Creative Writing Unit
(nine-week unit with four days/week of class)
Created by
Heide AW Kaminski
Taught February/March 2012
Day One
•
•
•
•
What is a short story?
Pre-quiz
Make a folder and fill with:
Short story glossary, fill in some blanks
together
• Editing marks
• Short story rubric for your final project
• Read “Future Tense” by Robert Lipsyte
Day One
Words from the story to know
Strut
Mimic
Margin
Probe
Vivid
Humanoid
Manufacture
Tofu
Iota
Bespectacled
Conspiracy
Ordinary
Composition
Obstacle
Monotone
Dominate
First assignment: Crossword puzzle, worth five points

Day Two
• Writing prompt # 1 – by the end of this unit you will
have written 30 shorts based on the prompts, each is
worth one point, you will handwrite them during the
week and type them up in Fridays and put them in
your folder after I grade them. You have 5 minutes
for each prompt. Go!
Where is she
going?
Day Two
•Today we are going to make a mini-book about the
story we read yesterday. In it, we will have three pages
describing the major characters in the story, one page
for the plot summary, one for the conflict, one for the
resolution and one for the setting. Add a cover page
and the total page # is eight. Your book will be worth
10 points, as I will give two extra points for creating a
super cover page!
•Discuss story board
Day Three – writing prompt
What is behind this door?
Day Three
• What is “show” versus “tell”
• Getting Into Character Map – think about your story
you will write and fill in the character map – you
need to fill in ten attributes and, of course, the top of
the page. Worth 12 points! It goes into your folder
after I grade it!
• Plot Diagram – this is also for the story you will
write, worth 5 points and it goes into your folder
after I grade it.
• The Big Question – again, this is about your story,
worth 6 points, it goes into your folder after I grade
it.
• DON’T PANIC! YOU WILL HAVE TOMORROW TO
FINISH ALL THIS 
Day Four –writing prompt
What is he smiling about?
Day Four
• Finish the three items from yesterday
(character map, plot diagram and big
question), as you have to turn them in for
grading TODAY
• Work on your story 
Day Five – writing prompt
What is her story?
Day Five
• What are the different points of view and
why would you chose a particular one for
your story?
• Take notes, you will have to turn in a paper
to me, giving an example of each, worth
three points
Day Six – writing prompt
What is going on?
Day Six
• Elements of fiction: dialogue, blocking,
interior monologue, setting, character
description, figurative language,
personification, flashback, scene and
summary
• Short-short story, “Neighborhood Hassle”
• Find an example of each component in
this story, 10 points
Day Seven – writing prompt
What is he smiling about?
Day Seven
• Today we are going to have a “Writing Workshop,”
and the topic is…
“Recipe of Yourself”
First order of business: example and brainstorming for
interview questions
You will get into pairs, and have five minutes each to
interview one another (be sure to take notes!), then
you will create a recipe of your interview partner on
the computer, find a nice image that fits your recipe
to go with it
Last, but not least: PRESENT YOUR PARTNER TO THE
CLASS! (Oh, and get 10 points for doing a great job!)
Day Eight – writing prompt
What is your favorite song? Why is it your favorite?
Day Eight
We have some maps to work on for the
short story you are writing: Character map,
conflict map, resolution map, setting map.
These need to be turned in by the end of
next week for 12 points. Don’t
procrastinate!
Day Nine – writing prompt
Chose a room or
location that is
familiar to you and
pick 10 objects in
that room/location
that are pleasing
to you. Why do
you like them?
Mrs. K’s favorite place to be is Hamburg,
Germany 
I can give you 10,000 reasons why…
Day Nine
Office
staff
College students
http://www.cs.rochester.edu/research/vision/people/
http://fanmaster911.homeschooljournal.net/2011/06/23/au
tism-advocacy-people/
Women
in Tibet
A very
unusual
family
http://www.tibetanwomen.org/press/2007/2007.07.20get_involved_tpm.html
http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-national/little-people-big-worldreturns-april-5-with-200th-episode
Day Nine
• Chose a picture
• Chose one person in the picture, circle
him/her
• Write ten questions about this person, for
example, “How does this person relate to
the other people in this picture?” Turn it in
for 10 points!
Day Ten – writing prompt
Fast Food Restaurants/part one: Why are
they called fast food? Elaborate!
