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CREATIVE
WRITING 120
Ms. Pauline Boiser
Connecticut State University
FALL 2014

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Table of Contents
CDP Course Framework 3-7
Lesson #1 (Show & Tell) 7-9
Lesson #2 (Round Robin) 9-14
Lesson #3 (Create A Skit) 14-16
Lesson #4 (Haikus) 17-20
Lesson #5 (Acrostic Name Poem) 20-23
Lesson #6 (Folktales) 23-29
Lesson #7 (Halloween Short Story) 30-32
Lesson #8 (Personal Narratives) 33-37
Tentative Course Calendar 38-40

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CDP Course Framework
Course Description: The course is called Creative Writing 120. It is a creative writing course
offered exclusively for highly proficient speaking English ELL’s, who are college freshmen. The
class will be limited to twenty students and will meet twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 11:30-12:30) in the Fall Semester.
Needs Assessment: The course, Creative Writing 120, will be offered exclusively to ELL
college freshmen at Connecticut State University, a private institution of 20,000 students, located
in Bridgeport, Connecticut. There are 1,000 international students from all over the world that
attend the university, and most of them are enrolled in the engineering/biology majors. These
students need to fulfill a certain number of English credits for their degree audit; however, most
English courses that are offered are strictly limited to literature, grammar, and more formal areas
of literacy. CW 120 will be a fresh, new approach to non-English majors who need an elective
English course that is not as formally demanding as the usual English courses they have
encountered for their degree audit. The course will use creative writing to enhance students’
language and self-expression that will hopefully translate into more academic papers they will
have to write later on.
To assess their initial needs, students will be given a questionnaire (see Appendix A
below) in which they will tell me what prior experience they have had with creative writing,
what they expect to learn from this course, what activities they would like to do in class, and also
what they expect from me as a teacher.

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Appendix A. Needs Questionnaire
Goals and Objectives: The course will allow students to improve their writing overall, as well
as practice and improve creative and freestyle writing. They will learn and practice vocabulary
and grammar skills creatively through the various activities in the course, as well as learn and
practice different strategies. Affectively, the goal is to give students a course in which they can
write comfortably and have fun doing so. The transfer goal is to use concepts in future English
courses that do require more theoretical application.
Prior Experience with Creative Writing:
What I Expect to Learn in this Class/Activities I Would Like to Do:
What I Expect From You As My Teacher:

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Conceptualizing Content:
Selecting/Adapting Materials and Activities: Selecting the materials will be an ongoing
process that will carry on throughout the semester since the initial needs assessment will help in
my selection of materials based on the students’ feedback. I do not think it is effective to employ
a textbook to teach creative writing; I will show the film Freedom Writers (2007) in class to
show the story of a teacher’s creative approach by using journals to unite her students, who all
come from diverse backgrounds. I will also use sample poems, and short stories just to show a
template of what the students are expected to do. I will assign different situations in which they
will have to design skits in their groups, which will help the students practice vocabulary and
grammar, but have fun doing so. I hope to teach the students the ability to express themselves,
and let go of academic formalities when they are in class. With an open mind, I hope that my
approach will encourage the students to think about writing differently, and will help motivate
them to think about things from a creative standpoint.
Creative
Writing
Skits Poems Stories Journal
Grammar
& Vocab Speaking Haiku Freestyle Personal
Narrative
Short Story Self-expression &
Creativity

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Organization of Content and Activities: The content and activities will be arranged by weeks.
Each week will highlight a different task for students to work creatively with, and they will be
asked to write their own (poems, stories, skits, etc.). These units may last more than one week at
a time, depending on students’ pace and class flow.
Evaluation: There will not be any exams in the course, since creativity is fairly subjective and
there is no measure of right and wrong when it comes to students’ creativity. They will be
assigned minimal homework that will ask them to create their own original product in
accordance to the unit. To test the students and make sure they are putting effort into the course,
as well as participating outside of it, they will keep a journal for the whole semester, which will
be their major course assignment. In the journal, they will be asked to write down anything they
want to write about — they can write stories, they can write down feelings, they can draw
pictures, etc. Students are free to write about anything they want in these journals, keeping in
mind that they will be collected at the end of the semester. The journal will show me how they
are expressing themselves, without telling them how to do so. They will also be required to write
a personal narrative recounting a particular moment in their life. This paper will serve as their
final, and will need to be 3-5 pages long. Also, at the end of the semester, they will fill out an
end-of-the-semester exit ticket in which they will give me feedback about what they
liked/disliked in the course, suggestions on what changes I could make for future students, and
how effective I was in teaching them. These will be anonymous, and students will not need to
write their names on them.

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What I Liked:
What I Disliked:
Suggestions for the Future:
How Was the Teacher Effective?
Lesson 1
Show & Tell
Overall Instructional Goal: To present students the chance to share something with the class that
is of importance to them.
Justification for Lesson:
Students will practice sharing an idea with the class and will creatively attempt to share
something important to them. They will use their imagination to find an object that holds value
in their life, and they will describe it, as well as explain why this object is so important to them.
This will introduce a unique way of “storytelling,” which will be a big part of the course. The
activity will also help students become comfortable with standing in front of a class and with
their public speaking.
Materials:
 item to talk about

