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Context:

Focus of Observation: Productivity and Instructional Dialogue


Course name: Creative Writing
Grade level: 9th 12th
Length of lesson: 80 minutes
Description of setting, students, and curriculum and any other important contextual
characteristics:
This lesson will be taught in an elective Creative Writing course. The class is comprised
of 18 students, each of whom is seated in assigned groups of four or five. Two of the boys in the
class have recently bonded, and so they sit together in the two comfy chairs in front of the
window. Fourteen of the students are girls, and four of the students are boys. The class is fairly
culturally diverse, with one Sudanese student, one Latina student, two African American
students, one Syrian American student, and another mixed student. Every student in the class
speaks English fluently, though a few students speak other languages, such as Spanish and
Arabic. I do not know if any of these students have IEPs; however, it is certain that at least two
have case managers for behavioral issues and severe emotional baggage.
This lesson will be taught in the tenth week of school, when students have established a
very comfortable comradery and rapport. These students feel safe with one another, and they are
respectful of one another as people, and as writers. Most of the students are willing to participate
and engage thoughtfully in class, and everyones voice is usually heard during a class period.
Students in this class are all enthusiastic about writing, and they are invested in their personal
work, as well as the work of their peers. These students are at mixed ability levels, particularly
with regards to the level of creativity and style in their writing, but also with regards to their
engagement with and analysis of reading.
This lesson is the fourth in a unit on Fiction Writing. In the last class, students completed
a warm-up writing exercise and discussed the influence of setting in a short story by Stephen
Millhauser, called The Other Town. This Fiction unit will run through the second quarter and
into the third quarter. Each week, the class will focus on a specific quality of writing; this week,
it is setting. Students will exhibit their understanding of setting in their bi-weekly exercise
(which focuses on setting), as well as their first long fiction piece, due November 4th.
Objectives:
SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):
1. Students will know different techniques for applying setting in their writing.
2. Students will understand that setting is a literary device that can be as consequential to the
trajectory of a story as plot, conflict, or characterization.
3. Students will understand that setting is often symbolic, and the symbolism of a particular setting
contributes to the overall message and meaning of the story.
Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive:
4. Students will expand their skills of collaboration by working in small groups toward a common
objective.
5. Students will pay close attention to details in the short stories they read so that they can
effectively teach on the story to a small group.

Performance (do):
6. Students will analyze the symbolic and narrative effects of setting in short stories.
SOLs:
10.1 The student will participate in, collaborate in, and report on small-group learning
activities.
a) Assume responsibility for specific group tasks.
b) Collaborate in the preparation or summary of the group activity.
e) Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with diverse teams to accomplish a common goal.
f) Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and
solve problems.
10.4 The student will read, comprehend, and analyze literary texts of different cultures and eras.
a) Identify main and supporting ideas.
h) Evaluate how an authors specific word choices, syntax, tone, and voice shape the intended
meaning of the text, achieve specific effects and support the authors purpose.
k) Compare and contrast how rhyme, rhythm, sound, imagery, style, form, and other literary
devices convey a message and elicit a readers emotions.
CCSs:
CCSS.ELALiteracy.L.910.3
Applyknowledgeoflanguagetounderstandhowlanguagefunctionsindifferentcontexts,tomake
effectivechoicesformeaningorstyle,andtocomprehendmorefullywhenreadingorlistening.
CCSS.ELALiteracy.RL.910.2
Determineathemeorcentralideaofatextandanalyzeindetailitsdevelopmentoverthecourseofthe
text,includinghowitemergesandisshapedandrefinedbyspecificdetails;provideanobjective
summaryofthetext.
CCSS.ELALiteracy.RL.910.5
Analyzehowanauthor'schoicesconcerninghowtostructureatext,ordereventswithinit(e.g.,parallel
plots),andmanipulatetime(e.g.,pacing,flashbacks)createsucheffectsasmystery,tension,orsurprise.
Assessments: Methods for evaluating each of the specific objectives listed above.
Diagnostic: Students will demonstrate what they already know about by
N/A to this lesson
Formative: Students will show their progress towards by
Expert Group Work: Students analysis of their chosen short story, as well as their answers to
the questions posed within their expert groups about the story, will demonstrate students
ability to analyze the significance of setting in different short stories. It will also demonstrate
students ability to analyze the relationship between symbolism and setting. The teacher will
review groups answers and provide feedback that will help students as they write their
individual pieces focused on setting. (Objectives 1, 2, 3, 6)

