Course Profile Writer’s Craft (EWC4U), Grade 12, University Preparation, Catholic
Unit 1: The Art and Craft of Writing
Time: 35 hours
Activity
1 | Activity 2 | Activity
3 | Activity 4 | Activity
5
Unit Description
This unit serves as
a foundation for the rest of the course. In this introductory unit, the teacher
may choose to integrate activities from various clusters instead of doing them
sequentially. This unit deals with various aspects of the Writing Workshop
including: Journals, the writing process, the writing profession, and
evaluation of literary texts. In order to clarify students’ understanding of
the writing process, the teacher frequently models these activities. Students
investigate how the social teachings of the Church can provide a critical context
for the interpretation of values embedded in literary texts. Students are given
the opportunity to read texts and do writing on topics that interest them,
allowing them to reflect on their own lives and experiences. Students explore
the fundamentals of successful writing and elements common to various genres.
These skills and techniques are reinforced in subsequent units.
|
Activity |
Time |
Learning Expectations |
Assessment Categories |
Tasks |
|
1. |
5 hours |
IWV.01, PWV.01, PWV.02, IW1.01, PW1.01, .02, .03,
.09, .12, PW2.01, .02, .04 |
Thinking/ Inquiry
Communication |
Writing practice Short writing
exercises Peer editing Polished writing Peer response |
|
2. |
13 hours |
IWV.01, PWV.01, PWV.02, IW1.01 .02, .03, PW1.03, .08,
.09, PW2.01, .02, .04 |
Knowledge/
Understanding Thinking/ Inquiry |
Writing practice Short writing
exercises Peer editing Polished writing Peer response |
|
3. |
6 hours |
IWV.01, IWV.02, IW1.01, .02, .03, IW2.02 |
Knowledge/
Understanding Thinking/ Inquiry |
Selection of
“Found Piece” of literary text Critical
evaluation Seminar
presentation |
|
4. |
4 hours |
PWV.01, PW1.01, .03, .10 |
Communication
Application |
Group
presentations Summary/précis Quiz/short test on
conventions |
|
5. |
7 hours |
IWV.02, PWV.01,
PWV.02, IW2.01, .02, .03,
PW1.11, PW2.03 |
Knowledge/
Understanding Application |
Oral report Creation of
documentary video Review |
Time: 5 hours
At the beginning of
the course, students discuss the protocol for establishing an effective
Writer’s Workshop. Students begin to use a Journal or Writer’s Notebook as a
cache for ideas, images, snatches of dialogue, and other writing. Writing
Practice is begun, as students do some timed writing and share their work with
their peers. In establishing and running the Writer’s Workshop, the Catholic
Graduate Expectations for this activity are addressed as students are invited
to make the workshop experience meaningful and relevant in light of Catholic
social teaching and Gospel values. Students are invited to explore their
interests and to use their own experiences to shape their own writing as well
as their responses to texts. The concepts and practices introduced in this
Activity are integrated throughout the entire Course Profile.
Strand(s): Investigating the Writer’s Craft, Practising the Writer’s
Craft
Ontario Catholic
School Graduate Expectations
CGE 2c - presents
information and ideas clearly and honestly, and with sensitivity to others;
CGE 4b -
demonstrates flexibility and adaptability;
CGE 4e - sets
appropriate goals and priorities in school, work, and personal life;
CGE 5b - thinks
critically about the meaning and purpose of work;
CGE 5e - respects the
rights, responsibilities, and contributions of self and others;
CGE 5g - achieves
excellence, originality, and integrity in one’s own work and supports these
qualities in the work of others.
Overall
Expectations
IWV.01 - analyse and
assess how techniques, diction, voice, and style are used in a range of forms
of writing to communicate effectively;
PWV.01 - produce
writing for a range of purposes and audiences with an emphasis on developed
content and the effective use of appropriate forms, techniques, diction, voice,
and style;
PWV.02 - assess the
effectiveness of their own and others’ written work.
Specific
Expectations
IW1.01 - analyse a
variety of forms of writing, including poems, personal essays, narratives,
stories, plays, and specialized informational texts, to evaluate their
effectiveness;
PW1.01 - write
frequently to develop and practise writing skills, including incorporating
vivid words and phrases, expressing ideas precisely, and experimenting with
diction, syntax, sentence patterns, imagery, voice, and style, and maintain a
portfolio containing their writing experiments throughout the course;
PW1.02 - write
frequently for various purposes, including exploring ideas, feelings, and
experiences; responding to the writing of others; and making inferences about
the craft of writing (e.g., regularly compare their written explorations to
identify imaginative approaches and to improve written work);
PW1.03 - write on
both assigned topics and topics of their choice, with and without time
constraints, for various purposes and audiences (e.g., produce a 200-word
account of an incident as an in-class assignment; write a sonnet on a theme of
their choice; write a 600-word personal human-interest essay for submission to
a newspaper);
PW1.09 - revise
drafts to produce effective written work by refining content, form, technique,
diction, voice, and style;
PW1.12 - use group
skills effectively during the production of written work (e.g., participate in
collaborative writing projects; share responses to works in progress);
PW2.01 - assess the
creative choices made in producing their written work (e.g., the choice of
content, form, techniques, diction, voice, and style in relation to the purpose
and audience);
PW2.02 - assess
the content, organization, style, and impact of drafts and final versions of
informational and literary written work produced by peers, providing objective
and constructive suggestions (e.g., discuss in a group the content and impact
of a narrative; work with a partner to identify strengths and weaknesses in a
draft of a poem; participate in a peer conference to provide feedback on a
script in progress; assess the organization of the argument in an editorial;
develop criteria to assess various forms of writing);
PW2.04 - use group
skills effectively during the assessment of written work (e.g., make critical
and constructive suggestions for revision: use feedback, to improve their own
and peers’ writing).
·
Students use
their previous peer editing experiences as a basis for establishing appropriate
peer editing protocol in the Writer’s Workshop.
