Creative Writing Generals

Syllabus

            The creative writing generals class is designed to help all students enjoy creative writing and the writing process, regardless of language arts skills.  Students are given the opportunity to write and voice their opinions in a wide variety of writing styles, including poetry, short stories, personal narratives and other types of original fiction.  The class reinforces the KIRIS Writing Portfolio guidelines and allows students leeway in writing about topics he/she enjoys.

Assessment:  

            Evaluation of student's writing is only one element of the writing process.  A grade generally tells the student little about the specific strengths and weaknesses of the written work.  Correcting involves pointing out student's mistakes.  If it is done by the teacher with no further response required of the student, it is a useless activity.  Students who receive heavily marked up papers bearing nebulous, negative comments can themselves become negative about writing.  Therefore, it is imperative that the general writing class be an atmosphere in which the student understands that what he/she has to say is as important as the mechanics.  Conferencing and sharing student's writing plays an important role in the creative writing class.  In assigning a specific grade to the student's work, it is particularly helpful to know and understand the KIRIS Writing Portfolio Criteria:

                Purpose/Audience:  The degree to which the writer establishes and maintains a purpose, communicates with the audience, employs a suitable voice and/or tone.

                    Idea Development/Support:  The degree to which the writer provides thoughtful, detailed support to develop the main idea(s).

                    Organization:  The degree to which the writer demonstrates logical order, coherence, and transition and organizational signals.

                    Sentences:  The  degree to which the writer includes sentences that are varied in structure and length, constructed effectively and are complete and correct.

                    Language:  The degree to which the writer demonstrates correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.

The grading scale, as approved by the Fayette County Board of Education:

           A:  92-100

            B:  83-91

            C:  74-82

            D:  65-73

The creative writing generals grade is broken down into the following areas:

                    -Evidence of understanding/practicing writing

                    -Final product

                    -Evidence of creative writing growth

Examples of writing assignments:

                    -Pretend you wake up and discover that you have turned into a giant.  Write a short story about your adventures.

                    -Write a personal narrative about your favorite toy.

                    -Interview a friend or relative concerning a story when they were young.  Write that story using omniscient perspective.

Supplies needed for creative writing generals:

            creative writing folder

            paper

            pen/pencil

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