Vanden Brink 5

Lesson
Diving Headfirst into Creative Writing Date October 31, 2023
Title/Focus
Subject/Grade Time
Language Arts – Grade 6 55 Minutes
Level Duration

Unit Short Story/Creative Writing Teacher Ms. Vanden Brink

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

Guiding
Question:
How is precise writing influenced by ongoing craft and process development?
Learning Students create texts that reflect personal voice and style through creative and critical
Outcome:
thinking processes.
KNOWLEDGE UNDERSTANDING SKILLS & PROCEDURES
Word choice can reflect the
author’s voice or style. Creative thinking can enhance Create narratives that develop
personal style and voice through setting, plot, and character using
experimenting with, evaluating, and suspense, figurative language,
selecting details. and dialogue.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
1. Review key literacy and figurative language terminology.
a. Define setting, plot, character, suspense, simile, metaphor
2. Write introductory paragraphs responding to an image prompt
a. Practice pre-writing skills using a graphic organizer or another other organizing system
b. Receive and give feedback to peers
c. Explore setting, plot, character, suspense, and figurative/descriptive language in their own writing

ASSESSMENTS
Observations: • Classroom monitoring: Do students remember the concepts from the previous lesson?
Do I need more support systems in place for this task? Are students getting effective
feedback from their peers? Are students prepared to move to the next step of writing?

Key Questions: • How do we plan for the writing process?

• What information should we include in an introductory paragraph?
• How can we create interest/suspense in our writing?
• How can we develop storylines around a given prompt?

Formative Assessments: Class response to image prompt: What is their current creative process?
Student answers to terminology review: What understanding do they have of key terms?
Submitted pre-writing sketches and introductory paragraphs: How does each student
plan? Are their practices effective? Where are their current writing levels?
‘Fist to Five’ Responses: How does the class feel about the past lesson?
Feedback To Students:
Responses to student questions
Peer feedback in Think-Pair-Share
Comments while wandering during pre-writing/writing stages

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED
• Alberta Program of Studies (Language Arts Grade 6)
• Google Images (For image prompt examples)
Prior to lesson
Advance
Organizer/Agenda
Attention Grabber
Transition to Body
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MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Image Prompts
• Blank Organizer Sheets
• Writing Paper
PROCEDURE
- Find image prompts to use
- Organize 5 groups of 4 students (20 students in class)
- Make PowerPoint Slides
- Prepare blank organizer and writing paper
Introduction Time
1. Introduction & Review
2. Introduce activity
3. Initial planning stage
4. Think-Share-Pair
5. Writing
6. Conclusion
- Show image prompt of the floating house surrounded by birds.
Brainstorm as a class:
o Why do you think the house is in the air?
o Do the birds have anything to do with it?
o Does anyone live in the house?
o Is the house being in the air a problem, or is it an
adventure?
o What is going to happen next?
o Is this a fun story, or is it a scary story?
o Does this remind you of a story you might already know?
(Pixar’s UP?) 10 min
- Review terms from previous class: “setting, plot, character,
suspense, simile, metaphor, figurative/descriptive language”
o With the answers suggested by students for the image
prompt, have students identify elements of
setting/plot/character/suspense.
o What metaphor or simile could you use to describe the
house?
▪ Ex. “The house was a ship, sailing through the
sky” or “Our house was like a great heavy bird,
flapping through the air.”
- Introduce activity to students
o Explain that they will be writing introductions to short
stories, choosing from several image prompts to create
their story.
o Show students the images they can choose from, leaving 5 min
the options on screen for reference while students work.
o Before beginning to write, they must demonstrate some
pre-writing planning. This can be done either on blank
copies of the graphic organizer used in the previous class,

Learning Activity
Teacher Notes:
Assessments/
Differentiation
Consolidation of Learning: Wrap-Up:
Transition To Next Lesson
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or on blank paper. This planning page is to be turned in
alongside their introductory paragraphs.
o Ask if students have any questions, before they begin the
assignment.
Body Time
- In the pre-writing stage, students will select a prompt that want to
write about, and brainstorm ideas.
o Students aren’t required to use the graphic planner if they
are used to writing down their ideas in another manner,
but remind them that they are required to turn a planning
sheet developing plot, character, setting, hooks, and
writing devices. (Write these components down on the
board, so that those who choose not to use the sheet will
have the reminder.)
o Planning looks different for everyone- some people like to
write out full sentences, other people like drawing pictures
or writing one word ideas. 10 min pre-
- After students have spent 10 minutes in the planning stage, they writing, 7
will take their planning sheets and move into the same groups of min peer
4 that they were in for the prior lesson. In these groups, students review,
will engage in a short Think-Pair-Share exercise. 20 writing
o Remind students to keep their feedback concise,
respectful, and helpful.
- After receiving peer feedback, students will begin writing their
short story introductions.
o Remind students that length isn’t the most important part
of a strong introduction- what your sentences say is more
important than how much they say!
o Allow quiet work time for 20 minutes, answering
questions from students as needed.
- Using the Think-Pair-Share strategy in a small group setting allows students to
receive feedback from multiple peers
- Students may structure their story planning in a way that works best for them,
rather than using the worksheet
- Provide noise cancelling headphones for students who need quiet to work.
Closure Time
- ‘Fist to Five’ to the following questions:
o Did you have a good amount of time in the planning
stage?
3 min
o Did you have a good amount of time in the writing stage?
o How proud are you with what you wrote today?
- Have students hand in their introductory paragraphs and planning
sheets
- You have some super exciting starts to some very interesting stories!
- Next class, we will be looking at how to continue our stories: we’ve worked a lot
on introductions, but what comes next?