·
Students utilize
their knowledge and experience of the stages of the writing process.
·
Students should
draw upon their experiences of working in groups, with respect to not only
cooperative learning, but also negotiation and conflict management.
·
Develop a
questionnaire to address issues such as: why students chose to take this
course, what their interests are, whether they have plans for a career in
writing, etc. (See Appendix 1 for a sample questionnaire.)
·
Gather samples of
lined notebooks and bound Journals to show students possibilities for their own
Journals/writer’s notebooks.
·
Provide own
Journals, or Journals of former students (if available) as models.
·
Gather various resource
materials on writing by writers, art posters/prints, music, and other samples
of non-verbal creative expression, as well as samples of writing class
anthologies if available.
·
Gather resources
that juxtapose art and writing inspired by the arts. See Resources.
Alternatively, the teacher may choose to write her/his own poetry or short
stories inspired by some of the art prints/posters that have been gathered;
these would serve as models for students, since they will be asked to write
using art as a stimulus.
·
Prepare “Writer’s
Workshop Response Form” that indicates what type of peer response is expected
in the Writer’s Workshop. Categories may include: structural elements (plot,
characterization, point of view, narrative organization); what is working well
in this piece of writing; affective elements (theme, tone, mood, symbolism);
what is the theme of the piece; what point is it trying to make; how does it
make the reader feel; and suggestions for revision with constructive advice.
This form will facilitate students’ reflection and self-evaluation of their
writing, as well as give them an opportunity to give and receive constructive
peer feedback. The form will be particularly useful in a larger class setting.
·
Prepare a list of
writing topics and stimuli for writing. See Resources for some possible sources
of inspiration. Students should also be invited to contribute topics of their
own creation, relating to their interests, lives, and experiences.
·
Prepare a variety
of short writing assignments.
·
Prepare a list of
“rules” to establish the protocol for the Writer’s Workshop. In establishing
these rules, students reflect on Catholic social teaching and Gospel values.
Students are asked to create a list of such rules, but the teacher should be
prepared to step in and contribute suggestions that are necessary but not
mentioned by students. Some of these may be:
· When a student shares her/his writing, no one makes comments.
· The writer’s participation is simply acknowledged
· Do not assume that the writer and the speaker/narrator in the piece are the same.
· When invited to do so, give constructive and specific feedback.
· Be sensitive and tactful.
· Be open-minded both in the giving and receiving of feedback.
· When feedback is invited, comments must be useful, specific to the writing, and not of a personal nature.
· Vague or all-encompassing feedback (“the poem is good”), both positive and negative, serves no purpose.
·
Create a rubric
that students and the teacher will use to evaluate polished writing samples at
the end of the activity.
·
Provide plain
file folders for students to use in class during the reading of their peers’
polished writing samples.
·
Distribute and
discuss with students the EWC4U course outline, expectations, and description.
·
Students fill in
the teacher-prepared questionnaire geared toward finding out more about
students and the reasons they want to develop their skills by taking this
course. See Appendix 1 for a sample questionnaire.
·
Students
brainstorm as a class and create a list of what constitutes good writing, and
reasons to write.
·
Read aloud in
class a few short selections on writing by writers (see Resources for some
possibilities). Students discuss why writing is important and what qualities a
good writer must possess, e.g., keen observation skills, good listening, a love
of language, a desire to make sense of the world we live in, etc.
·
Discuss the
importance of each writer having a Journal or Writer’s Notebook. Students use
it as a cache for ideas, images, snatches of dialogue, inspirational quotations
about writing, new vocabulary words, and other writing.
·
Show students
samples of different Journals and notebooks. Students may wish to purchase a
plain hardcover notebook and personalize it with photos or wrapping paper. It
is important for students to feel that this is a personalized notebook; a place
where they may write from the heart and store the seeds of future writing. If
the teacher has a personal Writer’s Journal, this can be shown to students as a
sample.
·
Instruct students
to include the following types of writing in their Journals: new vocabulary
words to use in their writing, quotations about writing, excerpts from
published pieces that they appreciate or are inspired by, and ideas to be
developed in their own writing.
·
Periodically
examine students’ Journals. Ask them to indicate with bookmarks the sections of
the Journal which may be viewed (vocabulary words, quotations, excerpts from
published pieces); otherwise the teacher should respect the privacy of each
student and cursorily flip through the Journal (without reading it) to ensure
that students are using the Journal.
·
Introduce Writing
Practice as an activity both in class and in various other settings, at other
times. Even though this concept is introduced in Unit 1, the expectation is
that Writing Practice is integrated throughout the entire course.
·
Students do timed
writing. The first time this is done, provide students with a choice of a few
topics/writing stimuli; for subsequent timed writing, invite students to
contribute their own topics or other writing stimuli (photos, music, art, etc.)
in areas that interest them. Ask student volunteers to share their writing
aloud with their peers.
·
At the end of the
timed Writing Practice, and before students are given the opportunity to share
their writing, establish the protocol for sharing in the Writer’s Workshop. Ask
the students to establish the parameters within which the Writer’s Workshop will
operate; explain that the atmosphere and tone in the Writer’s Workshop is
crucial to its effectiveness. Students review the Catholic Graduate
Expectations provided to them on handouts or on an overhead transparency. These
should form the basis for establishing the protocol for appropriate
interaction, both written and verbal, between students. When feedback is
invited, comments must be useful, specific to the writing, and not of a
personal nature.
·
Students create a
list of “golden rules” (no more than ten) to be followed in the Writer’s
Workshop. Again, Catholic Gospel values and social teaching should be reflected
in the rules created by students. Students create a poster of these rules for
the classroom and a handout that each student may keep.
·
Prior to the
first Short Writing Exercise, review the stages of the writing process with the
class.
