Blog

Since the beginning of the school year, our 11th grade students have been hard at work planning and composing their own creative writing pieces. Guided by Ms. Bain, one of our Speech Language Pathologists, students explored the basics of storytelling and learned about key story elements such as theme, internal and external conflicts, character growth and development, and dialogue. To grasp these concepts, students engaged in hands-on activities (i.e., Character Obstacle Course), where they simulated the challenges their favorite characters have faced in stories.

The Character Obstacle Course inspired students to think critically about character goals and taking those thoughts a step further, how conflict leads to growth. This was accomplished by students sequencing their development journey through a series of challenges. Students designed obstacle courses that symbolized struggles their characters faced, and then wrote about how the character attempted to navigate those obstacles. Throughout this process, students collaborated in small groups, analyzed how these challenges shaped their character and ultimately came upon new discoveries about their character.

When brainstorming ideas for their own creative stories, students practiced breaking down a long-term writing assignment into manageable steps. Peer discussion about their characters and storylines encouraged feedback, and fostered a supportive environment where students actively learned from one another.

As a result of these activities, the 11th grade students crafted narrative pieces that brought their stories to life. Some students crafted up to eight pages, filled with dialogue and descriptive language, and made readers feel as if they personally knew the characters and were along for the ride on their respective journeys!