Jill Zupetz
Teaching Unit
Creative Writing-Creating a Short Story
Prefatory Statement:
Creative writing is an important aspect of any student's writing career. One of the major problems that both teachers and students alike face is the lack of writing motivation by students. Finding something of interest for students to write about is a difficulty for teachers, and finding something of relevance is a difficulty for students. "This is boring." "This doesn't interest me." These quotes are typical coming from students when they are assigned a writing project. What if students were given a writing project that they had control over? They could pick their own topics, write their own plots, and decide the outcome of their own story.
This unit is a four-week unit based on the concept of creative writing. The goal is to have each student produce his or her own original short story. This unit benefits students by providing them with a piece of their own work, completed with potential for future publication, if the student wishes to pursue such a venue. The production of a short story will also provide students with the knowledge of structure (point of view, setting, character, plot, and theme) and a means of analysis of a short story. This type of project taps the creative aspect of students' minds and utilizes their natural creative abilities. A final product generated from students' creative endeavors produces a sense of pride in students that can be utilized in other disciplines as well. With the use of short story production, there is opportunity for interdisciplinary connections. For example, students that have high interests in history or politics can direct the angle of their stories to either reflect a historical event, or a famous person. Students do not have to be fanatics of English in order to get involved in writing a short story.
Through this unit, students will address issues of audience, point of view, setting, characterization, plot, theme, analysis, and evaluation. Questions such as "How is a short story set up?" and "How do I begin writing a short story?" will be answered.
The unit also stresses students to write about what they know best. Students of different ethnicities, religions, and sexes all have the opportunity to express themselves and bring exposure to the things they believe in. They will also have the ability to inform others, through their writing, about aspects of their own lives or characters' lives beliefs and cultures that students may never have been aware of before. For example, consider a student from another country such as Kenya or Jordan. This student has an untapped resource about other cultures that might be expressed in a short story.
Class Specification:
This unit is designed for students in tenth through twelfth grade. Creative writing can take place at any age; however, postponing the unit until the high school level will allow students to benefit from the different experiences a few short years can bring. Another thing to keep in mind is that students must have a substantial some knowledge of writing skills. Because this unit is student-centered, it is relevant to students of all races, genders, socio-economic classes, and religions. The unit allows students to focus on what is important to them and share it with the rest of the class, and world for that matter. This unit would be appropriate for any group of students possessing the ability, motivation, and potential to write and finish a multipage short story.
If the unit needed to be altered to fit students with disabilities, it could be done easily by focusing on the process of writing in depth--this would include basic grammar and writing techniques, and the use of minilessons when needed. The page requirement could also be adjusted to a substantially lower number or word quotas.

Significant Assumptions:
In writing this unit I have assumed that:
· Students have basic writing knowledge and skills
· Students are familiar with what a short story is.
· Students have read short stories in the past.
· Students will be able to keep a writing journal.
· Students will be able to work together effectively to edit and respond to each other's papers in peer response groups.
· Students know how to work with each other in peer groups.
· Students will be able to generate ideas and write about a topic of interest on their own.
· Students will be able to apply the basic short story structure to their own work.
· Students will be motivated to work on something that has meaning for them.
Desired Outcomes:
Students will be able to demonstrate the standard specifications listed under Minnesota High School Graduation Standard. After completion of the assessment tasks, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to generate an original creative writing piece by:
1. Generating ideas for story topics
2. Planning how a short story will be structured with the use of a storyboard.
3. Explore the basic structure of a short story
4. Develop a short story
5. Evaluate and respond to their own and other's stories
6. Present drafts of the story for peer responses
7. Refine their own short stories through various drafts, producing a final draft.

By the end of the unit, students will have learned to:
1. Work together effectively.
2. Give appropriate and helpful feedback to other students' works.
3. Identify the various parts of a short story.
4. Integrate what they have learned about short stories into their own works.

Minnesota Graduation Standards: 3501.0443 LEARNING AREA THREE: LITERATURE AND THE ARTS.

Subpart 1. High school content standards for learning area three. Specifications for high school content standards in learning area three are under subpart 2.

Subpart. 2. Literary and arts creation and performance. In dance, music, theater, visual arts, creative writing, or media arts, a student shall demonstrate understanding of the elements techniques, and processes of the selected art form and how works of the art form are structured; and, in the art form, the student shall create or perform, or both, an original artistic presentation including a single complex work or multiple works that:

A. demonstrates elements and skills of art form;

B. demonstrates artistic decisions to communicate intent;

C. demonstrates a sense of an artistic whole;

D. demonstrates a consideration of audience; and

E. uses multiple sources for critique and feedback.

Objectives to be met:
1. Students will understand the structure of a short story.
2. Students will be able to apply their knowledge of structure to write a short story through multiple drafts with revisions.
3. Students will be able to meet in Peer Response Groups to effectively evaluate each other's stories based on the concepts of short stories they have read.

