A Descriptive Essay
Project Description: After doing the fairytale project, it occurred to me that our students need more practice on punctuation and paying attention to detail. I have decided that our next project be a Descriptive Essay. My goal is to have the students get inspired by something that they like doing, seeing, or etc., so I would like them to go out and write about a topic that is very close to them. For example, students should pick something specific, an event, a person, or an animal and describe their choice to the best of their ability.
Essential Questions:
1. How can we use literary devices to make our words come alive?
2. How can we practice proper punctuation and recognize the use of active and passive voice in order to make our written work more enjoyable to the reader?
Objective: Students will be able to effectively describe something that they really love by using creativity, proper punctuation, and literary devices.
Requirements:
1.Essay must be at least five paragraphs long.
Introductory Paragraph with Thesis.
Three Body Paragraphs supporting Thesis.
Conclusion Paragraph Restating Thesis.
2. Proper Grammar must be used throughout the essay. No more than two grammatical mistakes.
3.Essay must effectively and accurately describe subject or subjects.
Picture of subject or subjects.
Benchmarks:
1. Outline- 5 points (September 1st)
2. Rough Draft #1- 5 points (September 8th)
3. Rough Draft #2- 10 points (September 13th)
Final Draft- 30 points (September 15th)
Note: Our Goal as a class is to focus on using the active voice as opposed to the passive voice and be able to properly punctuate our essays. These two things are the most important parts of this project.
Resources:Passive and Active Voice/ Comma Use, How to Write a Descriptive Essay
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
FAIRYTALE PROJECT WORKSHEET FINAL PRODUCT DUE MONDAY 8/23/2010
FairyTales and Figurative Language
Project overview
As we begin our study of creative writing, students will be creating their own fairytale to share with a selected class of the younger grades. Students will be asked to adhere to all elements of the fairytale genre, in addition to incorporating figurative language.
Essential Questions
How can we challenge ourselves through written expression by incorporating creative ideas, and figurative language into a unique style of writing?
How can we understand and integrate figurative language in our writing?
Student Objectives
Students will be able to write a fairytale which incorporates all elements of the genre.
Students will be able to incorporate figurative language into their story.
Fairytale Requirements
-Story must integrate the following devices of figurative language (at minimum): metaphor, simile, personification, symbolism, imagery, and alliteration.
-All elements of a fairytale including: Special beginning and/or ending words, Good character, Evil character, Royalty and/or a castle, Magic, Problem and a Solution, "threes" or "sevens”.
-Images that compliment your story and are placed selectively among your story line. Images may be hand drawn or digitally designed, but they must be student generated.
Benchmarks
Story chart- Complete the chart provided which will serve as a checklist for all elements of the genre needed in your fairytale.
Draft 1- A typed draft of your work must be completed. All of the writing requirements listed above must be highlighted in your draft.
Draft 2- Your typed draft accompanied by images.
Final Product
Fairytale- Your final story should include all of the above requirements, in addition to being typed, 5-10 pages, with images and a cover (including the name of the fairytale, your name and an image related to the story).
Grading Breakdown
Story Chart-10 points
Draft-10 points
Final Written Product-40 points
Exhibition
Final products will be shared with a selected lower grade classes at Santa Rosa Academy.
Resources
Fairytales-http://www.geocities.com/ljacoby_2000/fairytale.html, http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/
Project overview
As we begin our study of creative writing, students will be creating their own fairytale to share with a selected class of the younger grades. Students will be asked to adhere to all elements of the fairytale genre, in addition to incorporating figurative language.
Essential Questions
How can we challenge ourselves through written expression by incorporating creative ideas, and figurative language into a unique style of writing?
How can we understand and integrate figurative language in our writing?
Student Objectives
Students will be able to write a fairytale which incorporates all elements of the genre.
Students will be able to incorporate figurative language into their story.
Fairytale Requirements
-Story must integrate the following devices of figurative language (at minimum): metaphor, simile, personification, symbolism, imagery, and alliteration.
-All elements of a fairytale including: Special beginning and/or ending words, Good character, Evil character, Royalty and/or a castle, Magic, Problem and a Solution, "threes" or "sevens”.
-Images that compliment your story and are placed selectively among your story line. Images may be hand drawn or digitally designed, but they must be student generated.
Benchmarks
Story chart- Complete the chart provided which will serve as a checklist for all elements of the genre needed in your fairytale.
Draft 1- A typed draft of your work must be completed. All of the writing requirements listed above must be highlighted in your draft.
Draft 2- Your typed draft accompanied by images.
Final Product
Fairytale- Your final story should include all of the above requirements, in addition to being typed, 5-10 pages, with images and a cover (including the name of the fairytale, your name and an image related to the story).
Grading Breakdown
Story Chart-10 points
Draft-10 points
Final Written Product-40 points
Exhibition
Final products will be shared with a selected lower grade classes at Santa Rosa Academy.
Resources
Fairytales-http://www.geocities.com/ljacoby_2000/fairytale.html, http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Introduction Syllabus
Creative Writing 6th
Mr. Gaylord
Syllabus
Course Description
This course will be dedicated to improving students’ writing skills and complimenting students’ other core classes. It will also ask students to use creativity in order to improve their writing skills while having fun and integrating the habits of mind into their work.
Course Objectives
The objectives of this course are simple. For starters, students will learn and be able to write in an academic and creative fashion. The second objective of this class is to support other classes such as English/language to encourage writing across the curriculum.
Discipline Policy and Student Expectations
Discipline Policy and Student Expectations as well as a student contract will be handed out on a separate sheet of paper during our first meeting of class. Students and parents will be expected to sign contract stating that students will adhere to these rules and expectations.
Curriculum
The way the class will be run as far as curriculum is concerned is somewhat fluid. There will be at least six major writing assignments, which will include, but not limited to, fairytale, comic strip, descriptive essay, narrative, movie script, and baseball card project. Each project will take at least two weeks and will have interdisciplinary elements purposefully woven into them. These project will also be exhibited in several different ways. For example, the first project of the year will be a fairytale that will be read to a lower grade class at Santa Rosa Academy.
Final Word
I hope to have a great year and excited to have you in my class.
Sincerely,
Mr. Gaylord
Mr. Gaylord
Syllabus
Course Description
This course will be dedicated to improving students’ writing skills and complimenting students’ other core classes. It will also ask students to use creativity in order to improve their writing skills while having fun and integrating the habits of mind into their work.
Course Objectives
The objectives of this course are simple. For starters, students will learn and be able to write in an academic and creative fashion. The second objective of this class is to support other classes such as English/language to encourage writing across the curriculum.
Discipline Policy and Student Expectations
Discipline Policy and Student Expectations as well as a student contract will be handed out on a separate sheet of paper during our first meeting of class. Students and parents will be expected to sign contract stating that students will adhere to these rules and expectations.
Curriculum
The way the class will be run as far as curriculum is concerned is somewhat fluid. There will be at least six major writing assignments, which will include, but not limited to, fairytale, comic strip, descriptive essay, narrative, movie script, and baseball card project. Each project will take at least two weeks and will have interdisciplinary elements purposefully woven into them. These project will also be exhibited in several different ways. For example, the first project of the year will be a fairytale that will be read to a lower grade class at Santa Rosa Academy.
Final Word
I hope to have a great year and excited to have you in my class.
Sincerely,
Mr. Gaylord
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