Creative Writing Syllabus
Course Description
Creative Writing is an elective course for proficient writers who seek an overview of the basic aspects of creative writing techniques, emphasizing the use of the writing process. Producing individual weekly writing assignments to develop and enhance students’ writing skills is the major goal of the course. The most important aspect of the course is responsibility placed on students to improve their writing.
The course is designed to provide students the opportunity to write in a variety of genres, including poetry, short story, memoir, autobiography, letters, and scripts. Students will write for the purposes of description, narration, exposition, and persuasion.
The aim of the class is for students to produce multiple kinds of creative writing with the emphasis on revision and editing skills.
This emphasis will prove beneficial in other classes, for the key to good writing is good revision and editing. This emphasis supports the school goal of improving writing across the curriculum.
Students will use computers and word processing software in class to write and save their work on their student home directories.
There is no prerequisite for the class.
Instructional Philosophy
Directed Guided Practice is the instructional philosophy used to teach the creative writing class. The teacher teaches and/or re-teaches students the skills/concepts necessary to produce the writing assignments, and students then put into practice these skills/concepts. Whole group as well as individual instruction is used to reinforce and improve upon students’ prior knowledge of writing skills.
Expectations of Creative Writing Students
Students will meet the following expectations:
1.
Students are expected to follow all school rules and policies at all times. Students will demonstrate responsible conduct in class.
2.
Students are expected to meet all writing assignments (small or large) completely, correctly and on time.
3.
Students are expected to demonstrate positive and cooperative attitudes toward the instructor fellow students.
4.
Students are expected to safely and correctly handle all equipment and materials associated with the class such as computers, books, art, and magazines. Students will be held responsible for any damage due to improper or careless use of equipment or materials.
5.
Students are expected to take care of the classroom. All materials should be put away at the end of the class period.
Long
Range
Goals and Standards
Students enrolled in this course will be able to:
·
Create written work that has a clear focus, sufficient detail, coherent organization, effective use of voice, and correct use of the conventions of written Standard American English.
·
Write for a variety of purposes and audiences.
·
Access and use information from a variety of sources.
Major Assignments
The major assignment is a mini-book students will write and print toward the end of the class. It will include the genres of poetry and short story as well as student created art.
Grading Plan
All writing assignments will be graded according to the standard school district grading scale.
Reading List
Instructor produced materials.
Pacing Guide
The specific assignments of this course are often driven by students’ interests. In the beginning weeks of the course, assignments focus heavily on instruction in: basic writing skills, descriptive, narrative, and expository writing skills, composition and punctuation of dialogue, and keyboarding skills. As the course progresses, more instruction time is devoted to creating variety in sentence structure and paragraph development. Distributed Guided Practice by the teacher is interspersed with both small and large writing assignments.
First Quarter
Pacing Guide
Use of the Writing Process
Writing & punctuating dialogue
Use of sensory imagery/Use of figurative language devices
Writing from a cartoon
Writing from a photograph
Writing from a prompt/Writing effective titles
Writing to create mood
Writing verse from prose writing
Writing rhymed and metered poetry
Writing short stories and character development
Writing description & narration
Second Quarter
Pacing Guide
Writing exposition & persuasion
Writing & selecting writing for contests
Writing & selecting writing for submission to Sappony, the school’s art/literary magazine
Writing autobiography
Personal letter writing
Writing memoirs
Writing “how to” guides
Writing a letter to the editor of a newspaper
Writing a mini-book including a short story, poetry, and art
Classroom Procedures
Attendance
In order to be eligible to receive credit for this course, any absence over 5 must be by doctor’s note or administrative approval. (Refer to student handbook.) If students know in advance that they will be absent, they need to make arrangements to turn work in early or make alternate arrangements with the teacher.
Tardies
Students must be seated in the classroom and ready to being work when the bell rings. See Student Handbook on school tardy policy.
Materials Needed
Notebook, pens, and pencils every day. Student handbook to record deadlines.
Instructor: Lynne Kobelt
Email: lkobelt@greenville.k12.sc.us
Phone: 355-0161 Website: www.greenville.k12.sc.us/websites/wade/lkobelt/