Carlstrom 1

RE: WAD
Dr. Hartman:
During the creation of my WAD project, I enjoyed thinking about the journey
my students will undertake as they explore group dynamics and creative
writing. The project will hopefully generate a new side of writing for them
and enable them to discover more about themselves as people and writers.
Past feedback from students has shown this unit to be one of their most
memorable, meaningful, and most beneficial. The WAD design will clarify and
solidify my process so that I can better evaluate respective sections and
individual writing assignments.
I am excited about the opportunity to foster growth as a writer and as a
member of a group. I want to build an atmosphere of trust, sharing, and
confidence as the students work together.
My concerns include explanation of the project. Do I need to explain every
single assignment? Should I layout each of my steps and elaborate more on
STRAPS and the time component? Is my assessment clear enough? Do my
questions of self-reflection and feedback for the groups cover enough? I also
wonder if I need to explain more about decisions made for grouping students
together at the onset of the project?
Ultimately I am eager for the project, but I wonder if Ive been too vague with
certain elements. Should it be created like sub plans that lay out every single
step?
Anyway, your clarification and guidance are appreciated.
Thank you,
Dean

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Dean Carlstrom
ENG 683
Dr. Hartman
2/20/15
Writing Asn Design

Introduction/Overview of Unit:
This project/unit will be incorporated in CP2, Honors British English, and will provide
students with the opportunities to explore various elements of creative writing, work
collaboratively with their peers, and delve into themselves as writers to discover
their voice and experiment with various genres and writing prompts. Students will
explore multiple prompts to establish their skills as they journey through the writing
process and share their journeys with their reading groups. Inside the groups,
students will forge comfortable relationships where writing will be discussed and
ameliorated. The struggles of writing and the joys of success will culminate with a
shared experience and writings that students share orally and publish into a book
for everyone to enjoy. This assignment will also include selfreflection and
ownership that will enable students to grow as writers, thinkers, team members,
and as people.
Purpose:
The ability to express oneself creatively, think outside of the preconceived notions
we all embody, work as a team, understand and appreciate multiple perspectives,
and ultimately produce several works that foster pride and achievement will help
students gain confidence in their skills. Sharing and synthesizing writing efforts as
well as learning how to talk to peers about writing will emerge. The group
discussions will merge into a writing community where chances are taken,
boundaries are extended, and successes celebrated. At the end, students will be
comfortable taking chances with their writing, tap into their creative side,
understand more about themselves and their peers, and, hopefully, enjoy writing.
Context:
The writing assignments constructed in this unit will meet specific Colorado State
Standards for 12th grade writing. The design of this unit will mesh within a 90minute block and cover approximately 3-4 weeks. The teacher will form groups
based upon previous creative writing assignments submitted primarily the
Canterbury Tale project. Expectations of group discussions will be clarified with a

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couple of primary expectations: 1). No apologies meaning accept and own your
writing. Yes, it could be better as always but celebrate what you have achieved. 2).
Everyone shares and participates. This will enable the writing community to grow
and establish the feeling that everyone in the group is vested and all are
experiencing the same journey. Handouts to help initiate discussion and respond to
peer writers will be dispersed. The commonality of the trip will foster the growth of
the respective writing groups and enable students to react positively to their writing
as well as that of their peers. When Creative Writing Class occurs, as different
periods within the 90-minute block, focus will center on enjoying the experience and
challenging the existing preconceived notions about writing. The celebration at the
endpublishingwill enable students to showcase their talents and achievements.
Goals/Objectives/Standards
Using the Colorado State Standards for writing and group collaboration, this project
will allow students to demonstrate their attainment of such objectives.

