Year-Long Creative Writing - Third Period
This is the place to check for current assignment handouts, a summary of current class work, and daily updates for the third period Creative Writing elective, which is the combined novice/advanced year-long elective. Here is the Creative Writing Syllabus and the link to the Google Classroom. For the Google Calendar, go the Calendar tab of this website and scroll down. For an explanation of proficiency-based grading, go to the Grading tab.
This is the place to check for current assignment handouts, a summary of current class work, and daily updates for the third period Creative Writing elective, which is the combined novice/advanced year-long elective. Here is the Creative Writing Syllabus and the link to the Google Classroom. For the Google Calendar, go the Calendar tab of this website and scroll down. For an explanation of proficiency-based grading, go to the Grading tab.
IntroductionEach quarter, we will work our way through several poetry assignments, at least one piece of assigned fiction, and at least one piece of assigned nonfiction. Students also devote time to independent writing project(s) of their choosing. Eighth graders will have support for their Masters' Art Showcase projects, should they choose to do these.
In this course, students learn about the art and craft of writing though reading model texts, participating in mini-lessons, using the writing process, editing with writing groups, conferencing one-on-one and in small groups, and submitting work for publication. We write poetry, narrative, creative nonfiction, and more. New this year: I am striving to include more graphic-based stories and some basic Computer Science via coding. The Creative Writing curriculum is similar to last year's program. The few seventh and eighth grade students who took the course in sixth or seventh grade will be encouraged to respond to familiar assignments in new ways or to revise, edit, and otherwise improve previously created work. All projects are open-ended and meant to inspire students to create a wide diversity of pieces--even when they are responding to a prompt they've seen before. I will also look upon these master-level students as mentors for writers who are new to the program. I use quarterly themes as the foundation of learning in this course: The themes are:
This quarter's emphasis is on conflict. Typically, this begins with a unit on Slam Poetry/Spoken Word/Protest Poetry, but in 2019-20, students completed this unit during Quarter 2. Instead, we will begin with a Letter to Place (or Object) followed by a study of Flash Fiction. By the end of February, we will be working on a collaboration with visual arts students in which writers create poems and flash pieces that fit the seasons of the year for artists to illustrate. At the same time, artists will create works on the themes weather and emotions, for which writers will create connected poetry and prose as part of a "form poetry" unit. Between the exchange of art and writing, writers will most likely be working on one of the following: odes, "I Love" pieces, or forgiveness poems. Curriculum for fourth quarter is on hold as of March 30 as I wait to see the District expectations during the COVID 19 school school closures and distance learning. Most students are able to find time to work on their own writing projects as well as the class assignments. Any Capstone students scheduled into this course are encouraged to opt themselves out of assignments (particularly if they did them last year) in order to provide time for the Capstone Portfolio Project. In the past, independent projects have included book-length fiction, comic books, poetry on a chosen theme, original story-based video games, animated shorts, board games, and more. Reading is always an acceptable use of class time (provided students complete their writing projects in a timely way), as reading supports the development of the art and craft of writing. Some students like to produce work for or enter their existing work into writing contests. The BookFox blog features links to 30+ writing contests for young writers. For other ideas about publication of student work, try this Cult of Pedagogy blog link suggested by Ms. Wasson. |
Daily Update and HomeworkOngoing Distance Learning Plan
