Creative Reading and Writing Topic: Story

Prefatory Statement: This unit will focus on the concept of story as a form of human expression. Students will learn the basic elements of a story, as well as the techniques of writing such as figurative language and description. They will study a variety of short stories and excerpts from novels to obtain an understanding of story structure and intention. They will participate in many activities intended to stimulate their thinking such as journal writing, group revision and critiquing, large and small group discussion, and individual reading and writing. In this unit, students will explore the significance and importance of story, the elements of story, and the criteria for "good literature." They will discover how individuals can interpret literature by connecting it to their own thoughts, ideas, and experiences, and by relating it to their world. The end product of the unit will be an original short story of 5-10 pages intended for an authentic audience which will be determined by the student. I have designed this unit to address the Minnesota Graduation High Standard 3, and both the short story and the unit test would be tasks in a performance package. I have not written the entire performance package for this unit, but have included two checklists for these tasks which are designed to meet the specified sub-standards. I see this unit as fulfilling several sub-standards, with the idea that the next unit in this class would fulfill the rest of the sub-standards to adequately meet the entire standard.

Rationale: Throughout time and across cultures, people have relied on the story to share their understanding of the human condition. Stories have served as a method to pass on histories and traditions. They have taught lessons. They have explored new ways of thinking about universal themes--love, death, nature, etc. Stories have expressed emotions, promoted self-discovery, held people together through traditions and a sense of identity. They have kept us entertained.

In this unit students will not only be exposed to a multitude of good stories, they will also develop their ability to put thoughts, ideas, and concepts into words as they write their own stories and exercises. They will learn that they are intelligent readers who are capable of bringing their own meaning into a text and negotiate these interpretations with their peers, their teacher, and the texts. These activities develop creative and critical thinking skills in students as well as confidence in their ideas, both beneficial to students in their lives. Students will develop a broader world view by reading authors from cultures other than their own, yet they will also see the connections between cultures, the universality of literature. They will feel more connected to their world. Working in writing groups will give them practical experience in cooperation, courtesy, and dealing with criticism. These skills will help them to succeed in the world beyond high school, especially once they enter the career of their choice.

• This unit is intended to be flexible in issues of race, gender, and class by covering a great variety of multi-cultural texts which can be modified to fit the class description. There is so much wonderful literature in the world; these stories are just some of my favorites. While I feel that these selections would probably work for any class, it would certainly be valuable to individualize the material to the needs or interests of the students.

Class Specifications: This plan was designed for a high school class of varied ages, probably an elective course. I call the class Creative Reading and Writing, and it would be divided into several units or topics, such as story, poetry, drama, multigenre, etc. Upper grades would work best as it requires some level of writing sophistication and we will not be concentrating on grammar, mechanics, and usage, except where the class demonstrates a need and a desire for such instruction. However, students' grades will also be determined by their individual goals, through conferencing with students about their projects, and on their improvement during the unit. The plan could easily fit into a "regular" English class to effectively integrate speaking, reading, writing, and listening into the curricula. It is designed to benefit a diverse group of students with a variety of learning styles.

Significant Assumptions: I am making the following assumptions about my students and the process of learning

• Students can learn through the medium of story
• Students have a working knowledge of mechanics and grammar and can write for several paragraphs in and out of class.
• Students are able to reflect on their own lives and can connect this reflection to the themes and events in a story.
• Self-reflection increases understanding.
• Students are capable of reading the assigned short stories in the allotted time period. (Usually one evening) If this is a problem in a class, I will rearrange the schedule to allow for more time.
• Students will benefit from working in writing groups composed of their peers. In the early stages of writing groups, we will discuss how they are working for the students and talk about any changes they would like to see, including changes of the actual people in the groups.

Standard: Minnesota Graduation High Standard 3. Use and interpret the arts.

Arts Creation and performance

Create an original presentation in . . . creative writing

Students should Know: 1. Understand the elements, techniques, and processes of an art form.

2. Understand how works of art are structured for a variety of functions

Students should Do: 1. Create advanced works in . . . literary arts.

a. demonstrate elements and skills of art form

b. communicate intent

c. demonstrate personal voice

e. demonstrate a sense of artistic whole

f. demonstrate a consideration of audience

g. use multiple sources for critique and feedback

Arts Analysis and Interpretation

Interpret and evaluate complex works of . . . literature applying specific criteria that represent an informed response

Students should Know: 2. Understand the elements and structure of the art form and how it is used to create meaning.