Small Group Work: The teacher will informally assess students ability to work
collaboratively together in small groups. The teacher will observe the student dynamics, and
make sure to keep each student accountable for their work (thereby avoiding one student
taking the assignment over). (Objective 4, 5)
In the Exit Ticket, students will individually reflect on the symbolic significance of setting in
short stories. The teacher will use this to provide feedback on students individual pieces
focused on setting. Additionally, the teacher will use this information to gauge how well
students are applying writing strategies and devices they are interacting with in these stories.
(Objectives 1, 2, 3, 6)

Summative:Studentswillultimatelybeassessed(todayorinafuturelesson)onby...
Students will submit a 1-3 page writing exercise in which they focus their story around a
specific setting or object. Students will apply their understanding of the significance and
symbolism of setting in a short story to their own writing, adapting the techniques they
analyzed in this lesson to their own craft. (Objectives 1, 2, 3)
Materials Needed:
Writing Exercise (slide 5)
Short stories: The Fall of the House of Usher, The Enormous Radio, Cathedral, The
Things They Carried, and The Library of Babel
Egg timer
Expert group Jigsaw organizers
Share-Out Jigsaw organizer
Students will need: writers notebook, pencils/pens
Technology: computer, projector, internet, online timer, Google slides
BeginningRoomArrangement:

Students will arrive to class and sit in their usual self-assigned seats in small groups.
Instructional Steps (Procedures): Detail student and teacher actions, discourse, and behaviors.
1. [12 min.] Morning Announcements
[Beforeclass]
Studentscomeintotheclassroomandsitwiththegroupstheychose.Theteachergreetsstudentsat
thedoor,makingconversation.Afterthebellrings,theteachergreetstheclassandmakessurethe
computerisreadytostreamthemorningannouncements.Thisisusuallydeadtime,untilthe
announcementscomeon.
[12min.]
Sincethisisfirstblock,theclasswillbeginwithparticipatinginthePledgeofAllegiance,and
theywillwatchthemorningannouncements.
2. [20 min.] Choice Writing
Studentsarecurrentlyworkingonchoicewriting.RelatedtoCreativeWriting,theycanworkon
theirfirstlongfictionpiece(46pages)ortheirbiweeklyexerciseonsetting(13pages).Students

willspendtwentyminutesdevelopingtheseoranyotherchoicefictionpieces(brainstormingfor
themand/oractuallybeginningtowritethem).
Goodmorning,everyoneitsgoodtoseeyou.Howareyoudoing?Todayweregoingtostart
classwithchoicewriting.Youmayworkonanypieceyouwouldliketoworkon.Myone
requirementisthatyouareworkingonfictionwritingnotanythingforotherclasses.Ifyoure
feelingstumpedonwhattowrite,keepinmindthathavetwopiecesyourecurrentlyresponsiblefor
inthisclass:yourbiweeklypieceonsetting,andyour46pagefictionpiece.Imgoingtogiveyou
twentyminutestochoicewriteonanyfictionwritingyouwouldlike.Letsbeginnow.
Theteachersetsanonlinetimerfortwentyminutes.

3. [1 min.] Agenda and Announcements

You may go ahead and put your laptops away. As you do so, let me tell you how class is going to
go today. Were actually going to do a jigsaw activity in which each of you choses a short story to
read, youll read it, answer some questions on it, and then get into groups with other classmates to
share what you learned about that story and its use of setting, and hear what your classmates also
learned. Some of you sort of did this last week, but now that we have the whole class back together
again, we will do this activity as a class. After our jigsaw, we will do an exit ticket.

I do not have any announcements at this time, however if any of you have anything youd like to
share, please do speak up now. Students have the opportunity to share any announcements school
or writing-related with their peers. Students usually dont, but recently Ive felt like this a good
thing or space to provide them with.
4. [50 min.] Jigsaw
[35min.]
TheteacherwillexplainthattheclasswilldoaJigsawactivityinwhichthestudentswill1)each
pickashortstorythatrepresentsphysicalsettingoranobjectaroundwhichthestoryisconstructed,
2)readthestory,3)workinasmallgroupwithotherstudentswhoreadthesamestorytoanswer
questionsaboutthestory,andthengetintoagroupofthreeandteachtheirtwopartnersaboutthe
storytheyread.
Theteacherwillthenputouttheshortstoryoptionsfromwhichstudentscanchoose(The
EnormousRadio,TheFalloftheHouseofUsher,Cathedral,TheLibraryofBabel,andThe
ThingsTheyCarried).Thestudentswillchoosewhichstorytheywanttoread,andthentheywill
getintogroupsofpeoplewhoaregoingtoreadthesamestory.Theremustbeatleastthreestudents
readingeachstory.
[20min.]