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The Lesson Plan
(describe the activities)
WHY & HOW
(provide brief justifications for activities &
grouping of students)
Orientation (10 min.)
Students will come into class with an item they have chosen
to describe and share with the class.
Students will sit in pairs for the beginning
of class, since they will share their item
with another person before they share with
the class. Sharing with a partner will make
the transition of sharing in front of the
whole class easier.
Transition/Justification: With your partner, tell them a story about the item. Describe what it is and why
it is important to you. After you have shared with your partner, each of you will come up and share your
item with the class.
Presentation (5 min.)
I will present an item that I have chosen and tell you all a
little bit about it, and why it is important to me.
By sharing an item of my own, students
will see that I have actively participated
with them in the activity, which hopefully
will ease them more. They will get to learn
something about me, the way that I will
learn from them.
Transition/Justification: Now that you have learned about something that is important to me, we will now
share our items with the whole class. Each of you will come up and share your item with the class and
why it is important to you.
Engagement (20 min.)
Students will provide a short story about the item and
explain why it is important to them. Each student will be
given a minute to share.
Students will share their stories, use
language to describe the item, and explain
why the item is valuable to them. Being in
front of the class may be daunting, but this
activity will help them become familiarized
with public speaking – a skill they will
have to know in college. Presenting an
item they have chosen will help put them at
ease because they already have knowledge
about it, and is a much more personal
topic, which they will hopefully enjoy.
Transition/Justification: Great job everyone! Now that we have seen a variety of different items, we will
talk a little bit about what we saw today.
Evaluation (10 min.)
Students will talk to other students around them and
discuss items they found interesting, and why. They will
also get to get up and walk around to the other students to
get a closer look of the items
Students will get to interact with their
classmates and talk to each other about
things that interested them during the
presentations.
Summary Statement(s): Hopefully, you all enjoyed learning something about your classmates today, and
hopefully you enjoyed sharing your own items. Everyone had such interesting stories to share, and I
enjoyed learning about each one.
Expansion (10 min.) By reflecting on the activity, they will be
able to see the importance behind it, and

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I will explain to students that this activity was meant to
teach them a unique way of storytelling, which will be an
important part of creative writing. I will then ask for
feedback on whether or not they liked the activity.
also offer feedback on what they liked or
didn’t like, which will help me make
changes as a teacher.
Lesson 2
Round Robin
Overall Instructional Goal: To practice writing a story together, in a fun, creative manner.
Learning Objectives: By doing a round robin, students will work together to become familiarized
with a unique and fun way of telling a story.
Justification for Lesson: Oftentimes, we write stories individually. A round robin activity will
introduce students to a different way of writing a story – one in which they will work collectively
to creatively construct a story. Round robins are fun because they don’t need to be too formal,
and the results are usually unpredictable. They are a good way to practice the use of imagination,
and also to share ideas through writing stories.
Materials:
 writing utensil
 information packet
 one worksheet per group
 timer
 strips of paper with genres
 4 groups of 5

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ROUND ROBIN
What is it?
A round-robin story, or simply "round robin," is a type of collaborative fiction or
storytelling in which a number of authors each write chapters of a novel or pieces of a story, in
rounds. Round-robin novels were invented in the 19th century, and later became a tradition
particularly in science fiction.
Example of a Round Robin story:
One person writes: “Once upon a time, there was a young prince named Arthur…”
The next person writes: “He lived in a big castle in Norway.”
The next person writes: “One day, a princess came to the castle, looking for a husband.”
The next person writes: “At that moment, a flying dog came through the door.”
WHAT?!??!
Round-robin stories are a fun way of telling stories as a group. The stories can
follow one storyline, but you can also “spice things up” by writing the story in a
completely different direction. You can add a plot twist, and add ideas that do not
follow what the personbefore you has written.
Now it’s your turn!

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With your group:
 Write a round-robin story based on the genre your group has been assigned to.
 Each person will have 20 seconds to write his or her part of the story. Once the timer
goes off, pass the paper to the next person.
 We will have 10 minutes to write the story.
 Be creative and have fun!

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THE END
The Lesson Plan
(describe the activities)
WHY & HOW
(provide brief justifications for activities &
grouping of students)
Orientation (5 min.)  Students will pick a strip of paper out
of a hat upon entering class. Each strip

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Students will learn about the round-robin story today. They
will learn what it is, if they don’t already know, and they
will write a round-robin story with their groups later in
class.
will have a genre on it, which will
determine groups later on.
 Students will become familiar with a
fun and unique storytelling technique.
Transition/Justification: Today, we will learn about the round-robin story. We will learn what it is, and in
class, we will practice writing one with our groups.
Presentation (10 min.)
Students will receive a worksheet that will describe what a
round-robin story is, and they will also see an example of
one and how it is written. We will go over this worksheet
together, and I will have students read the worksheet out
loud.
Students will see a definition of a round-
robin story, accompanied with an example
of one. We will read this out loud in class
to practice our pronunciation, as well as
reading comprehension. They are also free
to ask any questions they might have,
should any confusion arise.
Transition/Justification: Now that we’ve learned about the round-robin story, does anybody have any
questions about it? Now, please find the strip of paper that you picked up in the beginning of class, and
find the other members in your group with the same genre on their strips of paper. You will all be in four
groups with five people. I will give each group a worksheet to write their story on. Each person will have
20 seconds to write his or her part of the story and when the timer goes off, please pass it to the next
person. We will do this for 10 minutes; so make sure you are keeping track of time! Be creative and have
fun! Does anyone have any questions?
Engagement (10 min.)
Students will write their own round-robin story. Each
group has a genre in which they must follow, and they will
each contribute parts in the story.
 By assigning genres, students will not
stray too far away and get too off track
with their stories, but at the same time
they will still have freedom to be
creative with their stories.
 The genres will be: horror, romance,
suspense, drama, and science-fiction
Transition/Justification: Now that time’s up, we will go around and share our stories with the class!
Please have one member of your group read the group’s story.
Evaluation (20 min.)
Each group will read their stories out loud to the class.
After each group reads, we will talk about what the group
did well, and what we liked about their story.
Students will be given a chance to share
their stories and offer feedback to their
classmates.
Summary Statement(s): Now that we know what a round-robin story is, hopefully you enjoyed the
activity and maybe you can write one with your friends! Remember that creativity is key and we get
many interesting stories when we put all of our ideas together.
Expansion (10 min.)
I will explain to students that stories can be told in many
different ways and that the round-robin is one fun way to
write stories with family and friends.
Students will have a clearer understanding
of a round-robin story and also the purpose
behind the activity we did in class today.