Day Ten
• Remember the photos from last week? We are going
to revisit them today! You have one of two choices:
- Option one: write a one-page description of the
photo from the p.o.v. of your chosen character
- Option two: write a one page mock interview with
your person, answering at least five of the questions
you created on Friday! Whichever option you chose,
it is worth 10 points!
• If we still have time at the end of class, please work
on your story 
Day 11 – writing prompt
Fast Food Restaurants/part
two:
There is a new fast food
restaurant in your town that
only serves healthy food.
You are a newspaper
reporter assigned to write
about it.
Day 11
• We are going to read a new short story
today: “The Necklace,” by Guy de
Maupassant and we will discuss the story
elements and finish off with a crossword
puzzle about the story
• If we still have time at the end of class,
please work on your story 
Day 12 – writing prompt
Fast Food
Restaurants/part three:
A funny thing happened
at the restaurant on the
first day. Write about it.
Day 12
• We are going to go over some important
short story terms today. Take notes and
put it in your activity folder. There are 25
terms I will be covering, so if you have all
25 with a brief explanation written down for
your folder, you will receive 25 points 
• Finish the words search for the activity and
get another 5 points!
Day 13 – writing prompt: Fast
Food Restaurants/part four
Think of one customer in the restaurant
and describe him or her in detail. Think
of three things that might be in this
customer’s wallet/purse/pockets
Day 13
• After your writing prompt, we will utilize
today to type your prompts and finish all
unfinished work to turn in today!
• Remember: one of the two assignment
options on Monday, the crossword puzzle
from “The Necklace,” and your short story
terms 
Day 14 –writing prompt
My Favorite Things
Make a list of your ten
favorite things and
write a meaningful
sentence about each
of these things
Day 14
“Writing Headlines” workshop
Three paragraphs each for
1) “Truck Crashes Into Living Room”
2) “Local Female Football Player Surprises
Community”
3) Make up your own headline
10 points total: 3 each for #1 and 2 and 4 for # 3
Day 15 – writing prompt
What is their story?
Day 15
• Remember your fast food prompts? Today,
we are going to work on creative ways to
write a menu, worth 15 points
• Next, we are going to explore “word
variety.” You will have to turn in 42 words
at ½ point each, so the total will be 24
points 
Day 15
Menu Writing
Plain: tuna fish
Creative: savory choice morsels of tuna fish topped by melted cheddar
cheese.
YOUR turn!
Rewrite:
• pizza
• steak
• fish
• cake
• rice
• salad
• hamburger
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
chicken
meatloaf
pudding
salad
mushrooms
ham
mashed potatoes
French fries
Day 15
Word Variety
“Hello,” Bill said
Find other words for “said.”
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
“We heard a loud noise.”
Find other words for “noise.”
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
“When I touched it, it felt…”
•
List words for texture.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
“I __________across the room.”
List movements
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
Day 16 – writing prompt
Where are they going?
Day 16
• The girls in the photo of our prompt seem to be
going somewhere. So let’s talk about “logs.”
Then, based on what you wrote in your prompt,
write a short log about the girls’ trip, five times of
that day and what is going on at that time. 5
points 
Video to show (for hurricane log)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O8CjKBsCE
o
LOG: What Happens as the Hurricane Approaches Our Town?
Day 16
6 a.m.:
Weather forecasters say hurricane will hit our area in about five hours.
Homeowners and storekeepers hammer up shields for windows and
doors.
7 a.m.:
Strong winds are kicking up. Big waves hit beaches. Sun hidden as
clouds
move in fast.
7:30 a.m.: Local radio advises people to move inland to shelters. Police and
firefighters go house-to-house to warn residents.
8:30 a.m.: Hurricane approaching faster than predicted! People along the shoreline
being evacuated fast. Flood conditions all along our coast. High winds
topple trees.
9 a.m.:
I go with my family to a shelter n a school about 15 miles inland. A lot of
people are scared. Some of us think it’s real exciting!
10 a.m.: Electric power out. Battery radio at shelter. We learn that the hurricane
is affecting all of the East Coast.
11 a.m.: High winds howling all around this shelter. But radio reports storm is
turning north-northeast and will leave our area in four or five hours and
blow out to sea.