Effective collaborative groups accomplish goals

Students can:
a. Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear
goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed. (CCSS: SL.11-12.1b)
b. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and
evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify,
or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives.
(CCSS: SL.11-12.1c)
c. Implement an effective group effort that achieves a goal
d. Participate in the preparations of the group activity or product, defining and assuming
individual roles and responsibilities
e. Assume a leadership role in a group that is collaboratively working to accomplish a goal
f. Selfevaluate roles in the preparation and completion of the group goal
g. Critique and offer suggestions for improving presentations given by own group and
other groups

Style, detail, expressive language, and genre create a wellcrafted statement directed at an intended audience and purpose
Students can:
a. Use a range of elaboration techniques (such as questioning, comparing, connecting,

interpreting, analyzing, or describing) to establish and express point of view and theme

b. Create a clear and coherent, logically consistent structure appropriate to the chosen

literary genre (biographical account, short story, personal narrative, narrative poem or
song, parody of particular narrative style, play script)
c. Manipulate elements of style, imagery, tone, and point of view to appeal to the senses
and emotions of the reader

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d. Critique own writing and the writing of others from the perspective of the intended

audience to guide revisions, improve voice and style (word choice, sentence variety,
figurative language) and achieve intended purpose and effect

Ideas, evidence, structure, and style create persuasive,

academic, and technical texts for particular audiences and specific
purposes.
c. Address audience needs and anticipate audience questions or misunderstandings
d. Select and build context for language appropriate to content (technical, formal)
e. Control and enhance the flow of ideas through transitional words or phrases appropriate
to text structure
f. Support judgments with substantial evidence and purposeful elaboration
g. Revise writing using feedback to maximize effect on audience and to calibrate purpose

Works Cited:
Colorado Department of Education. Office of Standards and Instructional Support.
http://www.cde.state.co.us/CoReadingWriting/StateStandards.asp. Revised Dec. 2010.

Process of the Product:

Students will understand and use the STRAPS (Structure, Type, Role, Audience,
Purpose, and Signature) acronym to help direct writing. They will then enter into
several different opportunities starting with Ovids quote dripping hollows rock.
Primarily we will use the 3-6-3 time component of planning, writing, revising to keep
things moving. After writing, students will use the discussion guidelines to discuss
their writing and build trust within their writing communities. In the subsequent
classes, new prompts and activities will push students to explore themselves. The
groups will also work together and create a piece of writing collaboratively. Writings
will cover quotes, photos, reflections (I am and environment/object), dialogue,
traits, music, group photos, combination actions, and poetry culminating in students
selecting three pieces and preparing them for publication with any artwork or
graphics as well. Then students will share with their group, other groups, and submit
an evaluation and rationale for their selected submissions.
Notes:
Students should enjoy this unit, cast away their fears and apprehensions while they
work together, and learn more about themselves as writers. I will be completing
several of the writings and sharing my work with students.

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Due Dates:
After week 1, students will submit a one piece for a grade. The completed portfolio
and reflective assessment and group evaluation will be submitted at the end of the
unit on an assigned date (minimum if one week notice).

Assessments:
Students will submit three pieces (from the 12) in a polished, finished, typed form.
For each submission an explanation of why the piece was selected, why it is
memorable, and how it reflects chances taken and techniques used will be included.
Additionally, students will respond to the questions about themselves, various
prompts, group cohesion and duties, and the self-reflection questions. The rubric
below will also score the submissions.

Excee
ds (4
points

)
Engage and orient the reader by
establishing purpose and voice. Writing
reflects conscious decisions about style
and technique that achieve purpose with
audience.

Use narrative techniques, such as

dialogue, pacing, description, reflection,
and multiple plot lines, to develop
experiences, events, and/or characters.

Use a variety of techniques to sequence

events so that they build on one another
to create a coherent whole.
Use precise words and phrases, telling
details, and sensory language to convey a
vivid picture of the experiences, events,
setting, and/or characters.

Meets
(3
points)

Somewh
at
meets
(2
points)

Does
not
meet
(0
points)

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Describe details in your story using

various senses (ie. sight, sound, taste,
touch, hearing) to portray an accurate
picture of the experiences, setting(s)
and characters you describe.
Participate in a presentation of your
piece. You should utilize proper
discussion techniques and phrasing
with group.

Produce clear and coherent writing in

which the development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
Final draft should be typed and include
justifications for selection and techniques
used with correct grammar and tone.
Develop and strengthen writing as needed
by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach, focusing on
addressing what is most significant for a
specific purpose and audience.

Work in your peer review groups to

plan, revise, edit, rewrite, and polish
pieces throughout the unit.
Additional Comments: