Creative Writing Documents and Resources
Fall Semester 2015
Major Assignment Point Breakdown
Writing Personality Survey
Digital Story Assignment
Finding Your Story - Invention Strategies
Digital Story Checklist
Draft calendar - Weeks 1-4
Outlining and Invention Strategies
Revision Strategies
Final Digital Story Rubric
Digital Story Self-Assessment
Telling a Story Assignment
Telling a Story Rubric
Character Build worksheet
Greek Gods and Goddesses Spreadsheet - Choose the Greek god or goddess most like your character. MS Excel version. PDF version (you'll have to zoom in to read this version)
List of archetypes from Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey
Harry Potter Character Challenge
Setting Questionnaire
Point of View Diagrams
Poetry Cycle Assignment
Poetry Rubric
Fast and Slow Poems
Poetic Effects Handout
Line Break Effects
General Workshop Prep Form
Journal Prompts
Journal Entry 1 - Do a self-assessment of your story relative to the five story elements we've discussed thus far: dramatic question, moment of change, character development, unity (beginnings and endings), and description and word choice.
Journal Entry 2 - Describe your experience revising and editing the draft of your digital story. What parts of this process did you feel good about? What parts of this process were difficult? What questions or uncertainties came up for you in this process, or come up for you generally, in revision?
Journal Entry 3 - What kind of emotional impact do you want your story to have on an audience? Reflect on the process of trying to elicit that reaction through the use of images, sound, music, words, pacing, rhythm, and other effects in your digital story.
Journal Entry 4 - Do a self-assessment of your final digital story using this rubric.
Journal Entry 5 - Which of the three aspects of developing a character that we went over last week-- finding a character, building the character, dialogue and details--do you feel will be or has been the most challenging for you? Why? What do you think is the most productive way to overcome this challenge?
Journal Entry 6 - In revising your story, what aspect of your writing do you want to focus on (e.g. character, plot, point of view, description, etc.) If you just have a vague feeling that you want the story to be “more this way” or “less that way,” write about that. What questions about creative writing and storytelling did this story generate for you?
Journal Entry 7 - Think about the three levels of writing (high, middle, or close) that we've talked about. Use the workshop worksheet as a reference for the three levels. In writing your poems, which level captures your attention first? Why do you gravitate toward this level of writing first? Do you feel one level or one specific element (such as sound, character, metaphor, meaning, etc.) is more important for your poetry than the others? Why?
Journal entry 8: What did you discover about your poetic voice writing your cycle of poems? Does it feel natural to write short, compact poems? Or long, rambling prose-like lines? Or do you think it depends on the subject matter? Write paragraphs reflecting on what you value in poetry and how this relates to the draft poems you've been working on.
Journal entry 9: Thinking about the different aspects of writing that on the workshop worksheets and your experience with the assignments so far, what do you enjoy most about creative writing? Write about why you enjoy this aspect of writing? Be specific. Be poetic. Let it flow.
Journal 10 – Re-read your journals thus far. What successes and challenges have you had with storytelling and poetry this semester?
Pick two aspects of creative writing that you’d like to explore in more depth. One of these will be the subject of your spell and the lesson that you teach to the 9th graders. These can be high level concerns such as meaning, point of view, or tone; mid-level issues, such as character, plot, description, metaphor, setting, or form; or a close level concerns, such as sentence structure, rhythm, rhyme, or word choice. Indicate which one you are most interested in.
What do you feel like you know about this element? What questions do you still have? Why are you interested in this part of your writing right now? Use at least two examples from your own writing to elaborate what you mean.
Readings
The Flowers by Alice Walker
Living Like Weasels by Annie Dillard
The Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos Williams
Ode to the Drum by Yusef Komunyakaa
The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara
Thank You Ma'am by Langston Hughes
A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway
About a Boy (chapter 2) by Nick Hornby
Geography by Natasha Trethewey
Poems by Joy Harjo
A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor
For Workshop
Reflection Cover Sheet
Workshop Prep Worksheet
Dawson Zwick
Kaylie Hodnett (Part 1 and Part 2)
Shane Ellis
Katie Austin
Stephen Jobson
Serena Bennett
Brittan Collins
Tia McKinney
Keenan Desplanques
Dan Lorenz
Digital Stories
Alley Cat by Karen Haney - A story about a granddaughter, a grandmother, Alzheimer's, and learning to dance.
American Dreams by Sasha Milonova - A story about the Russian dream, the American dream and a family, at times, waking up
Finding You by Holly McClelland - A story about estrangement, Song of the Southwest, a father, and a daughter
Greetings from the Grand Canyon by Daniel Weinshenker - The first pictures a boy ever took, divorce, and an old cigar box.