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Lesson 3
Create a Skit!
Overall Instructional Goal: To create a skit based on a situation they are assigned.
Learning Objectives: Students will produce a skit depending on the situation they are assigned.
They will work together as a team to write out a dialogue and produce a five-minute skit then
perform it in front of the class.
Justification for Lesson: The skit will help students work in teams to create a skit, in which they
will be able to use creativity and imagination to portray in front of their classmates. The skit will
help them practice writing, and also speaking in front of the class. Skits are also another way of
telling a story. Language classes often incorporate skits to creatively practice pronunciation and
comprehension.
Materials:
 writing utensil
 5 groups of 4
 skit worksheet
Skit

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Situations
Skit #1 (Group 5): Jordan is a star athlete on his school’s football team. One day, his friend
Marcus offers him performance-enhancing drugs so he can perform at an all time best at the next
home game. Jordan knows how important the game is, and knows how well he must perform to
impress the scouts that will be in the stands. At the same time, he knows how dangerous the
drugs can be, and how much he will be risking if the drugs are found in his system. Create a skit,
showing the situation above, and what decision he will ultimately make.
Characters to include: Jordan, Marcus, Jordan’s parents
Skit #2 (Group 4): Natalya is going shopping with her friend Taylor at the mall. While in their
favorite store, she sees someone stuffing shirts into a white plastic bag. She realizes she is
witnessing a shoplifter shoplifting. She wants to tell the manager, but there is no one around.
What should Natalya do? Create a skit, showing the situation, and what Natalya will do next.
Characters to include: Natalya, Taylor, shoplifter, store manager
Skit #3 (Group 3): Alex just received a job offer with a well-respected marketing company. The
job will call for him to move from his hometown in New York City, all the way to Los Angeles.
His parents want him to go, but his girlfriend, Sandra, begs him to stay. He asks his brother
David for advice on what to do. He knows the job is a once in a lifetime opportunity, but does
not want to leave Sandra behind. Create a skit showing what will happen to Alex.
Characters to include: Alex, Sandra, Alex’s parents, David
Skit #4 (Group 2): Nora is in love with Michael, but cannot bring herself to tell him, because
Michael is dating Nora’s best friend, Mindy. Nora loves Mindy and is always there for her as a
best friend, but she has been feeling the need to tell Michael her true feelings. She knows that she
will be risking her friendship with Mindy and with Michael, if he doesn’t feel the same way.
What will Nora do?
Characters to include: Nora, Mindy, Michael, Nora’s mom
Skit #5 (Group 1): Carter’s friends are going to a party tonight, but she has a huge exam
tomorrow. The party will apparently be the biggest party of the year. What will Carter do? She
knows she should stay in and study, but she just can’t miss the party.
Characters to include: Carter, three friends

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The Lesson Plan
(describe the activities)
WHY & HOW
(provide brief justifications for activities &
grouping of students)
Orientation (5 min.)
Students will be introduced to skits today. Each student
will pick up a strip of paper, containing a number from 1-
5, which will determine groups later on.
 Students will pick up a strip of paper
upon entering class.
 Strips will have numbers 1-5 on them
and this will determine groups later on.
 Random groups
Transition/Justification: Today we will be making a skit based on a situation that your group is assigned.
Here is a worksheet with the skits on them. Can I have volunteers read each skit aloud?
Presentation (10 min.)
Skits are another way of telling a story. They will help us
practice pronunciation and comprehension creatively. Who
here has created a skit for a class before? We will watch a
short skit from Saturday Night Live, which is a popular
program full of improvised skits.
I will explain the importance of skits in the
creative context, as well as in the language
context. By asking the students about their
prior experience with skits, I can better
gauge who has already done skits before.
By showing an SNL clip, they will better
see how a skit works.
Transition/Justification: Now, we will get into our groups and start working on our skits. Please find your
group members, and decide who will be playing who. Brainstorm and start writing a dialogue.
Engagement (25 min.)
The skits I have provided for you all contain characters in
problematic situations. Your job is to portray the
character’s struggle with the situation they are in, and also
the decision they make pertaining to the situation. You may
take it in any direction you want.
I will explain to the class that each skit has
a problem that needs to be solved, and that
they must portray the character in their
troubled state. They are free to write the
character’s ending.
Transition/Justification: Now that you’ve had a chance to write your skit out, we will have three minutes
for each group to present their skit in front of the class.
Evaluation (15 min.)
Groups will present their skits in front of the class.
Students will get the chance to perform
their skits and share in front of the class.
Summary Statement(s): Great job, everyone! Hopefully, we all have a better understanding of skits and
how they work to tell stories.
Expansion (until end of class)
Watch a skit on YouTube, and share what you have found
with the class next time.
Students will have the opportunity to watch
skits outside of class as a final reiteration
of the lesson.

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Lesson 4
Haikus
Overall Instructional Goal: To teach students how to write a haiku.
Learning Objectives:
 Become familiar with a certain style of poetry and practice writing in it
 Create an original haiku
Justification for Lesson:
 Develop creativity using a certain style of poetry
 Practice adjectives/adverbs to improve imagery
 Show, don’t tell, in writing
 Versatility
Materials:
 writing utensil
 informative worksheet
 Haiku examples

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WHAT IS A HAIKU?
 Traditional Japanese haikus are three-line poems with seventeen syllables, which usually
follow a 5/7/5 syllable count
 Often focus on nature imagery; emphasizes simplicity, intensity, and directness of
expression.
 Originated in thirteenth century Japan as opening phrase of renga, an oral poem generally
100 stanzas long
o Haiku broke away from renga in sixteenth century
 Traditionally written in present tense; associations between images
 5/7/5 rule has been broken and is not a requirement of the haiku form today
o philosophy preserved : a brief moment in time, provocative colorful images,
ability to be read in one breath, sense of sudden enlightenment and illumination
*http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/text/poetic-form-haiku
An old pond!
A frog jumps in—
the sound of water.
-Matsuo Basho
*translated many different ways
Autumn wind –
mountain’s shadow
wavers.
Don’t weep, insects –
Lovers, stars themselves,
Must part.
- Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828)
After an Affair