Studentswillthenreadtheirshortstoryofchoice.Giventhevaryinglengthsofthesestories,some
studentswilltakelongertoreadthanothers.Somegroupsmighttakefifteenminutestoread,
whereasothergroupswilltaketwentyfiveminutes.Studentswhodonotfinishreadingintwenty
minuteswillhavetostopwheretheyareandanswerthequestionssotheyarepreparedwhenthey
getintotheirshareoutJigsawgroups.
Whilethestudentsread,theteacherwilltakenoteofthestoriesstudentshavechosentoread.She
willthencreategroupsofthreefortheshareoutthattakesplace,placingeachstudentwithatleast
twootherstudentswhoreadadifferentstorythanthem.
[15min.]
Insmallgroups,thestudentswillworktogethertoanswertheassignedexpertgroupquestionsabout
theauthorsuseofsettingintheirshortstoryofchoice.Thestudentswillwritetheiranswerstothese
questionsonaGoogleDoc,whichisinaGooglefolderthatcanbeaccessbythewholeclass.The
purposeofthisisthatstudentscanreferbacktothesedocumentswhentheyarewriting,iftheyare
lookingforinspirationand/orspecifictechniquestouse.
Ingroups,thestudentswillhaveonescribe(someonewhotypesthegroupsanswerstothe
questions,butwhoalsoposesthequestionsthegroupmustanswer,makingsuretheygroupanswer
eachaspectofthequestions),onestudentwhomakessurethegroupprioritizesansweringthe
questionsthatthegroupwillneedtoshareoutinsmallgroups.Forgroupswithmorethanthree
students,theadditionalstudentswillhelpfindtextualevidencetosupportthegroupsanswers.
[10min.]
Afterexpertgroupshavefinishedansweringtheirquestionsabouttheirshortstory,studentswill
breakintoassignedgroupsofthreeormorewithstudentswhoreaddifferentstories.Eachstudent
willhaveapproximatelythreeminutestoteachtheirpeersaboutthestorytheyread.Thesestudents
willdosobyreadinghisorhergroupsanswerstothequestionseachstudentwillneedtoanswerin
theirJigsawShareOutGroupgraphicorganizer.Aseachstudentshares,theothertwostudentswill
betakingnotesintheirgraphicorganizer.
5. [5 min.] Exit Ticket
Astheshareoutscometoaclose,studentswillindividuallycompletethedaysexitticket.
6. [1 min.] Closure
Homework:completethewritingexerciseonsetting(dueNovember4th);workon46fictionpiece.
Attention to Individual Student Needs: (Differentiation):
Given the varying levels of reading speed that are present in this class, it is inevitable that some
students will finish reading their story of choice before their expert group peers finish. These
students will automatically become the textual evidence providers: these students, once they
finish reading, must go back in mine the short story for textual evidence the group can use to
answer the questions in the expert group graphic organizer.
Because of the varying lengths of the short stories, some expert groups will finish reading before
the twenty minutes is up. These students will be permitted to begin answering their expert group

questions when they finish. They will go into the hallway, so as not to distract the rest of the
class. When the twenty minutes of reading are up, these students can come back into the room to
work.
The roles given in the Jigsaw expert groups engage each student individually in the Jigsaw
activity, ensuring that every student is fully engaged.
Students are able to choose the short stories they focus on in this lesson, and that is a form of
differentiation based on interest.

Technology Use:
Detail specific technology being used in the lesson with explanation for why it is being used.
The technology used in this lesson is fairly rudimentary, and all of it is used to reinforce
directions that are given, provide visual cues to students, and digitally compile student work.

Materials Appendix:
1. Expert Group Graphic Organizer: this is one example of the five organizers that each of
the expert groups will use to answer questions about their short story.
Story:CathedralbyRaymondCarver______________________________________
Question
Context: please describe this
story: what is it about? What
themes does it raise? Is this a
portrait or anomaly story?
Additionally, what story is
not being told here?

What specific techniques and


devices is the author using to
tell this story? To what
effect? (Please discuss at
least three techniques or
devices)

How is setting portrayed in


this story? How does the
author portray this setting?
(How is the setting
described, emphasized, and
represented?) Does the
author focus more on a
physical setting or an object
that is super-imposed against
the backdrop of the story?

Answer

Evidence From Text (Quote or


explanation)

How does the physical


setting of this story (or the
object around which it is
constructed) contribute to the
telling of this story? How
would the story be different
without the setting or object?

Why do you think the author


chose this physical setting or
object for the story? What
does it represent?

How does the symbolism of


the setting in this story
contribute to the overall
meaning/message of the
story?

What are some techniques


you can adapt from this story
to your own writing?

