Valhalla Union Free School District

Curriculum GUIDE
Course: Creative Writing

Course Description: This half-year English elective is conducted as a writing workshop. Students are expected to be prepared to
share short work daily and weekly as well as to provide feedback to their peers . You will be expected to explore all areas of the
writing process on a daily basis (Prewriting, Drafting, Revising, Editing and Publishing). You will read much more than you
expect, and write more than you realize. Finished required pieces vary from year to year, but below are some of the pieces students
have completed in the past.

Unit/Time Frame Essential Questions Unit Goals Assessments Standards Resources

My Name History What is the importance of story? Recognize A short narrative 11-12W4, 11- “My Name” by Sandra
literary explaining the 12L3 Cisneros.
To what extent are our name elements in history of your first,
history’s permanent? professional last, middle, or
models. nickname.
How does a story change and
evolve over time? Examine the
role a name
has in our lives.

Create short
narrative pieces
that speak to
our identity.
Student User Manual What is the value in teaching Examine our Students create a 11-12 W2a, 11-12 User Manual Tutorial:
others how we want to be own inner lives. multimedia “User W2b, 11-12W2c, https://www.youtube.com/watc
treated? Manual” that 11-12W2d, 11- h?v=LbBUhTEIgMk&t=3s
Consider how serves as a way 12W2e, 11-
In examining how we want others see us. for others to get to 12W2f, Student Exemplar:
others to be treated, what do we know them. 11-12L3 https://docs.google.com/docum
learn about ourselves? Build the skill of ent/d/1EqhBjydA6rVhJxVaVpR
empathy. Optional free self- a1S6h8A-
How well do we know ourselves? assessments. hTfPYk2jENYWBvno/edit?usp=
Express sharing
personal details Partnering with
creatively for an Library Media
audience. Team to utilize free
tools.

Descriptive Writing How does how we see an object Discover the Students select a 11-12W4, 11- David Foster Wallace on Roger
differ from how others see it power of person place or 12L5, 11-12L6 Federer
imagery in thing and describe
What does it mean to look at student writing. it using tools from Radiolab’s Moments Video
something? professional https://www.youtube.com/watc
Introduce models. h?v=WlQWAT_7R7s
How do we decide what we descriptive
notice? nonfiction. Slowing down a Writing from images.
moment.
How can we become more Help others see
aware of our surroundings? the world as we
do.

Vignette What does it take to capture the Examine the Students write a 11-12W3, 11-12 Student exemplars.
emotion of one scene? hallmarks of micro piece of L5 Professional examples from
good fiction beginning published short stories
How do we determine what descriptive with one scene. including The Glass Castle by
moments in our lives are with writing. Jeanette Walls, The Other Wes
revisiting? Moore by Wes Moore, The
Introduce a Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom
How does a writer capture a character into by Amy Chua, and On Writing
scene that is unique to him or writing. by Stephen King.
her?
Experiment with
realistic
dialogue.
The Short Story What makes a story Familiarize Students will 11-12W3a, 11- Excerpts from a wide range of
unforgettable? ourselves with compose a 12W3b, 11- authors including: Tim O’Brien,
the complete story 12W3c, 11- Jason Reynolds, David
Why do humans tell stories? fundamental with exposition, 12W3d, 11- Sedaris, Richard O’Connell,
short story rising action, 12W3e Edgar Allan Poe, and many
What is the relationship between structure. climax, falling 11-12L5 others.
truth and fiction? action and
Analyze what resolution.
What are the fundamental techniques
building blocks of a narrative professional Optional: students
structure? writers use to will record their
tell compelling short story on
stories. audio.

Examine what
makes stories
interesting to
read.

Poetry What is the purpose of poetry? Explore an Students will 11-12W4, 11- Poetry 180
array of experiment with 12L5
To what extent should “rules” authors, styles, different forms of Selected works of classic and
exist in writing poetry? and purposes poetry including contemporary poetry.
of poetry. haiku, rhyming
How does grammar and couplets, and free-
punctuation affect poetry? Determine how verse.
author’s stylistic
choices impact
effectiveness.

Analyze the
function and
effects of poetic
devices.

Construct
original poems.

Student Blogging What changes when we publish Learn best Students will 11-12W2, 11- Kidblog.org
our writing for others to read? practices of produce a weekly 12L3 Google Classroom
peer feedback. public blog post.
How does writing change when it Access to student
is public? Practice work can be
 appropriate insulated to only
forms of public be viewable by
commentary on Valhalla students.
student work.

Arrange works
of writing for
public review.

Meet deadlines.

The Personal Essay What makes an essay personal? Examine the Students will 11-12W3, 11- Excerpts from College
traits of brainstorm topics 12L3, 11-12L5 Admission Essay Collections.
Why would a personal essay be effective for a future college
read by an audience? personal essay. Essays of David Sedaris, Haziq
essays. Abdul Rahim, Bill Simmons,
Why do Colleges require a Students discuss and others.
personal essay? Brainstorm lists the traits of
of powerful effective personal
topics for essays.
personal
essays. Students deliver
an edited final
Draft various version of their
openings. personal essay.

Experiment with
different forms
and structures
of personal
essays.

Profile Writing What type of questions help you Consider what Students are 11-12W2 The Blind Man Who Taught
get to know a person? makes effective paired up with a 11-12L3 Himself to See
questions. classmate: they
What is the difference between exchange Profile mini-lessons.
personal and private? interviews, and
compose flattering In-class peer interviews.
How do you get a profile subject portrayals of a
to be comfortable sharing? peer.

What value exists in learning

about a classmate on this level
Review Writing What is the value of literary Examine the Students compose 11-12R9, 11- Food writing by Craig LaBan,
criticism? difference a full-length review 12W1, 11-12L3 Anthony Bourdain, and
between in their favorite Jonathan Gold.
What differences exist between critique and genre.
feedback and criticism? review. Assorted music reviews from
Pitchfork Magazine.
What would happen without Discuss the role
“experts” ? between Film reviews from Rotten
creator and Tomatoes.
What makes someone qualified critic.
to review a piece of art?
Read and
annotate
professional
reviews.

Discuss the
value society
places on
recommendatio
ns in today’s
society.

Memoir How much of a memoir is true? Examine our Students: 11-12W4, 11- On Writing by Stephen King
lives. Write Six Word 12L5
What does true mean? Memoirs, mini- The House on Mango Street
Consider which memoirs and one Sandra Cisneros
What is the difference between stories are full-length memoir.
memory and truth? private and Black Like Me by John Howard
which are Griffin
What is the purpose of a public.
memoir? 6 Word Memoirs
Determine
What value is there in sharing a meaning from
personal memoir with an events in our
audience? lives.

Write with an
audience in
mind.

Work through
the writing
process.