Sharon+Creech+Unit+Plan

Sharon Creech: A Genre Guru

We will read the following texts: We will focus on the following skills/concepts: We will address the following essential questions:
 * Unit Overview:** The purpose of this unit is to explore various texts by Sharon Creech, an author who has written within several young adult genres. Students will also read and write in a variety of genres and create a portfolio at the end of the unit documenting what they have learned.
 * //A Fine, Fine School//: A principal of a school believes that his students are so great that he wants them to have school on the weekends, holidays, and during the summer. Students and teachers get overwhelmed from being at school so much, but the principal still believes that his school is so fine that they can handle all the work. One student convinces the principal to change his mind. I chose this text because I believe that a picture book works great as a whole class activity. It works well as an introduction to the unit as well. I will read the book in class and we will have a quick discussion about the format of picture books, as well as persuasive writing in order to prepare students for the assignment related to the text.
 * //Love that Dog//: Jack is a student who doesn’t like writing poetry. In his class, they are working on a poetry unit and Jack is forced to write poems. Throughout the book, he slowly realizes that he enjoys writing poetry and that he is actually quite good at it. In his poems, he reflects on the good times he had with his dog Sky. I chose this book for a few reasons. First, I like the fact that it’s a novel in verse, which makes it fairly accessible. Students may also relate to a student who struggles with writing poetry. Second, I really like how Jack talks about actual poems in the story. This could lead to interesting discussions about the poems he includes.
 * Excerpts from //Absolutely Normal Chaos//: Mary Lou is a thirteen-year-old girl with a lot going on with her three brothers, her sister, her parents, her cousin, and her friends. This novel acts as her summer journal assignment for her English class. I chose this novel because it falls into the genre of epistolary novel. This is a genre that students should be exposed to because it is exciting and different. It can lead to discussions about point-of-view and narrator reliability.
 * Choice Novel: For this novel, students will have the chance to choose any Sharon Creech novel they want (as long as it isn’t one that we read as a class). They will be asked to do an individual writing assignment along with it.
 * Persuasive writing: Students will write a letter to the principal of //A Fine, Fine School// and persuade him to change his mind about having school all the time. They will learn how to format the letter and how to use evidence to support an argument.
 * Poetry writing: After reading //Love that Dog//, students will write a handful of different types of poems, ranging from free verse to couplets. They will also have the freedom to write a couple bonus poems in any form that they like.
 * Journal writing: After reading excerpts from //Absolutely Normal Chaos//, students will practice writing journal entries. They will have a collection of entries that range from character sketches to descriptions of events to descriptions of a place. They will also have some freedom to write a few free choice entries.
 * Persistence: Students will do a quick write-up about their goals (for this unit, this class, this school year, etc.). What they want to write will mostly be up to them. The basic goal is to get them thinking about their own goals and the ways in which they will reach them. This ties in with Sharon Creech because a lot of her novels deal with teenagers who are trying to find their place in the world. For the most part, they have some sort of goal that they are trying to reach throughout the story.
 * How do authors change their writing style within different genres?
 * What happens when you are persistent in working towards your goals?
 * Why do authors make certain choices about genre?


 * Rationale:** In this unit, students will be introduced to a variety of genres within one author. This will allow them to see how an author changes how they write and what techniques work for certain writing styles. Students will also be given the chance to practice writing the different genres we discuss. It is important for students to have the ability to identify different genres because each genre says something different about the text it’s being used for. A common theme in Sharon Creech novels is persistence. Her characters are generally on some sort of journey to discover something about who they are. I believe this would work well in a middle school classroom because students at that age are constantly learning things about who they are as individuals. It will work especially well for girls because a lot of Creech’s female characters are attempting to overcome stereotypes of females being weak. On the flip side, there are a few novels that have strong male characters (//Love that Dog, Hate that Cat, Pleasing the Ghost, etc.)// that most boys could relate to.Using Creech’s novels is a great way to teach students about persistence and working hard to achieve goals. The voice she uses is fun and relatable for students.