Particpant/Observation by Wynne Maggi - A Pakistani woman in a rural village, an American woman doing fieldwork, and a baby
Snapshot by Leah Potts - A story about a skiing accident, paralysis, and a the request for a photo
Tanya by Monte Hallis - A story about finding a real friend, facing death, and a middle name
Lucinda by Elyse Marsh - A story about a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass, a massive road trip, and a cloud of head gasket smoke
Helping Your Community by Volunteering by Colin Steele - Colin's story is a humorous look into what it takes to become a volunteer
The Questions We Ask by Bruce Kirkby, a combination film and poem! (consider if this is a "story.")
Damon by Bruce Thevenin - A story about a couple, a boy, and Nemo
Limbo by Kara Kotler - A story about a phone call, kidneys, and limbo
Josef by Brad Johnson - Kohlrabi, aunts, immigration, Doris Day and two sticks of butter on the table
Baby Bigfoot on Ice by Jim Walsh - A story about a father, a son, and a baby bigfoot...on ice
7th Word by Tate' Blackbear - A story about Wojapi, hungry bears, learning Lakota, and a bus driver.
Rites of Passage by Nikiko Masumoto - A story about comparing one's educational experiences with those of her grandmother who graduated from high school at a concentration camp for US citizens of Japanese descent during WWII
Failed Rap by Joven Senoran - A story about a rap, a mentor, and giving back
What are they looking at? by Daniel Meadows - A story about a picture, a storefront, and a moment.
The Haunts of Home by Amelia Wong - A story about bedbugs, home, and belonging.
Pet by Kelsey Robson - A story about pets, home, and where you go when you cannot go home
Progression by Nick Damato - Through The Eyes of A DySleXiC Student
Public Domain Sources - Here are links for images, video, and music that's in the public domain.
Archive.org
You Tube Video Archive
Library of Congress
Historic Films Stock Footage
Free Music Archive
Jamendo
Music Bed
Marmoset
Fall Semester 2014
Readings
An Example of the Revision Process - From Burroway, Janet. (1992) Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft. 3rd edition. New York: Harper Collins. This includes versions of Stephen Dunning's story Wanting to Fly
"The Barn and the Bees," by Kim Stafford from his book Having Everything Right
Writing Down the Bones (selections) by Natalie Goldberg
Invisible Cities - selection from Italo Calvino
The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara
Thank You Ma'am by Langston Hughes
Packet of Character Poems
Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway
A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway
The Color Purple - selection from by Alice Walker
About a Boy - selection from Nick Hornby
How to Tell a True War Story by Tim O'Brien
Geography by Natasha Trethewey
Poems by Joy Harjo
Living Like Weasels by Annie Dillard
Crickets by Marcus Renner
Student Workshop Submissions
Documents
Powerwriting explanation
Writing Notebook - Look for things that you find interesting and that you could use to start a writing project.
Writing to Truth Assignment - Explains the first take home writing assignment
Abstract vs. Concrete - Find concrete images to replace the abstract words in the left column
Character Build worksheet
Greek Gods and Goddesses Spreadsheet - Choose the Greek god or goddess most like your character. MS Excel version. PDF version (you'll have to zoom in to read this version)
List of archetypes from Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey
Telling a Story Assignment
Writing Correction Symbols
Creative Writing Rubrics
Creative Writing Point Distribution
Setting Questionnaire
Writing Reflection Assignment
Writing to Truth Revision Assignment
Ensembles and Love Stories Handout
Syntax Handout - Sentence Patterns
Some Poetic Effects Handout
Mid-Semester Spell Check
Workshop Prep Form (MS Word or PDF)
Assignment Reflection Sheet (MS Word or PDF)
Sample Spells
Writer's Toolbox Assignment
Writer's Toolbox Inventory (MS Excel or PDF)
Spell Assignment
Teaching Assignment and Worksheet
December Schedule and Extra Credit Revision Assignment
Links
Training for Dumbledore's Army - writing is akin to conjuring a patronus
Hermione explains how the love potion - the key to magic is concrete images
All Quiet on the Western Front ending (Old) - note the packed image at the end captures the meaning of the whole novel
All Quiet on the Western Front ending (New) - note how the tone sets up the final image
Wonder Boys clip - this is what writer's do in their spare time
Chris Abani's TEDx talk - We watched him read Ode to a Drum by Yousef Koumanaka at the end of his talk
The Dog Bite Spell
Major Assignment Point Breakdown
Writing Personality Survey
Digital Story Assignment
Finding Your Story - Invention Strategies
Digital Story Checklist
Draft calendar - Weeks 1-4
Outlining and Invention Strategies
Revision Strategies
Final Digital Story Rubric
Digital Story Self-Assessment
Telling a Story Assignment
Telling a Story Rubric
Character Build worksheet
Greek Gods and Goddesses Spreadsheet - Choose the Greek god or goddess most like your character. MS Excel version. PDF version (you'll have to zoom in to read this version)
List of archetypes from Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey
Harry Potter Character Challenge
Setting Questionnaire
Point of View Diagrams
Poetry Cycle Assignment
Poetry Rubric
Fast and Slow Poems
Poetic Effects Handout
Line Break Effects
General Workshop Prep Form
Journal Prompts
Journal Entry 1 - Do a self-assessment of your story relative to the five story elements we've discussed thus far: dramatic question, moment of change, character development, unity (beginnings and endings), and description and word choice.