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Just friends:
he watches my gauze dress
blowing on the line.
-Alexis Rotella
*http://www.webexhibits.org/poetry/explore_famous_haiku_examples.html
In early morning
My Dad goes out for seafood
From the ocean rocks
Agnes Thomas / Age 13 / Canada
In the evening twilight
Only the mushrooms
Are illuminated
Keji Baba / Age 12 / Japan
*http://www.edu.pe.ca/stjean/playing%20with%20poetry/Hennessey/howtohaiku.htm
The Lesson Plan
(describe the activities)
WHY & HOW
(provide brief justifications for activities &
grouping of students)
Orientation (5 min.)
We will start class out with a little discussion on haikus.
 Name different poetry styles.
 Today, we will talk about a specific style of poetry
called the haiku.
 Ask if students are familiar with haikus
 Asking students for their prior
knowledge/exposure to poetry in
general, and specifically to haikus.
 Questions will ask students to draw
on previous experience.
 Can better gauge how many
students have been exposed to
haikus before

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 Ask someone to define, explain
 Have you written one before?
 If so, how did you like it?
Transition/Justification: Today, we will learn more about haikus and write our own original piece.
Presentation (10 min.)
 Define haiku and discuss its origins
 Imagery vs. Explanation (example)
 Show, don’t tell
o good way to practice adjectives and adverbs
 Nature is a big theme, but is not necessary.
 Familiarize students with the haiku
by providing background
information on it
 Explain its purpose/benefits of
writing haikus
Transition/Justification: Now that you know a little bit more about haikus, it’s our turn to write one.
Although many haikus are written with the element of nature as the subject, we are going to write one on
a phenomenon we all are too familiar with: finals week!
Engagement (10 min.)
 Write a haiku on finals week.
 Try to incorporate adjectives and adverbs
 Share
 Students will write a haiku on
something they are knowledgeable
about.
 Application
Transition/Justification: Now that we’ve written our own haiku, I’m going to ask you to brainstorm and
pick a topic to write a haiku about. You can pick something related to nature, but it doesn’t have to be.
Just take a minute to think about some images and then write a haiku about your chosen topic.
Evaluation (15 min.)
 Brainstorm subjects for haiku
 Write original haiku
 Share
 Students will be able to take the
knowledge they have learned today
to choose a topic that they will
write an original haiku on.
Summary Statement(s): Hopefully, you all enjoyed the lesson on haikus today. As you can see, haikus
are very short and to the point, but they also encourage you to use descriptive language such as
adjectives and adverbs, to show your readers, rather than telling them about something. Next time you
are feeling frustrated or sad or happy, take a couple of minutes and write a couple of lines about it!
Expansion (until end of lesson)
 Who would like to share their haiku?
 What did you think of the lesson?
 What are some changes I could make to improve
this lesson?
 Students can provide
feedback/make suggestions.
Lesson 5
Acrostic Name Poem
Overall Instructional Goal: To practice writing poetry in a unique way.
Learning Objectives: Students will become familiar with another poetry style. Writing a poem in
the form of an acronym spelling out their name will help them describe themselves in a specific
style.
Justification for Lesson: Students will be able to develop their creativity with this activity, and
write poetry in a fun, different way.

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Materials:
 writing utensil
 paper
 examples
ACROSTIC NAME POEM
 Write your name, with the letters going down the left side of your paper.
 Brainstorm words, ideas, to fill in each line of your poem; each line will start with
each letter in your name.
EXAMPLE:

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Positive even in the face of adversity
Always trying to lighten the mood
Understanding even to those who have hurt me
Laughter is a necessity in my life
Imperfections make me who I am
Nice to everyone
Early? Never, I’m always late.
Basketball is my favorite sport
Obsessed with writing poetry
Indecisive when it comes to what restaurant to eat at
Social butterfly; catch me out with my friends
Education is my top priority
Responsible, respectful, really rad!
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!
The Lesson Plan
(describe the activities)
WHY & HOW
(provide brief justifications for activities &
grouping of students)
Orientation (5 min.)
Today, we will talk about an acrostic name poem. Who can
tell me what that is?
Engage the students into discussion about
today’s lesson.
Transition/Justification: We will talk about an acrostic name poem and how to write one. This is a fun
and unique way of writing a poem to describe yourself.
Presentation (15 min.)

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In order to write our own acrostic name poems, we must
first become familiar with acronyms. Acronyms look a
certain way, and are usually used as a way of
remembering things. After we have become familiar with
acronyms, we will write our name in an acronym format,
with each letter in our names going down the left side of
the paper.
Explanation of what an acrostic name
poem is to introduce it to the class. By
seeing what an acrostic name poem looks
like, they will know how to write their
own. I will also show them some examples
of acrostic name poems so they can see
what it looks like.
Transition/Justification: Now that we’ve seen some examples of acrostic name poems, we will write our
own.
Engagement (20 min.)
Students will brainstorm and write their own acrostic name
poems.
Students will apply the knowledge they
have to apply it into their own acrostic
name poems.
Transition/Justification: After we have written our own acrostic poems, we will now share ours with the
class.
Evaluation (10 min.)
We will share our poems with the class, and as a class, we
can discuss what makes an acrostic name poem fun to
write, but also, what makes it hard to write.
Students can talk about what they liked and
didn’t like about the activity and whether
they liked writing acrostic name poems.
Summary Statement(s): As you can see, an acrostic name poem is a creative way to write a poem to
describe yourself. The format is very different, and it can be a little difficult to write, but it forces you to
think of adjectives and different ways to describe yourself by limiting it to a letter.
Expansion (10 min.)
For homework, please write an acrostic name poem for a
friend or a family member describing them, and bring it to
class next time.
Students will apply the knowledge from
today’s class to write another acrostic
name poem for another person.
Lesson 6
Folktales
Overall Instructional Goal: To become familiar with folktales, and write our own.
Learning Objectives: Students will learn about folktales and the elements needed to write one.
They will then write their own folktale.
Justification for Lesson: Folktales are an important part of one’s culture, and are helpful in
teaching morals, usually to children. It is a classic method of storytelling, and students will find
it fun to read and this will motivate them in writing their own.

