S+Clark,+Nicole

**Office:** Room 221B **Office Phone:** 555-1234 **Office Hours:** 2:30-4:00 PM ** E-mail: nicole.r.clark@maine.edu  **
 * Teacher:** Ms. Clark

The Art of Storytelling =Summary of Unit= In this unit, we will learn the ins and outs of writing personal narratives, as well as how to transform them into digital stories they can be shared with the world. We will learn the organizational structure of narrative writing, how to use sensory details to make our writing come alive, and how to make sure our writing has a "point." A series of checkpoints will be conducted along the way, including peer editing and group discussions concerning the major components of a personal narrative. There will be two "big" products created and submitted by the end of this unit: a 3-5 page personal narrative that you will submit to me via Google Docs, and, to bring everything together, an iMovie digital story that condenses your narratives so they can be shared audibly //and visually with the rest of the class. The power of a single story can change the world. What will your story do?//

=Establish Goals= Common Core State Standards Content Area: English Language Arts Standard Label: Writing Grade Level: 9-10 Cluster: Text Types and Purposes Standard Number Three: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. b) Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c) Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole. d) Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture or the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. e) Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experiences, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.

=Students will understand that= •all narratives have a beginning, middle, and an end. •narratives "show" - not "tell." •there has to be a "point" (or reason) to what you're writing.

=Essential Questions= •How can you organize your story into a beginning, middle, and an end? •Why is it essential to "show not tell"? •How can you make your writing have a "point"?

=Students will know= •Definitions: narrative, personal narrative, introduction, body, conclusion, hook, climax, dialogue, imagery, setting, sensory language, metaphor, symbolism, simile, adjective, adverb, noun, verb, preposition, moral, character, personification, pronoun, style, tone, and voice. •Sequence/Timelines: beginning - middle - end. •Terminology: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, plot outline, and "show not tell."

=Students will be able to= •describe the major components of a narrative introduction, body, and conclusion. •represent narrative events through sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the events, setting, and/or characters. •use organizational techniques to sequence events into a beginning, middle, and an end. •argue the "point" of their essays. •relate to the big idea/moral of their peers' narratives. •recognize the common words that "tell" rather than "show" when editing their writing.

**Performance Task Overview** You are an up-and-coming autobiographer, looking to make it big in New York CIty. You hear that there is a new Chicken Soup for the Soul book coming out, and decide to submit one of your stories for entry into the book. When you inquire about the details, however, you discover that there is a requested format for the entry. The Editor's Board at Chicken Soup for the Soul is a //very// busy group of people. They don't have time to flip through the pages and pages of every single story being submitted during their free time. What they have decided to do is meet in the afternoons and review the stories together, taking a vote to decide which ones will make it into the final round. Since one of the board members is an international correspondent with a limited proficiency in English, the board has requested that each personal narrative be submitted in the form of a digital story - using iMovie to illustrate it with pictures and/or video so the board member who is an English language learner can follow along and have an equal vote. Your task is to create an iMovie representation that captures the major components of your personal narrative to submit to the board for review. If you submit your movie on time, you could be in the next Chicken Soup for the Soul!

