Creative Writing
Course Description:
Creative Writing is a one semester course designed for students interested in
writing for publication. It will expose students to a variety of writing genres and
require them to understand, analyze, imitate and then produce pieces of writing which
conform to these genres.
The writing process will be emphasized, as will be teacher, peer and self critique.
The students will write, revise, critique, cull and publish their own creative works.
Course Goals:
To be exposed to a variety of genres, authors and styles through reading,
discussion and analysis.
To experiment with a variety of writing genres, including but not limited to the
short story, poetry, personal essay and drama.
To use the writing process of multiple drafts, revision, editing and response in
composing creative works.
To hone and practice critical skills by giving and receiving criticism of own and
others’ writings.
To create a portfolio of creative writing pieces, using the culling process.
To learn about and participate in the publication process.
Course Objectives:
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the differences in literary genres
and writing styles through discussion and written analysis of a variety of selections
from various genres and authors.
Students will demonstrate an ability to imitate a variety of literary genres and
writing styles by writing imitative pieces.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of literary devices, figures of speech
and sound patterns through discussion, written examination and actual use in writing.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of the various
literary genre—such as plot, setting, characterization, theme, stage direction, dialogue,
dialect, introduction, conclusion, description, anecdote—through discussion, written
examination and actual use in writing.
Students will write a minimum of 10 poems, two short stories, one character
sketch, one dramatic piece, and two personal essays which incorporate genre specific
criteria as specified by rubric.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the culling process and the use of
portfolios through self-selection activities in which a minimum of eight pieces of
writing will be chosen for revision, revised and then included in a portfolio.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of and ability to effectively and
appropriately participate in the process of literary critique through participation in peer
response groups, teacher conferences, and written self reflections.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the writing process by
participating in writing workshops and producing multiple drafts of written work.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the publication process by
culling, editing and revising a minimum of three pieces of writing for submission to
three different publications and/or contests.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the publication process by
composing three cover letters and one query to accompany or precede the pieces they
submit for publication and/or contests.
Students will self publish (in school, as part of a class publication, on a website or
newsgroup, etc) at least one piece of their writing.
Assessment:
Creative, reflective and correspondence writing will done by the students.
Students’ written work will be evaluated both objectively and subjectively. In order to
avoid an exclusively subjective evaluation, rubrics of objective and subjective criteria
will be developed with which to assess each written assignment. There will be a set of
rubrics for each skill and/or thematic unit.
A course portfolio will be maintained for which select artifacts will be chosen,
revised and reflected upon in writing as a culminating activity.
Written exams will be used throughout the course to test students’
understanding of literary and thematic concepts and devices.
Suggested Skills Units and Time Frames:
Poetry
Two to three weeks.
At least 10 pieces should be written. At least five are to be submitted into the
course portfolio.
Students will be exposed to and be able to identify and use the following: figures
of speech (symbol, metaphor, simile, personification, oxymoron, metonymy, hyperbole,
understatement, synecdoche, paradox), sound patterns (alliteration, assonance,
consonance, onomatopoeia, rhyme), rhythm, meter, rhyme scheme, inversion,
parallelism, irony, allusion, mood, tone, diction, dramatic, lyric, narrative, epic, free
verse.
Personal Essay
Two to three weeks.
At least two pieces should be written. It should be an optional inclusion into the
course portfolio.
Students will be exposed to and be able to identify and use the following: first
person point of view, structure of an essay, introduction, body, conclusion, thesis, selfreflection, anecdote, biography, autobiography, audience, purpose, satire, allusion,
modes of discourse.
Character Sketch
Two to three weeks.
At least one piece should be written. It should be an optional inclusion into the
course portfolio.
Students will be exposed to and be able to identify and use the following:
description, imagery, anecdote, biography, characterization techniques, point of view,
introduction, body, conclusion, audience, purpose.
Short Story (Narrative)
Two to three weeks.
At least two pieces should be written. At least one should be submitted into the
course portfolio.
Students will be exposed to and be able to identify and use the following:
narrator, first person point of view, third person limited point of view, third person
omniscient point of view, dialogue, dialect, description, narration, characterization,
stream of consciousness, theme, mood, tone, foreshadowing, setting, exposition, rising
action, falling action, conflict, climax, catastrophe, denouement, plot, flashback,
framework, diction, irony, allusion, novel, novella, allegory.
