S+Brown+Ryanne

Writing / English Composition 203 **Syllabus**

Office: Room 305 Office Phone: (207)778-7334 Office Hours:** 2:30pm - 4:30pm
 * Teacher: Ms. Brown
 * E-mail:** ryanne.brown@maine.edu

Maine Learning Results: English Language Arts B.Writing B2. Narrative Grades 9-Diploma Students will understand and use narrative writing when audience and purpose is appropriate. b. Organize ideas in a logical sequence with effective transitions.
 * =Summary of Unit= ||
 * In this unit students will be developing a better understanding for narrative writing and it's purpose. Each student will fully develop a piece of narrative writing and create a digital version of their narrative using a Type II technology. Students will learn the purpose of organizing their creative ideas and demonstrate the use of distinctive voice, syntax, diction, tone, and imagery as effective mechanisms of writing. Using different assignments and assessments, students will apply writing using lifelike situations. This unit will help students connect everyday life with narrative writing. ||
 * **//Establish Goals://** **(G)**

• Narratives should be developed enough to include complex ideas that demonstrate observations, events of reflections. • Organization of ideas is key for reader understanding and logical sequence. • Creating distinctive voice using diction, syntax, tone, and imagery is crucial for a strong, effective narrative.
 * Students will understand that**: **(U)**

//**Essential Questions:**// **(Q)** • How can I organize my ideas effectively before writing? • How do I use diction and syntax to improve my writing style? • What can help me to develop tone and imagery in my writing?

• Critical Details: Details and parts that must be present to create a meaningful storyline. • Sequence and Timelines: A proper organization of ideas and story sequence when narrative writing is appropriate. • Vocabulary: syntax, diction, imagery, narrative, tone, point of view, resolution, rising action, climax, falling action, plot.
 * //Students will know://** **(K)**

b. Design an organized plan of ideas with logical sequence and effective transitions. • Illustrate creative ideas into narrative forms of writing. • Create a piece of writing with rich syntax, tone, imagery, and diction using narration. • Analyze their own writing and peer writing with requirements for informative value and development of learned skills. • Consider feeling and tone in personal narratives. • Self assess progress and unit understanding. ||
 * //Students will be able to://** **(S)**
 * The Boston Globe has finally published their job openings in the paper, and to your surprise, your dream job is finally advertised! You have submitted your application promptly and received a phone call that set up a formal interview. The interviewers have requested that you bring a digital form of a piece of narrative writing to show your modernized skills in journalism.This presentation will be given in front of the C.E.O. of the Boston Globe's parent company, The New York Times Company: Janet L. Robinson! She will be accompanied by a board of hiring executives analyzing your work. These are the people you are striving to impress to have the opportunity to work for their company. Give them your best effort and they will give you the job! ||

Students must be on time to class and deliver immediate respect in and around the classroom. Any act of disrespect by a student towards other students, the teacher, or themselves will be immediately addressed and resolved. Plagiarism of any sort will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences. Please remember that staying on task is essential. Any student with questions or concerns should come see me as soon as possible to address the problem. Everyone will be treated fairly in this classroom, even with punishment. Please remember to bring a creative and open mind and enjoy the act of writing and exploring English! ||
 * =Expectations= ||
 * The main expectation for this class is to come prepared and enthusiastic about writing. Students must have work in on time or points will be deducted and late contracts will be distributed. All submitted work must be of the students best quality to ensure the best feedback possible.

There will be certain assignments in this class that are worth more than others, however ALL assignments are expected to be turned in with best possible effort and on time as stated in the expectations. The following assignments and classroom expectations will be worth the following amounts.
 * =Benchmarks= ||
 * This classed will be based on a point total of 300 points.

(25 points) **Classroom Attendance and Participation** - This portion of the grade will be determined by your attendance in class and your involvement in classroom discussion and activities. Students are allowed 2 unexcused absences before points will be deducted from the grade. Attendance is crucial for the most learning to occur in the classroom. Participation also effects your point values; participation in the class will ensure your points. Not participating in class will be a deduction of points at my discretion.

(25 points) **Collage** - The student collage will be the first project that you will complete. This project is to demonstrate tone and feeling through creative elements other than words. In order to receive full points for this project you will need to complete a collage with details of each element on the back. The write-up on the back will also include why you chose the elements you did and how you feel they develop the tone and feeling. A small presentation of your collage will be required so the class can analyze your work and the development of tone you created.

(25 points) **Blog Entries, Wiki Entries, Peer Reflections** - During the process of writing your narrative you will be sharing pieces of your writing online with your classmates. You will be posting your writing to Blogs and/or Wikis for peer response. In order to get the full points in this benchmark you will need to have posted every necessary entry and made the assigned amount of comments for feedback on your classmates' writing. With each missed piece of these assignments, points will be deducted at my discretion.

(40 points) **Storyboard** - The storyboard will be a big step in your writing process. This project will help begin to pull the writing you have been working on into a narrative story. The storyboard will be a visual piece and will include a short presentation to the class. The points allotted for this project will focus in a large part on organization and sequence. You must be prepared for the presentation of your ideas and have applied the peer feedback received on your Blogs and Wikis.

(75 points) **Narrative Piece of Writing** - After the storyboard presentation, you will full develop your writing into a narrative piece. Point totals will depend on your inclusion of diction, tone, imagery, syntax, and any other creative elements demonstrated and practiced in class. The narrative must be organized in a manner that is clear, understandable, and effective with clear narration of events. This piece of writing will then be presented on Garageband for the class to listen to. Presentation must demonstrate voice of narrator and tone of the narrative. + 15 points - Presentation of that Piece on Garageband

(75 points) **Digital Story Product** - After the presentation of your narrative on Garageband, you will take any feedback, and apply it to developing a piece of your narrative to a mini-digital story. This presentation will consist of 2-3 paragraphs of your narrative demonstrated in the form of a digital presentation with creative elements such as pictures, movies, music, etc. to enhance the story and tone. You will present your mini-digital story to the class and explain which paragraphs you chose, why you chose them, what the tone of those particular paragraphs is, and how you demonstrated that tone. Point totals will be based on organization, clarity, use of creative elements, ability to answer the questions in presentation portion, and overall effort and quality. + 20 points - Class Presentation

++ Any extra credit work or extra points will be added to the total points received on either that product or on the final point total. ||

A = 95 - 93 A- = 92 - 90 B+ = 89 - 87 B = 87- 84 B- = 83 - 80 C+ = 79 - 76 C = 75 - 73 C- = 73 - 70 D = 70 - 65 F = 65 - 0 ||
 * =Grading Scale= ||
 * A+ = 100 - 96