Sample of how to turn the log into a story:
What Happened as a Hurricane Approached Our Town
It started with a 6 a.m. warning from the weather forecasters that the hurricane
would soon hit our town. Right away, homeowners and storekeepers began to
hammer up shields for windows and doors. Soon after that, at about 7 a.m.,
strong winds kicked up, big waves hit the beaches, and storm clouds covered
the sun. then radio announcers, police and firefighters warned people along
the shore to move to inland shelters.
Day 17 – writing prompt
What is he smiling about?
Day 17
Four writing styles:
- Persuasion
- Opinion
- Information
- Creativity
Day 17
To express yourself
For example: “One of my
biggest pet peeves is when I
drive slightly above the speed
limit and someone flies right by
me. Whenever I speed, there is
always a bored cop around the
corner and I get the ticket! But
when someone passes me, the
police is not there! I am so tired
of it!” You may use the word
“I,” “you” and their forms, as
well as opinion words.
Day 17
To inform
A research paper, an instructional manual or a
newspaper article. You need to use a neutral writing style
and may not use the word “I”, “you,” their forms or
opinion words.
Example: “The driver of the car was clocked at a speed of
35 mph in a 25 mph zone and ticketed with a $90 fine.”
Day 17
To persuade
As you are trying to convince someone,
you may use the “I” and “you” words. for
example: “There is very specific evidence
that Global Warming exists. I have a picture
of a beach at the Baltic Ocean in Germany
from February 1964. My dad is holding me
in his arms and he is standing on a frozen
solid ocean. In 2007, I went back to the same
spot in February and this time it was almost
spring weather! That coast has not seen
snow and ice in February for years. Could it
be any more obvious? Global Warming
exists and it affects MY life!” You need to
have some convincing evidence that your
opinion is correct.
Day 17
To be creative
The Christmas stories you wrote for English last
semester, as well as the fractured fairy tales were creative
writing. This is the form of writing where you can go
“crazy.” You can use slang, dialects, improper English if it
adds to the writing, imagery, metaphors and whatever else
you can think of.
Day 18 – writing prompt
Monkey See, Monkey Do…
A monkey escaped from
the zoo. Write an intro
for each of the four
writing styles:
Opinion
Information
Persuasion
Creativity
Day 18
• Time to type up this week’s prompts and to
make sure all of this week’s assignments
are in 
Day 19 – writing prompt
You made a mistake and your mom’s
feelings were really hurt. Write an apology,
tell her how you love her and what you will
do to make it up to her 
Day 19
Today we are reading and discussing the
story “There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray
Bradbury (“Fahrenheit 451”)
Write a short discussion about benefits and
downfalls of technology for 4 points and
for the crossword puzzle you can get 5
points 
Day 19– writing prompt
Mystery Gift!
What is in the box, who
is it for, what is the
occasion, and how is
the recipient going to
respond to it?
Day 20
Today we are going to learn some new
words that might come in handy for the
short story you are writing. They will also
come in handy for your SAT’s!
After reading the story “Attack of the Killer
SAT book” and learning the meaning of the
SAT words, you can earn 11 points for a
quick mix/match exercise!
Day 20 Writing Prompt – Girls and Education: How
do you feel about girls’ education in the USA?
Afghanistan
South India
85% of women in Kerala are literate,
and girls outnumber boys in higher
education. Women with qualifications
are more likely to work, and marry
later. The average age of marriage for
women in Kerala is the highest in
India, which again reduces the
likelihood of having a large family.
http://www.globaleye.org.uk/secondary_summer2002/fo
cuson/case1.html
2011-02-24: Girls’ education in
Afghanistan, one of the biggest gains
for women since the 2001 overthrow
of the Taliban, is at risk because of
insecurity, lack of funds and
equipment and poor teacher-training,
aid groups said on Thursday.
Women’s education was banned
under the government of the hardline
Islamist group, now leading a growing
insurgency,
http://article.wn.com/view/2011/02/24/Afghan_girls_ed
ucation_in_danger_aid_groups_warn_d/
Girls in Africa
http://www.worldbank.org/depweb/english/modules
/social/pgr/photo2a.html
Crowded and dilapidated
classrooms, coupled with
insufficient teaching resources and
instructional time, reflect wellbelow average standard of
educational institutions.