Students should Do: 2. Describe how particular effects are produced by the artist's use of the elements of the art form.

3. Communicate an informed interpretation using the vocabulary of the art form.

*See Checklists for Final Story Project and Unit Test to see how these tasks will meet these sub-standards. Eventually this unit will contain an entire performance package for these tasks. However, this unit will not completely satisfy all areas of the High Standard 3. Areas not addressed in this unit would then be addressed in the next Creative Reading and Writing Topic, such as poetry.

Possible Whole-Class Activities: Reading and discussion of stories, visualization exercises, guest speaker--storyteller, brainstorming on function of story, authentic audience, what makes good literature, oral reading of Aesop, original fables, House Made of Dawn, "Roselily", Class writing time and computer lab time, test practice on "The Iguana Killer"

Possible Small Group Activities: Writing advisement and revision (in writing groups), fable writing, group writing of dialogue, discussion of stories, peer editing

Possible Individual Activities: Memory story/worksheet, writing a character sketch, revision, quickwrite on "The Wooden Pony," examples of metaphor and simile (written and found), practice test on "Sonny's Blues," story writing, unit test

Possible Ongoing Activities: Short story writing, Portfolio: Students collect all their writing in a portfolio for final assessment, journal writing (also a part of student portfolio)

Student Resources:

--Journal/Portfolio

--Handouts on writing groups, characterization, peer editing, memory assignment

--Discussion questions for stories

--Performance package describing two major tasks--final story and unit test

--Computer Disc/Lab access

--Copies of all stories:

"The Man to Send Rain Clouds" by Leslie Silko

"Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin

"The Iguana Killer" by Alberto Alvaro Rios

"Walker Brothers Cowboy" by Alice Munro

"The Wooden Pony" by Mariana Romano

"Roselily" by Alice Walker

Unit Launch: An Introduction to Story

WEEK ONE

Monday

Methods: 50 minute period

A. Classroom activities

1. Write quote on the board by Adela Rogers St. John

2. Pass out the handout containing five questions and an assignment.

3. Anticipatory Set: Ask students to envision a memory, and ask them to write answers to the questions on the worksheet as I read them out loud a couple of times. (5 min)

4. Talk about the first quote: "Stories are things that happen to people." by Adela Rogers St. John. Discuss why all students have stories to tell.

5. Introduce the passage from The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton. Read the two paragraphs on page 10 after handing out copies of the passage to each student.

6. Discussion. In a large group, we will try to answer the five questions on the handout in reference to the Hamilton excerpt. In this discussion I would like students to construct their own meanings of character, setting, plot, mood, and tone. Each of the five questions on the worksheet can be related to these elements of fiction, but I don't want to tell them what to think, I want them to discover it from their own knowledge. I have a few points under each heading to keep the discussion moving and centered. I will write each term on the board as it is introduced.

--Character: A good author makes us know the character, makes us feel inside some characters, mention main and supporting characters, how do you determine which character is most important in a story, etc.

--Setting: The location of a story. Importance of description. Why is setting important? Believability. Interest. Strangeness. How could a different setting change an entire story? Etc.

--Plot: What is happening in the story? What are the events, desires, crises? What are some common plots? Boy meets girl, murder mystery, boy finds magic lamp, etc. Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s idea of plot: all you need is a character who wants something, something that stands in his way, and his efforts to get it anyway.

--Mood: How does character feel at the time? How does the story feel? What kinds of images are found in the story? Atmosphere. Main purpose of writing the story?

--Tone: How does the author feel, looking back at this part of the story? The overall attitude or outlook on the material. Is it ironic, outraged, curious, disappointed, regretful, humble? Etc.

B. Homework

Students are assigned to write a story of their memory that they explored during the anticipatory set. They are encouraged to make up the details if they do not want to stick to the complete truth. This not only gives flexibility to the assignment for students who need help freeing their imaginations and for those who can't help it that their imaginations tend to run away with them, but it also sets up the discussion for the following day, when we will take a closer look at the Adela Rogers St. John quotation. We will discuss the difference between a story--something that happens to people, and fiction--something made up that happens to people. The story is due the following day.

Assessment: I will know students are learning:

--by direct observation of their participation in class discussion

--if they successfully complete the handout by writing thoughtful answers to as many of the questions as they can

--by evaluating their finished product, a 2-3 paragraph story containing the elements we discussed in class

1. Who is with you? What are these people like? What do they look, act, speak like? Who is most important? What are you like? What do the people in your memory feel at this moment? What do you feel?

