Stacey+Hair


 * Name of Assignment**

This is a writing assignment called, “The Real Story of Romeo and Juliet.”


 * Name of Preparer**

My name is Stacey Hair and this is adapted from an assignment I did as a freshman in high school.


 * Grade Level**

Grades 9-10 AP English classes would do really well with this assignment. Students who are also in the general education classroom would benefit from this unit as well.


 * Overview**

The writing assignment is called, “The Real Story of Romeo and Juliet.” This lesson is intended for 9th and 10th grade students who are in a freshman or sophomore English class. The students will read Romeo and Juliet in class. Students will then be given the opportunity to be creative by writing an alternative story using Romeo and Juliet as a baseline for their story. Students will pick a character from the play to take on their role in a modern day story. Students will choose how the main characters meet, how they fall in love, and how they end the story. The student will write this story so the reader will feel like they are the main character. Students will be given time in class to research other ideas online and also collaborating with other students to generate ideas for a topic. This is a creative writing assignment that students can complete using a genre of their choice from a list the teacher gives them. This assignment will need to be approved by the teacher before writing the paper.

Students will get the opportunity to collaborate with their peers to create an idea for their story. This will also give students the opportunity to learn and practice proper writing skills when creating a paper. This assignment will prepare students for the upcoming English exams their junior year of high school by learning how to read a story given and using their writing skills to create a well thought out paper.


 * From theory to Practice**

I visited http://www.cln.org/themes/romeo_juliet.html which has links to two types of resources related to the study of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Students and teachers will find curricular resources (information, content...) to help them learn about this topic. In addition, there are also links to instructional materials (lesson plans) which will help teachers provide instruction in this theme. Also, there is unit lesson plan on Romeo and Juliet lesson from readwritethink.org that offers many resources for teachers to use to enhance their lessons.

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=857

There are also a few different versions of Romeo and Juliet students can view to get ideas for their paper. This gives students an idea of what earlier versions looked like and also a modern day version from ten years ago. This would also show students different interpretations to generate their own ideas.

• Romeo and Juliet (1936) • West Side Story (1961) • Romeo and Juliet (1968) • Romeo and Juliet (1996)

Students will spend the first week reading Romeo and Juliet in class. By reading the story in class, students will get the opportunity to ask questions while reading. This is intended to help students understand what is happening at parts that may be confusing. The second week, students will generate ideas for their paper by using the internet and collaborating with peers in small groups. Students will also start writing their introduction for their story this week. The third week, students will write the body and conclusion to their story. Students will be given time to peer review when rough drafts are completed. The fourth week, students will write their final draft and turn in for a grade. Through this unit, students will get the opportunity to see a writing assignment as something fun and inviting. They will take the assignment given and take their creativity as far as it will let them.


 * Student objectives**


 * Explore the literary elements of character, conflict, resolution, and setting.
 * Analyze a piece of fiction for highlights and significant passages.
 * Compose original reactions to text.
 * Participate in active learning, taking the responsibility for making meaning of text
 * Produce and publish written work
 * Write a newspaper story
 * Edit newspaper articles
 * Identify parts of a newspaper


 * Michigan ELA Content Expectations**

STANDARD 1.1 Understand and practice writing as a recursive process. STANDARD 1.3 Communicate in speech, writing, and multimedia using content, form, voice, and style appropriate to the audience and purpose (e.g., to reflect, persuade, inform, analyze, entertain, inspire). STANDARD 1.4 Develop and use the tools and practices of inquiry and research—generating, exploring, and refining important questions; creating a hypothesis or thesis; gathering and studying evidence; drawing conclusions; and composing a report. STANDARD 1.5 Produce a variety of written, spoken, multigenre, and multimedia works, making conscious choices about language, form, style, and/or visual representation for each work (e.g., poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction stories, academic and literary essays, proposals, memos, manifestos, business letters, advertisements, prepared speeches, group and dramatic performances, poetry slams, and digital stories). STANDARD 2.1 Develop critical reading, listening, and viewing strategies. STANDARD 2.2 Use a variety of reading, listening, and viewing strategies to construct meaning beyond the literal level (e.g., drawing inferences; confirming and correcting; making comparisons, connections, and generalizations; and drawing conclusions). STANDARD 2.3 Develop as a reader, listener, and viewer for personal, social, and political purposes, through independent and collaborative reading. STANDARD 3.1 Develop the skills of close and contextual literary reading. STANDARD 3.2 Read and respond to classic and contemporary fiction, literary nonfiction, and expository text, from a variety of literary genres representing many time periods and authors (e.g., myth, epic, folklore, drama, poetry, autobiography, novels, short stories, philosophical pieces, science fiction, fantasy, young adult literature, creative non-fiction, hypertext fiction). STANDARD 3.3 Use knowledge of literary history, traditions, and theory to respond to and analyze the meaning of texts. STANDARD 4.1 Understand and use the English language effectively in a variety of contexts and settings. STANDARD 4.2 Understand how language variety reflects and shapes experience.