Drama
Two to three weeks.
At least one piece should be written. It should be an optional inclusion into the
course portfolio.
Students will be exposed to and be able to identify and use the following: act,
scene, structure, set, setting, stage direction, stage/set design, costume design, theaterin-the-round, fly space, wing space, proscenium arch, environmental staging, dialogue,
monologue, soliloquy, characterization, foreshadowing, irony, mood, diction, virtue,
flaw, tragedy (fear, pity, recognition, reversal, catharsis, tragic hero), comedy (high and
low, satire, romantic comedy, tragicomedy).
Publication
One to two weeks, throughout semester.
At least one query and three cover letters should be written. Inclusion into
portfolio should be optional and supplemental.
Students will be exposed to and be able to identify and use the following: query,
cover letter, magazine, journal, newspaper, literary magazine, high school newspaper,
trade journal, professional journal, yearbook, class magazine, writing project, writing
contest, civic organization, teachers’ organization, NCTE affiliate, ‘zine, website, online
newsgroup, convention, open mike, slam.
Writing Process
One to two weeks, throughout semester.
All pieces should be done in multiple drafts. Eight pieces should be revised for
inclusion in the course portfolio. Three pieces should be revised for submission to
publications and/or contests.
Students will be exposed to and be able to identify and use the following: daily
writing, free writing (timed freewriting, focused freewriting) prewriting, draft
(discovery draft, rough draft, ‘final’ draft), organizers (outline, graphic organizer),
revision, rewriting, proofreading, editing, critique, workshop, response, response
group, conference (topic conference, writing conference, editing conference), culling,
portfolio, ownership, self-reflection, metacognition, writer’s history piece, rubric,
evaluation (objective/subjective), grading, editing notations, basic grammar, basic
punctuation.
Suggestions for Thematic Units:
The following headings and texts are suggested thematic groupings. The listed
texts may be used whole or in excerpts. Stories, poems and essays which appear in the
various anthologies listed under resources can also be useful.
Bildungsroman (Coming of Age)
This unit explores issues related to the maturation of the protagonist. It will
afford students the opportunity to discuss coming of age stories they have read,
compare them to their own coming of age experiences, and write their own stories of
coming of age.
Romeo and Juliet, A Raisin in the Sun, Siddhartha, On the Road, West Side Story, I
Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The House on Mango Street, Getting From Here to There,
Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American Literature, American Short Stories,
Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American Prose, New Generation of Essays,
Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English Literature, Adventures in World
Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose,
Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and
Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Innocence, Experience and Discovery
This unit explores issues of innocence, experience and discovery beyond those
which are encountered by youthful protagonists, as in the bildungsroman. It will afford
students the opportunity to read and discuss issues related to personal growth and life
experiences which continue throughout the adult lives of people and characters.
The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, A Raisin in the Sun, Siddhartha, The Heart of Darkness,
On the Road, Waiting for Godot, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The House on Mango
Street, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American
Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American
Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English
Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for
Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great
Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Identity
This unit explores issues related to personal identity, such as are related to race,
ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious practices, class, etc. It will afford
students the opportunity to explore the diverse identities of various characters, and by
extension to explore in writing their own personal identities.
Death of a Salesman, Romeo and Juliet, A Raisin in the Sun, The Heart of Darkness, On
the Road, West Side Story, Nine Stories, The Great Gatsby, Black Like Me, I Know Why the
Caged Bird Sings, The House on Mango Street, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short
Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary
American Poetry, Contemporary American Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with
American Themes, Adventures in English Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty
Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little
Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of
the Eastern World.
Diversity
This unit explores issues related to the interaction of individuals and social
groups within a plural society. It will afford students the opportunity to explore how
individuals exist as members of various social groups which co-exist and often compete
within society, and by extension to explore in writing their own participation in this
process.
Romeo and Juliet, A Raisin in the Sun, The Heart of Darkness, On the Road, West Side
Story, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The House on Mango Street, Black Like Me, Getting
From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American Literature,
American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American Prose, New
Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English Literature,
Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting,
Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great Within Us,
Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Youth Versus Age
This unit explores the ways in which youth, age, aging and the competition
among generations have been portrayed in writing. It will afford students the
opportunity to explore how age groups and their life experiences have been depicted in
writing, and to explore in their own writing how they feel their own and other
generations should be depicted.
Romeo and Juliet, A Raisin in the Sun, The Odyssey, Siddhartha, On the Road, Nine
Stories, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American
Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American
Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English
Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for
Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great
Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Love, Friendship and Family
This unit explores the ways in which familial and amicable love have been
portrayed in writing, as well as how family structure has changed and affected people
in contemporary U. S. society. It will afford students to explore literary portrayals of
love, friendship and family, and by extension to explore in writing their own ideas of
the same.
The Odyssey, Death of a Salesman, Romeo and Juliet, A Raisin in the Sun, Siddhartha,
Nine Stories, West Side Story, The Great Gatsby, A Midsummer NIght’s Dream, As You Like
It, On the Road, The Merchant of Venice, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Snows of Kilamanjaro,
Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American Literature,
American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American Prose, New
Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English Literature,
Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting,
Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great Within Us,
Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Education
This unit explores traditional and non-traditional avenues of education, how
they have been represented in writing, and how they have affected writers and their
writing. It will afford students to explore in writing their own ideas and experiences of
education and learning.
A Raisin in the Sun, Siddhartha, On the Road, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,
Nine Stories, The Great Gatsby, Black Like Me, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short
Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary
American Poetry, Contemporary American Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with
American Themes, Adventures in English Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty
Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little
Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of
the Eastern World.
People and Places
This unit explores setting, character and the role setting or environment plays in
the thoughts and behaviors of people (individuals and groups) living in those
environments. It will afford students the opportunity to explore in writing the effect
their own environment has had upon their own experiences and identity.
The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, A Raisin in the Sun, Siddhartha, The Heart of Darkness,
On the Road, West Side Story, The House on Mango Street, Black Like Me, I know Why the
Caged Bird Sings, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in
American Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary
American Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes, Adventures in
English Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32
Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that
is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Inspiration and the Role of the Writer
This unit explores the sources of inspiration that authors have as well as the
impact writers and their works can have upon individuals and society. It will afford
students to explore in writing their own sources of inspiration and their potential
influence upon others.
On the Road, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Nine Stories, The Crucible, Black
Like Me, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories
1 and 2, Adventures in American Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary American
Poetry, Contemporary American Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with American
Themes, Adventures in English Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for
Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown
Reader, The Voice that is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the
Eastern World.
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
This unit explores definitions of expression and censorship, and then analyzes
works which have been censored as well as works which grapple with issues of
censorship and freedom of expression. It will afford students the opportunity to
explore in writing potentially censorable ideas or topics, as well as censorship and
freedom of expression themselves.
Cat’s Cradle, Welcome to the Monkey House, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,
Nine Stories, The Crucible, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2,
Adventures in American Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry,
Contemporary American Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes,
Adventures in English Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting
Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The
Voice that is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Contemporary Social Issues
This unit explores issues in which U. S. society is currently embroiled, and
inspects how authors have addressed these issues. The writer as both political pawn
and activist can be explored. It will afford students the opportunity to explore in
writing their own feelings and ideas on these issues.
A Raisin in the Sun, Cat’s Cradle, Welcome to the Monkey House, On the Road, Death
of a Salesman, The Crucible, West Side Story, Nine Stories, The Great Gatsby, I Know Why the
Caged Bird Sings, The House on Mango Street, Black Like Me, A Streetcar Named Desire,
Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American Literature,
American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American Prose, New
Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English Literature,
Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting,
Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great Within Us,
Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Life and Death
This unit explores writers’ notions and treatments of life and death throughout
history and among societies. It will afford students the opportunity to explore in
writing their own feelings and ideas about the meaning of life and the significance of
death.
Romeo and Juliet, Cat’s Cradle, West Side Story, The Snows of Kilamanjaro, Death of a
Salesman, The Crucible, Nine Stories, The Great Gatsby, Getting From Here to There, Book of
Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American Literature, American Short Stories,
Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American Prose, New Generation of Essays,
Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English Literature, Adventures in World
Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose,
Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and
Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Nature Versus Nurture
This unit explores how authors have dealt with issues of biology, genetics,
education and socialization, and how these factors affect individuals and society. It will
afford students the opportunity to explore in writing their own ideas about how much
people are products of their genes and how much they are products of their upbringing.
