Teacher
Doug DeGroot
Course Description
This course is one semester long and is an elective. Creative writing explores narrative writing in the form of prose, poetry, and drama. Creative writing focuses on the writing traits of voice, word choice, sentence fluency, ideas, and organization. Students do extensive writing on multiple stories with emphasis on revision. (You write it, then rewrite it, then rewrite it, making changes with each revision.) Students also learn grammar.
Class Topic of Study
1. Grammar
2. The Writing Process
3. Expository Writing
4. Narrative Writing
5. Vocabulary
6. Poetry
7. Critical Thinking
Iowa Common Core Writing Standard
Standard 1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. Expository Writing, Critical Thinking
Standard 2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. Expository Writing, Critical Thinking, Vocabulary
Standard 3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. Narrative Writing, Critical Thinking, Vocabulary
Standard 4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. The Writing Process Grammar, Poetry
Standard 5: 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. The Writing Process, Grammar, Poetry
Standard 6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information. The Writing Process
Standard 7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Critical Thinking, Expository Writing
Standard 8: Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation. Critical Thinking, Expository Writing
Standard 9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Expository Writing
Standard 10: Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames for a range of tasks, purposes. Writing
Classroom Expectations
Other people will respond to you in the same way that they see you treating others. If you are nice to people, then others will be kind to you. If you allow others to talk, then they will listen to you when you want to be heard. If you say mean things (even if joking), they will remember and will do it to you.
Try: Learning takes effort. You can't be passive. Everything about school has something that can benefit you.
Cooperate: We are here together. There is much that you can both learn and teach.
Keep these in mind:
High School Expectations
Grading
Students are graded on daily work, worksheets, essays, quizzes, tests, and speeches. This list is not definitive and other assessments exist.
Grading Scale
A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 87-88
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D 63-66
D- 60-62
F 0-59
Last
Grades that are As and Fs are both earned. Many tests and many assignments and many questions are easy. Anyone can pass with a little effort. Getting a D or C or B is common. Some classwork is NOT easy. Some questions are hard.
How to Earn an A: Do all parts of all assignments. Be thorough in your work. Keep track of details in factual information. Ask yourself, Do I know 92 or 93 percent of this information? That is one difference between an A- and an A.
How to Earn an F: Do NOT turn in assignments. That is about the most common reason that students do not pass a class, missing assignments. Always turn in something.