·
Students do a
number of short writing exercises based on various stimuli, e.g., an art
poster/print, music, a photograph, an excerpt from a published piece of
writing, writing based on a personal experience, etc. Prior to asking students
to do this, present a model of such writing, either from a published resource,
or a sample of the teacher’s own response to art. See Resources for sources of material
that showcases a juxtaposition of writing inspired by art. Similarly, students
may be given various stimuli to encourage their own creative writing: music,
art slides/prints/posters, photographs, etc. As in Timed Writing, the students
are invited to contribute topics and writing stimuli from their own lives that
reflect their interests.
·
Review with the
class the peer editing process. Students develop, as a class, a peer-editing
checklist to be used in the Writer’s Workshop.
·
Remind students
that their responses to their peers’ writing should be approached with respect
and sensitivity toward the writers and the integrity of their writing.
·
Students select a
piece from the short writing exercises and engage in peer response and editing,
using the peer editing checklist. Students should get feedback from at least
three different peer editors.
·
After the peer
editing, and before students begin making revisions, remind students that they
should evaluate the quality and effectiveness of each suggestion made by a peer
editor prior to them making changes based on peer feedback. Not all advice will
necessarily be the best advice, and not all peer editors’ comments or
suggestions will be relevant. Writers should be reminded to make revisions that
still maintain the integrity of their vision for the piece.
·
Students reflect
upon and evaluate their own work. They compile a list of their peer editors’
comments and suggestions, make revisions in their writing, and write an
explanation of which suggestions were particularly useful and were incorporated
into their revised work, and where these changes were made. This
self-evaluation is submitted to the teacher.
·
Students revise
and polish their work for presentation on a set “Publication Day.” Students
must include with each piece of writing the following information: topic,
occasion, speaker, target audience, and purpose.
·
On Publication
Day, students read the writing of several of their peers and give feedback via
a Writer’s Workshop Response Form and the teacher-created rubric. The
read-around can be structured as follows: Students place their writing in plain
file folders provided by the teacher. Attached to the outside of each file
folder are three copies of the Writer’s Workshop Response Form and rubric (to
be filled out by three peer readers). All student writing is placed on a table
in the centre of the classroom. Students take a folder from the table, read the
enclosed writing of a peer, and fill out one of the attached response forms and
rubrics. When they are finished reading and responding to a selection, students
give the response forms and rubrics to the teacher, and return the file folder
to the large table. Students select a second folder and go through the
reading/responding process again. Similarly, they do this once more. When a
file folder no longer has any blank response forms and rubrics attached to it,
the teacher removes it from the table and inserts the corresponding response
forms and rubrics that students have submitted during the read-around. At the
end of this process, the teacher collects all the folders and evaluates the
writing using the same response form and rubric.
·
Prior to the
read-around, explain the difference between peer editing and peer response: the
Peer Response Form allows students to assess the overall effectiveness of the
polished pieces, rather than approaching them as peer editors looking for
errors to be corrected.
·
Introduce the
idea of creating a class anthology at the end of the course. The class anthology
serves as a celebration of students’ writing (see Appendix B for a sample
handout). Students are encouraged to submit several pieces of their best
writing, and they work collaboratively to create a collection that reflects
their growth as writers throughout the course.
·
Students keep in
mind the class anthology project when they decide which pieces to polish and
add to their personal portfolios. These portfolios are used only as a place to
keep a collection of students’ writing, both drafts of work in progress and
polished pieces. The portfolios themselves are not assessed by the teacher.
·
Checklist for the
peer-editing process
·
Self-reflection
and evaluation of peer editors’ comments
·
Self-reflection
and evaluation of revisions to their writing
·
Rubric and
Writer’s Workshop Response Form to assess writing
·
Students who have
difficulty writing should be provided appropriate options such as, a scribe, a
laptop computer, or extra time to complete the given tasks.
·
For students with
IEPs, refer to the IEP and consult with the special education teacher to
implement appropriate accommodations.
·
For students with
difficulties working in groups, tailor the activities to allow for more
individual work.
·
Provide a
blueprint/format guide for students to follow.
·
Have students
work with a pre-chosen peer to assist in completion of the task.
Benton,
Michael and Peter Benton. Double Vision: Reading Paintings...Reading
Poems...Reading Paintings. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1990.
(Photos of famous paintings, coupled with poetry inspired by the art)
Benton,
Michael and Peter Benton. Painting With Words. London: Hodder &
Stoughton, 1995.
(Photos of famous paintings, coupled with poetry inspired by the art)
Bradbury,
Raymond. Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within
You. New York: Bantam Books, 1992.
(In ten essays, the author encourages us to be avid readers, writers,
listeners, and observers).
Goldberg,
Bonni. Room To Write: Daily Invitations to a Writer’s Life. New York:
Jeremy P. Tarcher, 1996.
(A resource for writing topics/stimuli)
Goldberg,
Natalie. “Living Twice.” in Transitions: Fiction, Poetry, and Non-Fiction.
Douglas Hilker, et al. Toronto: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1995, pp. 242-243.
Goldberg,
Natalie. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within. Boston:
Shambhala Publications, Inc., 1986.
(The author offers practical advice to novice writers in several short essays)
McLean, Don.
“Vincent.” This song/poem was inspired by Van Gogh’s painting “The
Starry Night.” Both the text and a photo of the painting are available in Literature
and Media 10. Toronto: Nelson, 2001.
Reeves,
Judy. A Writer’s Book of Days: A Spirited Companion & Lively Muse for
the Writing Life. Novato, CA: New World Library, 1999.
(A resource filled with practical, focused advice on various aspects of
writing, topics for daily writing, information about writers, and quotations on
writing by writers)
Sunshine,
Linda, ed. Dance Me To The End Of Love: Poem by Leonard Cohen, Paintings
by Henri Matisse. New York: Welcome Enterprises, Inc., 1995.
(This resource demonstrates the successful juxtaposition of art and literature)
Ueland,
Brenda. If You Want To Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit.