2. Where are you? Write at least three details about your location, your physical surroundings. What is the place like?

3. What is happening? Why are you in this place, with these people? What do you want at the moment?

4. At the time of your memory, how do you feel?

5. How do you feel looking back at this memory? Have you learned anything?

Name_____________ Have this ready for tomorrow!

Assignment: Write the story of your memory, keeping in mind the elements of story that we discussed in class. Use the example of Ruth to give you ideas. A couple of paragraphs (2-3 please) will do--be as creative as you dare! If your memory isn't quite interesting enough as it really happened, you can always be adventurous and make up the details. But be careful! Before you know it, you'll be writing fiction!!!

An Introduction to Story

Handout

The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton page 10

When I got gloomy, when I was ten years old, I sat on the ground with the hens pecking near my feet and I screwed up my face to try and remember the good occasions in my life. Just one thought in a day, to carry me beyond my dark feelings. My favorite memory--the one I went back to the most--happened the year July was so hot you sweated standing still. I was seven. Matt, my brother, and I, and May and Elmer were drinking black cows in the kitchen after supper. Elmer, scooping up refills, missed my glass, and this splat of ice cream landed on my head.

It is crystal clear. We are a family, laughing our heads off, and I'm laughing too, because the ice cream feels cold dripping down my hot skin, and I'm making faces, twisting up my tongue to get the drops. Everyone's howling at me and I'm cracking up because I know I'm funny. I have my eyes crossed. May doesn't try to wipe off my head. The flesh on her bare arm is shaking and she has tears coming down her face. She can't breathe. Elmer stands behind me with his hands on my shoulders, patting me. He has a deep laugh with spaces in between, like he has to remind himself every few seconds what's so funny. And the best part is Matt. He reaches out to touch my arm. Suddenly I'm a celebrity.

Tuesday: Assign writing groups, go over guidelines from the handout. Students divide into their groups and proceed to work on their memory stories. This will serve as practice use of writing groups.

Assignment: Revise story based on group input. Due Thursday typed or neatly rewritten. Include first draft and worksheet.

Wednesday: Hand out performance packages and talk about story project. Answer initial questions and assure students that we will go through it step by step. Tell students to begin thinking about a story idea.

Discuss the process of revision, using handouts.

Assignment: Read "Walker Brothers Cowboy" by Alice Munro. Instruct students to pay attention to the characters in the story. What is the narrator like? The father? The mother? Nora? How can you tell what they are like? How does Alice Munro make the characters seems real to the reader?

Thursday: Revision of memory due.

Discussion of "Walker Brothers Cowboy" with focus on characterization. (For discussion questions on the stories, see section titled Discussion Questions)

Handout on Characterization--discuss methods of characterization, focusing especially on the indirect methods: description, action, thought, and speech (dialogue)

Assignment: Look over "Walker Brothers Cowboy" again and try to find where Alice Munro uses these methods to achieve an effect of character.

Friday: Students write for 30 min--character sketch of a real or imaginary person, preferably a character they would like to incorporate into their final story, but this is not required. Students must use all four methods of indirect characterization and may use direct methods.

Remaining time spent in writing groups--groups identify four methods in each sketch and give criticism.

Assignment: Revise character sketch for Monday, typed or neatly written out, include first draft.

WEEK TWO

Monday: Character sketch due. (See Unit Assessment section for grading of assignments)

Discuss how writing groups are going, ask for concerns, suggestions

Brainstorm about the function of story, move into the function of story in a society with an oral tradition

Talk about the guest speaker for the following day, the importance of being courteous listeners.

Students spend remaining time journalling about stories that have been passed down in their families.

Tuesday: Guest speaker: American Indian person from community talks about the importance of oral tradition, learning through stories, perhaps tells a story to class.

Assignment: Read "The Wooden Pony" by Mariana Romano. (Found in Writing With Passion by Tom Romano, Appendix C)

Wednesday: Students do a quickwrite on "The Wooden Pony":

What did you think of Mariana Romano's short story, "The Wooden Pony"? Write one thing that sticks in your mind about the story. The author's grandfather died six years before she was born, but family stories have kept him alive in memory. How do you think the family stories shaped Mariana's vision of her grandfather? How will her story shape the family's memories of him?

