Unit 3: On Creative Exercises in Storytelling
Ashleigh Severson
The chapters in Unit 3 are focused on narrative writing and how to tell a compelling story. While the chapters contain a variety of suggested exercises, we encourage you to tailor these activities to the unique needs and interests of your students. Your understanding of their strengths, challenges, and diverse backgrounds will be invaluable in selecting and designing exercises that will most effectively support their learning and engagement with material.
Since this unit emphasizes storytelling, it opens the door to exploring a wide range of genres and activities. This flexibility allows you to create a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that caters to different tastes and preferences. Here are some strategies and activities you might consider:
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- Reading and Analyzing Personal Essays: Select a variety of personal essays and creative nonfiction pieces for your students to read. This will help them understand different narrative techniques and styles. Discuss how these writers use voice, perspective, and detail to bring their stories to life.
- Creative Nonfiction: Assign readings from various creative nonfiction genres, such as travel writing and personal essay. Ask students to write their own pieces in these styles, blending factual information with creative storytelling techniques.
- Digital Narratives: Integrate technology by having students create digital stories using tools like blogs and social media posts. This can be particularly engaging for students interested in multimedia production and can add a modern twist to traditional narrative assignments.
- Visual Storytelling: Incorporate visual elements by having students create storyboards, graphic narratives, or photo essays. This activity can appeal to visual learners and those interested in design and visual arts.
By diversifying activities and genres explored in this unit, you can cater to a wide rage of interests and skill levels, making narrative writing a more inclusive and engaging experience for all students. Remember, the goal is to give students the tools and confidence to tell their stories in their own voice. We encourage you to support students through experimental writing as they take risks and begin to find joy in the creative process.