//Rationale: Setting reasonable goals is a responsibility that becomes more and more prevalent as students make their way through school. They experiment with independence in high school and then once they graduate, independence becomes even more important in college and the work force.// //Rationale: Accepting the fact that we are human and have the ability to change our minds about important issues is the first step to being an open-minded individual. It is important for students of all ages to understand that there are multiple sides to everything and they need to do some of their own thinking and research in order to determine what works best for them.// //Rationale: After reading// A Fine, Fine School//, students will write a letter to the principal in which they must include at least three reasons why having school all the time is a bad idea. Writing persuasively teaches students how to make an argument and ultimately back it up with relevant evidence. It also gives students a chance to practice writing in letter format, which is something that will be helpful with finding a job.// //Rationale: Each genre requires different writing strategies employed by the author. When students can recognize these strategies, they will have an easier time recognizing genres as a whole. Authors use a specific genre for a text because it contributes to the overall meaning of the text. It will help students to understand that meaning if they can pick out the strategies used.//
 * Unit Objectives:**
 * § Students will set goals for themselves in relation to this unit, this class, and the school year.
 * § Students will understand that opinions can change overtime.
 * § Students will understand how to write a persuasive letter.
 * § Students will understand how authors change their writing strategies based on genre.


 * Assessment:**
 * Pre-Assess || This unit has three major parts: genres, writing, and persistence. Each part will be pre-assessed in a different way. Every time we start talking about a new genre, the students will participate in think-pair-share activity. I will write the genre on the board and students will spend the first few minutes on their own making a list of anything that comes to mind when they think of that genre (techniques, books, movies, authors, etc.). Then, they will compare lists with one or two partners to come up with an official definition as a group. Finally, they will share their definitions with the class and we will create a master list as a class. Every time I assign them a piece of writing within a specific genre, students will do an activity involving notecards, where each notecard will have one writing technique and students will have to decide which techniques would be used for that particular genre. For persistence, students will do a quick write-up. They can write about a time they remember being persistent or talk about a person they know who is persistent. ||
 * Formative || # 1. Students will meet with me in class to go over their writing assignments on a weekly basis.
 * 1) 2. At the end of each class, students will have to turn in one “exit slip” on which they will write a goal that they want to achieve between one class and the next.
 * 2) 3. Each piece of writing that the students complete will not be graded at first. They will simply receive a grade for completing the assignment. I will provide feedback and students will be expected to revise the pieces to put into their final portfolio. ||
 * Summative || As a final project, students will be asked to put together a portfolio that includes their best work from the unit. They will need to include their persuasive letter, at least three poems, at least two journal entries, and their writing assignment for their choice novel. Students will also have to include a cover letter in which they discuss their growth throughout the unit. ||


 * Other projects and assignments**
 * 1) For homework after the first lesson, students will do a 1-2 page write-up in which they will discuss their goals for this unit, this class, and the school year. The purpose of this assignment is to get students thinking about persistence. They will set reasonable goals for themselves and work toward them throughout the unit. At the end of the unit, students will look back and see which goals were met and which were not met.
 * 2) Students will choose one passage from their chosen novel and share it with the rest of the class. Students will choose the passage based on relevant characteristics of novel writing. Students will read the passage out loud and explain why they chose it. The purpose of this assignment is to get students thinking about the different aspects of writing based on a genre.


