Date post: | 21-Oct-2014 |
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Making English Come Alive
Making English Come Alive
Creative Writing Exercises for Junior Cycle EnglishDerbhile Dromey
Benefits of Creative Writing Personal Writing
Take Advantage of Generous Marking Scheme
Ability to Write Creatively Significantly Improves Grade
Create Memorable Exam Essays
Benefits of Teaching Creative Writing - General
Gives Structure to Their Thoughts
Helps Them Engage with Set Texts
Insights Into Techniques Used by Writers
Quick Fix for Fridays
Outline of Presentation
Overview of ExercisesAim, Method, Relevance to PaperTiming and Visual Aids
Sample the Merchandise Practise of Exercises
Discussion: Value of Teaching Creative Writing
Personal Writing Exercises
These exercises will show students how to
Get Material for Stories from their Own Lives
Hold the Interest of Readers
Character Sketch
AimTo show how authors create characters
Timing : 15-20 Minutes
Visual Aids: Photographs in Newspapers
Relevance: Questions about people of significance in students lives, eg. Grandparents, inspiring people
Character Sketch
MethodCut photograph out of paper and use asbasis to create character.
Create profile in 3 sectionsBasic details name, age, appearancePersonal details family, hobbiesSecrets a secret from their past no-one knows
Selling a Destination
AimTo make stories more atmosphericTo identify ingredients that make places unique Visual Aids: List of placenames or map of local areaTiming: 10-15 Minutes
Relevance: Questions about their local area or holidays
Selling a Destination
MethodGive Your students a choice of two placenames tochoose from, familiar or foreignWrite a paragraph about one of the places in the style of a travel brochureDescribe scenery, local customs, people and activitiesRun X-Factor style competition to vote for most popular holiday destination
Napoleons Bedroom
AimHelps Students Be Inspired by the OrdinaryShow Effect of Time Period on Descriptions of Place
Timing: 10-15 minutes
Relevance: Questions about favourite rooms, or asking them to imagine the lives of celebrities
Napoleons Bedroom
MethodImagine the bedroom of a historical figure or celebrityDescribe bedroom in 3 sectionsPhysical Details, what it looks likeSensory Details, sounds, smells, feelEmotional Details, feelings about room, atmosphere
Alternative: Describe Their Own Bedroom and Views of It
The 24 Sheep
AimShow students how to use both action and atmosphere to create a compelling story
Timing: 20 minutes
Relevance: Questions asking students to describe an event or continue a story
The 24 Sheep
MethodWrite two-paragraph story based on following scenario: They are in their garden sunbathing when 24sheep burst in and start eating washing off the line
Par 1. Atmospheric, describe garden, weatherPar 2. Action, what happens when sheep get in and how they resolve problem
Functional Writing Exercises
Goal of Exercises
Give Students Practise in Structuring Pieces
Apply Imagination to Formal Structure Formats
Behind the Headlines
AimGive practise in writing in a journalistic styleIdentify ingredients that make story newsworthy
Timing: 10-15 minutesVisual Aids: Headlines from Newspapers
Relevance: Insight into skills used by journalists for media sections
Behind the Headlines
MethodGive Each Student a HeadlineThey Write Story Behind HeadlineStories Cover 5 Ws of NewsWhat WhoWhen WhereWhy
100-Word Diary
AimPick Out Most Important Elements of StoryHow to Use Everyday Activities as Material for Stories
Timing: 15 Minutes
Relevance: Practise in Diary StructureUseful for both Personal and Functional Writing Section
100-Word Diary
MethodWrite a Diary of Your Day in 100 Words
Greetings, Dates and Sign-Offs Not Included
Make Notes First About What to Include
Write Out Entry Summarising Events
Alternative: Write Diary Entry for Character in Text Theyre Studying
Book Review
AimGives Insight into How Fiction WorksShows books have life beyond classroom
Timing: 20-30 Minutes
Relevance: If they know how fiction works, theyll write more compelling reviews
Book Review
MethodImagine Youre a Bookseller Write a Pitch Selling Your Current Book to TeacherTitle and PlotGenre Who Would Read it Why You Should Buy It
Alternative: Write a review of the worst book you have ever read.
Adams Excuse Note
AimTo encourage students to take a more creativeapproach to letter writing.