2. Share-Out Jigsaw Organizers


Story: _______________________________________________________________________
Characteristics
Context:
1.
What is the story about?
2.
How is setting portrayed in this
story? (Does the author emphasize
a physical setting or focus the
story around an object?)
3.
How does the author portray
this setting? (How is the setting
described, emphasized, and
represented?)
How does the physical setting of this
story (or the object around which it is
constructed) contribute to the telling
of this story?

Why did the author chose this physical


setting or object for the story? What
does it represent?

Explanation

How does the symbolism of the setting


in this story contribute to the overall
meaning/message of the story?

What are some techniques you can


adapt from this story to your own
writing?

Story: _______________________________________________________________________
Characteristics
Context:
4. What is the story about?
4. How is setting portrayed in this
story? (Does the author
emphasize a physical setting or
focus the story around an
object?)
How does the physical setting of this
story (or the object around which it is
constructed) contribute to the telling
of this story?

Explanation

Why did the author chose this physical


setting or object for the story? What
does it represent?

How does the symbolism of the setting


in this story contribute to the overall
meaning/message of the story?

What are some techniques you can


adapt from this story to your own
writing?

3. Exit Ticket
Name:_______________________________
Mr.Warren&Miss.Wolf
Date:________________
CreativeWriting
ExitTicket:TheSymbolismofSettinginShortStories
Pleasetakeacoupleofminutestoreflectuponthefollowingquestions:
1. How does the use of setting in the story you read and the stories you heard about today
influence your perception of setting in storytelling?

2. What did you learn about the symbolic significance setting can have in short stories?

3. Why do you think is it effective for authors use symbolism in examples of setting to convey
meaning?

4. How do you want to use setting in your writing moving forward?

5. Bi-Weekly Setting Exercise (Summative assessment for this lesson)


Fiction Exercise 1: Setting the Scene
Context: When it comes to storytelling, it can be easy to jump straight into plot, characterization, or
even style. Writers are eager to pen the elements of their story which they find the most exciting, and
this euphoric plunge is key to the authors initial engagement with his or her writing. However, for the
finished project to be complete and artful, the writer must always take steps back and investigate how
the story could be enhanced by filling in whats missing. Sometimes whats missing are small details;
other times, more critical elements of fiction writing are absent. One such element is setting, and in this
writing exercise, you will focus on a particular setting or object, and as you write you will treat your
setting as the nucleus of your scene or story. Imagine that your setting is the Big Bang, and the
expansion of the universe is equivalent to the expansion of your story.
Setting contributes to the conventions of the world in which your story takes place. Setting informs and
sometimes dictates things like the time period, cultural norms, historical influences, and routines of the
place about which you have decided to write. Setting also invokes certain connections a reader will
make as they read, as well as a host of expectations the reader will have for the trajectory and outcome
of the story. Setting relates to genre, characterization, tone, the subject-matter of your story, and so much
more.
In The Other Town, The Library of Babel, and The Fall of the House of Usher, physical setting is
essential to the telling and the content of the stories. Poes use of setting establishes stylistic aspects such
as tone and suspense, while Borges builds and explores a whole universe of questioning and abstraction
through the setting. The settings in each of these stories are almost like characters themselves. In this
vein, the radio in The Enormous Radio, cathedral drawing (and cathedrals) in Cathedral, and items
carried in the rucksacks of American soldiers fighting in Vietnam in The Things They Carried, are
objects that are the vessels for, sources of, or mediators to the main conflict in these stories. Though
these stories have a loose physical setting, the authors use these objects as a sort of setting from which
the conflict and plot unfold. Of course, these objects are also symbols of various themes raised by the
characters and plot in the stories. In these and other short stories, physical setting and objects, not plot or
character, determine the course of the story.
Exercise: In this exercise, you must choose a physical setting or an object around which to build your
plot, conflict, and characters. As in the short stories mentioned above, you must make sure that the
themes, questions, and ideas raised by your writing come from tensions teased out by your physical
setting or object. Additionally, you must make sure that the conflict you detail is caused by, transported
through, or mediated by the physical setting or object you write about.
You may choose to craft a short story around this, or you may just write a scene. Whatever you decide,
your piece must be between 500 and 800 words (no more than 3 pages double-spaced, please). Your goal
is not to write a description of a physical setting or an object (although a description will aid in the
effectiveness of your writing); instead, you must focus the outcome of your narrative through the lens of
your physical setting or object. Center your piece around your physical setting or object, and think about
how you can incorporate it prominently enough in your story so that it, like the examples of setting in

the stories above, is itself like a character. Think about the symbolic significance of your setting or
object, and make sure to bring that out in your writing.

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