With in-person school cancelled for the rest of the year, please refer to Google Classroom for learning activities and opportunities. Monday, March 30 to Tuesday, April 28 No school due to COVID 19 concerns and prevention. Creative Writing activities will be posted in Google Classroom as part of the PPS Distance Learning Program beginning Monday, April 6. Monday, March 23-Friday March 27 Spring Break. Monday, March 16-Friday March 30 No school due to coronavirus concerns and prevention. Friday, March 13 Letter to Self graphic organizer. Binder and grade check. Work time. Homework: Bring a draft of your Letter upon return. Also, finish any late work. Thursday, March 12 Independent project encouragement. Finish time for blackout and visual poetry. Homework: See Tuesday. Wednesday, March 11 Grade check. Self-reflection. Work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, March 10 Q&A and examples for Blackout/Found Poetry and Visual Poetry. Work time. Homework: Visual and Blackout Poetry due Friday. Monday, March 9 Introduction to week's assignments: Visual Poetry and Blackout/Found Poetry. Work time. Homework: All work through Ekphrasis Poetry should be done. Friday, March 6 Peer and self editing of arts-based (ekphrasis poetry). Homework: All work should be complete through Ekphrasis Poetry. Thursday, March 5 Introduction to Visual Poetry. Work time to explore Visual Poetry and finish arts-based pieces. Homework: See Tuesday. Wednesday, March 4 Editing discussion and reminders about No Excuses editing (seven rules). Sharing survey. Work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, March 3 Peer editing (anonymous) for I Love pieces. Work time for arts-based pieces. Homework: Art-Based pieces due Friday. Monday, March 2 Mini-lesson on ways of approaching ekphrasis poetry. Work time. Homework: See Friday. Friday, February 28 Mini-lesson on Form Poetry per handout in Google Classroom. 12 types explained. Work time. Homework: See Wednesday. Thursday, February 27 Introduction to art/writing collaboration ("Ekphrasis Poetry"). Opportunity to view art and think about form poetry based on handouts. Homework: See Wednesday. Wednesday, February 26 Library lesson on the collaborative work on authors and illustrators. Homework: All work through I Love Pieces should be done. Tuesday, February 25 I Love Samples Work time. Homework: See yesterday. Monday, February 24 Introduction to short I Love Pieces (poetry or prose) with brainstorming, pre-writing, and drafting. Work time. Homework: See Friday. Midterm grades will be uploaded tomorrow. Friday, February 21 Grade check. Independent project check in. Work time. Homework: All work though Season Poetry should be complete.. Thursday, February 20 Tips for poetry editing (figurative language, sound devices, writers' craft). Continuing edit process for Season pieces.. Homework: Season Pieces should be done by tomorrow. Wednesday, February 19 Self editing of Season Poetry. Work time. Homework: See Friday. Tuesday, February 18 Season Poem #4 sample (list -with details- poem). Narrative poem ideas for Friday's piece. Work time. Homework: See Friday. Monday, February 17 Presidents' Day. No school. Friday, February 14 Narrative Poetry (3rd Season Poem--See Google Classroom for details). Work time. Homework: All late work + first two Season Poems. Thursday, February 13 First two Seasons poems check in. Work time. Homework: See yesterday. Wednesday, February 12 Poem #2 for Seasons Collaboration (simile poem, spring theme--See Google Classroom for handout). Work time. Homework: Any work for this quarter prior to the Seasons Collaboration. Tuesday, February 11 Poem #1 for Seasons Collaboration (image/color poem, winter theme--see Google Classroom for handout). Work time. Homework: See Friday. Monday, February 10 Seasons brainstorm for visual arts collaboration. Work time for earlier pieces (Flash, etc.). Homework: See Friday. Friday, February 7 Editing groups for Flash pieces. Homework: Are all your Flash pieces done? Thursday, February 6 Flash tips (random word generator). More work time for Flash. Homework: Flash pieces, if you are behind. Wednesday, February 5 Story ideas for Flash. Work time for MicroFlash, TwitterFiction, and Traditional Flash. Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, February 4 More work on TwitterFiction and other items to finish. Homework: See Monday. Monday, February 3 Introduction to #TwitterFiction (280 characters or fewer). Partner work acceptable for this project. Homework: Make certain your Letter to Place/Object, MicroFiction, and TwitterFiction are ready for editing groups on Friday. Friday, January 31 More support with MicroFlash with samples of 50-Word Stories and Fiction 55. The assignment is to write multiple Six-Word Stories and/or one more 50/55 Stories, so that there are at least 50 words in the file. Remember, these must be STORIES, with character, setting, plot, conflict, etc. that the reader can, at least, infer. Also, I offered word games as an alternative for students who are caught up on the written projects. Homework: None. But if you are behind, please put in some work at home. Thursday, January 30 Introduction to MicroFlash with Six-Word Stories. Work time. Homework: If you are falling behind in terms of the first few pieces (the last two Poems with Purpose and the Letter to Place or Object, it is time to do some work at home. Wednesday, January 29 Criteria for Letter to Object or Letter to Place. Work time. Homework: None. Tuesday, January 28 Model texts: Kobe Bryant's "Letter to Basketball" and Joy Harjo's "Dear Tulsa." Drafting of Letter to Object or Letter to Place. Homework: None. Monday, January 27 No school due to Teacher Planning Day for Quarter 2 grades and Quarter 3 planning. Friday, January 25 Peer editing. Homework: None. Last day of quarter 2. Thursday, January 24 Rudy Francisco's "Adrenaline Rush," Marshall Davis "Touchscreen," "Lost Voices" collaboration. Links to other protest poems. Work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Wednesday, January 23 Sarah Kay's "Love Letter Between Bike Tire and Toothbrush." Harry Baker TedTalk with two samples of word play. Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, January 22 Introduction to Poem 3 (Word Play or Protest). Taylor Mali + writing exercises ("Abandoned House," "I Remember," Slam Poem MadLib. Work time. Homework: Poem 3 due Friday. Monday, January 21 MLK Day. No school. Homework: Late work? Friday, January 17 Ted Talk by Daniel Tisdale "Everything You Need to Know to Write a Poem (and Maybe Save Someone's Life") + concurrent work time. Homework: Poem #2 due today. Thursday, January 16 Personal Narrative in poetry (models for Poem #2). G. Yamazama's "Dining Room" (as music video). Also offered prompting for poetry with family food story or young childhood memory ("Nikki Rosa", "Butter", "Tater Tot Hot Dish." Work time. Homework: Poem #2 due Friday. Wednesday, January 15 No tech. day. Comic strips, One Pagers. Homework: Poem #2 due Friday. Tuesday, January 14 Model narrative poems (tell a story or tell about an event from a different point of view). Billy Collins' dog poems and Reuben Jackson's "For Trayvon Martin." Work time. Homework: Poem #2 due Friday. Monday, January 13 Introduction to second Poem with Purpose (Story/Narrative Poem). Samples: Lamar Jorden's "Waiting for Someone," Andrea Gibson's "Maybe I Need You," and Kayla Cordero's "The Time Mama Gave Me the Chancala." Work time. Homework: Second poem due by Friday, January 17. Friday, January 10 Poetry with Purpose, continued. Brainstorm and close reading for "Letter to Someone Living 50 Years from Now." Work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Thursday, January 9 Poetry with Purpose, continued. Introduction to list poetry with Danez Smith's "Alternate Names for Black Boys," and others (see Google Classroom. The first "Poem with Purpose" is a Letter or List poem based on this week's samples. Work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Wednesday, January 8 Poetry with Purpose. Video performance and close reading of Anis Mojgani's "Shake the Dust." Looking for the elements of poetry with purpose (experience, image, metaphor, music). Work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, January 7 Poetry with Purpose. Video performances of Danez Smith's "alternate names for black boys," Michael Lee's "Pass On," Alex Dang's "Times I've Been Mistaken for a Girl," and James Mortara's "Things to Know Before Dating Me." Expectations reminder. Work time. Homework: None, provided all late work is done. If you have work missing from before Break, you should be working on it at