When students finish writing, they hand in their quickwrites and silently read Leslie Silko's "The Man to Send Rain Clouds" in class. Students who finish early should continue reading from outside selections or materials kept in the room. Instruct students to think about universal themes--ideas that affect all people across time and cultures--while they are reading the story.

Thursday: Discussion of Leslie Silko's "The Man to Send Rain Clouds"

Methods: 50 min. Period

A. Classroom Activities

1. Anticipatory Set: Ask students to retell the story in their own words, in a large group. This is a good way to make sure that everyone understands what happened in the story. (5 min.)

2.Break students into groups of four.

3. Pass out discussion questions.

4. Assign every group to discuss question 1. Assign three groups to discuss question 2, and four groups to discuss question 3.

5. Circulate room, joining each group as a silent listener. Pay attention to each group, especially the ones that think you're not listening to them! Make notes about who is participating, possibly encourage some group members to participate by asking questions.

6. After 7-10 minutes of discussion, ask class to assemble into a circle or semicircle.

7. Discuss question 1. List evidences on the board, for example, the Levis jacket and jeans is an example of the white culture affecting the native culture. In what ways does the native culture affect the whites? This may be harder to find, because the white culture historically has made itself dominant. If students cannot find examples of this, discuss why.

8. Have the groups who discussed question 2 tell the rest of the class what they have discovered, and then the other groups teach about question 3. Each group should choose a spokesperson to share their findings. In future group work, the spokesperson should change.

B. Homework: Students are assigned to choose either question 2 or question 3 and write 2-3 paragraphs about what they believe and/or what they learned from the discussion. This is due the next day.

Assessment: I will know students are learning:

--by observing their participation in small group discussion and in large group.

--by reading and evaluating their assignments. I will be able to see what they have gained from our discussion.

I will know how the groups are working:

--by direct observation

--by having students evaluate the effectiveness of their group work in their assignment

Friday: Read Aesop's "The Fox and The Grapes" Talk about what makes a fable, writing suggestions on the board. You may want to read several other short fables to get them going. Some things you might come up with are that fables are about animals, the animals represent characteristics of humans, they are typically short, and they are designed to teach something--the moral.

Divide students into writing groups and instruct them to collectively write a short fable.

Remind students that they need to have an idea for their final story by Monday. This should be two paragraphs or so, including a plot idea, two characters (or one if only one will appear in the story) and a short description of each., one idea for a possible theme.

WEEK THREE

Monday: Story idea due in two paragraphs

Groups read their fables out loud to class

Students write on their stories while I conference briefly about their story idea.

Tuesday: Writing Good Description: Visualization exercise using N. Scott Momaday's House Made of Dawn

Methods (50 min period)

A. Classroom Activities:

1. Ask students to close their eyes and prepare to visualize what I am reading.

2. Read passage from House Made of Dawn slowly, pausing after each word or group of words and coach students on how to paint the picture in their minds as they hear each word. You might say something like this: "'The river'...So picture a river in your minds, paint the river in your head...'was dark and swift' make the river in your head dark and swift, picture it running along in your imagination just as Momaday describes it. 'And there were jagged panes of ice along the banks' now add to your picture of the river. Add the ice to the banks of the dark, swift river. What does the water look like? How would it feel if you were standing by the bank? What would it feel like if you touched the water? 'The river was dark and swift, and there were jagged panes of ice along the banks, encrusted with snow. The valley...' so imagine the valley around the river, picture the cutting through the land, making a valley between higher ground. 'The valley was gray and cold...' paint the colors of the valley in your head. How does the valley look against the color of the river? What kind of feeling does the scene give you?"

Continue reading the passage in this way until you get to the words "antlers and bones."

3. Ask students to open their eyes. Discuss what they saw in their visualization. Have students point out words that gave them a vivid picture in their minds, such as "encrusted", "tangle of branches", etc.

4. Have students close their eyes again and read through the entire passage slowly, pausing after each distinct image so that they can visualize it, but this time do not coach them.

5. Discuss Momaday's use of description. How does the author translate his vision of a river, valley, and town to the readers? Why does he use the words he uses? Talk to students about imagery, how writers can use careful description to bring an image to our minds. The images in this passage are primarily visual. Ask students what other kinds of images they can think of. These could be smells, tastes, sounds, or tactile (sense of touch) images.

6. As a large group, create an image for each sense, writing them on the board. Try to encourage students to find the most exact word, the most vivid description possible. Have fun with it!

