Raven Fenner EDU 512 Learning Experience

Discipline: English Language Arts Grade Level: Grade 8 Express Yourself: Creative Writing Project 1. Learning Context: 1. This learning experience is designed to allow students to create and capture the depth of the human experience through creative writing. The goal is to have the student produce his/her own literary, short story piece that focuses on character and setting development. Also, because it would be most students first major writing component, it will give them the chance to learn and perfect the writing process. Most writing, whether it is expository, or creative, follows a basic formulaintroduction, body, conclusion. Students are to understand the fundamentals of writing, in order to expound upon them and write for creative purposes. Not only is this supposed to enlighten students and allow them to express themselves, but also help students learn the writing process (Prewriting, Drafting, Revising, Proofreading, Final Copy). Through this process, students will work on character development, establishing setting, creating a problem, and finding a solution. 2. Standards (Writing, Grade 8): 1. Standard 3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequence. 1. Performance Indicators: 1. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. 2. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. 3. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events. 4. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.

5. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. 2. Standard 5: With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. 2. Assessment Plan 1. The final product will consist of student written and designed short-stories. The students will be free to produce any type of visual imagery to coincide with their stories. Prior to the final project, as a class, we will discuss and follow the steps of the writing process. Students will do pre-writes and brainstorms. We will discuss what appropriate topics are, and what is expected for each student. Students will peer-edit, and be assigned to editing groups through the extent of this lesson. Although the final project will be the major part of the assessment, how well students follow the writing process and work with one another will also be assessed. Criteria Storytelling Technique/Voice You Got It! Students engage and orient the reader by creating and developing characters, setting, conflict and resolution. Students Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. Students actively contribute to group work/peerreview process to help strengthen Close but no Cigar! Students engage and orient the reader, create but lack development in characters, setting, conflict, resolution. Students capture and convey some experiences and events with adequate detail and some sensory language. On the way. Minimal initial engagement of the reader. Characters, setting , conflict and resolution lack detail and development. Students capture and convey minimal experiences and events with very little detail and sensory language. Not quite there yet. No engagement of the reader, and little to no presence of characters, setting, conflict, and resolution. Students do not capture experiences and events, and have no detail and sensory language.

Diction

Writing Process

Students make some contributions to group work/peerreview process.

Students make minimal contributions to group work/peerreview process.

Students make no contributions to group work/peer review process. They do not plan, revise, or edit writing.

Organization and Grammar

writingas needed by planning, revising, editing,etc. Students use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence. Students use proper grammar with minimal grammatical errors.

Students use some transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey some sequence. Students use grammar with some grammatical errors.

Students use minimal transition words, phrases and clauses to convey little sequence. Students have some grammatical errors with careless mistakes.

3. Student Work: N/A 4. Procedure: 1. Day 1: As a class, we will discuss what makes a good story. This will allow me to introduce the classic elements in story telling: Characterization, Setting, Conflict/Problem, and Resolution. 2. Day 2: We will continue to talk about the classic elements in storytelling and discuss how each affects the story. We will cover characterization, and setting development. 3. Day 3: We will finish our lesson on classic story elements, covering Conflict/Problem development and resolution. 4. Day 4There will be a small quiz about classic story elements. After the quiz, we will move on to discussing the different genres of story writing. The first genres we would cover are Science Fiction and Young Adult Fiction. 5. Day 5: We would finish our discussion on Sci-fi and YA literature, and move on to Humor and Mystery. 6. Day 6: After genres are gone over and discussed, we will move onto discussing classic themes and short stories. I will use this as a transition point to introduce the writing assignment, and the writing process. 7. Day 7: The students will spend this day brainstorming and prewriting possible ideas for their creative writing project. 8. Day 8: Students will hand in a first draft for their short stories. Each of the students will be given another classmates short story to edit. 9. Day 9: After edit papers have been handed back, students will revise their projects, and proofread.

10. Day 10: Final Project will be handed in. 5. Resources: 1. A small notebook, used just for this project 2. Pens 3. Markers 4. Construction paper 5. Digital media (videos, pictures, etc.) 6. Environmental Modifications: 1. Because this is a creative writing unit, and I want students to be as creative as possible, there will be different writing stations. I will allow for students to go outside, as long as there is supervision, and let nature inspire them to write. I will also have areas in the classroom set up with beanbags and bouncing balls to stimulate students thought process. 7. Time Required 1. The amount of time required would probably be 60 minutes a day for about 10 days, but because students will also have to present their stories, an additional 2 days are needed. 8. Reflections: I chose this LE because I enjoy creative writing. I feel as though many students are not given an opportunity in school to express themselves. This gives them a chance to do so, but they are also learning the writing process, and are creating/strengthening their voice.