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WHAT ARE FOLKTALES?
Folktales are the traditional beliefs, myths, tales, and practices
of a people, transmitted orally. They are usually handed down from
generation to generation and are not confirmed to be true, but are
believed by many. They usually have a moral at the end.
Famous Chinese Folktale
http://mrmed0tc0m.tripod.com/folktale.htm
The Frog Who Became an Emperor
China Folktale
Once upon a time there lived a very poor couple. A baby was on the way when the
husband was forced to leave his home to find a living somewhere far away. Before he
left, he embraced his wife fondly and gave her the last few silver pieces he had,
saying, "When the child is born, be it a boy or a girl, you must do all you can to bring
it up. You and I are so poor that there is no hope for us now. But our child may be
able to help us find a living."
Three months after her husband's departure, the wife gave birth. The baby was neither
a boy nor a little girl, but a frog!
The poor mother was heart-broken, and wept bitterly. "Ah, an animal, not a child!"
she cried. "Our hopes for someone to care for us in our old age are gone! How can I
ever face people again!" She thought at first she would do away with him, but she did
not have the heart to do so. She wanted to bring him up, but was afraid of what the
neighbors would say.
As she brooded over the matter, she remembered her husband's words before he went
away, and she decided not to kill the child but always keep him hidden under the bed.
In this way, no one knew she had given birth to a frog-child. But within two months,
the frog-child had grown so big that he could no longer be kept under the bed. And
one day, he suddenly spoke in a human voice.

25. Boiser 25
"Mother," he said, "my father is coming back tonight. I am going to wait for him
beside the road." And sure enough, the husband did come home that very night.
"Have you seen your son?" the wife asked anxiously.
"Where? Where is my son?"
"He was waiting for you by the side of the road. Didn't you see him?"
"No! I saw no sign of anyone," her husband answered, surprised. "All I saw was an
awful frog which gave me such a fright."
"That frog was your son," said the wife unhappily.
When the husband heard that his wife had given birth to a frog, he was grieved. "Why
did you tell him to meet me?" he said.
"What do you mean, tell him to meet you? He went without any telling from me. He
suddenly said you were coming tonight and went out to meet you."
"This is really extraordinary," thought the husband, brightening up. "No one knew I
was coming. How could he have known?"
"Call him home, quickly," he said aloud. "He might catch cold outside."
Just as the mother opened the door to do so, the frog came in. He hopped over to his
father, who asked him, "Was it you I met on the road?"
"Yes," said the frog. "I was waiting for you, Father."
"How did you know I was coming back tonight?"
"I know everything under heaven."
The father and mother were amazed by his words and more amazed when he went on.
"Our country is in great peril," he said solemnly. "We are unable to resist the invaders.
I want Father to take me to the emperor, for I must save our country."
"How can that be?" said the father. "Firstly, you have no horse. Secondly, you have no
weapons, and thirdly, you have never been on a battlefield. How, then, do you
propose to fight?"

26. Boiser 26
The frog was very much in earnest. "Only take me there," he pleaded. "I'll defeat the
enemy, never fear."
The father could not dissuade the frog, so he took his frog-son to the city to seek an
audience with the emperor. After two days' journey, they arrived at the capital, where
they saw the imperial decree displayed!
"The imperial capital is in danger. My country has been invaded. We are willing to
marry our daughter to the man who can drive away the enemy."
The frog tore down the decree and with one gulp swallowed it. The soldier guarding
the imperial decree was greatly alarmed. He could hardly imagine a frog accepting
such a responsible duty. However, since the frog had swallowed the decree, he must
be taken into the palace.
The emperor asked the frog if he had the means and ability to defeat the enemy. The
frog replied, "Yes, Lord." Then the emperor asked him how many men and horses he
would need.
"Not a single horse or a single man," answered the frog. "All I need is a heap of hot,
glowing embers."
The emperor immediately commanded that a heap of hot, glowing embers be brought,
and it was done. The heat was intense. The frog sat before the fire devouring the
flames by the mouthful for three days and three nights. He ate till his belly was as big
and round as a bladder full of fat. By now the city was in great danger, for the enemy
was already at the walls. The emperor was terribly apprehensive, but the frog behaved
as if nothing unusual was happening, and calmly went on swallowing fire and flame.
Only after the third day had passed did he go to the top of the city wall and look at the
situation. There, ringing the city, were thousands of soldiers and horses, as far as the
eye could see.
"How, frog, are you going to drive back the enemy?" asked the emperor.
"Order your troops to stop plying their bows," replied the frog, "and open the city
gate."
The emperor turned pale with alarm when he heard these words.
"What! With the enemy at our very door! You tell me to open the gate! How dare you
trifle with me?"

27. Boiser 27
"Your Imperial Highness has bidden me to drive the enemy away," said the frog.
"And that being so, you must heed my words."
The emperor was helpless. He ordered the soldiers to stop bending their bows and lay
down their arrows and throw open the gate.
As soon as the gate was open, the invaders poured in. The frog was above them in the
gate tower and, as they passed underneath, he coolly and calmly spat fire down on
them, searing countless men and horses. They fled back in disorder.
The emperor was overjoyed when he saw that the enemy was defeated. He made the
frog a general and ordered that the victory should be celebrated for several days. But
of the princess he said nothing, for he had not the slightest intention of letting his
daughter marry a frog.
"Of course I cannot do such a thing!" he said to himself. Instead, he let it be known
that it was the princess who refused. She must marry someone else, but whom? He did
not know what to do. Anyone but a frog! Finally he ordained that her marriage should
be decided by casting the Embroidered Ball.
Casting the Embroidered Ball! The news spread immediately throughout the whole
country and within a few days the city was in turmoil. Men from far and wide came to
try their luck, and all manner of people flocked to the capital. The day came. The frog
was present. He did not push his way into the mob but stood at the very edge of the
crowded square.
A gaily festooned pavilion of a great height had been built. The emperor led the
princess and her train of maids to their seats high up on the stand.
The moment arrived. The princess tossed the Embroidered Ball into the air, and down
it gently floated. The masses in the square surged and roared like a raging sea. As one
and all stretched eager hands to clutch the ball, the frog drew in a mighty breath and,
like a whirling tornado, sucked the ball straight to him.
Now, surely, the princess will have to marry the frog! But the emperor was still
unwilling to let this happen.
"An Embroidered Ball cast by a princess," he declared, "can only be seized by a
human hand. No beast may do so."
He told the princess to throw down a second ball.