Saint Paul, MN: Graywolf Press, 1987.
(Chapter 1, “If You Want To Write” is particularly interesting and useful for
beginning writers)
Please consider the
following questions carefully and answer them with as much detail as possible.
The questions are meant to give the teacher a sense of who you are, both as an
individual and a writer.
1. Why did you choose to take the EWC4U course?
2. Do you enjoy writing? Where and when do you
do your best writing?
3. What type of literature are you most likely
to read? What draws you to this genre?
4. What three pieces of literature would you
take with you on a desert island? Why?
5. Why do writers write?
6. When you write, what type of writing are you
most likely to do?
7. Have you ever experienced “writer’s block?”
What do you do in this situation?
8. Who are some of your favourite authors?
Explain briefly why each author is your favourite.
9. Do you write in a Journal or notebook? What
type of writing do you do there?
10. If you were asked to tell a story that
illustrates something about your character or about what made you who you are,
what incident or moment would you choose?
11. What question do you feel is missing from this questionnaire? What might the answer to this question reveal about a student?
Time: 13 hours
This activity establishes the fundamentals of
fictional writing. Students critically assess the beginnings of various stories
to determine which of them incite further reading; the discussion leads to a
consensus on the nature of the successful story beginning. After this, students
are exposed to the concept of balance in showing and telling. They practise
this by combining narration, exposition, scene, and half-scene so that an
appropriate balance of each is used to create a successful story. Students are
next introduced to the purpose and function of setting. They understand that
setting can range from merely existing as a backdrop for character and plot to
becoming so essential as to achieve metaphoric status. Characterization is
achieved by discussing a variety of techniques used to establish the nature and
persona of characters in successful writing. Following this, plot and structure
allow students to consider the effect of organizing the events of the story.
The multiplicity of approaches in using point of view and how they affect the
reader’s perception of character and plot are presented. Both dialogue and tone
are discussed as a means by which a writer uses language to affect the reader’s
understanding of character, plot and atmosphere. By the end of this activity,
students acquire the skills to be applied throughout the rest of the course. In
addition, they are now aware that all great writing involves the expert manipulation
of these basic skills.
Strand(s): Investigating the Writer’s Craft, Practising the Writer’s
Craft
Ontario Catholic
School Graduate Expectations
CGE2b - reads,
understands, and uses written materials effectively;
CGE2c - presents
information and ideas clearly and honestly, and with sensitivity to others;
CGE2d - writes and
speaks fluently one or both of Canada’s official languages;
CGE 5e - respects
the rights, responsibilities, and contributions of self and others;
CGE 5g - achieves
excellence, originality, and integrity in one’s own work and supports these
qualities in the work of others.
Overall
Expectations
IWV.01 - analyse and
assess how techniques, diction, voice, and style are used in a range of forms
of writing to communicate effectively;
PWV.01 - produce
writing for a range of purposes and audiences with an emphasis on developed
content and the effective use of appropriate forms, techniques, diction, voice,
and style;
PWV.02 - assess the
effectiveness of their own and others’ written work.
Specific
Expectations
IW1.01 - analyse a
variety of forms of writing, including poems, personal essays, narratives,
stories, plays, and specialized informational texts, to evaluate their
effectiveness;
IW1.02 - describe
the distinctive elements and conventions of a range of forms within specific
genres (e.g., compare the conventions of different poetic forms, such as the
sonnet and the dramatic monologue; explain the use of headings, table of
contents, indexes, glossary, and appendices in a scientific report; analyse the
content and Journalistic style found in national, local, and community
newspapers);
IW1.03 - assess the
relationships among the ideas in a passage, its purpose and audience, and the
writer’s choices of techniques, diction, voice, and style (e.g., discuss the
author’s choice of voice and style to address a business-related issue in a
persuasive article; assess the use of specialized vocabulary, plain-language
style, and illustrations in informational texts for a general audience;
evaluate the extent to which style and structure influence the content of a
literary work for an independent study project);
PW1.03 - write on both assigned topics and
topics of their choice, with and without time constraints, for various purposes
and audiences (e.g., produce a 200-word account of an incident as an in-class
assignment; write a sonnet on a theme of their choice; write a 600-word
personal human-interest essay for submission to a newspaper);
PW1.08 - select
appropriate techniques, diction, voice, and style and use them effectively to
communicate ideas and experiences (e.g., use a reflective tone in an ode; use
analogy to explain a complex idea in an essay or report; use a personal voice
and style to write narratives based on personal knowledge and experience; use
an interior monologue or stream-of-consciousness style to reveal character; use
an authoritative voice in a critical review; consciously and consistently use
anti-discriminatory and inclusive language);
PW1.09 - revise drafts
to produce effective written work by refining content, form, technique,
diction, voice, and style;
PW2.01 - assess the
creative choices made in producing their written work (e.g., the choice of
content, form, techniques, diction, voice, and style in relation to the purpose
and audience);
PW2.02 - assess the
content, organization, style, and impact of drafts and final versions of
informational and literary written work produced by peers, providing objective
and constructive suggestions (e.g., discuss in a group the content and impact
of a narrative; work with a partner to identify strengths and weaknesses in a
draft of a poem; participate in a peer conference to provide feedback on a
script in progress; assess the organization of the argument in an editorial;
develop criteria to assess various forms of writing);
PW2.04 - use group
skills effectively during the assessment of written work (e.g., make critical
and constructive suggestions for revision: use feedback, to improve their own
and peers’ writing).
·
Students should
know terms such as: plot, setting, introduction, inciting incident,
complications, climax, denouement, atmosphere, and character.