home. Monday, January 6 Introduction to Poetry with Purpose. Video performances from GetLit (youth slam poetry initiative based in Los Angeles). Watched Ethan Smith perform "Letter to the Girl I Used to Be," Andrea Gibson's performance of "Letter to a Playground Bully," and "Daniel Beaty's "Knock Knock." Work time. Homework: None. Monday, December 23-Friday, January 3 Winter Break. No school. Homework: If you are behind on any of the assignments prior to Winter Break, please use some of your time outside of school to complete these. Friday, December 20 Pecha Kuchas. Winter MadLibs. Work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Thursday, December 19 Pecha Kuchas. Work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Wednesday, December 18 Pecha Kuchas. Work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, December 17 Models of literary settings to support Winter Theme stories. Work time. Homework: None, provided you are caught up with everything. Monday, December 16 Review of professionalism rubric. Models of Recipe Stories. Work time. Homework: None, provided you are caught up with everything. Friday, December 13 Pecha Kuchas. Work time for the two stories, the Pecha Kucha--and any late work. Homework: Please be caught up in Google Classroom. Thursday, December 12 Class meeting on studio professionalism and change in grading on this for the remainder of the year. Work time for the two stories, the Pecha Kucha--and any late work. Homework: Stories (recipe, winter theme) due Wednesday, December 18. All Pecha Kuchas due by Friday, December 20. Wednesday, December 11 Mini-lesson on triangulation in descriptive writing. Work time for Winter Theme Story and Recipe Story. Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, December 10 Mini-lesson on setting (sensory details, specificity, artful flow). Work time for Winter Theme Story and Recipe Story. Homework: Recipe Story and Winter Story due on Wednesday, December 18. Monday, December 9 Library lesson on settings in literature. Google Classroom assignment to type up and cite a favorite setting from a novel. Homework: Pecha Kuchas are due by the day before Winter Break (Friday, December 20). Recipe Stories are due on Wednesday, December 18. Friday, December 6 Pecha Kuchas. Work time: dioramas, late work, Pecha Kuchas, recipe stories. Homework:See Thursday. Thursday, December 5 Diorama and writing work time. Homework: Last day to work on dioramas is tomorrow. Pecha Kuchas are due by the day before Winter Break (Friday, December 20). Recipe Stories are due on Wednesday, December 18. Wednesday, December 4 Diorama work. Quick introduction to Recipe Story Project. Connection to setting (time of day, time of year, time in history, place/location). Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, December 3 Diorama tips. Reminders about late work. Work time. Homework: See Monday. Monday, December 2 Seating. Introduction to Winter Theme Dioramas. See Google Classroom for directions and rubric. Work time. Homework: Dioramas due Friday. Monday, November 25-Friday, November 29 No school due to Conferences and Thanksgiving Break. Homework: Use the time to complete late/missing/incomplete work. Friday, November 22 Pecha Kuchas. Work time. Homework: All Paint Chip pieces due Friday. Thursday, November 21 Self Evaluation. Work time. Homework: All Paint Chip pieces due Friday. Wednesday, November 20 Paint Chip wild card project. See Google Classroom for more details. Homework: All Paint Chip pieces due Friday. Tuesday, November 19 Introduction to Paint Chip Poetry Examples. Expectation to write haiku, cinquain, and tank based on paint chip colors. Work time. Homework: Make sure to stay caught up with the Paint Chip pieces as all will be due Friday. Monday, November 18 Introduction to Paint Chip Flash. Examples. Expectation to write 50- and 100-word Flash stories based on paint chip colors. Work time. Homework: Make sure to stay caught up with the Paint Chip pieces as all will be due Friday. Friday, November 15 Pecha Kucha presentations. Work time. Homework: None, provided you are caught up in Google Classroom. Thursday, November 14 Self and peer editing of first three pieces (Place Pieces, Sorrow Home, Where I'm From). Homework: See yesterday. Wednesday, November 13 Sorrow Home and Where I'm From student samples. Idea