Advanced learning is impeded due
to nonexistent basic math and
science materials.
http://www.asanteafrica.org/ourwork/why.php
?gclid=CJ-yusmEqq4CFS6FQAodmltEQw
Day 21 – writing prompt
Tomorrow is a big test.
What is it for, did you
study and what will you
do the night before?
Day 21
More SAT words! Today’s story is “Report
Card Jitters.”
The wordlist from this story is worth 13
points AND knowing these words will help
you ace that SAT when it comes!
Day 22 – writing prompt
You teacher comes to class
late, looking all flustered.
What happened?
Day 22
Writing Workshop time!
Today you will write a mystery story!
Total points: 15
Let the mystery unfold…
Day 23 – writing prompt
What smells?
Give me three examples each:
Good scent
Bad scent
Neutral scent
Write three sentences about each one, why they are
good/bad/neutral
Day 23
One more SAT exercise!
Today’s story: “The Girl Who Yelled, ‘You
Stink!’”
Eleven new words -11 points for doing the
match correctly!
Day 24 – writing prompt
Yearbook time!
Show some style and
write a super-nice
paragraph to
someone you
absolutely cannot
stand!
Day 24
SAT shorts
- Get out of gym class
- Compliment the cook
- Get out of doing chores
- Placate an irate parent over
a heinous grade
- Frustrate your dentist
Let me explain…
SAT 1
Get Out of Gym class
If you’re trying to fool the gym teacher, don’t give him/her a prosaic
note saying you have a backache and can’t participate in class that
day. Instead, pen an epistle saying that you’re a bungling
maladroit dolt and can’t participate. Chances are, the teacher won’t
have a clue what the letter means, but won’t want to admit his/her
nescience and will let you go rather than lose face.
Prosaic: commonplace, humdrum
Epistle: letter
Bungling: clumsy
Maladroit: bungling
Dolt: blockhead
Nescience: ignorance
YOUR TURN: write a paragraph using at least three of these words.
SAT 2
Compliment the Cook
When the meal was sheer delight and you want to make sure that you’re
invited back for another one, tell the cook how much you enjoyed the
delectable repast or savory and succulent collation. Not only will your
host or hostess be flattered that you too the time to learn such words to
compliment the cooking, the cook will be eager to find out more and thus
invite you back for seconds. (Be sure to brush up on your vocab before the
return engagement!)
Delectable: delicious
Repast: meal
Savory: delicious
Succulent: juicy
Collation: light meal
YOUR TURN: write a paragraph using at least three of these words.
SAT 3
Get Out of Doing Chores
You say you just can’t face getting up early on a Saturday morning to
vacuum the carpet or mow the lawn? Inform your parents that you are too
sluggish, somnolent, and just plain indolent to complete the task today,
that you’d rather procrastinate until tomorrow or better yet, eschew it
entirely. Of course, if your parents were savvy enough to peruse this book
themselves, they will know to accuse you of malingering and insist you
immediately become full of vim and get to work.
Sluggish: slow
Somnolent: sleepy
Indolent: lazy
Procrastinate: put off, postpone
Eschew: avoid
Savvy: smart
Peruse: examine
Malingering: shirking your duties, pretending to be ill to get out of work
Vim: life, liveliness
YOUR TURN: write a paragraph using at least three of these words.
SAT 4
Placate an Irate Parent Over a Heinous Grade
Your parents are incensed because your grades took a precipitous drop
this semester? Pacify them with a sentence such as, “Of course, venerable
parents, I acquiesce to your proposed punishment, but plead extenuating
circumstances: I was so industrious with my logomachy that there was a
dearth of time for more prosaic activities, such as studying for that
chemistry test.”
Placate: calm down
Irate: furious
Heinous: really, really bad
Incensed: furious
Precipitous: steep
Pacify: calm down
Venerable: honorable
Acquiesce: consent, yield to without protest
Extenuating: lessening the seriousness of, excusing
Industrious: hardworking
Logomachy: word games, arguments and discussion about words
Dearth: lack of
Prosaic: commonplace, everyday
YOUR TURN: write a paragraph using at least three of these words.