·
Prepare handouts
which outline key features of the elements of writing by making reference to
the techniques:
· Beginnings: showing and telling; the balance of exposition, narration, scene, and half-scene
· Setting: backdrop; local colour; character; metaphor
· Characterization: appearance (physical features, clothing); action and reaction (gestures, behaviour); speech and thought (internal monologue, stream of consciousness); through another character (foil and stock characters, flat and round characters)
· Plot and Structure: traditional Freytag pyramid plot and its variations (introduction, inciting incident, complications, climax, denouement), frame plots, picaresque plots, plots of self-realization versus conflict plots
· Dialogue: conventions of written dialogue, “natural speech” in literature, indirect dialogue, dialect
· Point of View: first person witness, first person protagonist, second person, third person objective, third person omniscient, the unreliable narrator, narrative distance, degree of capability of narrator
· Mood/Tone/Voice: toned diction, creation of tension using varying sentence patterns
·
Gather writing
samples of various aspects of the elements.
·
Prepare writing
scenarios to allow students to practise each technique; some scenarios should
also ask students to combine two or more techniques.
·
Examples of
scenarios are: dialogue between a priest and a penitent, the thoughts of a
parent as his or her child graduates, the stream of consciousness which takes
place when a bride is about to say “I do,” and the physical description
revealing the personalities of John and Judas during the Last Supper.
·
Prepare a
checklist of students’ practice work for completeness.
·
Develop a rubric
for longer assignments (400-800 words) combining two or more elements; the
longer pieces are written by each student, not in groups.
·
Select one or more
pieces of professional writing which focuses on the use of these elements;
students submit an analysis of these pieces.
·
Students take
notes on handouts provided.
·
Students read and
analyse models of skills provided.
·
A class
discussion leads to an understanding of the skills and their use in writing
samples and models.
·
Jigsaw may also
be used to facilitate understanding of technique.
·
A selection of
writing scenarios for each technique is presented to students.
·
Each student chooses
a scenario and practises writing short pieces (150-200 words) which explore a
technique; the class may develop a choice of scenarios together, as a means of
providing interesting, meaningful, and relevant exercises as well as providing
an opportunity for creative thinking.
·
During the
writing of the practice pieces, students may write individually, with a
partner, or in small groups.
·
Students read
their work to the entire class, peer groups, or to a partner.
·
The teacher is
invited to participate in the writing and reading of the practice pieces.
·
Students combine
two or more sets of skills as they progress through this activity. In this way,
they integrate the elements as they are acquired. For example, a longer writing
assignment may require students to combine the skills found in the elements of
beginnings, setting, and characterization. A later assignment requires them to
add plot and point of view.
·
The teacher
allows students the option of developing their own scenarios outside the list
provided.
·
Teacher/student
conferencing is used to reinforce understanding of skills.
·
Students peer
edit the practice and longer pieces.
·
The teacher uses
various aids to stimulate creativity and suggest scenarios: timed writing,
music, art/photography, opening/closing sentences, radio/video clips.
·
Student/teacher
conferences
·
Checklists to
assess student productivity
·
Shorter practice
pieces assessed for completion
·
Rubrics for
longer assignments (400-800 words) which combine two or more elements
·
Rubrics for
analytical analysis of samples of professional writing
·
Students who have
difficulty responding in writing may be given the option of responding using a
computer or audiotape format.
Allen, Roberta. Fast Fiction: Creating
Fiction in Five Minutes. Cincinnati: Story Press Books, 1997.
(These are “getting started” exercises; students find these very enjoyable)
Bernays,
Anne and Pamela Painter. What If: Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers.
New York: Harper Collins, 1991.
(Practice exercises for each of the above topics)
Burnett,
Hallie. On Writing the Short Story. New York: Harper Perennial, 1983.
(Sections on plot, characters, and stages of the story)
Cohen, R. The
Writer’s Mind: Crafting Fiction. Lincolnwood, IL: NTC Publishing Group,
1995.
(Insights on point of view and some practice exercises)
Hodgins,
Jack. A Passion for Narrative, 3rd ed. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart,
2001.
(A possible course textbook; it has a clearly written chapter on each of the
above topics with practice exercises and writing checklists)
Kennedy, X.
J. An Introduction to Fiction, 5th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1991.
(A resource for model pieces from the masters to stimulate discussion)
Olmstead,
Robert. Elements of the Writing Craft. Cincinnati: Story Press, 1997.
(Another text that contains a series of practice exercises with short model
excerpts)
Time: 6 hours
This activity
encourages students to think critically about the techniques used by various
writers to create literature by using terminology acquired in Activity 2.
Students find short pieces (400-600 words) of published writing according to
their own interests and critically assess them through writing a point of
argument. The point of argument asks peers to focus on one technique-linked
aspect of the piece.
Analysis
focuses on technique. Theme is
relevant only as conveyed by the elements of writing. It is important that this
activity be incorporated throughout the course so that students are constantly
applying their increasing understanding of the Writer’s Craft to comprehend its
use – or abuse – by professionals.
Strand(s): Investigating the Writer’s Craft
Ontario Catholic
School Graduate Expectations
CGE 1c - actively
reflects on God’s Word as communicated through the Hebrew and Christian
scriptures;
CGE 1d - develops
attitudes and values founded on Catholic social teaching and acts to promote
social responsibility, human solidarity, and the common good;
CGE 2b - reads,
understands, and uses written materials effectively;
CGE 2e - uses and
integrates the Catholic faith tradition, in the critical analysis of the arts,
media, and technology and information systems to enhance the quality of life;
CGE 5b - thinks
critically about the meaning and purpose of work.
Overall
Expectations
IWV.01 - analyse and
assess how techniques, diction, voice, and style are used in a range of forms
of writing to communicate effectively;
IWV.02 - demonstrate
an understanding of how various writers think about and practise the craft of
writing.