28. Boiser 28
This time a young, stalwart fellow caught the ball.
"This is the man!" cried the happy emperor. "Here is the person fit to be my imperial
son-in-law."
A sumptuous feast was set to celebrate the occasion.
Can you guess who that young, stalwart fellow was? Of course it was the frog, now in
the guise of a man.
Not till he was married to the princess did he change back again. By day he was a frog
but at night he stripped off his green skin and was transformed into a fine, upstanding
youth.
The princess could not keep it a secret and one day revealed it to her father, the
emperor. He was startled but happy.
"At night," he said to his son-in-law, "you discard your outer garment, I hear, and
become a handsome young man. Why do you wear that horrid frog-skin in the day?"
"Ah, Sire," replied the frog, "this outer garment is priceless. When I wear it in winter,
I am warm and cozy; and in summer, cool and fresh. It is proof against wind and rain.
Not even the fiercest flame can set it alight. And as long as I wear it, I can live for
thousands of years."
"Let me try it on!" demanded the emperor.
"Yes, Sire," replied the frog and made haste to discard his skin.
The emperor smiled gleefully. He took off his dragon-
embroidered robe and put on the frog-skin. But then he could
not take it off again!
The frog put on the imperial robe and became the emperor. His
father-in-law remained a frog forever.

29. Boiser 29
The Lesson Plan
(describe the activities)
WHY & HOW
(provide brief justifications for activities &
grouping of students)
Orientation (5 min.)
Students will learn about folktales and their importance to
one’s culture. In class today, we will read a famous
folklore from China.
Students will be introduced to folktales,
and will be asked to recount any that they
might remember reading in their culture as
a child.
Transition/Justification: Today, we will be learning about folktales, as well as reading a famous one from
China.
Presentation (10 min.)
I will give students the definition of a folktale, as well as its
importance. It needs to have a moral lesson that readers
will take with them. I will ask students if they can
remember reading any folktale as a child that sticks with
them today.
Students will start to think about their own
culture’s folktales. This will get them to
start thinking about the folktale we will
read in class.
Transition/Justification: Now, we are going to read the famous Chinese folktale, “The Frog Who Became
an Emperor.” As we read, think about the story and the elements you are reading.
Engagement (20 min.)
We will read the story as a class.
Students will practice their pronunciation
through reading, and will gain a better
understanding of the story.
Transition/Justification: After having read the folktale, who can tell me what the moral of the story? We
will now write our own folktale.
Evaluation (20 min.)
Students will work on writing their own folktale.
After reading a folktale, students will be
able to apply this knowledge to write a
short folktale to practice writing stories.
Summary Statement(s): Hopefully, you were able to gain an understanding of folktales and their
importance to one’s culture.
Expansion (5 min.)
Work on folktales. Bring them to class next time, and we
will finish them.
Students will be able to work on their
folktales outside of class and bring them to
class to finish for next time.

30. Boiser 30
Lesson 7
Short Story (Halloween)
Overall Instructional Goal: To write a Halloween story using descriptive language to describe
setting.
Learning Objectives: Students will be able to use a variety of adjectives to describe a particular
setting, and tell a story by building suspense.
Justification for Lesson: This short story will be a fun way for students to get in the spirit of
Halloween, and in doing so, they will be working with adjectives they may not have encountered
before to describe an eerie setting.
Materials:
 examples
*http://justsomething.co/20-terrifying-
two-sentence-horror-stories-that-will-
make-you-hold-your-breath/

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“Picture Perfect” by craiggroshek
*http://www.reddit.com/r/shortscarystories/comments/2p8ihn/picture_perfect/
Kristine deftly made her way through the woods. Camera strap over her shoulder, she
navigated through the dry brush that crunched in time with her step. Hell bent on
fleshing out her school photography portfolio, she ventured into the forest to
photograph wildlife. Wanting to get a true variety of shots, Kristine resolved to spend
the night in the forest.
After hours of kneeling quietly by a toppled oak observing a monarch butterfly, waiting
for it to take flight, after perpetual ages of leaning over a boulder trying to flawlessly
capture a turtle basking in the sun, she retired to a clearing to erect her tent. Meaning to
only rest until true night arrived, she set her watch to wake her at 11:30 p.m.
The beeping of the watch startled her. Rising from her sleeping bag, she took note of the
light shining in through the walls of the tent. She considered that she only set the alarm
a few minutes from when she dozed off, but found, to her dismay, that she had
accidentally set it for 11:30 a.m., rather than p.m. The night was lost. Trying her best to
brush off the loss, she picked the camera up from her side and began flipping through
the pictures on the digital display.
With shaky hands, she unzipped the entrance to the tent and sprinted out with an
uneasy gait, her knees barely holding her above the ground.
In the tent remained the camera, tossed aside.
Illuminated by the dim glow of the display
was the final picture: A nicely positioned
one of her, from inside the tent.
From above.
Asleep.

32. Boiser 32
The Lesson Plan
(describe the activities)
WHY & HOW
(provide brief justifications for activities &
grouping of students)
Orientation (5 min.)
Students will discuss Halloween, a major holiday
celebrated in the United States. I will ask them whether
their culture celebrates Halloween as well.
Students will be able to talk about their
cultures’ perception of Halloween.
Transition/Justification: Now, we will see some examples of two-sentence horror stories. Although they
are short, they are pretty scary. The writers have done a good job of effectively provoking fear in the
reader.
Presentation (10 min.)
Students will read a couple of two-sentence horror stories
on a PowerPoint that I will create. We will then read a
short horror story as a class.
Students will get to read out loud to
practice pronunciation and also to gain an
understanding of what makes a story scary.
Transition/Justification: Now that you’ve read a couple of short scary stories, it’s our turn to write one!
We will first practice by writing two-sentence stories to get an idea of how we want to write stories.
Keep in mind that your story should use a lot of visual imagery, so using your phones, please look up
adjectives that will help set the tone for a creepy setting.
Engagement (15 min.)
Students will be allowed to use laptops/phones to look up
adjectives that will help set the tone for their eerie setting.
They will then brainstorm ideas and start writing two-
sentence stories.
By having access to their laptops and
cellphones, students will be able to make a
list of adjectives they want to use to write
their story. Practicing first with two-
sentence stories will be a good beginning
activity before they start writing their short
stories.
Transition/Justification: Now that we’ve practiced writing in the horror genre, we will now start to write
our short horror story. Please brainstorm ideas of where you want your story to take place, what you
want to happen in your story, and how you will draw the reader in to reading it.
Evaluation (20 min.)

