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WRITER'S IN THEIR
ENVIRONMENT
STUDENTS WILL:
• Describe their thoughts, feelings, observations, and write/draw in journals for 30 minutes at the beginning of the class.
• Analyze and collect different types of stories, traditional and graphic novels.
• Participate in class structured writing prompts.
• Write story threads to develop creative writing skills.
• Practice writing and making books using a variety of mediums.
• Write/create an autobiography using written and/or visual methods communication.
• Participate in informal class discussions/critiques that demonstrates the students understanding of what they have created.
• Identify ways in which art and writing is basic to thinking and communicating about the world around them.
Students will demonstrate their knowledge about story writing by creating their own autobiography. Students will create an autobiography that reflects aspects of their daily life.
Students are encouraged to use differnt forms of technology to present their autobiography. Student may use digital voice recorder, digital cameras, (motion and still)
Materials Needed:
Composition-Writing Books.
Writing and drawing tools, pens, pencil, markers…
David Sedaris’s – “Cyclops,” from, Me Talk Pretty One Day.
Lynda Barry’s – “ My Perfect Life.”
Syllabus/Rubric Handout
Lots of misc. art making materials in a large box.
Permission slips for field trip to visit UWM’s Artist Book Collection.
Discuss and show students a variety of ways writer’s and artists create personal stories using non-traditional types of communication. Engage the students in an informal discussion about their favorite books and what kinds of books have they read. Show a short slide presentation of examples of artists who create altered and non-traditional books. Show video examples of people making books on www.youtube.com as a resource for ideas.
Statement of Purpose: “We will analyze the different ways in which stories are told. Through this project you will develop an understanding and appreciation of the ways in which writer’s and visual artists tell stories. This lesson will demonstrate to you how to create and tell stories in different ways.”
Instruction:
• Discuss the importance of story telling in our culture.
• Explain how books have been made throughout history around the world.
• Explain how journaling and story telling is an important and valid way of documenting and communicating ideas and personal expression.
Compare and contrast the writing/storytelling styles of David Sedaris and Lynda Barry.
• Show two different examples of story threads and how they can be use.
Modeling:
Project images of handmade and altered books on wall for students.
Play an audio segment from This American Life.
Read out loud to students from David Sedaris excerpt.
Read out loud to students from Lynda Barry while emphasizing her illustrations.
Formative Assessment:
• Choose a word and write it on the board.
• Explain that the students will have 3-5 minutes to write OR draw ten things about that word, using one of the two story thread examples.
• Explain to students the importance of keeping their pens moving during this exercise. Encourage students to doodle anything if they cannot think of a sentence to explain their word.
• Ask students to volunteer to read their ten sentences, making sure that other students are not watching the reader, but listening to what the reader is saying.
Instruction:
• Introduce to students that they will be analyzing different types of
storytelling techniques, both written and visual.
• Hand out copies of David Sedaris’s short story, “Big Boy.”
• Hand out a copy of Lynda Barry’s short illustrated stories from, “My Perfect Life.
Modeling:
• Show students how to brainstorming and expand on simple ideas and images.
• Show students other types of graphic novels-Persepolis, Maus I and II to better understand how text and images work together to convey a story.
• Demonstrate to students how to begin creating a visual story by altering old books using art materials.
• Demonstrate to students how to assemble different types of art papers to create an “accordian” style or bound handmade book.
Instruction:
• Have students decide on a “theme” they would like to write about and expand into their final project.
Guided Practice:
• Have students form their own groups with people they are comfortable with in class.
• Have students take turns listening to each other’s stories.
• Emphasis the importance of not to talk while the other person(s) are sharing their story.
• Walk around to each group (they will be spread out) to check in-making sure students are on task.
• Provide students with feedback or clarification, if needed.
• Have students come back together as a large group and explain what they discovered in their small group storytelling exercise.
Instruction:
• Clarify any questions the students may have regarding starting their stories.
• Explain to students that this assignment is a work in progress and should reflect aspects of their daily life, past and/or present.
• Have students discuss what they liked or disliked about this process and what they would change.
Guided Practice:
• Ask students to use the remaining class time to work in their journals writing or drawing.
Instruction:
• Explain that journals are to be with them at all times both in and outside of the school day.
• Have students become aware of their surrounding through daily documentation.
• Write homework activity on board: have students describe, 5-10 things that see or experience to and from school. They can be simple sentences or quick sketches.
Modeling:
• Show students examples of journals that other students, artists and writers have created.
• Students will choose one method of telling a story for their final project.
• Have students create an autobiographical story using one of the following: audio diary, altered book, autobiography in traditional novel form, or graphic novel.
• Students will participate in a class critique of their final project.
• Students should be able to demonstrate their knowledge of different types of story telling in their final product.
• Students should have a clear understanding of their work and be able to articulate it both visually and orally.
• Students should be able to share explain their final project with a friend or family member.
• Students will display/exhibit their final project out in the community.
Closure:
Have students take 5 minutes to reflect on what they learned. This can be written in a few short sentences or words.
Encourage them to reflect on the process, emotions or technical problems that they had in working on their project.