Specific
Expectations
IW1.01 - analyse a
variety of forms of writing, including poems, personal essays, narratives,
stories, plays, and specialized informational texts, to evaluate their
effectiveness;
IW1.02 - describe
the distinctive elements and conventions of a range of forms within specific
genres (e.g., compare the conventions of different poetic forms, such as the
sonnet and the dramatic monologue; explain the use of headings, table of
contents, indexes, glossary, and appendices in a scientific report; analyse the
content and Journalistic style found in national, local, and community
newspapers);
IW1.03 - assess the
relationships among the ideas in a passage, its purpose and audience, and the
writer’s choices of techniques, diction, voice, and style (e.g., discuss the
author’s choice of voice and style to address a business-related issue in a
persuasive article; assess the use of specialized vocabulary, plain-language
style, and illustrations in informational texts for a general audience;
evaluate the extent to which style and structure influence the content of a
literary work for an independent study project);
IW2.02 - analyse
selected works and articles by writers from around the world to assess their
practices and beliefs about writing.
·
Students should
understand the structure of the informal essay.
·
Students should
know terms such as: plot, setting, introduction, inciting incident,
complications, climax, denouement, atmosphere, and character.
·
Prepare handouts
on criteria for found pieces and developing a point of argument.
·
Provide examples
of “found pieces” (400-650 words) with accompanying points of argument.
·
Create a sign-up
sheet for students to organize presentation times.
·
In collaboration
with the class, create a rubric for evaluating written analyses.
·
The teacher
familiarizes students with criteria for choosing found pieces by distributing
samples.
·
Through a
Socratic lesson, students learn how to write a point of argument which is
linked to a skill.
·
The teacher and
students choose a piece from the samples and develop a point of argument
together.
·
Students write a
critical analysis of the piece for evaluation.
·
The class debates
the merits of the piece using the point of argument.
·
Students choose
dates for the presentation of found pieces and accompanying points of argument.
Presentations occur throughout the course.
·
Students submit
the found piece and point of argument for review by the teacher a reasonable
time before the presentation date.
·
Students
photocopy a class set of the approved found piece and point of argument.
·
Students
distribute the found piece and point of argument to the class two/three days
before their presentation.
·
The class,
including the presenters, writes a short (200-250 words) analytical comment
about the piece in response to the point of argument.
·
On the scheduled
day, the presenters lead a twenty-minute mini-seminar discussion regarding the
merits of the chosen piece focusing on the point of argument.
·
The teacher
evaluates students’ analyses using the rubric developed by the class in
collaboration with the teacher.
·
The found pieces
may be excerpts from novels, articles, poems, or Journals, dealing with any
topic that is interesting, meaningful, and relevant to students.
·
Students are
encouraged to choose found pieces from a wide variety of sources: Church
documents, writers in the Catholic tradition (Greene, O’Connor), the Internet,
or anthologies.
·
While quality of
writing is important, at times, the student’s freedom to choose should take
precedence over the taste of the instructor; even poor writing can, at times,
provide a learning experience for a critically-aware class.
·
Where concern
exists about the quality of choices made by students, it is advisable for the
teacher to compile an anthology to allow the guided selection of pieces for
analysis. Sources may include spiritual writers such as C.S. Lewis, poetry,
song lyrics, short stories, Church documents, encyclicals (John XXIII’s Pacem
in Terris), speeches (King’s “I have a dream”), magazine articles, and
newspaper features.
·
The teacher makes
it clear that it is acceptable to criticize the text, but not the student who
chooses it.
·
Completion mark
(complete/incomplete) for selection of the found piece
·
Rubric for point
of argument
·
Checklist for
mini-seminar presentation
·
Checklist for
critical responses
·
Rubric for
written analyses
Time: 4 hours
Students move beyond
the content of their writing to focus on the mechanics and style of writing.
Although the grammar and mechanics exercises appear grouped together in this
activity, the skills are developed and evaluated throughout the course, and the
particulars of good writing remain a focus throughout the entire course.
Strand(s): Practising the Writer’s Craft
Ontario Catholic
School Graduate Expectations
CGE 2a - listens
actively and critically to understand and learn in light of gospel values;
CGE 2c - presents
information and ideas clearly and honestly, and with sensitivity to others;
CGE 2d - writes and
speaks fluently one or both of Canada’s official languages;
CGE 4e - sets
appropriate goals and priorities in school, work, and personal life;
CGE 5b - thinks
critically about the meaning and purpose of work.
Overall
Expectations
PWV.01 - produce
writing for a range of purposes and audiences with an emphasis on developed
content and the effective use of appropriate forms, techniques, diction, voice,
and style.
Specific
Expectations
PW1.01 - write
frequently to develop and practise writing skills, including incorporating
vivid words and phrases, expressing ideas precisely, and experimenting with
diction, syntax, sentence patterns, imagery, voice, and style, and maintain a
portfolio containing their writing experiments throughout the course;
PW1.03 - write on
both assigned topics and topics of their choice, with and without time
constraints, for various purposes and audiences (e.g., produce a 200-word
account of an incident as an in-class assignment; write a sonnet on a theme of
their choice; write a 600-word personal human-interest essay for submission to
a newspaper);
PW1.10 - edit and
proofread written work, applying correctly the grammar, usage, spelling, and
punctuation conventions specified for the compulsory Grade 12 University
Preparation English course;
·
Students access
their prior knowledge of conventions of language usage, spelling, grammar, and
mechanics in writing.
·
Students use
their experiences writing summaries and précis.
·
Students should
be familiar with group work and the delegation of tasks, as well as appropriate
conflict management skills.
·
Students should
be familiar with presenting material in an oral report to the class.
·
Gather a variety
of grammar and writing resources (texts, blackline masters, activities, and
mini-lessons). Focus on one reliable resource containing tips or suggestions
for improving one’s writing that may be used by students in the classroom.
·
Prepare handouts
covering key grammar and mechanics issues, e.g., subject-verb agreement,
pronoun-antecedent agreement, comma splice errors, and run-on sentences. The
teacher will only focus on the skills students need to develop. The handouts
will be the basis for mini-lessons as needed.