33. Boiser 33
Students will be allowed to use laptops/phones to look up
adjectives that will help set the tone for their eerie setting.
They will then brainstorm ideas and start writing their
story.
By having access to their laptops and
cellphones, students will be able to make a
list of adjectives they want to use to write
their story.
Summary Statement(s): Hopefully, you enjoyed writing a short story for Halloween. Now, you can sit
around a campfire in the dark and read your stories to your friends and hopefully scare them!
Expansion (10 min.)
Students will offer to share their two-sentence stories, or if
anyone would like, they can read their short stories to the
class.
They will have applied their knowledge of
using visual imagery to create an eerie
setting.
Lesson 8
Introduction to Personal Narratives
Overall Instructional Goal: To introduce students to personal narratives and have them start
writing their own for their final paper.
Learning Objectives: Students will become familiar with the structure of a personal narrative.
Justification for Lesson: Students are required to write a 3-5 page personal narrative for their
final paper. This lesson will introduce them to the structure of a personal narrative, and by the
end of class, they will have chosen a topic to write their personal narrative about.
Personal Narratives
A personal narrative is a story that talks about a particular moment in time. Whether it was the
first time you rode your bike without training wheels, or the first time you got your heart
broken, a personal narrative captures a specific experience and retells it. With these types of
stories, the use of the words “I,” “my,” or “me” are welcomed and strongly encouraged, as
opposed to more formal academic writing, which prefer avoiding using the first person. In the
Particular moment in
time Use of “I,” “me,”
“my”
Evokes emotion in
reader

34. Boiser 34
space below, brainstorm a couple of ideas regarding experiences you’ve gone through and what
happened in that moment. Do you remember it well? Why does it stick out in your memory?
It’s a Boy!
*http://www.thewritesource.com/studentmodels/wi-baby.htm
“Congratulations, you have a new baby boy!” my child-development
teacher said as she handed over the 10-pound bundle.
Last year in my high schoolchild-developmentclass, each student
had to take the “Think-It-Over” baby home for a night to get a taste of
parenthood. Even before I received the baby, I knew I was not ready to be
a parent as a senior in high school. I could still rememberwhen my brother
and sister were little and I would have to take care of them all the time. At
least the doll had no dirty diapers I would have to change.
It was a Friday night when my turn came to take the 10-pound plastic
doll home. The doll really did look like a live baby from a distance. It even
had a pleasant baby powder smell. AfterI took the baby home in his car
seat, I changed him into some really cute clothes because my friends and I
were going out that night. I then decidedto name him Tyler.
Inside the body of this doll was a computerthat was programmed to
make periodic crying sounds. I was the only person who could stop the
crying because I had the key. This key, tied to my wrist, could be inserted
in the doll’s back to stop the crying. So far, so good.The doll had not cried,
yet.
My friends came over, and we all piled into the car. It was kind of
squished because we had the baby’s seat in there, too. I had to treat the
doll like a real baby because the computerinside also measured any abuse
to the doll, such as shaking or neglect. The hour-long drive to the
restaurant was uneventful. It was rather chilly, so I decided to wrap Tyler in

35. Boiser 35
a blanket and carry him in that way. I also had a diaper bag with diapers,a
bottle, and an extra set of clothes hanging on my arm.
Because it was Friday night, there were a lot of people waiting in line
to get a table. When I walked into that crowded entryway, I got some very
weird looks and quite a few raised eyebrows.My friends also noticed the
glares and stares, so we decidedto make a game out of the whole
situation. I stood in the corner pretending to rock Tyler to sleep.Every once
in a while my friends would peek in the blanket and say, “Oh, how cute.” I
could not help but laugh. And although it was funny to my friends and me,
some of the people did not think it was so funny that I had a baby. I
overheard one couple say, “Why would she bring a baby here?” These
people were giving me rude looks and forming judgments about me
because they thought I was a teenage mom. Others just smiled at me
sympathetically and felt sorry for me because I was only a child with a
child.
We finally got a table, and the waiter, not knowing I was carrying a
doll, asked me if I needed a high chair. I told him it was just a doll, but a
high chair would be good.He thought it was funny that I actually dared to
bring a doll into the restaurant, so he brought a high chair, plus a red
balloon for the little one.
Again, during our meal, my friends and I received strange looks from
the others in the restaurant. One couple kept walking by our table just to
get a look at my baby. I think they were trying to figure out if the doll was an
actual baby. As the couple walked by, my friends and I started discussing
how people so quickly judged me and assumed that I was the mother of the
baby. We decided that we would probably do the same if we saw a teenage
girl coming in with a child and a group of friends. Teenage pregnancy is not
accepted where I live and is definitely not the norm; many girls would hide
their pregnancies if they decided to keep their babies.
We went to the mall after we were finished eating, and I had to take
Tyler with me. My friends were looking at clothes,but I couldn’t because I
was carrying this “baby” (which was becoming quite heavy). So I just

36. Boiser 36
roamed around wishing I could try on clothes, too. Then the baby started to
cry this horrible imitation baby’s cry. It was so loud and terrible. I quickly put
the key into the doll’s back so it would quit crying, and then I had to explain
to the salesclerkwhy I was carrying around a plastic doll. I was so glad to
finally go home.
I learned a lot through my experience with the “Think-It-Over” baby.
The doll definitely reinforced my thinking that I was not ready to be a
parent, but it also made me more aware of the larger picture. It opened my
eyes to the judgments people make about others. People do not realize
that some things are not the way they seem.The doll seemed like it was
my baby, but that was not the case. I was only carrying it around for a class
project.The people in the restaurant were so quick to judge me because
they assumed I was a teenage mom.They undoubtedly thought I was
stupid for taking a baby to a noisy, smoky place; they didn’t realize it was
just a plastic doll underneath that blanket.
I sometimes catch myself judging people I do not know, just because
of the first impressionthey give. In reality, I do not have a clue about their
real stories. I especiallythink people judge teenage girls with babies too
quickly. Sure, they may have made a mistake, but the girls usually know
that, and they are the ones who have to pay the price. I only experienced
the glares and rude comments forone night, but I thought of all the girls
who have to deal with these looks wherever they go. We should all be
slower to judge these girls, or anyone else,and realize that some things
are not as they seem.

