Creative Writing Challenge

The purpose of this course is to provide students who want to excel beyond their current writing level and improve their writing with in-class exercises, motivated by each major assignment being a winnable contest.

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Over the course of 3-4 week units, students will be provided with exercises, materials and resources that will help them achieve the major project due at the end of each unit. Each lesson will begin with a five-minute writing warmup and will always have an opportunity for students to work on their major project in the lesson with teacher assistance. Each major assignment will be given robust feedback and a score out of 20 in order to determine our high achievers after each unit.

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Unit 1 (Topic: Perspective)  (weeks 1-3)

Objectives: To write with unique voice, vocabulary and point of view

Main tasks/projects:

• Gr.4-6: Write a monologue from the perspective of something nonhuman in your home.

• Gr.7-9: Write a monologue from the perspective of an everyday object discussing their typical day.

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Unit 2  (Topic: Persuasion)  (weeks 4-7)‍

Objectives: To communicate an opinion with evidence using strong persuasive language

Main tasks/projects:

• Gr.4-6: Write a blog post that communicates a strong opinion.
• Gr.7-9: Write an opinion-editorial article.

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Unit 3  (Topic: Genre)  (weeks 8-10)

Objectives: To write fiction prose using descriptive imagery and conventions of a genre

Main tasks/projects:

• Gr.4-6: Write a short story in the genre of your choice.
• Gr.7-9: Write the first chapter of a novel in the genre of your choice.

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Unit 4  (Topic: Poetry)  (weeks 11-13)

Objectives: To write using poetic language and forms adhering to a theme.

Main tasks/projects:

All Grades: Write a fixed verse and a free verse poem of 32 lines or less.

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Unit 5  (Topic: Description)  (weeks 14-16)

Objectives: To write using descriptive language in nonfiction prose.

Main tasks/projects:

• Gr.4-6: Write a description of a real-life setting based on a photograph.
• Gr.7-9: Write a description of a setting you have been (or are) in physically.

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• Students are expected to be at least at their grade curriculum level with regards to literacy. Rudiments such as spelling, punctuation and grammar will not be taught in this course.
• Students should come prepared to lesson with a working camera and microphone – their camera is expected to remain on for the entirety of the lesson.
• Students are expected to be using a word processor, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, during the lesson. They are recommended to do all in-class work on their app, and to copy and paste their work in the chat as needed so as not to lose their work. It is also suggested that students have paper or a notebook nearby for rough work.
• Homework assignments will be assigned each week to keep track of progress, and some may be given minor feedback, but only the major assignments at the end of each unit will be given marks and full feedback.
• All homework assignments must be handed in as a Document (.docx or .doc) file directly onto Teams. Any links to external files, PDFs or photographs will be considered incomplete and not be given any feedback.