Gives students practise in laying out letters
Timing: 10-15 minutes
Relevance: Useful for all exercises based on letters
Adams Excuse Note
Imagine you are Adam in Garden of Eden (revise story if necessary)Write an excuse note to God, apologising for eating the apple and giving reasonLetter to be laid out with address, date, greeting and sign-off
Alternative: Any situation where well-known person apologises for misdeed, eg. Politician, celebrity
Poetry Exercises
Goals of Exercises
Demonstrate how poets use imagery, language and the senses to create poemsSupporting Material for Lessons Dealing with Similes and MetaphorHelps Students to Analyse and Decipher Meaning of Set Poems
If the Hat Fits
AimGives Practise in Creating Similes and Metaphors and Avoiding ClichesSharpens Descriptive Abilities
Timing: 10-15 Minutes
Relevance: Helps students identify inventive imagery and comparison in set poems
If the Hat Fits
Method
Bring Unusual Hat Into Class, Students Pass it Around
Examine Hat and Write Sentence About it
Sentence Begins with This Hat Is/This Hat Is Like
Add to Challenge With List of Forbidden Words
Alphabet Soup
Aim
Encourages Students to Play with Words and ReduceInhibitions Around Language
Timing: 20 Minutes
Relevance: Helps them identify wordplay and its impact in set poems
Alphabet Soup
MethodCome Up with 26 Words to Match 26 Consecutive Letters of Alphabet
Form Words Into Sentences, eg, A Black Cat DriftedCarry on Until Alphabet Finished
Alternative: Write 26 Random Words, Choose 3 and Work them into One-Paragraph Story
Guess What
AimDemonstrates show dont tell subtle descriptions have greater impactHelp Identify the Extraordinary Within the OrdinaryVisual Aids: Bring in 5-6 Interesting Objects if Classroom BareTiming: 10-15 MinutesRelevance: Ability to Decode Hidden Messages in Set Poems
Guess What
MethodPick an Object in the Classroom and Describe itWithout Saying What It isDescribe it Using Senses What it Looks, Feels, Smells, Tastes and Sounds LikeRead out Description, Other Students Guess Object
Extension: Create Life Story for Object
Emotion Poem
AimDemonstrates Power of Emotions to InspireShows How to Use Five Senses to Describe Emotions Not Just Sight
Timing: 10-15 Minutes
Relevance: Helps Students Identify Emotions in Text Poems, Discover Emotions Are Universal
Emotion Poem
MethodStudents Write a Poem Describing Emotion eg: LoveLine 1: Metaphor for EmotionLine 2: Describe What Emotion Looks LikeLine 3: Sound Emotion MakesLine 4: What Emotion Tastes LikeLine 5: What Emotion Feels Like Line 6: Smell of EmotionLine 7: Repeat of 1st Line
Fiction Exercises
Aim
Helps Students See Relevance of Set Novels
Practise Techniques Used by Author of Novel
Become More Familiar with Novels Characters, Theme, Setting and Style
20 Questions
AimGives Insight into How Authors Make their Characters Believable and Interesting
Timing: 10-15 Minutes
Relevance: Helps Students Become More Familiar with Characters
20 Questions
MethodPick Character From Novel and Write Character Sketch of themOther Students Ask Questions to Guess CharacterWhen They Have Guessed, Continue to Ask Questions to Learn More About CharacterNot Allowed to Ask Questions with Yes or No Answers
Rough Justice
AimHighlights Theme of Novel, Demonstrates that Themes are Universal
Timing: One class periodVisual Aids: To Kill a Mockingbird, Pages 21-25
Relevance: Helps them Identify Theme of Novel and Relate to Own Experience
Rough Justice
Method
Read Passage, Identify and Discuss Theme of Fighting for JusticeTranspose to Present Day Classroom, Injustice Against Student On Racial or Class GroundsStudent Defends Other Student, Pays Price
Alternative: Version Relevant to Other Novels, Drawn from Students Life
Chinese Whispers
AimShows how to structure story and maintain momentumShows that story ends up in very different place from where it began
Timing: One class period
Relevance: Pinpoint Storytelling Techniques Use by Author in Set Text
Chinese Whispers
MethodBased on game Chinese Whispers, check familiarity with rulesGive set period of time to write first paragraph of storyPass copy to person three seats away. Student receives another copy and continues story in that copyPass on again, bring story to an end
Story Soup
Aim
Creates awareness of ingredients in story and shows how to combine them
Timing: 10-15 minutes
Relevance: Encourages students to think about how ingredients are combined in set novels
Story Soup
Method
Write name of animal, place and verb on sheet of paper, eg. Hyena, supermarket, skipping
Hand up paper, papers passed around choose one
Write story which includes the three words on paper
Drama Exercises
Goal of Exercises
Give Insight into Techniques Specific to Drama:
Dialogue CreationHow Characters Behave in ConflictScene Setting
Youll Never Guess
AimShows how dialogue is used to get to heart of story and maintain momentumGives insight into how language used in dialogue differs from that of narrative
Timing: 15-20 minutes
Relevance: Insight into structure of dialogue in set play
Youll Never Guess
MethodCreate Dialogue in Pairs Based on Following ScenarioYou are in a cafe waiting for your friend. They burst in, saying Youll Never Guess!Continue writing dialogue from there. One describes event, one respondsAim for natural style, bring to conclusion.Alternative: Write Version of Scenario from set play
Superhero Scale
AimGives insight into how characters behave in conflict situationsShows role of character status in determining outcome of conflictTiming: One class period
Relevance: Gives insight into how characters in set plays relate to each other
Superhero Scale
Method (Part 1)Pick a Number from 1-12 to Denote Status of Character in Set PlayThe Higher the Number, The More Confident a Character isWrite a Paragraph to Show How Status Manifests Itself in voice, gestures, body language and walk
Superhero Scale
How to Determine Status - BrainstormHigh StatusLow StatusClear VoiceMuttersConfident Gestures AgitatedGood Eye Contact Looks DownStrutting Walk Shuffling Walk
Characters with status numbers of 6-9 will fall somewhere in between
Superhero Scale Part 2
MethodWork in Pairs to Create Conflict Dialogue Scenario: One character wants to go out and the other character wont allow themCharacters Behave According to StatusEnds with One Character TriumphantExtension: Have student imagine progress of a dinner party between characters
Character Describes Scene
AimShows how setting of play adds to dramatic tensionDemonstrates importance of position of character within scene
Timing: 15-20 Minutes
Relevance: Encourages Students to Pay Attention to Backdrop and Character Positioning in Set Plays
Character Describes Scene
MethodStudent Becomes Character in PlayThey describe what they see around themGive Sensual and Emotional Details About SettingAlso Outline Their Own Position in the Scene and How it Affects them
Alternative: Imagine you are transported into world of play. What would you see?
Contact Details
For Further Questions and to Book WorkshopsPlease Contact
087 6959799/051 854426