for using mentor text "bones" by copying and pasting the structure and then writing own details. Work time. Homework: Remember that the first three assignments of the quarter really need to be complete in Google Classroom by Friday. Tuesday, November 12 Sorrow Home, mentor text and "recipe." Work time. Homework: None (provided you are caught up in Google Classroom). Monday, November 11 Veterans' Day Holiday. No school. Homework: None (provided you are caught up in Google Classroom). Friday, November 8 Refresh of tech norms. Google Survey to set up fall sharing. Editing, using, "No excuses" sheet, for the Place Paragraph, Place Poem, and "Where I'm From" poem. Homework: None. Thursday, November 7 "Where I'm From" model text (George Ella Lyon). Paper pre-writing task and work time. Homework: None. Wednesday, November 6 First Pecha Kucha presentation. Google CS--new coding tasks in Google CS Classroom. Work time. Homework: None. Tuesday, November 5 Introduction to Quarter 2 (place theme). No excuses editing. Significant Place Poem. (See Google Classroom for samples.) Work time. Homework: None. Monday, November 4 Introduction to Quarter 2 (place theme). No excuses editing. Significant Place Paragraph. (See Google Classroom for samples.) Work time. Homework: None. END OF QUARTER 1/BEGINNING OF QUARTER 2 Friday, November 1 Teacher Planning Day for Quarter 1 grades. Homework: None. Thursday, October 31 SeasonAL mad-libs. Ongoing work time. Homework: None Wednesday, October 30 Finish time for Quarter 1. Homework: All first quarter work due today, unless you have made prior arrangements. Tuesday, October 29 Additional explanation of Pecha Kucha and Two-Sentence Scary Stories. Homework: All first quarter work due by Wednesday, October 30. Monday, October 28 Catching up the sixth graders with last week's work. Introduction to optional NaNoWriMo. Progress reports. Work time. Homework: All first quarter work due by Wednesday, October 30. Wednesday, October 23-Friday, October 25 Note: Sixth graders at Outdoor School this week (and Lanigan at ODS Wed.-Fri.) Introduction to Two-Sentence Scary Stories. Work time. Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, October 22 Note: Sixth graders at Outdoor School this week.Progress reports for all. More information about Scholastic and Pecha Kuchas.Work time. Homework: See Monday. Monday, October 21 Note: Sixth graders at Outdoor School this week. Introduction to Scholastic Contest and Masters' Projects for 8th graders (Scholastic Contest for anyone over age 13 by December 31, 2019. Introduction to Pecha Kucha (Google Slides biography project--see Google Classroom for examples and details). Work time. Homework: Last day for Quarter 1 work is Wednesday, October 30. Friday, October 18 Editing of Invented Character Profiles and Name Pieces. Homework: See Tuesday. Thursday, October 17 Name pieces, continued. Work time. (Very short class periods due to locker painting.) Homework: See Tuesday. Wednesday, October 16 Name piece models. Writing work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, October 15 Library lesson on character development. Opportunity for book checkout. Homework: Name Pieces due by Friday. Monday, October 14 Circle: something about your name. Introduction to Name Piece assignment. Reminders about late work. Work time.. Homework: None. Friday, October 11 Statewide inservice day. No school. Homework: See yesterday. Thursday, October 10 Mini-lesson on character with handout. Work time. Homework: Make sure your Character Poetry is done. Wednesday, October 9 Mini-lesson on "write what you know" for character. Show, don't tell. Work time for character profiles. Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, October 8 Community service, helping IT worker in the 106 lab. Introduction to Invented Character Profiles. Homework: See Monday. Monday, October 7 Seating. Editing (peer and self) for Character Poetry. Homework: Character Poetry must be ready for grading this weekend. Friday, October 4 Numbered biography (the fifth and final character poem model). Work time. Homework: Only that you need to work on your Character Poetry if you are behind. Thursday, October 3 Stream of Consciousness poem(fourth of five character poems) with Dave Etter's "Marcus Millsap's School-day Afternoon" as a model. Homework: Character