Syllabus:

Creative Writing
Learning Expectations
Develop skills as a growing, evolving writer Write for a variety of audiences Explore diverse modes and genres of writing Utilize evaluation and revision skills Provide considerate and thoughtful revision feedback to help others develop their ideas Use available technology in the creative process Maintain an online portfolio of writing (using your personal Blog) Write a one act play to be directed and performed by the Drama students

Course Policies
Attendance/Absences/Make-up Work: Your job as a student is to be at school, giving 100% at all times. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to inquire about the missing assignments and turn them in. Papers and projects are always assigned more than a week in advance. Therefore, if you are absent, the project or paper is DUE the day you arrive back at school. All other make-up work is based on the number of days you were absent and the fact of an excused or unexcused absence. Tardy students will receive the penalties assigned by the Crescent View Middle School tardy policy. Due Dates: All projects will be assigned well in advance and students will be given adequate time to complete each assignment. I recognize that my class is not your only responsibility, and will do my best to coordinate major projects with other teachers and around important dates (CRT, DWA, etc.) Please speak to me in advance if you have a major conflict with the due date for an assignment. Late Assignments: You are responsible adults. It is your responsibility to have all work turned in when it is due. I do not accept late assignments for full credit. There are many extra times throughout a given day to have extra help (before school, during lunch, and after school), therefore the phrase I did not understand the assignment will not be accepted. If it is a personal problem, talk to me and we may be able to come to a compromise. Classroom Rules/Expectations: I expect you to be in the room, on time, prepared to work. You are to come to class prepared with the daily assignments and ready to participate for the day. My #1 rule is RESPECT: Respect yourself, respect your writing, respect me as your teacher, respect your classmates, respect the classroom environment, respect the school and its policies. Plagiarism/Cheating: I greatly prefer to trust that all work is the original work of each student. However, I have unfortunately discovered that some students choose to plagiarize from a classmate, a book, or the Internet. If caught plagiarizing, you will receive a zero on the assignment. This includes all journals and assignments. Why take the risk of borrowing someone elses words and receiving a failing grade when you have your own creative spirit and talent? I would much rather hear what you have to say than read what you are capable of copying.

Format of papers
I expect all final drafts of assignments to be typed, shared on Google Docs, and posted to your personal blog. This is not optional. I give enough fair warning that a student without a computer can make arrangements to go to a friends house, library, or even use the computers in this classroom or on this campus. Papers are to be typed in 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. Each paper submitted must have a cover page that includes the title of your paper, your name, and the date. I will not accept handwritten final drafts.

Grading
Daily journal free-writes Class participation Writing assignments

Christensen

Syllabus: Creative Writing

Free Writes
Most classes will begin with ten minutes of free writing in students journals. A free write is when a person writes in response to a prompt continuously. It is important to write for the whole time. It is not important to continue to stay on the prompt or worry about grammar or spelling. The whole idea is to just move the pen and to see where you end up. The purpose of this is threefold. First, it will help you get in the habit of writing every day. Second, it will help you get in the writing mood. Finally, it will be a place for you to generate ideas for writing. Journals are to be brought to class every day. The progress of the journals will be checked regularly and turned in on the final day of each unit for assessment. If you wish, portions of the journal may be marked as private; I will not read any portions marked as such. A rubric used for the grading of the journal will be provided.

Materials Needed
A desire to write and tell stories Composition Book of at least 100 pages to be used as in-class journal As many pencils as you can stuff in a backpack Duo-Tang Folder or Folder with Clasps Notebook paper A Gmail account

Media
In this class we will often reference media as a tool to enhance, publish, or produce our writing. The following items may be used in this class, all of which are either rated G or PG. We may be analyzing scenes from and breaking down the following films: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws, and possibly Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. These films are meant to complement readings from The Writers Journey by Christopher E. Vogler and The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell.

Final Digital Portfolio

Students will be expected to create and maintain a personal blog using tumblr, (www.tumblr.com). We will also use Edmodo (www.edmodo.com) as a collaborative tool. At the end of the class, you will clean up and submit a digital portfolio of what you consider to be your five most exceptional pieces of writing from this semester. More details will be given regarding portfolio requirements. Failure to submit a final portfolio may result in an incomplete or failing grade for the semester.

Website
My school website is located at http://mrchristensen.tumblr.com/. You can also reach it by going to the Crescent View Middle School webpage, clicking on the link for Faculty, and scrolling down to click on Christensen, Scott Language Arts I will be posting due dates for assignments, information about the classes, and PDF files of projects and forms (as well as this syllabus) on my webpage.

Contact Information
If you have questions or need extra help, please do not hesitate to ask! I have 1st period planning and stay on campus until at least 3:30 each day. I can also be reached by e-mail at scott.christensen@canyonsdistrict.org. Most e-mails will receive a response in less than 24 hours; however, if your e-mail is received after 3:30, you may not receive a response until the next day. Parents can also reach me by phone at 801-412-2150 to schedule a conference if necessary. The best time to call is during 1st period. Surprisingly, however, email is faster than phone.

I have read and discussed this syllabus with my parent/guardian. I agree to the terms set forth for this semester and agree to put forth my best effort.
________________________________ Student ______________________________________ Parent/Guardian ______________________________________ Parent/Guardian Email/Contact Information

Christensen