Select one of the  topics below and compose a  five -paragraph essay in which you explore an event or experience.

Topic 1. An embarrassing Childhood Moment use that moment to explore issues of insecurity, peer pressure or teacher/student relationships.  As you work, be selective in the information you choose to include. You can use a single event or a limited number of events but include episodes that illustrate larger themes.  You will include details and the elements of narrative to engage the interest of your reader and bring the moment to life.  Remember that you are writing the story of a significant moment in your life told from a mature, reflective standpoint. 

Topic 2:  Tell a story of significance to your family.  It could be a story you witnessed or one that was told to you.  Do not state the story’s significance.  It must emerge from the details or actions narrated.  

Tell the story as it comes to you, but tell it IN SCENE, moment to moment.  It could be a memory or a story of when you were a child, or a story told about a relative or sibling or a parent.  Have a (1) setting/ location, (2) time of day, (3) year, (4) season, (5) gestures (people sit, stand, move), (6) dialogue (one line per speaker, tags ‘he/she said’), (7) Use past or present tense but be consistent.

Consider these questions when approaching a topic for your narrative:

???? Why does this moment continue to be important to you?

???? What do you understand now that you didn’t then?

???? How can you apply this new understanding to your life today?