 * Instructional Plan Components

Resources**


 * Computer access for research
 * Internet
 * Book __Romeo and Juliet__
 * Pen/Paper
 * Library access
 * Graphic organizer
 * Grammar minilesson


 * Teacher Preparation**

Students must complete the reading of Romeo and Juliet to complete this lesson unit. Teacher must also have knowledge how to write a newspaper article, how to organize information using a web, outline, or list. Teacher will need to make sure each student is aware of the writing process and modeling it for students. Have an example of a newspaper article ready to show students. Students will need to get computer access, so set some time aside to use the computer lab.


 * Detailed Lesson Plans**


 * Session 1**-Assignment Sheet [[file:Romeo and Juliet Newspaper Article.docx]]

1. Once students have finished reading Romeo and Juliet, hand out the assignment sheet explaining the requirements for the newspaper article. 2. Requirements specify what is needed in the article to earn an A. Make sure to go over everything on the sheet. 3. Requirements should include: an introduction, who the character they are portraying, why they are writing the article, who was involved, what happened, and how it ended. (Students can translate this into an obituary notice with permission from teacher) 4. There will be a rubric explaining how the assignment will be broken down. 5. Rubric should include the free-write, participation, rough draft, second draft, conference time with teacher, and turning in a final draft. 6. Make sure students understand what you are asking them to do by. Ask if they have any questions about the assignment.

1. Students will be given 15 minutes to free-write about ideas they have to write for their article. 2. Model an example of a newspaper article by having the class create a newspaper article together. 3. Provide everything that is required on the assignment sheet through the example. 4. Students will not be allowed to use the same example from the article created in class for their own article. 5. Show students a variety of newspaper articles from the town, state, and nation newspapers to generate ideas. 6. Show students how to map out their ideas to organize their thoughts through using webbing, list, outline, etc.(this should be modeled during example. 7. Students will have time after the example is finished to look up information on the internet for their article.
 * Session 2**-Pre-writing Activity

1. Teacher will set up the classroom in a circle so students can see each other for the discussion. 2. Teacher will explain how to create a discussion classroom setting by modeling an example. 3. Teacher will start the discussion by asking if any students have ideas about what they want to write about. 4. Students will collaborate with each other to share ideas for their newspaper article. 5. Teacher will let students continue discussion throughout class period, making sure the students are writing down their ideas.
 * Session 3**-Discussion Activity/Prompt


 * Session 4-Conference Day**

1. Teacher has a conference day with students to hear ideas.

1. Students will write their rough drafts for their newspaper article 2. Teacher will go over expectations for what is needed in the article using the assignment sheet and rubric as a guideline. 3. Teacher will model an example of the writing process for a newspaper article on the board. 4. Teacher will give some sample ideas of what they could write about and also asking the class to provide some ideas they generated through their peer collaboration day. 5. Students will spend some time writing their introductions. 6. Students will start generating the rest of their rough draft. 7. Rough drafts will be completed as homework.
 * Session 5**-Grammar Lesson

1. Students will peer review other classmate's rough draft using the steps below and the peer review sheet. 2. Show students some different ways to critique a paper. 3. Model examples of constructive criticism. 4. Give other pointers of what to look for such as punctuation and grammar. 5. Explain how to write comments at the end of what they liked and what they would change. Make sure they sign it so students will know who edited their paper in what color. 6. Let students swap papers with the person next to them. 7. Give students a colored marker or pencil to write with. 8. Allow students time to edit their partner’s paper. 9. Students will then swap again with the person next to them. 10. Students will again edit the student’s paper using a different colored marker. 11. After student’s finish, they will swap for a third time; again using a different color. 12. The student’s papers will be returned to them in order to see the student’s edits.
 * Session 6**-Peer Review


 * Session 7-Second Draft**

1. Students will write second draft. 2. Give students time in class to go over their peer’s reviews. 3. Ask students for questions they have regarding the critiques. 4. Write down any thoughts they have to share with the class on the board. 5. Allow time to discuss with peers on suggestions in groups of 3-4. 6. Give students 10-15 minutes in class to reflect on what their peers wrote for constructive criticism by free-writing.


 * Session 8-Conference Day**

1. Teacher has a second conference with students to see second drafts to make suggestions for the final draft. 2. Students express their feelings about how the paper is going.


 * Session 9-Final Draft**

1. Students will write final draft in class. 2. Teacher will be available to answer questions students may have. 3. If final draft is not completed in class, students will finish them as homework.

1. Students will turn newspaper articles for a grade and complete a self-evaluation on the experience. 2. Self-Reflection will include: How they felt during the pre-writing stage, while creating each draft, and after the assignment is finished. 3. This self-reflection will be given as homework so they can take time to reflect. 4. Self-reflection will be a 1-2 page/typed paper and will need to be handed in the next class period.
 * Session 10**-Self-Reflection