Author: Aimee Garlington  Date Created: 2/16/2006 12:00:00 PM PDT   Creative Writing VITAL INFORMATION Subject(s): Language Arts (English), Technology Topic or Unit of Study: This lesson is part of a creative story unit. Grade/Level: 4-5 Objective: Students will be able to describe characters from a mystery bag. They will be able to develop creative characters. Summary:   IMPLEMENTATION Learning Context: In this unit, the students will be learning about the important concepts of writing a creative story. This particular lesson is on developing charactors. Other concepts that will be covered include: plot, theme, setting, and using descriptve language. Procedure: 1. Students will be split into 4-5 groups. The teacher will hand out 'mystery bags'. These bags will contain belongings of a mystery person. 2. As a group, students will use these belongings to develop and create a character in a story. 3. When finished, each group will present their character, and describe them to the class. 4. The teacher will lead a mini-lesson on developing characters in a story. 5. Next the students will be given an opportunity to start creating their creative story. Also, the teacher will show how students can use kidsperation to outline their work throughout this unit. The students will be given time to use the computer to outline a character for their story. Differentiated Instruction:   Sample Student Products:   Collaboration:   Time Allotment: 1 class period. 1 Hr per class. Author's Comments & Reflections:   MATERIALS AND RESOURCES Instructional Materials: 4-5 different mystery bags, containing different belongings of different people paper/construction paper pencil/crayons/markers Resources: The number of computers required is 1 per student. Technology resources: Kidspiration STANDARDS & ASSESSMENT Standards: AZ- Arizona Academics Standards • Subject : Language Arts (previous) • Standard 2: Writing Students effectively use written language for a variety of purposes and with a variety of audiences. • Grade Range : ESSENTIALS (Grades 4-8) Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following: • Key Idea/Concept W-E2: Write a personal experience narrative or creative story that includes a plot and shows the reader what happens through well-developed characters, setting, dialog, and themes and uses figurative language, descriptive words and phrases • Grade : Grades 4-5 • Performance Objective PO 2: Write a story Detail: develop the characters • Subject : Technology • Standard 4: Technology Communication Tools. Building on productivity tools, students will collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences using telecommunications and media. • Grade Range : ESSENTIALS (Grades 4-8) Students know and are able to do all of the above and the following: • Key Idea/Concept 4T-E2: Use technology tools for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create curricular related products for audiences inside and outside the classroom  Performance Objective PO 1: Plan, design, and present an academic product using technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation software, digital cameras, scanners) Assessment/Rubrics: Students will turn in their group descriptions of the mystery bag. The students will need to include descriptive words and other ways to describe the character fully and creatively. Individually, students will turn in their outlines of the characters they produced through kidsperation.