 * Lesson Plans**


 * Topic || Introduction to Sharon Creech, Day #1 ||
 * Objectives || * § Students will understand who Sharon Creech is and why she is important for this unit
 * § Students will set goals for themselves in relation to this unit, this class, and the current school year ||
 * Teaching and Learning Sequence || We will begin class with a discussion about Sharon Creech. Students will have the opportunity to share what they already know about her and see how many of her books they can name. Next, we will spend some time exploring her website (students will do this on their own if laptops are available for each student). We will look closely at “A Day in the Life of Sharon Creech” (which can be found on her website). I will first read it out loud and then we will talk about the different strategies she uses and how she isn’t much different than us. From here, students will write their own “A Day in the Life” based on their own lives. At the end of class, students will begin thinking about persistence by writing about a time they remember being persistent or talk about a person they know who is persistent. For homework, they will do an informal write-up in which they discuss their goals for this unit, this class, and the current school year. ||
 * Differentiated Instruction || I will review IEPs of students within my classroom and honor any accommodations already in place. Students will also have the choice of typing or handwriting the “Day in the Life” and “Persistence” writing assignments, giving students who struggle with one or the other a chance to do their best work. Students who feel like they could use an extra challenge have the option of setting more long-term goals for themselves. Students who have something to say during discussion but would prefer to not say it out loud can write it down on a piece of paper to give to me at the end of class. ||
 * Assessment || Formative assessment will come mostly in the form of discussion, but also from their “A Day in the Life” and persistence write-ups. The “A Day in the Life” activity will show me how students feel about writing, while the persistence write-up will show me what sort of goals students are setting for themselves from day to day. There won’t be any immediate summative assessment, but these assignments will get students thinking about writing and the importance of persistence, themes that will be throughout the rest of the unit. ||

Once students have a chance to think on their own, work in pairs, and then share with the whole group, we will begin reading //Love that Dog//. I will read the first 30 pages out loud while students follow along in their own copies of the book. After that we will have a discussion about the poems in the first part of the novel, with a focus on what makes a poem a poem. I will end class by introducing their next writing assignment: writing at least three related poems (concrete, free verse, and couplet). ||
 * Topic || Novel in Verse/Poetry, Day #3 ||
 * Objectives || * § Students will have a basic understanding of novels in verse
 * § Students will understand what makes a poem a poem
 * § Students will be able to write three poems in order to tell a story ||
 * Teaching and Learning Sequence || We will begin class with a wrap-up of the previous class (see unit calendar) which will give students a chance to share part of their letters with the class. We will then move on to novels in verse. Students will participate in a think-pair-share activity in which they will consider what they already know about novels in verse and poetry. I will write the following prompts on the board:
 * 1) List some of the characteristics
 * 2) Name some of your favorites
 * 3) Why do you think Creech chose this form?
 * Differentiated Instruction || I will review IEPs of students within my classroom and honor any accommodations already in place. Students who have something to say during discussion but would prefer to not say it out loud can write it down on a piece of paper to give to me at the end of class. Students who are looking for an extra challenge are welcome to write in much more complicated forms (sonnets, odes, ballads, etc.). ||
 * Assessment || Formative assessment will come mostly in the form of the think-pair-share activity. Students will do a quick write-up (in list form) on their own about poetry and novels in verse and then work with a partner to create a more formal definition. During this part, I will walk around to ensure that students are on task and developing definitions. The summative assessment linked to this lesson is the poetry writing assignment in which students have to write at least three poems that tell a story. They are required to use concrete, free verse, and couplet, but after that can try any other forms they like. ||


 * Topic || //Love that Dog//, Day #5 ||
 * Objectives || * § Students will be able to identify several forms of poetry
 * § Students will understand that opinions can change overtime ||
 * Teaching and Learning Sequence || I will begin class by finishing //Love that Dog// (pages 60-86). We will then have a discussion about Jack (the main character) and how he has changed throughout the novel. We will consider whether or not his opinion of poetry has changed and if he reached his ultimate goal (and also what that goal might have been). After discussion, students will be given time to work on their poetry pieces. While students are working individually, I will meet one-on-one with students for conferences. During these conferences, the students will show me what they’ve done so far and talk about what they still have left to do. I will give them feedback and tips to help them finish up their poems. Students will have the chance to ask clarifying questions and I will answer either as a reader or a teacher (depending on what the question is). ||
 * Differentiated Instruction || I will review IEPs of students within my classroom and honor any accommodations already in place. Students who have something to say during discussion but would prefer to not say it out loud can show me their class notes at the end of class. Students who need to work in a quiet area will have the option of going to the library for part of class. ||
 * Assessment || Formative assessment will come mostly in the form of discussion about the novel and individual conferences about student work. While I am reading, students will also be expected to make note of anything that jumps out at them (based on both an initial prompt and also their personal reactions to the novel). The summative assessment linked to this lesson is the poetry writing assignment in which students have to write at least three poems that tell a story. They are required to use concrete, free verse, and couplet, but after that can try any other forms they like. ||


 * Student Handouts**

Ms. Lennon Spring 2011 Sharon Creech **Sharon Creech: A Genre Guru ** Sharon Creech is an author who has experimented with several different genres within the field of young adult literature. She provides us with a chance to explore the differences among genres and why they are important.
 * Overview **


 * Essential Questions **
 * § How do authors change their writing style within different genres?
 * § What happens when you are persistent in working towards your goals?
 * § Why do authors make certain choices about genre?


 * Here’s what we’ll be reading: **
 * § “A Day in the Life of Sharon Creech”
 * § //A Fine, Fine School //
 * § //Love that Dog //
 * § //Absolutely Normal Chaos //(Excerpts)
 * § <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 14pt;">Choice Novel


 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 14pt;">Here’s what we’ll be writing: **
 * § <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 14pt;">Persuasive Letter
 * § <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 14pt;">Poems
 * § <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 14pt;">Journal Entries
 * § <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 14pt;">Multi-Genre Paper

<span style="font-family: 'Perpetua Titling MT',serif;">Ms. Lennon <span style="font-family: 'Perpetua Titling MT',serif;">Spring 2011 <span style="font-family: 'Perpetua Titling MT',serif;">Sharon Creech
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 14pt;">Major Assignment **
 * § <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 14pt;">Portfolio and Cover Letter: Due December 15th

**<span style="font-family: 'Perpetua Titling MT',serif;">Portfolio Assignment ** <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">You have been working on several pieces of writing throughout this unit. Now it is time to compile your best work into one portfolio.
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Task **

v <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Reflective cover letter v <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">A Day in the Life v <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Your persuasive letter to the principal v <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">At least three of your poems v <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">At least two of your journal entries v <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Your multi-genre assignment
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Components **
 * Ø <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">You will revisit the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the unit and reflect on what you have accomplished.
 * Ø <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">You will write your own “A Day in the Life” based on the one we read in class.
 * Ø <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">You will write a letter to the principal in //A Fine, Fine School// persuading him to return school back to its normal hours.
 * Ø <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">You will write at least three related poems in three separate forms (concrete, free verse, and couplet).
 * Ø <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">You will write at least two journal entries in which you can describe an event, a person, or a place.
 * Ø <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">You will recreate you choice novel using several different genres.

<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Note: More specific directions for each assignment will be provided.


 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Important Due Dates **
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Thursday, November 3rd  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">A Day in the Life   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Monday, November 7th  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Persuasive Letter   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tuesday, November 15th  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Three poems   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Monday, November 21st  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Two journal entries   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Friday, December 9th  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Multi-genre Paper   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Thursday, December 15th  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Portfolio & Letter   ||

<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">You will be graded on the following:
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Evaluation **


 * **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Item ** ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Available Points **  ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Self-Evaluation **  ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Grade **  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">“A Day in the Life”  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">15   || || ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Persuasive Letter  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">15   || || ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Three Poems  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">15   || || ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Two Journal Entries  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">15   || || ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Multi-Genre Paper  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">20   || || ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Cover Letter  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">10   || || ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Organization  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">10   || || ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">GRAND TOTAL ** ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">100 **  || || ||

<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Each individual piece will be graded on the following:
 * **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Item ** ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Available Points **  ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Self-Evaluation **  ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Grade **  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Content  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">7   || || ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Creativity  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">5   || || ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Mechanics  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">3   || || ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">GRAND TOTAL ** ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">15 **  || || ||

<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">The multi-genre piece will be graded on the following:
 * **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Item ** ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Available Points **  ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Self-Evaluation **  ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Grade **  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Content  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">8   || || ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Creativity  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">6   || || ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">At least 3 genres  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">3   || || ||
 * <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">Mechanics  ||  <span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">3   || || ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">GRAND TOTAL ** ||  **<span style="font-family: Perpetua,serif; font-size: 13pt;">20 **  || || ||

