Once Upon Whose Time?
Prefatory Statement
This unit teaches students about the elements of the short story, and allows them the chance to re-write their favorite children's or short story from the point of view of a different character.
This is an important unit for students to go through for several reasons. First of all, students study the elements of the short story extensively. The elements of a short story are seen throughout life, including music, advertisements, television shows, etc. Knowing the elements of a short story helps students to think critically about what the see and hear around them. It also gives students a good foundation from which to build if they choose to go into a career of advertising, music, acting, writing, etc.
During this unit, students get a chance to practice what they have learned. Students will write their own short story. My unit for ninth graders will focus on a children's story that they liked when they were young. They will then re-write the story from the point of view of a different character. Older students may want to choose a more complex short story to re-write. Students will work in a writing workshop for some time. This part of the unit is important for a couple of reasons. First, students must look at stories from another point of view. They can no longer accept a story at face value. This is an important skill to have for life; students need to see things from other people's point of view. Secondly, students will be working in groups. Time and time again, employers are saying that one of the most important skills employees need to have is being able to work in groups. Writing workshops will allow students to practice giving and receiving praise and constructive criticism and working with other people.
Class Description:
This unit is designed for ninth or tenth grade students. This unit may be difficult to use with younger classrooms, as children's stories may be seen as “un-cool.” However, this unit may be adapted for use with virtually any grade level beginning with grade seven through grade twelve. Many middle schools and ninth/tenth grade classrooms use textbooks which are full of short stories that will work for the different elements. Older students may wish to use more complex short stories or even parts of novels.
Significant Assumptions:
Students have basic writing ability.
Students have had little or no exposure to the make up of short stories.
Students have had no or limited time in cooperative writing groups.
Students learn better through multiple exposures to a topic.
Students' learning experience is enhanced through working with each other.
Desired Outcomes/Standards/Objectives to be met:
Students will be working towards the Write and Speak Standard of Academic Writing part A, C, and D. By the end of this unit, students will:
• Be able to write their own story.
• Identify and describe the different elements of a short story.
• View stories from a different perspective.
• Find short story elements outside of short stories.
• Work in peer writing groups.
Possible Whole Group Activities:
• Read stories out loud to the class.
• Discussion of elements of short stories.
• Brainstorm ideas for stories to use.
• Identify and discuss different points of view.
• Demonstrations and discussions of peer writing groups.
• What worked and what didn't discussion after projects are completed.
• Develop criteria for grading.
Possible Small Group Activities:
• Writing workshops-students will keep all drafts of their work with comments by peer groups.
• Brainstorm characterization of a minor character in different children's stories.
• Develop criteria for grading their individual short stories (teacher observers).
• Interview the main character from the new story. (i.e., interview the wolf from The Three Little Pigs).
• Act out one of the new short stories in the peer group.
Possible Individual Activities:
• Choose a children's story to write a new version of.
• Write a new version of a children's story from a different character's point of view.
• Keep drafts of story to show progress.
• Daily writing prompts emphasizing different aspects of the short story. (i.e. Characterization: Describe your worst enemy or your best friend.)
Ongoing Activities:
Students will keep a writing journal throughout the unit. In this journal they will write responses to their writing prompts and ideas for their own short story. They will also take notes about the different aspects of short stories in their journals to use as a reference point.
Student Resources:
• Notebook for writing journal that will be checked periodically. See handout.
• Library access for short stories.
• Computer lab access.
• Text books.
Unit Launch:
On the first day of this unit I want my students to get excited about short stories. I will ask my students to bring in children's stories that they liked when they were younger. I will bring in a variety of short stories; I will make a point to bring in stories that were written by people in their age group. We will spend the hour reading stories and discussing different aspects of the stories that made them our favorites.
Objective: To get the students excited about short stories and writing. By the end of this lesson students will:
• Have concrete ideas of what makes a short story good.
• Realize the variety of stories out there.
Rationale: Knowing that there is a variety of different short stories and children's stories will help students get “out of the box.” This is important throughout life; students need to be able to look at things from many different aspects. Also, seeing success stories of people their age will give students the role models they need to show that they can succeed at a young age. This will encourage them to be role models for other people throughout life.
Method:
• We are going to be starting a new unit today: short stories. I have asked all of you to bring in one book that you enjoyed as a child. Today, we are going to read those books and some books that I brought in.
• As we read each book, we will discuss the following questions when applicable:
• What made this book good?
• Why is this book still popular today?
• What was enjoyable about this book?
• Does it seem like a fifteen year old wrote this book?
• Why is this a favorite?
• Tomorrow we will look more in depth at the things we have talked about. Do you want to know the best part of this unit? We get to write our own short stories, but with a twist! I'll explain more later. Have a good day!
Assessment:
I will know my students have met my objectives if:
• The class is discussing between stories.
• The class is articulating the differences between the stories.