Poetry draft due Friday (you should have drafts of three poems to be on track to finish. Wednesday, October 2 Character brainstorm. Google CS (Scratch) introduction. Work time. Homework: Character Poetry draft due Friday (you should have drafts of three poems to be on track to finish. Tuesday, October 1 Character Poem # 3 (narrative), with Gary Soto's "Oranges" as a model. Work time. Homework: See Monday. Monday, September 30 Character Poem #2 (short poems, based on "A Man I Knew" or "A Boy Told Me." Use figurative language. Keep your poem short. Reveal something about character. Homework: Work on Character Poetry if you are falling behind in class. Friday, September 27 Circle. Topic: if you were traveling or leaving home, what would you take with you? Introduction to Character Poetry with Kathi Applet's "What He Took With Him." Work time. (We will try five character poems over the next five days. You will need to write at least four of them.) Homework: None. Thursday, September 26 Peer editing. Homework: None. Wednesday, September 25 Self-editing with checklist. Work time. Homework: None. Tuesday, September 24 Dialogue mini-lesson Work time. Homework: Have a draft of your Personal Narrative by Wednesday. Monday, September 23 Reviewed class expectations. Introduced elements of narrative using "Super Soaker War." (Beginning-Middle-End, Controlling Idea or Lesson. Narrative Criteria: Dialogue, Blocking, Description, Interior Monologue.) Work time. Homework: Have a draft of your Personal Narrative by Wednesday. Friday, September 20 Introduction to narrative criteria.Topic sharing. Work time for personal narrative. Homework: None. Thursday, September 19 Sharing. More support with Personal Narratives. We talked about how it is acceptable to do this assignment as a traditional narrative (multiple paragraphs, a set of related mini-narratives, a narrative poem, or a carefully crafted comic strip. Homework: None. Wednesday, September 18 Introduction to Personal Narrative. Prewriting (graphic organizers to generate ideas). Work time. Homework: No homework. Tuesday, September 17 Sharing. Self and peer editing of Six-Word Memoir and Two-Voice Poem. Work time. Homework: No homework. Monday, September 16 Sharing. Class survey. Work time. Homework: No homework. Friday, September 13 How to turn in work. Read around. Two-Voice Poem. Homework: See Thursday. Thursday, September 12 Introduction to Two-Voice Poems. Read around. Work time. Homework: Six-Word Memoir due Monday, September 16. Two-Voice Poem due Wednesday, September 18. Wednesday, September 11 Read around. Quick look at Two-Voice Poem assignment. Work time. Homework: Six-Word Memoir due Monday, September 16. Tuesday, September 10 Read around. Independent Project reminders. Work time. Homework: See Monday. Monday, September 9 Introduction to Six-Word Memoir. Work time. Homework: Identity Poem due Wednesday. Friday, September 6 Preview of Quarter 1 + review of class norms. Read-around, continued. Editing checklist. Work time. Homework: See Wednesday. Thursday, September 5 Began "read-around" sharing. Work time for Identity Poems and Independent Projects. Homework: Final Identity Poem due for grading Wednesday, September 11. Wednesday, September 4 Alternative options for identity poem. Scoring criteria: content, craft, conventions. Work time. Homework: If you are behind on your Identity Poem (random autobiography), work on it at home. Sharing begins tomorrow. Tuesday, September 3 Read two student models of Random Autobiography. Chromebook sign up. Drafting on paper or in Google Classroom. Homework: Poetry sharing begins Thursday. Monday, September 2 Labor Day. No school. Homework: Remember your signed technology contract. Friday, August 30 Community Circle for introductions related to writing and class expectations. Finished prewriting and began drafting "Random Autobiography." Homework: Please return your signed technology agreement on Tuesday. Thursday, August 29 Welcome to all students. Q&A on class expectations. Sort and Mingle Game. Read Mary Ann Larson's "Random Autobiography" and discussed this mentor text. Began prewriting for "Random Autobiography" assignment. Homework: None Wednesday, August 28 Jump Start Day with short classes--sixth grade only. We learned names and played Two Truths and a Lie. Homework: None. |