Write a narrative of approximately six hundred words set in the far North. The story can be based on personal experience or it can be completely invented, but either way it must be realistic, given the setting. Be sure to think about setting, character, plot, and theme. Make use of your transitional words and phrases to communicate changes in time, sequence or settings. After you have completed a draft of your narrative, ask your teacher or a peer to read it and provide feedback. They should pay special attention to how well your purpose has been addressed, as well as your style, spelling, and grammar. After receiving feedback, revise the draft to make any improvements.

Submit both your first draft and your final draft in the space below.

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Read the excerpt from the poem "growing up italian" by maria mazziotti gillan and answer the question that follows. when i was a little girl, i thought everyone was italian, and that was good. we visted our aunts and uncles, and they visted us. the italian language smooth and sweet in my mouth. in kindergarten, english words fell on me, thick and sharp as hail. i grew silent, the italian word balanced on the edge of my tongue and the english word, lost during the first moment of every question. source: gillan, maria mazziotti. "growing up italian." poetrymagazine.com. poetry magazine, n.d. web. 30 mar. 2011. what is the tone of this poem? what does the tone reveal about the speaker of the poem and the conflict she faces? based on this excerpt, what can you predict about the theme of the poem?