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Prompt: Keri George This is the creative writing unit for Level 3 (UIC Tutorium) or upper intermediate level

class for pre-undergraduate students looking to improve their English for entrance into an American university. The course is reading/writing skills based for one semester of 15 weeks and the course is near the end of the semester. Students have worked on non-fiction/research essays, and we are three classes (6 contact hours) into the unit. Also, students have learned some peer critique skills for creating writing (introduced focus on content first instead of form), but reinforcement for those metaskills is planned for this unit.
Curriculum Unit: M: April Class Length: Reading/Writing Topics: Level: Context: Creative Writing Ages Range: 18-30

Date: D: 5 Y: 2012 2 hours split by hour Recent Topic Work: -personal narratives -descriptive writing/imagery -freewriting (Round Robin) Aims: -Teach SS story sequencing through Plot Mountain structure -Reinforce imagery vocabulary through written input and inductive learning -Review reported speech through Grapevine game -Review vocabulary and grammar structures for openers/closer/connectors (Passages 2008) Objectives: - Produce recycled vocabulary for use in creative writing -Recall imagery and reported speech vocab and grammar -Use Plot Mnt structure in their own stories -Identify openers/closers/connectors Time Procedure

Group: Level 3 Upper Inter. ESL UIC Tutorium Recent Language Work: -Openers/closers/connectors -Imagery vocabulary

Materials Needed: - Print outs (Plot Mnt., The Grapevine/Rumors About Dave, Review O/C/C from Passages) -Round Robin stories from previous class -Cut-out slip sentences for Plot Mtn activity - Dry/erase markers & board Assessment Strategies: --Grapevine Game: assess ability to imitate reported speech

Problems

Goals

5 min

Warm-up: Read Aloud Round Robin stories Step 1: SS are randomly handed back Round Robin stories from previous class (See: 4/4/12) Step 2: SS first read silently Step 3: Three SS volunteers read stories aloud Step 4: Whole class discussion: How do these stories make you feel? Are they funny? Sad? Do they make sense Why or why not? Step 5: Write paraphrased responses on board

SS do not understand content of Round Robin story they receive SS do not volunteer to read aloud SS do not notice lack of structure/sense in Round Robin storieswill be necessary to talk about Plot SS do not understand story plot structure (this structure may be cultural) SS do not understand Plot Mountain terms SS cannot correctly sequence the model 6 sentences. SS do not understand vocab in sentences SS cannot sequence sentences SS still do not understand terms of Plot Mnt

Pronunciation practice Repetition of imagery vocabulary through studentgenerated material Noticing openers/closers/ connectors

20 min

Lecture and Modeling: What is a PLOT? Step 1: Draw Plot Mountain on board, fill in only Beginning and End. (on final Plot Exposition and Resolution). To SS: What happens in between? Step 2: Point out Climax. Highest part of mountain, why? Step 3: Fill in rest of Plot Mountain six terms (see: Plot Sequencing Model appendix for details) Step 4: Magnet 6 scrambled sentences of a short story on the board. Volunteer SS read sentences aloud Step 4: Whole class: ask SS if they can figure out correct order. Once the order is found ask SS if they can place sentences in correct slots of Plot Mountain

Introduce basic plot structure to reinforce writing as a process Plot Mountain vocabulary comprehension

15 min

Partner Activity: Scrambled Sentences & Plot Mnt. Step 1: SS partner up Step 2: Hand out Plot Mnt worksheet and bundled slips of scrambled sentences (6 cut out slips/set, 3 sets/group) Step 3: Explain SS will do the same activity as shown on the board. SS will sequence sentences and place in appropriate Plot Mnt sections. Step 4: SS cannot move onto next bundle until it is checked by T

Reinforce Plot structure terms and format Reinforce imagery vocabulary with sentence strips Assessment check that students can sequence sentences and complete Plot Mnt.

10 min 20 min

Game: The Grapevine (inspired by Passages 2008 Whispers game) Step 1: Write I Heard it through the Grapevine. Draw 2 grapevines. To SS: Whats a grapevine? Step 2: Model Game: Each rumor starts with Did you hear about _______? Example from Passages
Teacher: Did you hear about Young-Min? He has a new girlfriend and she is 10 years older than him.

