Story Bags Creative Writing Lesson

Subject/Grade: Writing/Intermediate

Unit/Lesson Topic: Creative Writing/EnrichmentTime Limit: 1 hour

Objective(s): TLW develop creative writing and creative storytelling skills. TLW incorporate story elements and figurative language into writings. TLW work cooperatively in a group.

Assessment: Observation of students while working in groups (taking anecdotal notes); collection of stories following presentations (checking for guidelines); collection of self-assessment sheets

Materials: 8 large brown bags with 5 props in each bag, color-coded slips to assign roles and groups, guideline/directions sheets, storybook pamphlets (1 per group . . . you can create pamphlets using a program such as publisher with pages that have lines for your students to write on, a cover for them to write the title and their names, etc.); self assessment sheets (1 per student)

Set/Motivation: "How many of you like to hear stories? Tell stories? Write stories? We've been talking a lot about stories. The other night, I found these bags in my house {point to bags} and I started finding things around my house and putting the things in the bags. Next, I waved my magic wand over the bags {use wooden spoon as magic wand}. Guess what happened? All the bags filled with stories. Now I have a bunch of bags with stories to be told. {On bags, have a sign that says 'there is a story in this bag, ready to be told'} But I have no one to tell those stories, do you think you could help me out?"

Teaching Procedures: Explain objectives to students. Explain general overview of lesson. Then review guidelines and directions, step by step, with students as a whole group (each student has his/her own sheet). As students work in groups, facilitate, monitor, and assess. See attached guideline/directions sheet.