(Fall 2023) Creative Writing for Grades 3-6: Writing About a Historical Event with Amanda Gette

CREATIVE WRITING COURSE SERIES:

There are three courses in the Grade School Creative Writing series. These courses are not sequential and so you can take one, two, or all three courses. They are labeled A, B, and C. Each course uses a similar story-building format; however, each course builds toward a unique project. 

Course A: Focuses on the story of a saint told from a third person perspective. 

Course B: Focuses on an historical event story (historical fiction) and also uses a third person perspective.

Course C: Focuses on building a historical story from a first-person perspective.

 

COURSE INFORMATION

With this short creative writing course, your 3rd through 6th grader will compose a short creative writing piece based on a historical event and continue to develop the joy of writing.

How to get the most out of Creative Writing Workshop for Grades 3-6: Historical Fiction, Medieval Era with Jackie de Laveaga, M.Ed.:

      • First, read the course materials below before the first class meeting.
      • Then have a notebook ready and available for class notes each live session.
      • Read assignments before class meetings
      • Watch that week’s recording if you need to revisit information from our live session.
      • Do the assignments, quizzes, and any extra work assigned for that week.
      • Once the course is completed to the parent's and professor’s satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end to be filled in for your records.

Special notes: This course, which can be taken with the Grade School Unit Study Program or by itself, is offered twice during the school year: once in the fall and once in the spring. Students can sign up for one or both courses. Those who sign up for both courses (fall and spring) receive additional instructor feedback on a new historical fiction work in the second course. Students who take a second course are also encouraged to complete a higher level of work. The last class meeting is optional. 

Duration: 40 minutes
Prerequisite: Students should be able to easily compose 10 sentences when given a topic, preferably in their own handwriting. Parents can choose to take narration while the student composes the writing aloud. Basic elementary school punctuation mastery is recommended (or parents can edit with students prior to submission.) The final story submission will need to be polished and typed. Note: Many students can invent language at a skill level beyond their ability to handwrite or type their work in a reasonable amount of time. This course can work for the child who struggles with handwriting and/or typing if the child’s oral language skills are ready for the class and parents are willing to write/type for the child. 
Parent Involvement: Parents should expect to be heavily involved in their student’s work. Skills will be taught each week, and then students will complete homework and submit for feedback. Timeliness of submissions is crucial for students to get timely feedback and stay with the rhythm of the course. Most students will need parental guidance and accountability for class time each week and for homework.
Suggested grade level: 3rd to 6th grade
Suggested credit. ¼ semester Creative Writing or English
Course description: Learn how to write a historical fiction story! Mrs. de Laveaga will coach students through a process for writing a story based on a historical event. After five to ten minutes of instruction in a story’s character development, setting, conflict, and resolution (as it relates to the historical era), over five weeks, students will produce a polished story as an end project for the course. Story form will also be discussed, in relationship to the joy of writing and storytelling. The course offers three levels of assignment completion, so parents can decide which level is appropriate for their student. As a bonus, students will be instructed on how to place their story into a homemade book form, so they can add the book to the family library or “gift” the book to someone special.
Course materials: All materials are provided free by the instructor.
Homework: Students will read course material, submit the assignment for each step of the course, and then submit a final project for teacher grading. Students will spend an average of two (2) hours per week on homework in addition to class attendance.

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Instructor: Jackie de Laveaga, M.Ed.
Instructor email: hsc@delaveaga.app