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, The Great Gatsby, The Crucible, Black Like
Me, Romeo and Juliet, The Heart of Darkness, Cat’s Cradle, Welcome to the Monkey House,
Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American Literature,
American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American Prose, New
Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English Literature,
Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting,
Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great Within Us,
Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
U. S. Society and Culture
This unit explores how elements of society and their respective cultures compete,
interact and manifest themselves in writing, including potentially an exploration of
what gets published, read, included in curricula, anthologized, etc. It will afford
students the opportunity to explore in writing their own ideas about U. S. society and
culture (s).
A Raisin in the Sun, Cat’s Cradle, Welcome to the Monkey House, On the Road, The
Crucible, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The House on Mango Street, Black Like Me, A
Streetcar Named Desire, The Death of a Salesman, The Great Gatsby, West Side Story, Nine
Stories, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American
Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American
Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English
Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for
Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great
Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
City and Country
This unit explores rural and urban narratives, and how these have changed or
been abandoned along with the rise of suburban culture. It will afford students the
opportunity to explore in writing their own ideas about rural, urban and suburban life
and values.
A Raisin in the Sun, Siddhartha, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Great Gatsby,
Emerson’s Essays, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in
American Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary
American Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes, Adventures in
English Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32
Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that
is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Freedom and Justice
This unit explores individual rights and freedoms in contrast to societal needs
and demands, how these have clashed and changed throughout history and within,
between and among societies and cultures. It will afford students the opportunity to
explore in writing their own ideas about personal freedom and societal responsibility.
A Raisin in the Sun, Welcome to the Monkey House, On the Road, West Side Story, The
Great Gatsby, The House on Mango Street, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Black Like Me,
The Crucible, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in
American Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary
American Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes, Adventures in
English Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32
Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that
is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
War and Peace
This unit explores issues of conflict (from personal to international) and the ways
they are expressed in writing. It will afford them the opportunity to explore in writing
their own ideas about conflict and its resolution.
The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, Cat’s Cradle, West Side Story, Nine Stories, The Great
Gatsby, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American
Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American
Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English
Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for
Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great
Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Passion, Sin and Morality
This unit explores issues of personal desire and ambition, and societies’
responses to it in different time periods and within different cultural groups. It will
afford students the opportunity to explore in writing their own desires, ambitions and
moral limits.
The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, On the
Road, West Side Story, The Merchant of Venice, The Snows of Kilamanjaro, Nine Stories, The
Great Gatsby, The Crucible, A Streetcar Named Desire, Getting From Here to There, Book of
Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American Literature, American Short Stories,
Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American Prose, New Generation of Essays,
Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English Literature, Adventures in World
Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose,
Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and
Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Illusion and Reality
This unit explores reality and its representation in writing. Notions of fantasy,
sanity, subjectivity and objectivity, as well as experimental writing styles such as stream
of consciousness, surrealism and theater of the absurd can all be examined. It will
afford students the opportunity to explore in writing their own ideas of reality, as well
as to experiment with unconventional approaches to writing.
Siddhartha, The Heart of Darkness, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, The Great
Gatsby, The Crucible, Welcome to the Monkey House, Getting From Here to There, Book of
Short Stories 1 and 2, Adventures in American Literature, American Short Stories,
Contemporary American Poetry, Contemporary American Prose, New Generation of Essays,
Poems with American Themes, Adventures in English Literature, Adventures in World
Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose,
Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The Voice that is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and
Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.
Gender
This unit explores the roles that specific gender issues play in both fiction and
non-fiction. It will afford students the opportunity to explore in writing their own
feelings and ideas about gender and gender roles.
Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, West Side Story, The
Snows of Kilamanjaro, Nine Stories, The Great Gatsby, The Crucible, A Streetcar Named
Desire, The Merchant of Venice, Getting From Here to There, Book of Short Stories 1 and 2,
Adventures in American Literature, American Short Stories, Contemporary American Poetry,
Contemporary American Prose, New Generation of Essays, Poems with American Themes,
Adventures in English Literature, Adventures in World Literature, Thirty Scenes for Acting
Practice, 32 Scenes for Acting, Modern American Prose, Short Essays, Little Brown Reader, The
Voice that is Great Within Us, Literature: Sound and Sense, Literature of the Eastern World.