Sharon Creech: A Genre Guru Unit Calendar: Six Weeks
 * Unit Calendar**

Day One: Tuesday, November 1st à Introduction
 * Who is Sharon Creech?
 * Can you name some of her books?
 * Explore her website
 * “A Day in the Life of Sharon Creech”
 * Write your own “Day in the Life”
 * What does it mean to be persistent?
 * Can you think of a time you were persistent?
 * Persistence write-up for homework
 * Students will write about their goals for:
 * This unit
 * This class
 * This school year

Day Two: Thursday, November 3rd à Picture Book
 * Discussion of picture books
 * What are some of the characteristics?
 * Bring in one of your favorites
 * Read //A Fine, Fine School// out loud
 * Write letter to principal
 * Persuade him to change his mind
 * Letter format
 * How-to persuade lesson

Day Three: Monday, November 7th à Day Two Wrap-Up à Novel in Verse / Poetry
 * Share one argument from letter
 * Letter due at beginning of class
 * Discussion about novels in verse / poetry
 * Think-pair-share activity
 * What are some of the characteristics?
 * What are some of your favorites?
 * Why does Creech choose this form?
 * Intro to //Love That Dog//
 * Read pages 1-30 out loud
 * Discussion during/after
 * Are these poems?
 * What makes a poem a poem?
 * Writing Assignment Intro
 * Write at least 3 related poems
 * Concrete
 * Free verse
 * Couplet

Day Four: Wednesday, November 9th à //Love That Dog//
 * Writing Assignment Check-In
 * Any questions?
 * Read pages 31-59 out loud
 * Discussion
 * Voice
 * Is Jack right in borrowing from other authors?
 * Individual work time
 * Conferences will be occurring at the same time

Day Five: Friday, November 11th à //Love That Dog//
 * Finish reading out loud (pages 60-86)
 * Discussion
 * How has Jack changed?
 * How have Jack’s feelings about poetry changed by the end of the book?
 * Individual work time
 * Conferences will be occurring at the same time

Day Six: Tuesday, November 15th à Epistolary Novels
 * Discussion of Epistolary Novels
 * Think-Pair-Share activity
 * What are some of the characteristics?
 * What are the different types? (Journal, Letters, Newspaper Clippings, Blogs, Emails, etc.)
 * Can you name one or two?
 * Why does Creech choose this form?
 * Intro to //Absolutely Normal Chaos//
 * Read a handful of entries and discuss
 * Voice
 * Point-of-view
 * Choice
 * Intro to Writing Assignment
 * Write at least two journal entries
 * Describe a person
 * Describe a place
 * Describe an event

Day Seven: Thursday, November 17th à //Absolutely Normal Chaos//
 * Read a few more entries
 * Entries that will help students understand what they should include in their own entries
 * Individual Work Time
 * Conferences will be occurring at the same time

Day Eight: Monday, November 21st à //Absolutely Normal Chaos// à Traditional Novels
 * Wrap-Up
 * Chance to share one entry
 * Entries due at beginning of class
 * Discussion of Traditional Novels
 * Think-Pair-Share activity
 * What are some of the characteristics?
 * What are some of your favorites?
 * Why does Creech choose this form?
 * Choice Novel Assignment
 * Students will choose a Sharon Creech novel and complete an individual writing assignment
 * Recreate the story in different forms (picture book, short story, collection of poems)
 * Field trip to library

Day Nine: Tuesday, November 29th à Traditional Novels
 * Individual work time

Day Ten: Thursday, December 1st à Traditional Novels
 * Share passages from individual novels
 * What characteristic of writing is most prevalent?
 * Why did you choose that particular passage?
 * Independent work time

Day Eleven: Monday, December 5th à Traditional Novels
 * Independent work time
 * Conferences

Day Twelve: Wednesday, December 7th à Traditional Novels
 * Independent work time

Day Thirteen: Friday, December 9th à Persistence
 * Revisit persistence write-ups
 * What has stayed the same?
 * What has changed?

Day Fourteen: Tuesday, December 13th à Portfolio
 * Expectations
 * Persuasive letter
 * Three poems
 * Two journal entries
 * Multi-genre assignment
 * Reflective cover letter
 * Individual work time

Day Fifteen: Thursday, December 15th à Portfolio
 * Finish portfolios
 * Share portfolios