·
Gather several
shorter writing samples for students to use in their practice of writing
summaries and précis, and resources dealing with the English language and its
idiosyncrasies (see Resources for some examples).
·
Gather samples of
student writing from other classes; to ensure anonymity, remove all names or
other identifying features from the samples, as they will be used in class as
pieces to be revised. Prepare overhead transparencies or handouts containing
these writing samples for student use in the classroom.
·
Read aloud from
class resource material dealing with the idiosyncrasies of the English
language. Students brainstorm and share their own examples of how the English
language is confusing or how its conventions sometimes do not seem logical.
·
Distribute to
students a class set of the selected resource (a chapter of a text, or an
article) containing suggestions for improving one’s writing. Students read the
assigned piece and select five suggestions that they feel would help them
improve their own writing. Students rewrite these suggestions, describing in
their own words what the suggestions mean to them as amateur writers. For each
suggestion, students make up two examples of “Dos” and “Don’ts” that would
improve the effectiveness of the suggestion.
·
Discuss with the
class common errors found in student writing. Students compile a list of
“Points To Remember When Writing” based on the class discussion. Examples may
include: the misuse of homonyms or words that sound similar, common grammatical
errors, etc.
·
Alternatively, students
may work in groups if the resource material used is conducive to this approach
(an entire text, or several chapters from a text). Each group examines its
portion of the resource and reports to the class in a jigsaw activity; thus,
students quickly get an overview of a resource with a wider scope. Questions to
consider are: what is the author attempting to teach young writers; why is this
particular lesson important to fiction writing; what examples in students’
writing might demonstrate a need for improvement in these areas?
·
Using anonymous
samples of student writing, students work in small groups to edit the samples
and correct errors. Groups present the writing samples and their suggestions
for revision to the class using overhead transparencies or photocopied
handouts. Other students are encouraged to provide further input and commentary
during the group presentations.
·
Based on the
class list of common errors and the revision exercise, students create a
checklist for improving writing. The checklist is used by individual students
for evaluation of their own work before it goes to peer editors.
·
As a follow-up to
this overview of grammar and mechanics issues, teacher-led mini-lessons dealing
with specific grammar or mechanics issues should be integrated into any lesson
where they may be beneficial (in Unit 1 and throughout the entire course). The
teacher should decide when to do this, based on students’ writing and needs for
skills development. The prepared grammar handouts and activities should be used
as needed; quizzes may be used to evaluate students’ grasp of the material
covered. After covering specific grammar/mechanics issues, the teacher should
increase the focus on these issues in subsequent evaluations of students’
writing.
·
Review techniques
for writing summaries and précis. Students read short writing samples provided
by the teacher, or they may select their own, and write summaries and/or précis
based on the selections.
·
Quizzes/short
tests on grammar/mechanics conventions
·
Group
presentations on grammatical issues evaluated using a checklist
·
Rubric created by
class to evaluate summary/précis assignments
Print
Gardner,
John. The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers. New York: Vintage
Books, 1983.
(This text is useful for the group jigsaw activity in which students gain an
overview of ways to improve their writing).
Lederer,
Richard. “The Strange Case of the English Language.” in Essays: Patterns and
Perspectives. Judith Barker-Sandbrook, ed Toronto: Oxford University Press,
1992, pp. 141-146.
(This essay points out myriad idiosyncrasies of the English language, and
provides a springboard for class discussion).
Northey,
Margot. Making Sense: A Student’s Guide to Research, Writing, and Style,
3rd ed. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1993.
Norton,
Sarah and Brian Green. The Bare Essentials. Toronto: Harcourt Brace,
1999.
Strunk,
William, Jr. and E.B. White. The Elements of Style, 4th ed. Boston:
Allyn and Bacon, 2000.
(Chapter 2: “Elementary Principles of Composition” is a useful resource to be
used when students are asked to create a list of writing dos and don’ts)
University Writing
Lab Websites
Columbia
University Writing Website – www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/cgos/idx
Northwest
Regional Educational Laboratory – www.nwrel.org
Purdue
University Writing Website – http://owl.english/purdue/edu
University of
Toronto Writing Website – www.library.utoronto.ca/writing/
Time: 7 hours
Students explore the various aspects of a
writer’s life. Particular emphasis is given to the examination of how writers
can influence the general community by promoting Christian values in their
written products. The exploration of the writing career is done through
research, group work, and documentary video production allowing students to
explore formats other than the written word to express their ideas.
Strand(s): Investigating the Writer’s Craft, Practising the Writer’s
Craft
Ontario Catholic
School Graduate Expectations
CGE 1g - understands
that one’s purpose or call in life comes from God and strives to discern and
live out this call throughout life’s journey;
CGE 4g - examines
and reflects on one’s personal values, abilities, and aspirations influencing
life’s choices and opportunities;
CGE 5b - thinks
critically about the meaning and purpose of work;
CGE 7g - respects
and understands the history, cultural heritage, and pluralism of today’s
contemporary society.
Overall
Expectations
IWV.02 - demonstrate
an understanding of how various writers think about and practise the craft of
writing;
PWV.01 - produce
writing for a range of purposes and audiences with an emphasis on developed
content and the effective use of appropriate forms, techniques, diction, voice,
and style;
PWV.02 - assess the
effectiveness of their own and others’ written work.
Specific
Expectations
IW2.01 - analyse
interviews with and articles by a variety of writers about the craft and
practice of writing to increase knowledge of the techniques, skills, and
processes of writing;
IW2.02 - analyse
selected works and articles by writers from around the world to assess their
practices and beliefs about writing;
IW2.03 - conduct
research to learn about a variety of careers in writing and communications and
the skills needed to pursue them (e.g., contact authors and publishers
electronically; submit writing for assessment on the Internet; research
writers’ trade magazines for publication opportunities; interview professional
writers in a variety of specialized fields);
PW1.11 - produce
thoughtful, effective publications and prepare them for distribution to wider
audiences (e.g., apply desktop publishing techniques to enhance text for a
school publication, using columns, graphics, pictures, design, colour, and
borders; submit work to writing contests and celebrations; publish a poem or
short story on an appropriate Internet website; format a major piece of
original writing as an independent study project);
PW2.03 - demonstrate
an understanding of the writing skills and knowledge required for success in
various university programs and careers (e.g., use guest speakers, field trips,
interviews, and print and electronic resources to investigate the types of
writing required in university programs; research and report on the
opportunities for publication for particular forms of writing; set goals for
personal improvement in writing).