Journal Entry 2 - Describe your experience revising and editing the draft of your digital story. What parts of this process did you feel good about? What parts of this process were difficult? What questions or uncertainties came up for you in this process, or come up for you generally, in revision?
Journal Entry 3 - What kind of emotional impact do you want your story to have on an audience? Reflect on the process of trying to elicit that reaction through the use of images, sound, music, words, pacing, rhythm, and other effects in your digital story.
Journal Entry 4 - Do a self-assessment of your final digital story using this rubric.
Journal Entry 5 - Which of the three aspects of developing a character that we went over last week-- finding a character, building the character, dialogue and details--do you feel will be or has been the most challenging for you? Why? What do you think is the most productive way to overcome this challenge?
Journal Entry 6 - In revising your story, what aspect of your writing do you want to focus on (e.g. character, plot, point of view, description, etc.) If you just have a vague feeling that you want the story to be “more this way” or “less that way,” write about that. What questions about creative writing and storytelling did this story generate for you?
Journal Entry 7 - Think about the three levels of writing (high, middle, or close) that we've talked about. Use the workshop worksheet as a reference for the three levels. In writing your poems, which level captures your attention first? Why do you gravitate toward this level of writing first? Do you feel one level or one specific element (such as sound, character, metaphor, meaning, etc.) is more important for your poetry than the others? Why?
Journal entry 8: What did you discover about your poetic voice writing your cycle of poems? Does it feel natural to write short, compact poems? Or long, rambling prose-like lines? Or do you think it depends on the subject matter? Write paragraphs reflecting on what you value in poetry and how this relates to the draft poems you've been working on.
Journal entry 9: Thinking about the different aspects of writing that on the workshop worksheets and your experience with the assignments so far, what do you enjoy most about creative writing? Write about why you enjoy this aspect of writing? Be specific. Be poetic. Let it flow.
Journal 10 – Re-read your journals thus far. What successes and challenges have you had with storytelling and poetry this semester?
Pick two aspects of creative writing that you’d like to explore in more depth. One of these will be the subject of your spell and the lesson that you teach to the 9th graders. These can be high level concerns such as meaning, point of view, or tone; mid-level issues, such as character, plot, description, metaphor, setting, or form; or a close level concerns, such as sentence structure, rhythm, rhyme, or word choice. Indicate which one you are most interested in.
What do you feel like you know about this element? What questions do you still have? Why are you interested in this part of your writing right now? Use at least two examples from your own writing to elaborate what you mean.
Readings
The Flowers by Alice Walker
Living Like Weasels by Annie Dillard
The Red Wheelbarrow by William Carlos Williams
Ode to the Drum by Yusef Komunyakaa
The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara
Thank You Ma'am by Langston Hughes
A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway
About a Boy (chapter 2) by Nick Hornby
Geography by Natasha Trethewey
Poems by Joy Harjo
A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor
For Workshop
Reflection Cover Sheet
Workshop Prep Worksheet
Dawson Zwick
Kaylie Hodnett (Part 1 and Part 2)
Shane Ellis
Katie Austin
Stephen Jobson
Serena Bennett
Brittan Collins
Tia McKinney
Keenan Desplanques
Dan Lorenz
Digital Stories
Alley Cat by Karen Haney - A story about a granddaughter, a grandmother, Alzheimer's, and learning to dance.
American Dreams by Sasha Milonova - A story about the Russian dream, the American dream and a family, at times, waking up
Finding You by Holly McClelland - A story about estrangement, Song of the Southwest, a father, and a daughter
Greetings from the Grand Canyon by Daniel Weinshenker - The first pictures a boy ever took, divorce, and an old cigar box.
