What was the best writing assignment or project you ever had in high school?

Question

I'm a creative writing teacher going back to work after a year off with my baby, and I'd love to hear some really wonderful ideas. What made those assignments so meaningful?

My students are juniors and seniors. The class is an elective, so assume they want to be there. I have a lot of ideas myself, but I've been thinking about them for a long time and I'd like to have some fresh material. Thanks! :)

Answer 1

Spring of my senior year, my English teacher decided to give us an option to the usual essay assignment. We had just finished reading the book "The Princess Bride", a break for us from the usual, more intense novels. (By the way ... this was in 1987, before the book was ever a movie. It's a fabulous book ... funnier than the movie .... a must read!) Anyway, our teacher said we could be imaginative and complete the assignment in a creative manner of our choice ..... poem, song, drawing, and so forth. Or, we could just right the standard essay, if preferred. There were really no limitations; we just needed her approval of our idea prior to starting the assignment. My friend and I teamed up and we made a 5 minute movie of our version of "The Princess Bride", using selected scenes from the book. For cast members, we made clay "Mr. Bill" figures (remember him from the SNL days?). We wrote the script, edited the video, made a soundtrack with voices for the characters, and added in fun sound effects. My dad was even involved, shooting video for us. The funny thing is that it actually took MORE time and work to do this short film than to write an essay ... but we had SOOOO much fun! And, it was a great break from the usual work (the teacher normally made us work our butts off), and it helped ease the bad case of senioritis we all had. Best of all, it helped us assimilate material in a new way ..... using different parts of our brain than usual. I think this is what makes learning experiences most memorable for students.

Hope this idea helps. Have fun! :)

Answer 2

I have an idea for you.

My mom does this with her middle school students but it could work for older students as well. She teams up with the art department and uses student drawings and paintings as a writting prompt for her students. Because these students are either people they look up to or thier peers they are more invested in the project. She then goes throught the draft and editing processes with them and publishes the book through thte school system with the stories and the pictures. They have a book signing party when the whole project is done. My mom teaches at risk students and they really get involved in the whole process and love working on it....think of what would happen with students who are even more passionate about writing?

Good luck with your students!

Answer 3

My favorite was "print your name exactly as you want it to appear on your diploma."

I'm guessing you want something more educational, though. How about you discuss some great character types (protagonist having to succeed against overwhelming odds, or facing a moral dilemma, etc.) with your class. Let them see that the great works spring from some common seeds. Write some descriptions, put them in a hat, and everyone picks one.

One person could draw a Sydney Carton type from A Tale Of Two Cities: "It is a far, far better thing that I do..."

One could draw a MacBeth type, with the slippery slope of giving in to bad guidance.

One could draw a Don Quixote type, absolutely off his rocker.

Whoever they draw from the hat, they have to write a story featuring such a character.

If they see that great works come from common elements that they can also use...maybe they'll look at writing differently.

Just a thought.

Answer 4

My Junior year we had to write something like 10 different forms/genres of writing about a topic that was important to us. I chose a relationship and had a poem, grocery list, included memorabilia, photos, a diary entry, a script, etc. Altogether it represented something important to each of us and at the end it was binded and all of the class received one. Some people wrote on death, one of being a twin, etc. I loved it because it is something I will treasure forever for that time in my life, but because it was such a unique project and we had a lot of freedom with it.

Answer 5

I read some epitaphs found in old cemeteries to my students.I then read some found in the daily newpaper. I then ask them to write what they would one day like to be written on their own headstones. Let me say, some are just hilarious. Also, many schools require uniforms. I ask them to take a stand for or against and then defend their choices with sound reasoning. Same with year round schooling. Same with PE... should it be required?? What should happen to students who vandalize the property of others. Just about every teen has thoughts on these subjects. I also let them work in groups to bounce ideas off one another, but they must write alone. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

I use my netbook in most of my classes, so I can get away pretty easily. Just sit in the back, away from other students (if you can, find a seat where there's only one person next to you). A good trick with handwriting is to simply slide another sheet over what you're writing or have it on the other side. I think the teachers would mind, though.

Answer 7

Last year when I was a junior, our teacher made each of us write one chapter of a novel (it had to be at least 3 pages). She gave us a list of characters to use so that each of our chapters would have the same characters. Then, when the assignment was due she put all the chapters together and we read it. It was pretty funny.

Answer 8

what topics do you get passionate about ? prepare a topic ( moral issues, ethics, bible scriptures are my favorite ones ). if you let the students pick a topic, they´ll probably pick skateboarding, smoking weed, why their parent are from hell, and so on . you must soak their feet with something you get very excited about. once you listed at least 10 topics, then , list another 10 reasons why they should be relevant to your students , set a time for reading them ( i hate myself when i ask for homework i know i won´t be able to grade on time ) , you´re lucky technology is a great help for spelling,so correcting them won´t take too much time. set a class to review some writing rules once a week (source below) and last but not least. REINFORCE POSITIVE FEEDBACK. for every mistake you see in their writing you must tell him or her two good things why their writing was special to you. ( this is why they´ll miss you after they graduate. i really regret not following this simple advice for all those past generations. they´ll always be anxious to see what you thought of their papers. and please ease up, they probably need just as much attention from you as your baby ( congratulations) needs from you. good luck.

Answer 9

You could have them design a website about...well anything to include good sized paragraphs (so that their is a fair amount of writing). For example: website about what they want to do after high school, their biography, design their own country, what rules they would make if they were the principal/president....anything!

Answer 10

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