Organization of Unit:
* During the time that we are learning about the elements in the short story, the students will be required to brainstorm how they can incorporate each element into the story they will be writing. The students will be writing at least two ideas per element in their writing journal. If there is time at the end of class brainstorming will be done then, otherwise it will be considered homework.
Week One:
Day One- Journal Topic: If you could meet any character from a book, who would it be? Describe that character to me. Introduce project. Discuss journal question. Explain that we will be studying short stories and children's stories and introduce the idea that the students will be writing their own story from a different point of view. Handout.
Day Two- Read short and children's stories aloud in class. Start discussion about what makes a story good. Why do some books become classics? What makes stories memorable?
Day Three- continue discussion. Start talking about different Points of View. Who do you want to know more of in these stories? Pick a story. How would this be different if character X told it? Begin talking about grading. Tell the students we will be working together on grades. Preview the coming weeks. Explain that there are two main parts: The writing journal and the final story. Give handout for writing journal. Come up with grading criteria for the journal today.
Day Four: Go to the library. Have the students pick out a story that will work well. They must check with me.
Day Five: Journal Topic: Why did you pick the story that you did? What is the main point of the story that you chose? Begin going over the elements of the short story. Begin with Theme . As homework, journal at least two ideas of the theme you can use for your short story. Using the Three Little Pigs written from the Big Bad Wolf, do you want your theme to be that slyness never works? Do you want the theme to be that creativity is an asset that is needed to get through life? Use your imagination
Week Two:
Day One and Two: Journal: Describe the best mystery you have ever heard. Begin going over Plot using The Utterly Perfect Murder. Read story.
Why does Doug want to kill Ralph?
What is Doug's problem?
What
or who is killed?
What was your reaction to Ralph showing up on the doorstep?
Do you think this story was set up effectively? What would you have done to make it different?
Day Three: Journal: Describe the way your room looked when you left your house today. Use details! Begin looking at setting and symbol using the story My Wonder Horse. Read the story.
Where did this story take place? What helps you to know that?
What specific words are effectively used to put us “in” the story?
Do you ever get lost in a book or movie? When? Why does this happen?
Does description play a part in setting? How is the horse described to show rather than tell?
Day Four: Journal: What's the biggest disagreement you have ever had? How did it get resolved, or why didn't it get resolved? Begin talking about Point of View using A Trip to the Edge of Survival.
Who are the main people telling the story?
Why are their individual parts different?
If you were to retell the story, which character would you use? Why?
Have you ever been “on the edge of survival”? How would you tell your story?
Day Five: Begin Conflict. Explain the four different types of conflict: Man vs: Man, Nature, Self, Machine. Use A Trip to the Edge of Survival to talk about Man vs. Self and Man vs. Nature. If time, use other short stories that we have gone over to get more in depth.
Day One: Journal: What do you think irony is? Does the song, “Isn't it Ironic?” really ironic? Give examples of irony if you can. Have class discussion based on their journal entries. Describe irony Bring in a copy of the song “Isn't it Ironic” on an overhead. Go through the song and figure out what is ironic and what isn't. If time, have students write their own verse using irony in small groups, otherwise assign as homework.
Day Two: Continue with irony. Use the poems Annabel Lee, Incident in a Rose Garden, and Traveling through the Dark. For each poem: Have a student summarize to make sure the students understand the poem. Discuss the irony in each poem.
Day Three: Is there a bully in your life? Describe him or her. If not, describe a movie or T.V. star that is considered a bully. Begin Metaphor using Grover Dill and the Tasmanian Devil . Define metaphor. Have students come up with some common cliché's that are metaphors. *Depending on the grade level, you may not find it necessary to distinguish between simile and metaphor. Sometimes, for younger students, it may be enough that they understand that it is a comparison. For example: She's a brick house, he is a rock. Read Grover Dill.
Day Four: Continue with Metaphor. Have students work in small groups and find as many metaphors and similes as they can in the story. Have students share their findings with the rest of the class.
Day Five: Computer lab orientation.
Week Four:
Day One and Two : Teach Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action . Have students make posters of their original children's stories describing the flow of the story. (__/\__)
Day Three: Journal: Who is your favorite TV character ? Why? Describe him or her. Discuss characterization and what makes a character believable. Make a list of all the aspects of Characterization. Include: Personality, likes, dislikes, family, background, economic situation, job, etc. Try to have the students make the list as long as possible. Discuss their journal entries.
Day Four: Continue with characterization
Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
• Describe a character in detail.
• Fill in gaps about things they do not know about a character based on what they do know.
Rationale: It is important for students to be able to carry information over from one day to the next and to be able to see how school fits into “real life.” This will give the students relevance to what is going on in their lives and it will help to reinforce the topic studied.
Method:
• Divide students up into four groups.
• Explain that we will be watching an episode of Seinfeld . (Without commercials appx. 20 min episode)
• Assign each group either Jerry, Kramer, George, or Elaine.