Particpant/Observation by Wynne Maggi - A Pakistani woman in a rural village, an American woman doing fieldwork, and a baby
Snapshot by Leah Potts - A story about a skiing accident, paralysis, and a the request for a photo
Tanya by Monte Hallis - A story about finding a real friend, facing death, and a middle name
Lucinda by Elyse Marsh - A story about a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass, a massive road trip, and a cloud of head gasket smoke
Helping Your Community by Volunteering by Colin Steele - Colin's story is a humorous look into what it takes to become a volunteer
The Questions We Ask by Bruce Kirkby, a combination film and poem! (consider if this is a "story.")
Damon by Bruce Thevenin - A story about a couple, a boy, and Nemo
Limbo by Kara Kotler - A story about a phone call, kidneys, and limbo
Josef by Brad Johnson - Kohlrabi, aunts, immigration, Doris Day and two sticks of butter on the table
Baby Bigfoot on Ice by Jim Walsh - A story about a father, a son, and a baby bigfoot...on ice
7th Word by Tate' Blackbear - A story about Wojapi, hungry bears, learning Lakota, and a bus driver.
Rites of Passage by Nikiko Masumoto - A story about comparing one's educational experiences with those of her grandmother who graduated from high school at a concentration camp for US citizens of Japanese descent during WWII
Failed Rap by Joven Senoran - A story about a rap, a mentor, and giving back
What are they looking at? by Daniel Meadows - A story about a picture, a storefront, and a moment.
The Haunts of Home by Amelia Wong - A story about bedbugs, home, and belonging.
Pet by Kelsey Robson - A story about pets, home, and where you go when you cannot go home
Progression by Nick Damato - Through The Eyes of A DySleXiC Student
Public Domain Sources - Here are links for images, video, and music that's in the public domain.
Archive.org
You Tube Video Archive
Library of Congress
Historic Films Stock Footage
Free Music Archive
Jamendo
Music Bed
Marmoset
Fall Semester 2014
Readings
An Example of the Revision Process - From Burroway, Janet. (1992) Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft. 3rd edition. New York: Harper Collins. This includes versions of Stephen Dunning's story Wanting to Fly
"The Barn and the Bees," by Kim Stafford from his book Having Everything Right
Writing Down the Bones (selections) by Natalie Goldberg
Invisible Cities - selection from Italo Calvino
The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara
Thank You Ma'am by Langston Hughes
Packet of Character Poems
Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway
A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway
The Color Purple - selection from by Alice Walker
About a Boy - selection from Nick Hornby
How to Tell a True War Story by Tim O'Brien
Geography by Natasha Trethewey
Poems by Joy Harjo
Living Like Weasels by Annie Dillard
Crickets by Marcus Renner
Student Workshop Submissions
- Sienna Wells
- Hayden Stills
- Nolan Stowers
- Tony Williams
- Travis Carlson
- Riley Wanzek
- Emily Wieser
- Chase Pierson
- Dakota Padilla
- Cole Hawkins
- Sarah Anthony
- Licia Martinez
- Conner Murphy
- Rachel Gonzalez
Documents
Powerwriting explanation
Writing Notebook - Look for things that you find interesting and that you could use to start a writing project.
Writing to Truth Assignment - Explains the first take home writing assignment
Abstract vs. Concrete - Find concrete images to replace the abstract words in the left column
Character Build worksheet
Greek Gods and Goddesses Spreadsheet - Choose the Greek god or goddess most like your character. MS Excel version. PDF version (you'll have to zoom in to read this version)
List of archetypes from Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey
Telling a Story Assignment
Writing Correction Symbols
Creative Writing Rubrics
Creative Writing Point Distribution
Setting Questionnaire
Writing Reflection Assignment
Writing to Truth Revision Assignment
Ensembles and Love Stories Handout
Syntax Handout - Sentence Patterns
Some Poetic Effects Handout
Mid-Semester Spell Check
Workshop Prep Form (MS Word or PDF)
Assignment Reflection Sheet (MS Word or PDF)
Sample Spells
Writer's Toolbox Assignment
Writer's Toolbox Inventory (MS Excel or PDF)
Spell Assignment
Teaching Assignment and Worksheet
December Schedule and Extra Credit Revision Assignment
Links
Training for Dumbledore's Army - writing is akin to conjuring a patronus
Hermione explains how the love potion - the key to magic is concrete images
All Quiet on the Western Front ending (Old) - note the packed image at the end captures the meaning of the whole novel
All Quiet on the Western Front ending (New) - note how the tone sets up the final image
Wonder Boys clip - this is what writer's do in their spare time
Chris Abani's TEDx talk - We watched him read Ode to a Drum by Yousef Koumanaka at the end of his talk
The Dog Bite Spell