BREAK

SS do not understand concept of grapevine SS cannot memorize whole rumor to earn points SS become

Practice reported speech structures Practice storytelling techniques

Step 3: Teacher tells rumor out loud to first student,

following this structure:


Student 1: Did you hear about _____? Student 2: No, what happened? Student 1: Well, two weeks ago (last month, last year) . . .

frustrated with structure or content of rumors

Step 4: All SS practice repeating same rumor to the SS next to them until the rumor makes it back to T Step 5: Hand out Grapevine WS. Read directions aloud and check for comprehension Step 6: Split SS into 2 or 3 grapevines (depending on class size). Tape Dave Rumors on board (small text, cannot read from desks) Step 7: SS team captains (closest to board) go to board and read first rumor, return to grapevine and repeat to next SS, and the rumor passes down the vine. Once captain has related first rumor, s/he goes to board and gets next rumor (multiple rumors travel down vine at the same time). Step 8: Last SS must repeat rumor exactly to T to earn point. First team to correctly repeat all rumors wins. 10 min Review Openers/Closers/Connectors Step 1: Hand out Creating Story WS (Passages 2008, pp. 50) Step 2: SS complete Part A on their own Step 3: SS complete Part B with a partner SS do not understand new vocab SS cannot distinguish types of phrases for categories SS did not complete HW SS did not use any openers/closers/ connectors in stories SS cannot pick out plots from stories Reinforce openers/ closers/connectors vocab. Practice storytelling techniques SS can independently distinguish target vocab SS can independently distinguish target writing plot structure

20 min

Found Object Stories: Read and First Critique Step 1: SS take out Found Object Story HW Step 2: SS partner up Step 3: SS first read partners story silently. Ask partner for story clarification and meaning. Step 4: SS read partners story 2nd time and underline all openers/connectors/closers. Partners show each other their marks Step 5: T hands out blank Plot Mnt WS. Partners work together to fill out Plot Mnts for each story

10 min

Homework Explanation: Found Art Descriptive Essay Step 1: SS will Google Found Art. What is Found Art? Who started Found Art? Step 2: Choose an example of Found Art Step 3: Explain Descriptive Essay: use IMAGERY vocabulary from mindmap Step 4: SS write 10 sentences about Found Art piece. Answer these questions to get you started: What does it look like? Sound? Feel? Smell? Taste?

SS do not understand Found Art concept SS do not understand difference btw descriptive essay and story.

SS use target vocab in different writing genre

Homework: Due Next Class Found Art descriptive essay.

Notes/Adjustments:

Model for Plot Mountain

Six Sentences: Students must put the sentences into the correct order and in the correct Plot Mountain slot: (*sentences are ordered correctly below)
I woke up this morning feeling well-rested and ready for the day. Everything seemed normal untilCRASH!something broke in the kitchen. I felt scared, maybe it was a robber. I grabbed a bat, walked slowly to kitchen, nervously peaked inside the room, and saw the culprit! It was only my cat Fluffy. I picked up a broom and cleaned up the broken vase. *culprit: a person who has committed a crime or done something wrong

I Heard it Through the Grapevine


As a class you are going to form two grapevines and spread rumors about Dave. You will spread rumors from person to person in your line and when you reach the end of the line, the last person will spread the rumor to the teacher. The team that spreads the rumor the fastest wins. The teacher has a copy of the rumors so if you make a mistake or forget to say something, the teacher will ask you to find that information out.

A: Did you hear about Dave? B: No, what happened? A: Well . . . Two weeks ago . . .

Here are the key phrases:


Before that , Later, The next day , As soon as . . . Last year, A month ago, Up until then, The moment . . . When, Afterwards, Two weeks ago,

www.bogglesworldesl.com

Dave Rumors WS

Last week, Dave was eating lunch with another woman when his girlfriend walked in. The moment she saw Dave, she got really angry and she threw an apple at him. The next day, she started meeting another guy.

Two weeks ago, he got a parking ticket. Up until that time, he had never had a parking ticket. Later that day, he got a speeding ticket.

www.bogglesworldesl.com

A month ago, he went drinking with his seniors. As soon as he sat down, they made him drink 1 bottle of Soju. The next day, he got really sick. So afterwards, he promised to quit drinking.

3 days ago, Dave bought a new motorbike. Before that he had never driven a motorbike. As soon as he got on it, he got in an accident. The next day, he sold his bike.

www.bogglesworldesl.com

On Friday, he went skiing. Up until that time, he had never been skiing. The moment he got on his skis, he fell down and broke his leg. Afterwards, he said that he would never go skiing again.

Last Wednesday, he had an exam. Up until then, he never opened his books at all. So he tried to cheat. But the moment he started to copy his friends exam, the teacher caught him. Afterwards, the teacher gave him a zero.

Last year, he stole a bicycle. Up until yesterday, he rode it around town. But yesterday, the owner saw Dave on the bicycle. The moment he saw Dave, he called the police. Afterwards, the police caught Dave.

One week ago, he was driving down the highway. Suddenly, he saw a bright blue light. He stopped his car. As soon as he stopped his car, the bright blue light came towards him. The next day, he woke up in a field and he couldnt remember anything.
www.bogglesworldesl.com

Passages Activity for Review Openers/Closers/Connectors (Passages 2008, pp. 50)

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