• Hand out the list that we made yesterday to each person in the group. Explain that they need to watch for these characteristics in their specific character. The entire list must be filled out by the time the class is over.
• Watch the episode.
• Work time: Have these directions on the top of paper, but also verbalize after the episode is over: First, write down what you already know. Did you see any family members? What were they like? Did you notice what their apartments were like? Where do they live? THEN, fill out what you don't know. Remember, it must be consistent. If Joe Smith works at McDonald's he probably doesn't live in a mansion.
Assesment: I know my students will have met the objectives if:
• Their worksheets are consistent; all the items make sense together.
• Each character is described in detail.
Day Five: First, have students write down three people they can work with and one person they absolutely cannot work with. Turn in. Work on the main character for their individual stories. Again, using the list made on Day Three, figure out what the main character is going to “look like.” This is a work day/ conference day. Each student will meet with me for a few minutes to make sure they are on the right track and for me to talk with them about their progress so far.
Week Five:
Day one: Start writing workshops.
Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• Give effective feedback to their peers
• Work in writing groups
Rationale: It is important for students to know how to wok effectively in groups. More and more employers are saying that one of the most important things that their future employees need is the ability to work well in groups. It is also a valuable skill for students to be able to give constructive criticism and effective feedback.
Method:
First, come up with a grading criteria for the story part of the grade.
Discuss:
What do you think a writing workshop is?
Have
you ever given your paper to someone and asked them to help? What happened?
What are things that we look for in a paper? (The things we have worked
on in the past several weeks, description, does the paper make sense, etc.)
That is what we do in a writing workshop. You will be in groups, and you will each give your paper to the other group members. The group will look at your paper and try to help you make it clearer, more creative, etc.
What is good feedback?
What is bad feedback?
Role play a mini-writing workshop: I will have a one page piece that I am working on. There will be copies for three students as well as an overhead. I will ask for three volunteers to come up to be in my writing workshop. We will look at my paper and give helpful feedback.
Assesment: I will know my students have met my objectives if:
• They are giving effective feedback to their peers in their writing groups.
• They are following the model of writing workshops during workshop days.
Day Two: Give handout about child authors. Encourage students to make this story the best they can. Divide class into writing workshop groups. Have them verbally tell each other what their ideas are. Verbally critique each others ideas so I can go around and hear what is happening. Brainstorm together.
Day three: Work day. Have students write the rough draft of their story using their notes that they took over the first four weeks.
Day Four: Computer Lab. Make copies for each person in group.
Day Five: Writing workshop day.
Week Six:
Day One: Work day. Work on second draft of story. Talk with writing groups if necessary.
Day Two: Computer Lab.
Day Three: Writing workshop day.
Day Four: Begin final draft of story. Students will be able to go to the computer lab.
Day Five: Final project is due at the end of the day today. This means the story must be published in some way: three ring binder, binding machine, etc. Any stories not received by the end of the day today will be docked points.
Students who have computers at home may wish to type their story up at home and use the classroom computer time to add graphics and art. This will not add to their grade, nor will a lack of pictures take away from any students grade.
Supporting Material for Teachers:
http://www.uvm.edu/~dguevin/Elements.html A quick overview of the elements of the short story.
http://www.geocities.com/ICG767/WebQuest/resources.htm A good site with a several links to short story selections, elements of the short story, lesson plan resources.
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/drama.htm A nice site with children's story resources.
Discussion Questions:
When talking about elements of a short story...
What do you think could be developed more in order to make this story better?
What makes this story believable or unbelievable?
How does plot set up what is going to happen?
If you were going to start a story about your life, what kind of setting would the first scene be?
What puts you in a good mood? A bad mood? Do authors use these things in stories?
What causes conflict?
What kinds of conflict are the hardest to deal with?
When talking about point of view....
When is it hard to see things from another person's point of view?
What is the importance of seeing things from another point of view?
Describe some situations that it could be useful to see another person's POV.
When would we choose not to see another POV.
Assessment Tasks:
The major assessment that will be taking place during this unit is twofold: the student's writing journals and their final story.
Writing journals: Students will be taking notes, brainstorming, writing from prompts, and jotting ideas down in their writing journals. This journal will be checked periodically throughout the unit process. Students will be expected to have their journals in class every day and will not get the full amount of points if all information is not in their journals. Students will be expected to get notes from their classmates if they are not in class one day. These writing journals will also be vital to the students when it comes to writing their stories.
Story: Students will be rewriting their favorite children's story based on the point of view of a different character in the story.
Grades:
I will give my students the rubric that we come up with for grading so they know what is expected of them. Their writing journals will be graded on their completness. As long as the students are taking notes, brainstorming, and writing from the writing prompts they will get full credit. The stories will be graded on several things: process, comments to their writing group, significantly different drafts of their story, and use of the different elements of short stories. Although we will come up with the grading requirements in class, I will be making sure that these elements are in the requirements. Grading will be done on a point scale, making A's, B's, etc.