37. Boiser 37
The Lesson Plan
(describe the activities)
WHY & HOW
(provide brief justifications for activities &
grouping of students)
Orientation (5 min.)
Students will be introduced to the personal narrative
today.
Students will be able to get familiar with
how they should write their final paper.
Transition/Justification: Today, we will talk about what a personal narrative is, and what approach you
should take in thinking about your own personal narrative.
Presentation (10 min.)
I will present a PowerPoint on personal narratives. In the
PowerPoint, I will discuss what a personal narrative is,
and how we should think about writing our own. They will
also have a worksheet in front of them, with a sample
personal narrative.
Students will learn about the personal
narrative, and what elements need to go
into it.
Transition/Justification: We now know what elements should go into a personal narrative. For the next
25 minutes, we will brainstorm ideas about moments in our lives that we may want to write our personal
narratives on. If you know what you want to write about, just start writing.
Engagement (25 min.)
Students will brainstorm ideas and think about experiences
that have molded them into the person they are today, or
moments that will stay with them forever.
Students will get a better idea of what they
want to write their personal narratives on
by brainstorming. They can also get
feedback from me.
Transition/Justification: Now that you’ve had the time to think about moments in your lives, hopefully
you have narrowed it down to one moment that you will write your final paper on. Now, I want you to
get in pairs and talk to another person about your personal narrative, and they will tell you about theirs.
Evaluation (10 min.)
Students will be allowed to talk to a classmate and discuss
their topics for their personal narratives.
Feedback from peers is always helpful.
Summary Statement(s): Hopefully, your partner offered some good feedback on your personal narratives.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me.
Expansion (10 min.)
Students will start writing their personal narratives at
home, and bring it to class next time for us to work on.
They will have started to think and work
on their personal narratives, after receiving
feedback from me, and their peers.

38. Boiser 38
Tentative Course Calendar
Day Activity Objective Homework
T Introductions/Ice
breakers/Intro to
Syllabus
Students will meet
each other, and
become familiar
with the course.
NONE
TR
What is Creative
Writing?
Students will be
introduced to
Creative Writing,
and different kinds
of writing we will
be doing this
semester.
Find item to bring
for Show & Tell on
Tuesday.
T Show & Tell
Students will bring
in an item to class,
present it to the
class and tell us
why it is important
to them.
NONE
 Students will
play a game
of “telephone”
in which one
student
NONE

39. Boiser 39
TR Finish This
begins the
story, and the
next student
continues it.
 We will
discuss how
easily a story
can change.
T Round Robin
Students will be
introduced to the
round-robin story, in
which one group
member starts a
story, and the next
person continues it.
Find a popular
folktale from your
culture and be
prepared to talk
about it in class.
TR Folktales
Students will be
introduced to
folktales and will
begin writing their
own.
Work on folktales
for next time!
T Folktales
Students will finish
the folktales they
have started
working on in class
on Thursday and
share it with the
class.
NONE

40. Boiser 40
TR Journals
Students will
receive their
journals today and
will do in-class
writing.
NONE
T Freedom Writers
Students will watch
the film, Freedom
Writers.
Journal Entry: How
do you feel about
the movie so far?
TR Freedom Writers Students will finish
the film.
Journal Entry: What
did you think about
the movie? Did you
like it? Why or why
not?
T Skits
Students will be
introduced to skits. Write One Journal
Entry
TR Skits
Students will create
an original skit with
their group and
perform it in front
of the class.
Watch a Saturday
Night Live Skit and
write a journal entry
about it.

41. Boiser 41
T Poetry Students will be
introduced to the
poetry unit, and
different kinds of
poetry.
NONE
TR Haikus
Students will learn
about the haiku
and will create their
own original piece.
NONE
T Acrostic Name
Poems
Students will learn
about name
acrostic poems, and
will create their
own.
Write an acrostic
name poem for
someone else’s
name and record it
in your journal.
TR Free Verse Poetry
Students will be
introduced to free
verse poetry, and
will brainstorm
ideas on what to
write a free verse
poem about.
Brainstorm!
T Free Verse Poetry
Students will
compose their free NONE

42. Boiser 42
verse poem in
class today.
TR Short Stories
Students will be
introduced to the
short story today.
Write in Journal
T Short Stories
(Halloween)
Students will read
horror stories, and
will write their own
in class.
Write in Journal
TR Short Stories
(Halloween)
Students will finish
writing their
Halloween stories
and share with the
class.
Write in Journal
T
Short Stories
(Once Upon A
Time)
Students will write
a one-paragraph
story about a
moment they
remember vividly in
their life.
Write in Journal
Students will

43. Boiser 43
TR Photography &
Writing
practice descriptive
writing by
describing the
variety of
photographs shown
in class.
Write in Journal
T The Five Senses
Students will learn
how to write
descriptively by
using words that
appeal to the five
senses.
Write in Journal
TR The Five Senses
Students will write
a story that has all
five senses in it.
Write in Journal
T Sell This
Students will write
a proposal to sell a
product.
 Write in
Journal
 Work on
Proposal
TR Sell This
Students will
present their
proposal and their
items to try and
Write in Journal

44. Boiser 44
convince the class
to buy their
product.
TR Personal Narratives Students will start
writing their
personal narratives.
 Work on
Personal
Narrative
 Rough Draft
due at
midnight
T Personal Narratives
Students will
continue working on
their personal
narratives in class
and will revise
based on the
comments I’ve
made on the rough
draft.
Work on Personal
Narrative
TR Personal Narratives
and Farewell
Students will
continue working on
their personal
narratives, and will
fill out an end-of-
semester exit
questionnaire.
Personal Narratives
and Journals due
by 5PM today!
Have a wonderful
Winter Break! 

45. Boiser 45