Creating a Story

By: Mrs. Smith

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New Assignment

• Create a short story (must be 2 to 3 pages) from the information on the slip of paper

• 1st word: The relationship of your characters

• 2nd word: The emotions between them• 3rd word: Setting of your story• 4th word: The weather taking place

Today’s Activity

• Freewrite on the given topic for 5 minutes

• Then complete story map for your chosen topic

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What is wrong with this lesson?

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Differentiated Curriculum and Instruction

• Differentiation- provides a process that allows teachers to better serve both gifted students and the rest of the class

• Based on needs, strengths, learning styles, and interests of individual students so all students have the potential to learn at their full potential

5Delisle, J., & Lewis, B.

How Teachers Can Modify Instruction

Regular Classroom Students

• Content: curricular materials (facts, ideas, generalizations, theories, principles, etc.)

• Process: teacher’s instructions, learning styles, and strengths of students

• Product: outcome of instruction; student’s response to learning

Gifted Classroom Students

• Content: basic curriculum, but beyond in depth and complexity

• Process: Add research or analysis and foster creative and critical thinking

• Product: let the student dictate the product of choice beyond tests and quizzes

6Delisle, J., & Lewis, B.

Several Qualities Needed in Classroom Teachers

• Flexibility- so that shifts of ideas can safely take place

• Fluency- so that students can have many choices and generate large numbers of answers

• Elaboration- so that students can improve, embellish, or add to an idea

• Curiosity- so that students can continue to pursue depth in their study

7Delisle, J., & Lewis, B.

Several Qualities Needed in Classroom Teachers

• Originality- so that students can generate an unique product or experience

• Abstraction- so that students can work with unique problems or ambiguity

• Risk taking- so that students can push the boundaries and stretch their imaginations

• Complex thinking- so that students can meet more difficult challenges and develop problem-solving skills

8Delisle, J., & Lewis, B.

Steps in Differentiating Instruction for the Gifted

• 1st Step: Select an Overarching Theme (Ex: Short Stories)

• 2nd Step: Webbing the Units

9Tucker, B., & Hafenstein, N.

Gifted in the Regular Classroom Benefits

• Students interact with other kids their age• Grouping students help recognize their own

unique gifts and appreciate others• Social stigma of being labeled gifted is

lessened• Eliminates added homework if in a separate

classes• If put in separate classes, they experience

elitism

10Delisle, J., & Lewis, B.

New Assignment

• Create a short story based on the 4 numbers drawn

• Put in order of first one drawn to last– 1st Word: the relationship in story

– 2nd Word: the emotions in the story

– 3rd Word: the setting of your story

– 4th Word: the weather

11Everly, J., & Weaver, C.

Pick-A-StoryRelationship Emotion Setting Weather0. child/pet love seashore thunderstorm

1. parent/child hope mountains snow

2. brother/sister anger forest ice

3. Three friends fear big city fog

4. Divorced parents loneliness ranch/farm hot and humid

5. Boyfriend/girlfriend sadness island crisp & cold

6. Total strangers guilt rainforest gentle rain

7. Grandparent/child embarrassment foreign country cloudy

8. Three classmates despair desert spring-like

who are not friends

9. Stepparent/child joy small town natural disaster

12Everly, J., & Weaver, C.

Example of My Short Story

• Numbers 1-6-9-4

• I am writing about a child/pet relationship and the guilt they are feeling in a small town where it is extremely hot

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Criteria for Your Short Story

• Use any Pre-Writing Technique

• Follow Story Map

• Be Creative!

• After finishing your short story, create an unique cover design and incorporate three illustrations into the bodies of your story

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Extension Activities for Gifted Students

• Have them put themselves in their short story– Ex: They can be the brother in the

brother/sister relationship

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Assessment

• Present short stories and illustrations to class

• Discuss the emotions each of their characters were experiencing in their story and how they too experience these same emotions

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Why This Lesson?

• Students have choices

• Attention paid to social and emotional side

• Art promotes affective development

• Feelings drive thinking– “We feel, which in turn, encourages

cognitive brain activity.”

17VanTassel-Baska, J., Cross, T., & Olenchak, F.

References• Delisle, J. & Lewis, B. (2003). The survival guide for teachers of gifted

students. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing Inc.• Everly, J. & Weaver, C. (1999). 21 projects for self discovery and

celebration. San Luis Obispo, CA: Dandy Lion Publications• Neihart, M., Moon, S., Reis, S., & Robinson, N. (2002). Social and

emotional issues for exceptionally intellectually gifted students, The social and emotional development of gifted children (pp.19-29). Washington, D.C.: Prufrock Press, Inc.

• Tucker, B., & Hafenstein, N. (1997). An integrated-thematic curriculum for gifted learners. Roeper Review, 19(4), 196. Retreived from http://ebscohost.com.

• VanTassel-Baska, J., Cross, T., & Olenchak, F. (2009). Affective curriculum and instruction for gifted learners, Social- emotional curriculum with gifted and talent students (pp.113- 127). Waco, TX: Prufrock Press, Inc.

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