·
Students should
understand and be familiar with the key concepts of the writing process.
·
Students should
be familiar with group work delegation of tasks and appropriate conflict
management skills.
·
Students should
understand the criteria for an oral report. As a class they are able to create
a checklist to evaluate the effectiveness of the oral reports presented.
·
Understanding and
the ability to use a video camera to produce a media product, would be helpful.
·
Students should
be familiar with the framework of a documentary video product.
·
Students should
be able to write a review of a documentary video product.
·
The teacher
provides resources as well as models which guide students in the creation of
the class documentary (for example, When We Were Kings, an exploration
of a seminal moment in the career of Muhammad Ali).
·
The class should
have access to a video camera during the time of taping of the documentary.
·
The teacher
should make available several sources dealing with careers in the writing
industry in Canada using some of the reference sources for discussion purposes.
·
The teacher
should oversee the division of tasks in the groups in order to ensure an equal
division of the work involved.
·
Review
appropriate group problem-solving and conflict management skills, e.g.,
negotiation, mediation, assertiveness, consensus building, and coping with
change or frustration, in light of Gospel teachings.
·
The teacher
should outline how the assessment of the unit will be done. In particular, the
entire class should develop the rubric for the review of the documentary.
Students should also develop the checklist for each group in collaboration with
the teacher.
·
Any special
permission for using different classrooms or areas of the school for taping of
the documentary should be arranged prior to the beginning of this unit.
·
Other English
teachers should be consulted to see if they wish to participate in this project
by allowing advertising of the documentary to be displayed in their classrooms
and by later viewing the product in their classes. Perhaps these teachers could
also integrate the viewing of the documentary into their curriculum e.g., media
strand, writing reviews, etc.
·
The teacher leads
a discussion about various aspects of the life of a freelance writer in Canada:
markets for writing, writing for different purposes and audiences, manuscript
submission process, writers’ associations, resources for writers, and vocation
of the writer as spokesperson for values in the community.
·
Using quotations
taken from Church documents and other reference sources provided by the
teacher, the class explores how writers can influence the general community by
promoting values in their written products e.g., faith, community, stewardship,
justice, human dignity, empowerment, citizenship, family, and interdependence.
·
Students are
divided into groups to research, present, and report on one of the following
topics:
· Markets for Canadian Writers
· Manuscript Formats and Submission
· Writers Associations
· Resources for Writers
· Writing as a Vocation
·
Students are to
have access to various reports, articles, and Internet sites dealing with the
topic of The Writer’s Life.
·
Groups are to
present short oral reports on their findings. A checklist developed by the
class is used to evaluate individual group presentations.
·
The class is
introduced to the class assignment – to produce a 15-minute documentary on the
topic of The Writer’s Life. After production has been completed, this
documentary is shown to audiences in other English classrooms throughout the
school.
·
Students are given
the choice to join one of three groups to produce the documentary:
A. Research Department – uses the
Internet, and information from group presentations and other resources to
provide the basis for the documentary script, and writes the script for the documentary
B. Production Department –
consists of the production crew for the documentary – producer, director,
participants, schedulers, and taping crew
C. Creative Department – takes
charge of the creative aspects of the production – lighting, sound, props,
costumes, and set design
·
Students are
given class time to work on the project.
·
Groups develop
checklists in consultation with the teacher to describe what performance
criteria should be used to evaluate the group’s achievement.
·
The class views
the documentary together.
·
The project is
shown in other English classrooms.
·
Through class
discussion, a rubric is developed to evaluate the review assignment given at
the end of this unit.
·
Students respond
to the documentary assignment by writing a review of the video product.
·
Checklists for
group oral reports
·
Checklists for
group performance
·
Rubric to
evaluate student reviews
·
The wide variety
of tasks to be done in the production of a documentary allow students to
display their strengths through a variety of formats.
·
Students who have
difficulty responding in writing may be given the option of responding using a
computer or audiotape format.
Abbot,
Walter M., ed. The Documents of Vatican II. Chicago: Follet Publishing
Co., 1966.
Arthur,
Chris, ed. Religion and the Media: An Introductory Reader. Cardiff:
University of Wales Press, 1993.
Bolker,
Joan, ed. The Writer’s Home Companion: An Anthology of the World’s Best
Writing Advice, from Keats to Kunitz. New York: Henry Holt and Company,
1997.
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops –
www.cccb.ca/
Feiertag,
Joe and Mary Carmen Cupito. The Writer’s Market Companion. Cincinnati:
Writer’s Digest Books, 2000.
Media
Awareness Network – www.media-awareness.ca
Ontario
Conference of Catholic Bishops. 100 Years of Catholic Social Teaching.
Ontario, 1991.
Pontifical
Council for Social Communications. Aetatis Novae (On Social Communication).
Rome, 1989.
Periodical
Writer’s Association of Canada – www.pwac.ca
Shewchuk,
Murphy O., ed. The Canadian Writer’s Guide, 12th ed. Markham: Fitzhenry
& Whiteside, 1997.
The Vatican:
Catechism of Catholic Church – www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm
Wilputte,
Diane. PWAC Guide to Canadian Markets for Professional Freelance Writers.
Toronto: PWAC, 2000.
Writer’s
Digest – www.writersdigest.com
Zinsser, William. On Writing Well. New York: Harper Collins, 2001.
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