SAT 5
• Frustrate Your Dentist
•
Dentists are uncommonly proficient at interpreting what you say,
even when your tongue is numb and your mouth is full of
instruments. “Th uh ore?” she knows, means, “Is there more?” why
not have a little fun and instead say, “I proffer a paean to you
meticulous dental opus?” Watch her go crazy while she tries to
figure this one out!
• Proficient: skilled
• Proffer: offer
• Paean: song of praise
• Meticulous: detailed, painstaking
• Opus: grand work
• YOUR TURN: write a paragraph using at least three of these words.
Day 25 – writing prompt
“In the future, everyone will be famous for 15
minutes.” ~ Andy Warhol
If you could be famous, why would you be
famous? Describe a day in your life as a
celebrity.
Day 25
• Typing and assignment finish time!!!
Day 26– writing prompt
This man needs to go to
a job interview. As he
arrives at the building
where the interview
takes place, he
discovers that it has 15
steps and no
wheelchair access to
the entrance. What will
he do?
Day 26
This week’s short story is “The Invalid’s
Story” by Mark Twain.
After reading and discussing it, do the
crossword puzzle for 5 points!
Day 27 – writing prompt
Make up your own list of writing prompts, try
to go for at least ten!
Day 27
Jumble Story
On a piece of paper write
- Character
- Setting
- Time period
- Situation
Now pick numbers between 1-10 and place
one next to each component. I will then tell
you what you need to use for each
component to write today’s story! It’s worth
15 points!
Day 28 – writing prompt
Who is your favorite
person in history
and why? Be
specific!
Day 28
Historical Fiction
I will give you seven sentences and you
need to fill in the blanks. Then you have
to write a story in first person.
Worth 21 points 
Day 29 - writing prompt
Pick one item and write a classified ad for it.
You need to include why it is a must-have
and the price (you may also use “wanted,”
“free to good home,” etc.)
Day 29
• Finish projects of the week!
Day 30 – writing prompt
Last one!
Mrs. K. is training to be a teacher. Write a
paragraph why you think I’m going to be
great/ok/mediocre or awful and give me
examples of why you think so. Don’t worry!
If you think I will be awful, I am not grading
you on that, but on how convincing you
write about it.
Day 30
Peer Review
You will be reviewing one of your classmates’ stories
I will give you an editing chart
Day 30
Sample Peer-Review Comments
Read each of the following comments and evaluate the effectiveness of each.
Response/Comment
This is effective because... This is not effective
because...
You need to give the
readers more information to
convince them. Why does
the main character think it
is better in Virginia than
Maryland?
First sentence is too short.
A few words are misplaced.
I liked your story, but you
began practically every
sentence with "but" or "so.“
Day 30
Read each of the following comments and evaluate the effectiveness of each.
Response/Comment
This is effective because... This is not effective
because...
Try to shorten your first
sentence; it is a good topic
but too long.
Exactly why did your
teacher pick on you?
What happened when you
made smart remarks back?
What happened after you
accepted defeat? More
specific detail is needed to
get the whole story.
Day 30
Response/Comment
This is effective because... This is not effective
because...
Good word choice, detail,
and facts. Sentence
structure is not too good in
some places.
Your topic sentence needs
work. I don't take French
and anyone who does not
wouldn't understand.
Good description of your
feelings when you lost your
cat.
Day 31
• We will be peer-editing our final story and
look at the suggestions your peer-editor
has made. If your story is not finished,
perhaps your peer-editor will have
suggestions for you 
• Please turn in story and peer-edits today,
so I can look them over and return them
with my suggestions tomorrow 
Day 32
• Work on peer-edits and my suggestions
Day 33
• Complete your prompt-writing folder – you
should only two prompts left to type! Turn
in completed prompts. Put as many on a
page as you can fit!
• I will return your stories and peer-edits
today and you will spend class time on
working on your peer-editor’s and my
suggestions for perfecting your story
Day 34
• Presentation of your stories!
Day 35
• Finish presenting your stories!
Day 36
• Make sure EVERYTHING is turned in for
grading! I have to turn in your grade in two
days, so whatever I cannot grade will
receive 0 points or partial credit towards
your final grade for this semester.
• If we have time, we will work on
brainstorming fun activities
Day 37 – last day!
• Brainstorming fun 
• Thank you for your hard work and making
my teaching experience wonderful!!!