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Creative Writing
Syllabus - Fall 2004
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This syllabus is subject to change, in terms of both content and schedule. Detailed notes, resources, and assignments will be posted for each unit.
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In this unit, students will write three personal narrative rough drafts and select two for final “publication” and inclusion in a unit portfolio. Final essays can be used as college essays and/or submitted for other forms of publication. The narrative writing process will include daily journaling, writing practice, instruction, and peer group work with an emphasis on the following activities and skills:
- Keeping a journal
- Responding to prompts
- Analyzing published models of personal narrative essays for point of view, narrative style, voice, tone, use of figurative language and imagery, etc.
- Choosing details
- Determining purpose
- Writing for an audience
- Choosing an appropriate point of view for audience and purpose
- Writing with voice and tone
- Using vivid language
- Experimenting with different writing techniques
- Writing creative nonfiction based on real-life experiences
- Peer evaluation
- Editing, revising, and publishing
- Exploring various publishing and contest opportunities
ttopheir portfolio and/or in another form ofpublication, as well as complete and self-assess the final rject.
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Unit II - The Short Story
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In this unit, students will select one short story from a series of execise and drafts for final publication and inclusion in a unit portfolio. Short stories can be submitted for other forms of publication. The short story writing process will build upon the skills learned in Unit I as students continue with daily journaling, writing practice, analysis of authors’ techniques in various short stories, and peer group work with an emphasis on:
- Keeping a journal to generate ideas
- Responding to prompts
- Using models to dissect author's decisions on the various elements of the short story
- Creating settings
- Developing characters
- Constructing plot and conflict
- Selecting point of view, mood, and tone
- Using figurative language and imagery to create tone and mood
- Working with dialogue
- Using personal experience as a basis for fiction
- Separating author and narrator
- Exploring various publishing and contest opportunities
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In this unit, students will generate short scripts and screen plays from prompts written in class, from ideas gathered and collected together in their journals, from television shows or movies, from models of their own choosing, and from classroom exercises. Working in pairs or small groups, students will create and “publish” a script or screenplay written by committee. The final script or screenplay will be included in each group member’s unit portfolio and/or submitted for other forms of publication. Students will build upon the skills developed in the previous units with an emphasis on:
- Understanding the different formulas, styles, and techniques appropriate to the various genres of stage, television, and film writing
- Analyzing decisions made by playwrights and screenwriters
- Developing characters for stage and screen as opposed to print
- Writing stage directions
- Working with setting and space
- Using scene divisions
- Compressing time and dialogue
- Pitching a concept and presenting a small portion of a script to the class
- How to Format Scenes in a Screenplay - Exercise
- Download the Screenplay Portfolio Self-Assessment (Word document)
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Unit IV - Poetry
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In this unit, students will apply the principles learned so far in journaling, using poetic license, writing with voice, figurative language, sensory images, and applying conventions to create poetry. Students will create a final portfolio of poems they've created which show a variety of themes and voices. Students will continue daily journaling, writing practice, instruction, and peer group work with an emphasis on:
- Writing prescriptively in a variety of poetic genres
- Analyzing published poetry
- Studying and applying the conventions of poetry as the create and enhance meaning
- Writing metrical poetry and free verse
- Exploring various publishing and contest opportunities
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| ©2004-2006 carla kurt |
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