B. Homework/Assignment For the rest of the period, students are assigned to write their own description, as vivid as they can make it, which contains images for at least three senses. They must read this passage out loud to another person, either a friend, classmate, family member, etc. and talk to that person about the images in the passage. Students then should journal about the effectiveness of their passage, and how the other person reacted to the passage. Can the other person visualize what is being described? What words were most effective? What images were easiest to describe? How many senses did the passage involve?

Ideally, the passage should be related to the final story project, but it is not required. Students hand in completed passage and journal entry on Wednesday.

Wednesday: Students can volunteer to read descriptive passage out loud for extra credit (5 points added to final score--see Unit Assessment)

Figurative Language: Metaphor and Simile

Assignment: Students must write two examples of metaphor and simile, one of each to be used in final story. They also must find two of each in some written material of their choice. Due Friday.

Thursday: Read "Roselily" by Alice Walker in class out loud. What sensory images are found in the story? Why does the author use the type of sentence structure she does, with run-ons and fragments? Talk about stream of consciousness. What effect is the author trying to achieve with this type of organization? How does this type of writing remind us of thoughts, more so than the writing in the other stories we have read?

Remind students to come to class with their metaphors and similes.

Friday: Writing day. Students are told to work their metaphor and simile into their story, as well as sensory images for at least three senses.

WEEK FOUR

Monday: Focus on dialogue. Look over dialogues found in the stories thus far. How does it resemble spoken speech? How is it better than speech? Talk about the theory that all dialogue is some form of argument.

Give each writing group a slip of paper with a situation on it which would involve a discussion between characters. Examples: a telephone conversation in which a boyfriend and girlfriend have a fight/break up, a parent and child arguing about curfew, two friends discussing a new student, etc. Groups collectively write a page of dialogue.

Tuesday: Groups read dialogue out loud to class, and class gives suggestions, talks about how believable the dialogue is. Rest of the period is for catching up--writing time and working on missed assignments. Conferencing.

Wednesday: Writing continues, and conferencing.

Thursday: Journal assignment: How do you feel the classroom activities and discussions on stories are helping your writing process? What are your goals for this story project? How is the group work going? Any suggestions for class?

Brainstorming about authentic audiences. All students are required to have and demonstrate an intent and an audience. This can be chosen individually and discussed in student-teacher conferences. After brainstorming for a list of audiences, students discuss what things they need to think about in order to make their story audience appropriate, such as language, length, subject matter, and the actual physical presentation of the work. Will it be printed on computer? Illustrated? Will there be any other projects to go along with the writing? Tell students to be as creative as they can!

Ideas for possible audiences: Class literary magazine/newsletter, Literary publication (see teacher references), newspapers, family members, community organizations, class books

Friday: Rough draft of story due. Class period spent in writing groups revising drafts.

WEEK FIVE

Monday: Discussion--What makes good literature? Criteria for an informed opinion? Talk about universality, individuality, suggestion (Roles in Interpretation--see teacher resources)

Introduce "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin. Tell students that they should read for the rest of the period and also that evening, but that they will have some time to finish up in class tomorrow.

Tuesday: Practice for unit test. Students are given a question about "Sonny's Blues" which is similar to the questions on the unit test, so they can practice writing about literature. Students are encouraged to turn in their question by the end of the day so that they can receive feedback before the test. I will try to give feedback on the essays handed in on Wednesday which students could pick up at the end of the day on Wednesday, so they are told that if they cannot finish it on Tuesday, they should bring it in Wednesday in the morning.

Assignment: Read "The Iguana Killer" by Alberto Alvero Rios.

Wednesday: Practice for unit test. Large group discussion of "The Iguana Killer" answering discussion questions as if they were test questions. Practice using textual support for opinions.

Thursday: Unit Test. Open notes, open books. Students answer one of the three questions in a 1-2 page essay. Before test, review the checklist for the unit test, so that students realize the criteria for assessment.

Friday: Computer Lab time. Students can work independently or with a member of their writing groups. Near final draft due Monday, must be as close as possible to the final draft, word processed and ready for editing/proofreading.

WEEK SIX

Monday: Near final draft of story due. Must bring copies for writing group.

Peer editing. Handout. Students mark corrections on their own draft and hand it in. Tell students that I will be reading the stories for mechanics and grammar only.

Tuesday: Catch-up day.

Students journal about their growth and improvement throughout the course of the unit. (Self-evaluation)

Wednesday: Hand back stories with mechanical feedback.

Discuss unit tests. Students who are not satisfied with their grade may redo the test after conferencing with the instructor about the checklist and what is expected. Redos must answer a different question from the test.

