Hi! I’m Angela, and this is Writing in Unprecedented Times: A Course for Middle School Writers.
This is our first lesson.
All of the remaining lessons are below.
Please scroll alllllll the way down to open each of them, one day at a time. There are seven more, total.
Are you ready to get started?
Before we get writing, there are four things that I’d like you to do on this first day. These steps will help you prepare for the rest of our time together:
- First, find a comfortable place where you can learn and write each day.
- Then, grab the tools you prefer to write with (paper, a pen, a notebook, a laptop or device–it’s up to you). Make sure you have them handy for every lesson.
- Next, go on a scavenger hunt around your house or yard for some loose parts. What are loose parts, you ask? They’re thingamabobs that you can hold in your hands. Old board game pieces work really well. So do buttons or drinking straws or paperclips. If you have blocks or LEGO or clay at home, they’re fun to work with, too. You can even make your own PlayDoh by using this recipe, if you’d like. You shouldn’t spend any money on loose parts. Just search for any old pile of little things. They don’t even have to match! Head outside if you’re able to. Grab some stones, some twigs, and maybe a few clippings from a pine tree. Use soda can tabs or bottle caps if you’d like. Upcycle. Have fun with this today. Click HERE to peek into a photo album that’s full of different examples.
- Finally, make sure that you’re able to access the lessons. There are audio and video links in each one that follows below.
Every lesson ends with a reminder of all that you have accomplished. It will look like this:
You’ve completed this lesson when:
- You’ve created a comfortable writing space for your daily lessons.
- You’ve gathered your writing tools.
- You’ve found some loose parts to work with.
- You’re sure you’re able to access all of the lessons.
Thanks for getting ready to write with me today! If you have any questions, be sure to reach out to your teacher. And remember: While everyone is able to view the lessons and resources in this space, no one will be able to leave comments or see who else might be here.This keeps all of us safe.
Lessons
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02Today’s Learning Target:
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to say, "I planned a personal narrative about an unprecedented moment that really mattered to me."
03Today’s Learning Target:
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to say, "I revealed a speaker's thoughts or feelings at the beginning of my personal narrative."
04Today’s Learning Target:
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to say, "My personal narrative includes a small moment story about an unprecedented event that is set in one place at one time."
05Today’s Learning Target:
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to say, "I can use facts gathered from research to elevate my writing."
06Today’s Learning Target:
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to say, "I've drafted a personal narrative that reveals how an unprecedented event changed my thoughts, feelings, or behavior."
07Today’s Learning Target:
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to say, "I ended my personal narrative by inspiring my readers to change the way they think or feel or behave."
08Today’s Learning Target:
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to say, "I am able to describe how this writing experience changed my thinking, my learning, my writing process, or my work."