Lesson
3
:

Writing a Narrative About Grit

Grade

Grade 3

UNIT

2

Grit

Last Updated:

June 5, 2025

In Unit 2, Lesson 3, “Writing a Narrative About Grit,” students will write narratives about how they, or a character they create, have shown grit. Students will develop real or imagined experiences or events with a narrator and/or characters. Their narratives will include dialogue, descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings, temporal words and phrases to signal event order, and a sense of closure.

SUGGESTED TIME:

20 minutes

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Demonstrate comprehension of the word grit 
  • Create a narrative that develops real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences
  • Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally
  • Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations
  • Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order
  • Provide a sense of closure
  • Demonstrate understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar 

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

  • Prohuman Grade 3 Unit 2 Worksheet 3: Writing a Narrative About Grit

VOCABULARY:

  • Grit: I keep trying to reach my goals even when it is hard. I don’t give up.

ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.A

Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.B

Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.C

Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.D

Provide a sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.4

With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1.F

Ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1.I

Produce simple, compound, and complex sentences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.2.C

Use commas and quotation marks in dialogue.

CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET

Performance Character A5

Define grit (e.g., perseverance and passion for a long-term goal)

Performance Character B1

Provide an example of a friend or role model who demonstrates self-discipline (the ability to forgo instant and immediate gratification for a larger goal or commitment)

Performance Character B2

Provide an example of a friend or role model who is dependable, reliable, and conscientious (responsible)

Performance Character B4

Provide an example of a role model who demonstrates grit (perseverance and passion for a long-term goal)

Civic Character A4

Explain why it is important for everyone to serve and contribute to their family, school, community, nation, globally

Civic Character B6

Describe how a role model volunteers and contributes to the common good

Self-Awareness A1

Understand and explain why different situations may set in motion or give rise to different emotions (e.g., learning something new or difficult, meeting someone new)

LESSON PROCEDURE

Today we will write a narrative about grit.

  1. We read two stories about grit, one about the characters in The Wizard of Oz, the other a true story about Jadav Payeng.

  1. Our stories should do five things. Let’s go through all five things and provide examples of each.

    First, our stories should establish a situation.

    Example: On the playground, in front of a grove of tall pine trees, there is a tall rock wall that many kids find difficult to climb. 

    Second, our stories should introduce a narrator and/or characters.

    Example: Leila stood with her friends, Mirabel and Ezra, in front of the rock wall. Mirabel was a short girl, with dark hair and green eyes. Ezra was tall and wore glasses. All three friends were in the third grade.

    Third, our stories should use dialogue to show the response of characters to situations.

    Example: 

    “I want to climb the wall today,” said Leila.

    Mirabel nodded. “I want to climb it too and reach the top,” she said.

    “I am afraid I won’t be able to reach the top,” said Ezra. 

    “Yes, you can,” said Leila. “You can show grit. Come on, let’s climb it together!” 

    Fourth, our stories should use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.

    Then, Leila ran to the rock wall. Mirabel followed her and they began to climb. Ezra stood watching them, looking unsure if he would join. 

    Fifth, our stories should provide a sense of closure.

    After a few minutes, Leila and Mirabel reached the top. They called down to Ezra. 

    “Come try, Ezra, you can do it!” 

    Ezra went to the wall and began to climb. After a few minutes of showing grit, he had reached the top.

  1. Now you will write your own story on your worksheet.

NOTE: Collect and keep the worksheet on the following page for the next day’s lesson in which students will share their stories with a partner.

GRADE 3 UNIT 2 WORKSHEET 3: WRITING A NARRATIVE ABOUT GRIT

Grit: I keep trying to reach my goals even when it is hard. I don’t give up.

ACTIVITY: Write a story about how grit is shown by either you or a character you create. 

Beginning:

Middle: 

End:

Prohuman K-12 Curriculum © 2025 by Prohuman Foundation is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

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