Reflective Endings

On Hand: Several books that have endings that mirror the beginning, such as Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox (1985, Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester (1998), and Miss Bridie Chose A Shovel by Leslie Connor (2004). (See Writing Tip for other suggestions.)

Mini-Lesson: All endings, no matter what the organizational pattern or genre-have a job. There has to be a beat at the end of the piece, a moment that allows the reader to respond with an "Ah," an "Ah" that means I am so glad I read this work. Reflective endings (also known as circular, loop, or wrap-around endings) are one technique that helps to create this feel-good moment.

            Tell students that you are going to read the beginning and ending of each book and you would like them to see if they can detect a pattern:

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge
Beginning: "There was once a small boy named Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge and what's more he wasn't very old either."
Ending: "And the two of them smiled and smiled because Miss Nancy's memory had been found again by a small boy, who wasn't very old either."

Tacky the Penguin
Beginning: "There once lived a penguin. His home was a nice icy land he shared with his companions. His companions were named Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect. His name was Tacky. Tacky was an odd bird.

Ending: "Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect hugged Tacky. Tacky was an odd bird but a very nice bird to have around."

Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel 
Beginning: "She could have picked a chiming clock or a porcelain figurine, but Miss Bridie chose a shovel back in 1856."
Ending: "She could have had a chiming clock or a porcelain figurine, but Miss Bridie chose a shovel back in 1856."

            Students will notice, of course, that the endings use words or exact phrases from the beginnings. The reason these reflective endings are so effective is that the reader is invited on a journey and then delivered home again.

            Invite students to try out reflective endings in their own work.

Extension: Draw two bookends on the board. (I often find that students are unfamiliar with bookends. Review their purpose if necessary.) Write a beginning above the first bookend, such as: "George Washington was our first president." Write a reflective ending above the second bookend: "Everyone agreed. Only George Washington could be our first president." Erase your model. Write another beginning above the first bookend. Challenge students to come up with a reflective ending. After trying this a few times (and perhaps going in the reverse direction) invite kids to come up with both beginnings and reflective endings.