comments: Mark: __/33 Grade: