Creative Writing I Syllabus
Grades 10 - 12
Overview
The focus of this course is to allow students to explore written creativity through various modes, including short fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. We will first examine basic elements of literature in order to ensure students have a common knowledge, and then we will read and discuss superb examples, taken from published work, before trying our hands at them. All this will be done using the workshop model of writing – an integral aspect to writing well and receiving constructive criticism. Also, an emphasis will be placed upon editing and revising their work – and assisting others, of course because, as Raymond Carver, a modern master of the short story, once said, “I don’t write. I rewrite.” Students will be given regular practice in class—writing frequently—and will turn-in a portfolio of their best work at the end of each quarter – which will be worth the entire portion of their test grades for the semester.
Objectives
- To expose students to a variety of creative forms including poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction
- To develop an appreciation for each mode of creative writing
- To create a diverse body of creative work
Materials
- iPad (a portable charger is useful)
- USB storage drive
- Texts
- Pen and paper – just in case
- Highlighters
- Gmail account and Google Drive
- Internet accessibility
- Open-minds
"Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up." - Jane Yolen
Content
The content will shift to fit the needs of the students, but all of these will be covered throughout each semester.
- Poetry/Music
- Creative Nonfiction
- Short stories
- Screenplays - Television and Film
"If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor." - Edgar Rice Burroughs
Assignments & Grading
Schoology
Please check this website daily. All assignment due dates, materials, updates, and including day-to-day course information will be available on your period's page. Click here to access Bishop Moore's page.
Percentages
Daily: 40%
Alternate: 60%
A is 90-100
B is 80-89
C is 70-79
D is 60-69
E is 0-59
Contact Information
As an alum of Bishop Moore (Class of '06) I am thrilled to be living my dream and teaching here. It is my personal mission to ensure all my students leave my classroom with the skills and knowledge to succeed in life; a love of writing wouldn't hurt, either!
To read my philosophy of education, please click here.
Email: bradicka@bishopmoore.org
Website: http://tinyurl.com/kovqjpn
Phone: (407) 293-7561