Students journal on their own performance in the writing groups and the performance of their group members. They give suggestions for ways to make the writing groups work better next time.

Thursday: Computer Lab for final touches.

Friday: Final project due. Students display their stories/projects and report their plans for an authentic audience. Any students who wish to read their stories out loud to the class may do so.

Discussion Questions

For "Walker Brothers Cowboy" by Alice Munro

1. Who is the main character of the story? Why do you think so?

2. List five words that describe your perception of the narrator's father. What kind of man is he? What qualities does he possess that make him a good or bad father? If he were your father, how would you feel about him? If you were his wife, how would you feel about him?

3. How does the narrator's mother contrast with the father? Which do you like better and why?

4. One of the most colorful and well-developed characters in this story is Nora. Read through the section of the story that takes place at Nora's house. Look very carefully at Nora. How does Munro describe Nora? What details give you an idea of what kind of person she is? How do you think she feels about the father and why?

For "The Man To Send Rain Clouds" by Leslie Marmon Silko

In "The Man to Send Rain Clouds" we see a crossing of two cultures, a situation in which individuals must make choices between maintaining traditions and adopting the traditions of others.

1. What evidence in the story suggests a mixing and blending of cultures? For example, the old man is found wearing a faded Levis jacket and jeans. This is an example of the white culture influence. Try to find examples of the native culture affecting the white culture as well. Why might this be more difficult?

2. Where else in the world and in history do we see this kind of cultural blending? What usually happens in these situations? How do you think people might react and cope in situations where they are confronted by another culture?

3. After reading "The Man to Send Rain Clouds," has your perception of religion changed at all? If so, how? Why is religion such an important factor in a culture, and what happens when two religions meet?

Assignment: After our large discussion, choose either question 2 or question 3 and write a 2-3 paragraph summary, answering the questions and relating what you have learned in the process of discussing these topics. Include a sentence or two on how useful you found the small group work.

Quickwrite for "The Wooden Pony" by Mariana Romano

What did you think of Mariana Romano's short story "The Wooden Pony"? Write one thing that sticks in your mind about the story. The author's grandfather dies six years before she was born, but family stories kept him alive in memory. How do you think family stories shaped Mariana's vision of her grandfather? How will her story shape the family's memories of him?

For "The Iguana Killer" by Alberto Alvaro Rios (For oral test practice in large group)

Look closely at the scene where Sapito first discovers the nieve, or snow. How does Sapito react to an unfamiliar idea? How does this compare with most people's reactions to things that are new and different? Have you ever been in a situation where you are introduced to an idea or concept that does not fit with your background and what is familiar to you? How did you feel? How did you make sense of what you found?

How does Sapito's reaction to the snow differ from his reaction to the baseball bat, another unfamiliar object? Why does it help that Sapito can find a use for the bat in his own culture? How does he find a use for the snow in his culture as well?

Practice Test Question for "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin

Describe the relationship between the narrator and his younger brother, Sonny. How does Baldwin use dialogue to show us how the narrator feels about Sonny? How is this similar to or different from the musical dialogue which occurs between Sonny and Creole at the end of the story? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Creative Reading and Writing Topic: Story

Unit Test

Choose ONE of the following groups of questions and answer it fully using examples from the text and your own thoughts. Answers should use the terminology we have used in class to talk about the elements of story, and should demonstrate an understanding of the author's intent. Make sure to answer each part of the question thoroughly. A typical essay should be about one page long, but you must answer every part completely, so if you need to go on to another sheet of paper, feel free. Remember that you only have one class period to finish, so structure your time carefully. Do not spend all the period working on the first half of the question and then only briefly mention the last parts. Remember the things we have practiced about essay tests such as citing textual examples and having a clear focus. Good luck, and I hope you enjoy your exploration of literature!

1. "The Wooden Pony" by Mariana Romano

Examine the language of "The Wooden Pony." Give examples of figurative language and imagery, using the terminology learned in class. In your answer please identify the images that are particularly striking to you. Why do you think Romano chooses to use these words? How does the language contribute to the mood of the piece?

2. "Roselily" by Alice Walker

The entire plot of this story takes place within the time period of a few minutes as the preacher marries the man and the woman. Why does Walker choose to organize the story in this way? How does the series of segments show the woman's feelings about getting married? How do you feel about the man she is marrying? Walker does not tell us the "ending" of the woman's story, but we are left with an impression of it. How do you think the marriage will work out? Use the text to support your predictions.

