Writing Unit Plans

Here are a list of online resources to help with a creative writing unit plan for high school language arts and communication.

Creative Writing Course Syllabus from Van Buren High School

http://mumstudents.org/~rincorvia/curriculum/CreativeWritingSyllabus.pdf

I like this unit plan because it has a daily structure of starting out with a free write and then moving onto direct instruction then a half hour of writing. This large unit, although not particularly detailed, has a few types of larger writing ideas. My personal favorite part is that it ends with a portfolio of writing. I think that it is important to collect, publish and share work with others. This unit also had some decent rubrics that are a little subjective for my style, but are a good start.

Ten Creative Writing Activities by Traci Gardner

http://www.tengrrl.com/tens/017.shtml

This site, although not really a unit plan, has a list of about ten activities that are geared for a younger age, but could easily be used for older students as well. I especially liked the second activity called Jumble Story where students choose numbers, then go to the lists to write a story about random ideas that they chose. I myself actually want to write a story using this exercise. It is often said that if it sounds boring to you, it will probably be boring for the students and I truly think this would be fun. For example, a photographer is at a college library after a thunderstorm has passed and someone has accused someone else of doing something wrong. I can already imagine myself outside of Wilson Library with a camera, it is wet out and some West Bank crusties are arguing over who ate the last piece of falafel or something to that extent. With only a few ideas that are somewhat universal, I can imagine myself in a very specific time and space that I am familiar with. I like the simplicity if this site because it would easy to turn it into a unit with some revisions.

Ideas for a Letter Writing Unit

http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/letterwrite.htm

I won't go into detail, but I forgot about letter writing as a form of writing. It compares and contrasts handwritten letters vs emails, which is interesting. Pen pal Fridays would be a great way to end the week...

Persuasive Writing and Speaking

 http://www.odu.edu/~kdepew/examples/halat2006%5Bunit%5D.pdf

This unit was good because it had a focus on African American Authors. I looked up the author of the unit and it appears that she was awarded a new teacher of the year award her first year teaching.

Here is her class website with some additional (and newer) material.
http://www.biloxischools.net/schools/bhs/faculty/lynetta.halat/