=Expectations=
 * Absences:** It is very important that students attend class. However, I understand that sometimes things happen and you can't be here. If you are absent, you will miss lots of information, conversations, and class time to work on things. Missing class means YOU are responsible for finding out what was done and what is due. E-mail me or check my website. The next day you come to school (even if you don't have my class on that day), you will be expected to come and see me so I can give you work you missed and have a conversation with you about what went on in class. If you know you are going to be absent ahead of time, save yourself the trouble and see me to get the work beforehand. It's better for the both of us!
 * Academic Integrity:** Plagiarism is not tolerated in this class - whether it be stealing work or ideas. Any student caught plagiarizing will be given one chance for revision, and if it happens again, you will receive a zero on the assignment. Further consequences will be determined based on the plagiarism policy listed in the school handbook. You are all incredible people with incredible thoughts //of your own// - don't steal from someone else!
 * Late Work:** All assignments are expected to be completed and turned in on-time. If there are special circumstances that require you to need more time, please come and talk to me or email be right away, and we can have a conversation about whether or not that is possible based on the particular assignment. Late work will receive an automatic deduction of five points for each day that it is late. Big projects will be accepted late up to five school days. After that, it will not be accepted.
 * Revisions:** If you would like to revise a major paper or project that was passed in on time, go for it! Just remember, you only have one week to get the new piece of work to me with the original draft. The exception is if you pass in something that is obviously not a solid effort or has excessive holes, I will not allow the alteration. You can revise as many times as you wish before the end of the quarter, when grades close.
 * Classroom Expectations:** Students should come to class prepared and ready to learn. Respect for your peers, your teacher, and yourselves is a key part of making this class a worthwhile, successful, and fun place. For a full list of classroom expectations, check out my website or the poster on the wall.

 = Benchmarks = take each one and turn them into full paragraphs for Tuesday - directions on what you expect students to do in this product (aka the things you're going to grade) - do point values, too •**Glogster:** Students will make an online "poster" that illustrates the major components of an introduction, body, and conclusion. The Glogster should have three columns that list specific vocabulary in each section. At least one component listed in each column should have a visual element to it as well, to truly show understanding. There is a minimum of three components per section.The final product should have zero errors in grammar/spelling, and all bullet points should be complete sentences. Get creative, and have fun! **Total Points:** 50 •**iMovie:** Students will create and tell thier story digitally, using real-life photos and/or videos when they can. The movie should have smooth transitions, be 4-5 minutes long, and show the major events of the introduction, body, and conclusion of their personal narrative. Movies will be presented to the class at the end of the unit. **Total Points:** 150 •**Google Docs:** Students will write a personal narrative of a past event and share it on Google Docs for easy editing. The personal narrative should be 3-5 pages long, double-spaced, and size 12 Times New Roman font. It should include all of the major components of a narrative, including characters, theme, setting, dialogue, an engaging hook and a resolution that ties it all together. The paper should use sensory details throughout, and be grammar/spelling error-free. Narratives will be shared with me via Google Docs for assessment. **Total Points:** 140 •**Podcast:** Students will make a podcast to share with the class in which they defend the "point" of their narrative. Podcasts should be under 3 minutes long, clearly audible, and accessible for easy playback. They will take at least two examples from the text of their personal narrative to illustrate their point. The "point" should be clearly stated at the beginning of the podcast. Podcasts will be shared with a partner during class for feedback. **Total Points:** 50 •**Google Forms:** Students will fill out a questionnaire on a partner's narrative that shows the major "points" they got out of their essay. This is for both partner's benefit. Students will be assessed on how they came to determine that "point" - not whether or not they got it right. Short answer sections should be 1-3 //full// sentences, and feedback given should be sincere. **Total Points:** 30 •**Garage Band:** Students will write and perform a song that describes "tell" words and "show" words, and informs other students what bad "tell" words to watch out for. The song should include at least one Garage Band sound effect OR include a track the students have performed/gotten from their own MP3 collection. If an outside MP3 or other sound effect is used that the student did not personally create, credit should be given to the source. Students will work together in teams to create your song, and then the teams will share with the class. Songs should be between 1.5 and 4 minutes long. All team members must participate in the writing of the song. Other tasks (sound editing, singing) may be divided up based on interest. **Total Points:** 80
 * Total Points:** 500

= Performance Tasks =
 * Total Points:** 250
 * Digital Story** (see performance task above) **Total Points:** 150
 * Attendance:** 20
 * Assignments:** 80

Grading Scale
 * A** (93 -100), **A-** (90 - 92), **B+** (87 - 89), **B** (83 - 86), **B-** (80 - 82), **C+**(77 - 79), **C** (73-76), **C-** (70 - 72), **D+**(67 - 69), **D** (63 - 66), **D-** (60 - 62), **F** (0 - 59).