3. "The Man to Send Rain Clouds" by Leslie Silko

How do the people in the story come to terms with Teofilo's death? Reflecting on that question, what does the story say about the importance of ritual to the native culture? What about the use of ritual in white culture? Are there similarities in the beliefs of each culture? Using examples from the text, show how Silko expresses the theme of ritual in this story.

Good authors create characters that seem real, believable, full of life and diversity. They give characters complex personalities which readers can remember and with whom readers may identify. They give characters emotions and needs that reflect the emotions and needs of real people. How do they do it?

A very important part of being a writer is done before picking up the pen or sitting down at the keyboard. OBSERVE!!! Good writers are always watching the human story going on all around them. Careful observation of the way real people look, act, speak, and think allows a writer to create characters that seem real, that look, act, speak, and think like the people we know in real life.

There are several ways an author may characterize a person in a story.

Some methods are DIRECT.

1. Telling: The author tells us directly what a character is like. Ex. She was an old woman who hated children.

2. Another character's interpretation: Another character in the story tells us directly what a character is like. Ex. Mary pulled her little brother away from the old woman and whispered, "Stay away from Old Lady Smith. She hates kids."

DIRECT characterization has advantages and disadvantages, and almost every author uses it to some extent. It is fast, it can move through time quickly, and it can summarize a character in very little space. The disadvantages of direct characterization are that it requires the reader to trust the author's interpretation of the character, it is very general, and often readers don't feel the character.

Other methods of characterization are INDIRECT. We will be concentrating on these methods in class, and you will be required to use these methods in your own stories and character sketches. When an author uses INDIRECT characterization, the author shows what the character is like rather than telling or having another character tell us. There are four main methods of INDIRECT characterization.

1. Description: The author describes the character physically. This is usually done throughout the piece of fiction, giving clues a little at a time so that we gradually develop an idea of the way the character looks.

2. Action: The author shows a character in situations that require him/her to make choices and judgements. The way a character acts in certain situations can show us what he/she is like as a person. For example, a character who cheats on a test shows that he is not very honest. In good stories, all action is significant. That is, characters do things for a reason; every move they make in a story is planned by the author to create an effect. One of the decisions careful readers make is whether the author achieved this effect, or intent, by the choices made in the action.

3. Thought: Sometimes an author will let us into a character's head to show us how he/she thinks. This can show us the character's attitudes about the things that are going on in the story. For example, we may find out that a character who says that he does not want anything to do with the girl in his math class really thinks about her all the time. Showing a character's thoughts gives readers a glimpse into the side of the character's personality that is normally kept hidden.

4. Speech: This is one of the most valuable tools of the author--the character's way of speaking. What a character says shows what kind of person he/she is and how he/she feels about the world. An author shows speech through dialogue: more than one character talking to each other, and

monologue: one character talking to him/herself.

ASSIGNMENT: Write a one page character sketch. A character sketch focuses on developing one character through a variety of methods. For this assignment, you are required to use all four methods of INDIRECT characterization. You may also use DIRECT characterization if you like. If you can, try to pick a character you would like to use in your final story, so that you will be able to use portions of your sketch in your story. You may base this sketch on a real person in your life, but be sure to change enough qualities so that it is not recognizable as a real, existing person. (Writers draw many of their best characters from real people, but they can get in trouble if they leave them just like they are. Besides, that's not fiction.) You will have approximately half an hour in class tomorrow to finish your sketch, and then we will be working in writing groups to revise. Final drafts are due on Monday.

This unit will be assessed on a point system which is graded according to performance ratings. Performance ratings will be on a scale from 0-4, and this score will be multiplied by the points available in each criteria to arrive at the score for that criteria. For example, in the section for writing group assessment, there is a criteria for effective use of group time. The criteria is worth 10 points. If a student receives a rating of 3 on this criteria, his/her score will be 30 for that criteria. Criteria based assessment occurs in three areas: Writing Groups, Large Group Participation, and the Writing Portfolios, which includes the Final Story project. Students scores will be divided by the total possible score (840 points) to come up with a percentage. However, although this system would accurately grade the student's completion of the criteria and standards, I do not feel that it is exactly fair, because students all come into the writing experience with different degrees of sophistication and understanding. Therefore, I have developed an additional section of assessment, which is based on individual effort and self-reflection, which totals 100 possible points. These points would be added to the student's total score, and then the score would be divided into the total possible 840 points. In a sense, students get extra credit for improvement and effort, and assessment is therefore more individual.