Possible Whole-Class Activities:

As a whole class we will:
1. Brainstorm for topics.
2. Discuss ways to use different points of view.
3. Identify different points of view.
4. Go over the structure of a short story using the model of a short story-conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
5. Go over "audience."
6. Students will read several short stories that provide examples of structure, theme and other components of a short story.
7. Keep a classroom journal-possibly online for student reference. This will be used when the students would rather generate ideas as a whole than individually-nothing personal included.
8. Keep a classroom timeline for the unit. A large banner that marks where major events are occurring or have occurred during the unit

Possible Small-Group Activities:
In small groups students will:
1. Be given lines from the middle of several different short stories and be asked to identify what may have already taken place, and what may take place later.
2. Edit each other's stories in Peer Response Groups.
3. Have students co-author a short story: one student begins the story with the introduction (setting, characters, etc.), the second student introduces conflict/plot, and the last student concludes the story.

Possible Individual Activities:
1. Have students write based on prompts such as using a given line as the first line to a story. For example, given the line "Who is that?" students will write a one page story in class.
2. Students will write a brief story in class by choosing a random picture out of a given set of pictures. After, the class will be what is really going on in each of the pictures.
3. Students will identify what they believe is the best short story, of the selections the students have read, and explain why.

Ongoing Activities:
1. Students will be required to keep an ongoing writing journal. The journal will be checked daily. Included in the journal will be writing prompts, brainstorming ideas, writing exercises, and notes on how the student thinks the writing is progressing and if there are any difficulties they are having.
2. Students will continuously meet with their Peer Response Groups to discuss and edit each other's papers.
3. Students will be required to turn in drafts of their story in various stages of development at certain assigned deadlines.

Student resources:
1. Internet access.
2. Selected short stories, either in an anthology or in a compilation by the teacher.
3. Notebook for journaling.
4. MLA Handbook for students to refer to for grammatical issues.

Unit Launch: Week 1, Day 1, 50 minute lesson.
In order to get the students interested in writing a short story, they have to believe that they have the potential to do it. On the first day of the unit, I will bring in a number of novels or short stories that have been published with the author being a person in the students' age bracket. I will also bring in some of my own work (ones that I consider to be good and some that I consider to be lacking good qualities). The next activity the class will do would be to brainstorm for ideas. "What kind of books do you like to read?" (Science fiction, Romance, Adventure) This will help students get an idea as to where they will be heading, and possible where to start.
Some of the books I intended to bring in would be:
1.In the Forests of the Night, by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes.
2.The Outsiders, by S.E.Hinton

Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
· Get acquainted with their Peer Writing Groups.
· Generate story ideas.
· Show interest in the unit.

Methods:
Activity 1(Introduction): 10 minutes
Start the class by setting out various novels and stories written by young adults. Explain to the students that they will be writing a short story over the next six weeks, including the entire process of writing and revising drafts.

Activity 2: 10 minutes
Brainstorm for ideas. Have students take out their writing journal and for 5 to 10 minutes, list different things they find interest in. Perhaps use the prompt "List your favorite things/ people/places."

Activity 3: 10 minutes
As a whole class, discuss possible topics. Share things of importance with each other. Ask the question "Do the things on your list have potential to become a significant part of a short story or the subject of a short story?"

Activity 4: 10 minutes
Break students in groups of three or four, either by assigning them or allowing them to pick their own groups. Explain that these will be the Peer Response Groups.

Activity 5: (Closure) 10 minutes
Take note of who is in each group. Discuss what will be happening the next day.
Homework
Give students the assignment: Write three possible ideas for a short story for tomorrow. I will collect them first thing the next class time.

Assessment
I know students will have met the objectives if:
· They generate story ideas, and hand in a list of ideas.
· Meet in their Peer Response Groups.
· They participate in class.

Organization of the Unit:

Week 1:
· Multi-Author Writing Exercise (in-class)
Students will work together in groups of three. One student will begin a story by developing conflict. Next, another group member will create the action or plot. Finally, the last group member will develop a conclusion for that story.
· Hand back checked off brainstorming ideas. Have students pick a topic from their list or start a new topic for their stories.
· Begin with writing first lines:
A. Have students take out writing journals or use the classroom journal.
B. Have students generate catchy first lines. Give examples of first lines from several famous stories. Discuss which lines had the most impact and why. Wrap up.
· Give lesson on structure of short story.
A. Setting/ Characterization
B. Plot/ Conflict/ Rising Action
C. Climax/ Falling Action
D. Resolution
E. Theme

