Creative Writing Lesson Plan: Memories

Unit/Lesson Topic: Creative Writing/Memories

Time: approximately 1 - 1 ½ hour session and 1 - 1 hour session

Rationale: To increase students' creative writing abilities and prepare them for the

writing test.

Objectives: TLW organize ideas prior to writing.

TLW write a story utilizing a graphic organizer.

TLW edit a story.

TLW word-process a story.

Materials: Book Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox

Prewriting Sheets (Graphic Organizers) - one copy per student

Transparency of the Prewriting Sheet

Editor's Checklist - one copy per student

Transparency of the Editor's Checklist

Sample Story to share with students

Notebook paper and pencils

Red pens for editing

Computer lab (to word process final drafts)

Story Summary: This story is about a little boy who helps an elderly woman at a nursing home regain her lost memories.

Set: Ask the students, "What is a memory?" Let students share responses. Say

to the students, "I bet you have a lot of wonderful memories. I bet you also

have memories that might make you sad or scared. Can you think of a special

memory? Well, today I am going to read you a story about memories. We'll find

out what a memory is and then, we will have an opportunity to share some of our

own memories. You will learn how to use a graphic organizer to aid you in

writing a story. And you will learn how to edit a story."

Motivation: Read the story to the class. While reading, pause to ask questions about the story. Have students recall how each character in the story defined "memory". After reading the story, ask students what types of things help them to recall memories (i.e., certain smells, certain places, songs, people, etc.) Allow students to share their feelings about the story.

Procedures:

Show the prewriting sheet on the overhead and explain to the students how this graphic organizer is going to help them to organize their ideas for writing a story. As a class, brainstorm some class memories to demonstrate how to brainstorm and list ideas.

Hand out prewriting sheets and tell students to brainstorm as many memories as possible and list them on their sheet. Give the students about 5-10
minutes.