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AFS Eigthth-Graders Writes for Change
Why We Write for Change
Why We Write for Change
We know that words matter. We believe another world is possible and that our writing can help create it. We believe in reading outside of our experience to engage in conversations with the humanity of others. We write to access our own power - and we write to help others who are suffering access their power, too.
During the last trimester of 8th grade English at AFS, students apprentice any narrative genre they'd like by exploring an issue of concern - something they've heard about and thought, Wait, that's not right! Why isn't everyone doing something to change this? Students research their issues, analyze formats, and design original pieces for performance or publication. Possible formats include: podcast, persuasive essay, TED Talk, blog series, creative nonfiction, poetry series, documentary, and art with text.
BIG QUESTIONS for This Unit:
BIG QUESTIONS for This Unit:
How can we use language to promote social justice and peace-making? How can our relationship with words help ourselves and others?
How do we articulate thoughtful ideas, find accurate evidence, craft strong sentences, and build powerful paragraphs in order to support our points of view?
How do we create unique texts in order to activate empathy and compassion?
What is the best format to use in order to convince others to consider your point of view?
How can we respond with empathy to narratives that are different from our own?
How do we ensure that our work is relevant and authentic?
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