Week 2
Lecture/ Discussion--Point of View.
· Discuss the different types of points of views that can be used in a story.
· Give example of stories written from different points of view. Use Grendel/Beowulf and TheWizard of Oz/Wicked as examples.
· Have students begin writing a their introduction, keeping
· Homework: Have students choose a point of view, and write the introductory paragraph for their short story.
· Give a 15 minute writing prompt. Write a story with the first line "Who is that?"
· Have students move into their Peer Response Groups.
Students will edit each other's introductions, as the teacher moves around to observe groups.
· Give a 15 minute journal writing prompt. "Who is your favorite villain? Why?"
Work on characterization-minilesson if necessary.
· Homework: Fill out worksheet "Getting to Know Your Hero" on main character due the next class. Also, work on stories.
Questions include:
Character's favorite…
1. Food
2. Color
3. Movie
4. Music
How old is the character?
Where is the character from?
What is the character's most embarrassing moment?
(All these questions will allow students to get to know and think about their own characters more deeply.)
· Give a journal writing prompt: "What is your favorite movie? Why?" 15 minutes
· Homework: Begin developing plot and conflict on short stories. Come in with a draft that includes the plot/conflict as well as setting of the story.
· Allow extra time to work in the computer lab.

Week 3.
· Read the short story Cathedral by Raymond Carver. Discuss how characterization played a role in the story.
· Begin with writing prompt. "Name a time when Evil conquered Good."
· As a whole class, discuss the progression of conflict in the writings. Address problems-minlesson if needed.
· Writing prompt. "What is the worst ending to a movie or story that you can remember?"
· Read "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid. Discussion of theme in the story.
· Identifying parts of the assigned story.
· Peer Response Groups: Using worksheets to identify the different parts of peer stories.
Questions:
1.What is the title?
2.Who is the main character?
3.Describe the setting.
4.Give a brief outline of the plot.

Week 4
· Conferences about stories.
· Meet with Peer Response Groups with a draft of the stories containing conflict, rising action, and the climax of the story.
· Give time to work on stories in the computer lab.
· Final Drafts to be due on Friday of this week.
· On the last day, students will give a brief explanation to the whole class about what their story was about.

Lesson Plan 2
Week 1, Day 5, 50 Minutes
Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
· Identify elements of a short story.
· Create a story diagram to fit their own story.
· Use the elements of a short story in their own stories.
Rationale:
To help students identify the elements of a short story. This lesson will also help the students draw up a story diagram for their own stories, following the structure of a short story. Once students gain an understanding of what parts make up a short story, they will be able to write more effectively as well as provide feedback for other students in the Peer Response Groups.
Method:
Activities:
· Make a transparency and handouts with a diagram of a short story.
· Write in where characterization and setting will take place on the diagram.
· Ask students to name some of their favorite characters, or describe characters they may write about in their stories. 5 minutes
· Ask students what their favorite settings have been in movies and novels. 5 minutes
· Circle where plot/ conflict/ rising action will occur.
· Ask students what they think, "plot," "conflict," and "rising action" are. Write the definitions on the board. 5
· Ask the students what they think some of the best/ worst plots have been. Bring up Oscar nominated movies and ask students what they thought of them. 5 minutes
· Write in where the climax will occur.
· Have students identify/define what "climax" is. 5 minutes
· Define what "falling action" is, and write in where it will occur. 5 minutes.
· Show where "resolution" will occur, and define it. 5 minutes
· Wrap up, go over what will be happening the next class period. Give the students time to work on their homework.

Homework: Ask students to diagram how they would like their story to work out. The drawing must be a story board or diagram with the parts of the story labeled so they fit the structure of a short story. Let students know that this is a rough draft, so it doesn't need to be perfect. Collect it the next class session.

Assessment: I will know that the objectives have been met if the students pay attention and give answers during the lesson to show they understand the structure and are able to identify the parts. If the students complete their homework (making a story board), I will know that they were able to create their own structure pattern. Finally, when they hand in their completed short story, I will be able to see if they were able to follow the structure of a short story to write their own stories.

Lesson Plan 3
Week 2, Day 1. 50 minutes
Objectives: Students will be able to:
· Understand point of view and the different types.
· Choose the point of view that best suits what they intend to write about.
· Apply point of view to their story correctly and effectively.

Rationale:
To help students understand the importance of point of view in a story. Students need to understand point of view to see that there is more than one way to write a story. Point of view provides different perspectives/ ways of looking at the same thing.

Method:
Activities:
· Ask students if they know what they different types of points of view are. List them on the board. 5 minutes
· For this lesson, stick with the two main types of points of view-first and third person.
§ First person- the story told by one of the characters.
§ Third person-the story told by someone outside the story.
· Have a transparency made with examples of narrative. Have the students guess which type of point of view is used in each example. 10 minutes
· Show examples of the same stories from different points of view to show students the variety of perspectives that can occur. Some examples to use would be Beowulf and Grendel, by John Gardner; The Wizard of Oz and Wicked. Giving excerpts from each story/poem and having students identify the point of view from which it was written. 15 minutes
· Wrap up, reviewing the different points of view. Discussing what will happen the next class. Allow extra time to work on stories or homework.
Homework: Assign the students to determine if they will write their story in first or third point of view. Give a brief explanation why they choose what they did, and how it would fit the best with their story. The assignment will by due the next class session.

Assessment:
I will know if the students have met the objectives if they are able to logically justify their point of view choices, showing that they didn't choose a point of view just to have one, but that had actually given it some thought before deciding. The final assessment to show the students understanding of point of view will come when they turn in their finished stories. The stories will show if they have used point of view effectively and correctly.

Assessment Tasks:

Name of Item: Creative Writing
Learning Area:Literature and the Arts Content Standard:Literary and Arts Creation and Performance - Creative Writing Educational Level:High School Submission Type:Learning Resource

Standard Specification:
In creative writing, a student shall demonstrate understanding of the elements, techniques, and processes of creative writing and how works of creative writing are structured; and, in creative writing, the student shall create or perform, or both, an original creative writing presentation including a single complex work or multiple works that:A) demonstrates elements and skills of creative writing; Students will produce an original short story.B) demonstrates a consideration of audience; Students will identify and write appropriately for their specific audience.C) uses multiple sources for critique and feedback.Students will meet in Peer Response Groups and meet with the teacher during writing conferences for multiple sources of feedback.

Large Processes and Concepts:
The following bolded large processes and concepts are covered in this learning resource.imagine/generateplan/prepareexplore/incubate/focusdevelop/makeevaluate/refinepresent/performreflect/refine
selectanalyzeinterpretrehearse/evaluate/refinepresent/performreflect/refine
select/describeanalyzeinterpret/translateevaluate

Products/Evidence of Learning:

1. A story diagram or storyboard tracing their own story's course, based on the short story diagram handout.

2. A final, completed draft of the short story

Overview: Students will create an original short story. They will meet in peer response groups at various times through the writing process to generate ideas on revision. Students will also follow a basic short story pattern when writing the stories.

Grades will be determined by:

1. Generating ideas for the story topics.
2. Planning out the story with a storyboard.
3. Develop the story based on the storyboard.
4. Focusing their writing skills using the writing exercises assigned in class.
5. Keeping a writing journal.
6. Evaluating other student's stories.
7. Presenting a final draft along with multiple draft of the story.
8. Perform a short oral description of the story to the class.
9. Reflect on the story and the writing process in an ongoing writing journal

Writing Contract:

50% of the grade is determined by:

1. Participates in Peer Response Group ____
2. Writes a final draft of a short story ____
3. Has one draft ____
4. Has two drafts ____
5. Has three drafts ____
6. Has four drafts ____
7. Has participated in all class writing activities ____
8. Has kept a writing journal ____
9. Has met with the teacher in a writing conference ____

For an A:
1-9 completed

B:
1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9

C:
1,2,3,4,7,8,9

D:
1,2,3,4,9

50% of the grade is determined by:

Short story checklist:

Student Teacher

______ The plot diagram accurately depicts: ______

_____ the functions of a short story's components.
_____ the relationships among the components of a
short story.

______ There are multiple drafts attached.______

______ The story follows the structure if short story: ______


_____ plot
_____ setting
_____ theme
_____ characterization
_____ point of view
_____ conflict
_____ climax
_____ resolution

______ The audience has been identified. ______

______ The setting is in detail. ______

Minnesota Graduation Standards Scoring Criteria: Arts and Literature

To receive a score of 4, a student
· Demonstrates precise and fluent knowledge of the tools, skills, elements, principles and history.
· Makes artistic choices that are based on expanding, transforming or combining options to improve or refine the work.
· Is creatively expressive through synthesized use of elements, principles, skills, techniques and materials in creation or performance.

To receive a score of 3, a student
· Demonstrates accurate and articulate knowledge of the tools, skills, elements, principles and history
· Make artistic choices that are based on informed intent to improve or refine the work.
· Is creatively expressive through crafted or modified use of elements, principles, skills, techniques and materials in creation or performance.

To receive a score of 2, a student
· Demonstrates correct knowledge of the tools, skills, elements, principles and history.
· Makes artistic choices that are based on a considered range of options.
· Is creatively expressive through convenient use of elements, principles, skills, techniques and materials in creation or performance.

To receive a score of 1, a student
· Demonstrates general and/or commonplace knowledge of the tools, skills, elements, principles and history.
· Makes artistic choices that are based on automatic responses to personal likes and dislikes.
· Is creatively expressive through mechanical use of elements, principles, skills, techniques and materials in creation and performance.