Ratings:

0--Indicates no effort to achieve this criteria. Incomplete or missing.

1--Indicates some effort to achieve this. Assigned work is completed, but does not meet requirements of class.

2--Indicates an acceptable level of achievement. Assigned work meets most requirements of assignment.

3--Indicates substantial effort and achievement. Work shows promise and improvement.

4--Indicates outstanding effort and achievement. Work exceeds requirements of assignment and shows individuality.

Students may revise an assignment to receive a better rating once they have conferenced with the instructor about what needs improvement.

Assessment Criteria: Points X Rating = Score

Writing Groups: (Assessed by classroom observation)

• Effective use of group time-------------------------------------------.----10 X _____ =______

Stays on task, attends to group feedback, offers suggestions

• Level of preparation--------------------------------------------------------10 X _____=______

Timely completion of all assigned work

• Self-evaluation--------------------------------------------------------------10 X _____=______

Reflective Journal entry, lists area of improvement over unit span

Large Group Participation: (Classroom observation) Students should:

• Demonstrate that they read assignment---------------------------------10 X _____=______

Responds to questions in an informed manner, uses textual support of opinions

• Attempt to formulate interpretations of written material-------------10 X _____=______

Participates in discussion activities such as journals, quickwrites, etc.

Shares ideas with others. **Students who feel uncomfortable with this aspect of class

can negotiate with instructor to participate via journal entries instead.

• Exercise courtesy and respect in the discussion------------------------10 X _____=______

Waits for turn to speak, respects opinions of others, attentive and focused

Writing Portfolio: Students should complete the following:

• Memory worksheet and story (draft one)---------------------------------5 X _____=______

Completed and on time = full points

• Memory Revision------------------------------------------------------------5 X _____=______

Final draft is different from first, marked with group suggestions

Creativity--is it an interesting, imaginative story?

• Character Sketch (draft one)-----------------------------------------------5 X _____=______

Completed and on time = full points

• Character Sketch Revision-----------------------------------------------20 X _____=______

5 points for each method of indirect characterization--description, action, thought, speech

• Quickwrite on "The Wooden Pony"-------------------------------------5 X _____=______

Gives opinion, demonstrates reading, reflects on questions

• Discussion questions for "The Man to Send Rain Clouds"----------5 X _____=______

Answers questions thoughtfully, reflects on small group work

• Group writing--fable-------------------------------------------------------5 X _____=______

Satisfies class-generated definition of fable, interesting, creative

• Visualization/Description exercise (5 pts. Extra for reading aloud)5 X _____=______

Writes paragraph of description, Journals on effect

• Metaphor and simile-------------------------------------------------------5 X _____=______

All examples are complete and accurate, no cliches, creativity

• Group writing--dialogue--------------------------------------------------5 X _____=______

Full points for completed and on time

• "Sonny's Blues" Practice Test----------------FEEDBACK ONLY---NO GRADE
• Unit Test (See checklist)------------------------------------------------20 X _____=______
• Short Story (Rough Draft) on time and completed =full points---10 X _____=______
• Near-final draft of story, mechanical mistakes marked/corrected--5 X _____=______
• Final Story with authentic audience (See checklist)-----------------50 X _____=______

Possible Score---840 Your Score _______

INDIVIDUAL IMPROVEMENT/ EFFORT ASSESSMENT (added to your score)

Does the student come into conferences prepared?----------------------------5 X _____=______

Has the student shown a willingness to accept criticism and suggestions?-5 X _____=______

Has the student shown increased understanding of the elements,

construction, and interpretation of story?------------------------------5 X _____=______

Does the student use journals and quickwrites to reflect on topics

effectively?-----------------------------------------------------------------5 X _____=______

Does the student complete a self-evaluation which accurately assesses

his/her growth throughout the unit?------------------------------------5 X _____=______

Possible Score---840 Your Total Score _______

93-100+-----------A

90-92--------------A-

87-89--------------B+

83-86--------------B

80-82--------------B-

77-79--------------C+

73-76--------------C

70-72--------------C-

67-69--------------D+

63-66--------------D

60-62--------------D-

Below 60%-----Sorry!

Checklist for original short story project, to use in performance package for High Standard

3 Use and Interpret the Arts, or for criteria for traditional grading

Student Eval. Teacher Eval.

______ Characterization: Story contains at least three methods of ______