CREATIVE WRITING ACTIVITIES Prose (Fiction), Prose (Nonfiction), POETRY NAME: YASMIN SHAMINI BINTI MOHD HASNI LECTURER: MISS UAVARANI SHUMUGAM CLASS: CLASS 2 SUBJECT: TSLB 3563 CREATIVE WRITING
Prose (Fiction) Writing Activity Year: Year 4 Fairy Tale: The Emperor’s Nightingale (From SmartPlus Year 4) Activity:DescribeYour MagicalCreature (Picture Prompts) Learning Objective: At the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to write at least 4 sentences describing the character in a paragraph. Materials Needed: Three pictures of characters from "The Emperor's Nightingale": the nightingale, the mechanical nightingale, and the Emperor of China and Paper.
The Emperor’s Nightingale The Emperor of China lived in a beautiful palace with a large forest all around it. He liked to read books people wrote about his palace. One day, the Emperor of China gets a new book about his palace and he reads it. "What's this? A nightingale? In my forest?" said the emperor. The emperor is angry because he didn't know about it. He tells his men to go into the forest to find the nightingale. As they are walking in the forest, they suddenly hear a beautiful song. There it is! It is sitting in the tree, " said one of the men. They take the nightingale to the emperor and it sings for him. He loves the nightingale's song and asks it to stay and sing for him every day. One day, he gets a mechanical nightingale from the Emperor of Japan. Everyone loves the new nightingale because it can sing and it's got diamonds on it, too. The real nightingale hasn't got diamonds on it. It is sad and leaves. Many years go by. The emperor is happy with the mechanical nightingale but one day it stops singing. The emperor is very sad and becomes ill. The real nightingale hears about the emperor and goes to the palace to sing to him. The emperor is very happy to see the nightingale again.
Begin by reading "The Emperor’s Nightingale" to the students, emphasizing the magical elements and the significance of the characters in the story. Show the students the three pictures of characters from the story: the nightingale, the mechanical nightingale, and the Emperor of China. Explain to the students that they will be describing these characters in their writing. Encourage students to brainstorm descriptive ideas for each character, focusing on details such as appearance, traits, actions, and significance in the story. Provide each student with a piece of paper. Instruct students to choose one character (the nightingale, the mechanical nightingale, or the Emperor) and write a descriptive paragraph about that character based on the provided picture. INSTRUCTIONS 1 2 3 4 5 6
INSTRUCTIONS 7. The descriptive paragraph should include at least four sentences and cover the following aspects: The character ' s name and role in the story Physical description (color, size, clothing, features) based on the picture and story details Personality traits, actions, or characteristics shown in the story The character ' s importance or significance to the plot or themes of "The Emperor ' s Nightingale " 8. Encourage students to use descriptive language, adjectives, and vivid details to bring the character to life in their paragraphs.
EXAMPLE : Answer: The magical creatures that I chose is The Nightingale. The Nightingale is a small bird with brown feathers and a beautiful, sweet song. Its music makes people happy and helps them feel better when they are sick. In the story, the Nightingale teaches us that nature is special and real talent is more important than fancy things. It reminds us to appreciate simple things that make us happy.
This activity is well-suited for Year 4 ESL learners due to its integration of various educational theories and its emphasis on critical learning aspects. It aligns with constructivist principles by engaging students in active learning and meaning-making, which are central to Jean Piaget's constructivist theory. Piaget emphasizes that learners construct their understanding through hands-onexperiences (Brau, 2020). Through activities such as reading "The Emperor’s Nightingale" and analyzing characters through descriptive writing, students not only improve their writing skills but also deepen their understanding of the story's themes, characters, and plot elements. This approach encourages students to link prior knowledge with new concepts, fostering a more comprehensive grasp of the material and enhancing critical thinking skills. The activity starts with reading "The Emperor’s Nightingale, " engaging students with literature and nurturing a passion for reading and storytelling. By using pictures of characters from the story, the activity incorporates visual aids, catering to different learning styles and enhancing comprehension, which aligns with theories of multimodal learning. The use of visual aids notonly improves writing skills but also positively impacts theclassroom environment, making it more engaging and conducive to learning. This transformation leads to increased student activity and interaction during the learning process (Rizka Putri Kusuma et al., 2021). Additionally, the focus on descriptive writing encourages language development, critical thinking, and creative expression, making it a comprehensive and effective approach for ESL learners in Year 4. JUSTIFICATION:
Year: Year 5 Personal Essay: Social Media Post Activity Title: Explore Your Town or City Learning Objective: At the end of the lesson, pupils would be able to write at least 4 sentences to describe their chosen town or city in an Instagram post format. Materials Needed: Instagram-style post worksheet template (designed to resemble an Instagram post) and Pictures of towns brought by students. PROSE (NON-FICTION) WRITING ACTIVITY
INSTRUCTIONS: In the previous lesson, the teacher instructed the students to bring one picture of a town they are interested in or familiar with to use for this activity. 1. Begin the activity by discussing the importance of visual inspiration in creative writing and the elements of a descriptive Instagram post based on the example of the city: Edinburgh. 2. Provide each student with the Instagram-style post worksheet template. 3. Ask students to choose the picture of a town they brought and place it in the "Image Section" of their worksheet. 4. S T E P
INSTRUCTIONS: 5. Instruct students to fill out the worksheet following the structured format: Instagram Post Worksheet Format: Post Title: (e.g., My Amazing City, Exploring Town Name) Caption: (A catchy introduction to their town or city, similar to the example provided) Hashtags: (e.g., #MyCity, #ExploreTownName) Image Section: (Space provided for the picture of their chosen town) Main Post Body: (At least four sentences to describe key points and features of their town or city, including population, attractions, businesses, favourite places, and transport options) 6. Encourage students to use the picture as inspiration for their descriptive writing, incorporating details from the image into their posts. 7. Circulate around the classroom to provide guidance and support as students work on their Instagram posts. 8. After completing their Instagram post worksheets, students can share their posts with the class by displaying them on a bulletin board. 9. The students then will explain about their posts with their peers in small groups of 3.
My City, Edinburgh. Edinburgh is a city in the south of Scotland. It's an old city and it's got a population of about 500,000. There are a lot of shops, businesses and monuments. I like Edinburgh because it's an interesting place and the people are really friendly. The shops here are really good and there are a lot of cinemas. My favourite places are the castle and the zoo. There are some quite nice places near Edinburgh. It's only a few kilometres from the sea and there's a very pretty beach in Portobello. There are also trains and buses to Glasgow and the north. I like Glasgow, but I think Edinburgh is more interesting. #MYcity
This non-fiction writing activity is highly suitable for Year 4 ESL learners due to its incorporation of various educational theories and its emphasis on critical learning aspects. The task of creating Instagram-style posts about their chosen towns aligns with Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of learning, which highlights the significant roles of social interaction, cultural context, and language in cognitive development and learning (McLeod, 2024). Through engaging in discussions about visual inspiration and the elements of descriptive writing, students not only improve their understanding of effective communication but also develop critical thinking skills related to expressing ideas in a visually engaging format. Moreover, as students create and share their posts with peers, they actively participate in peer learning, receive feedback, and further refine their language skills within the context of their own cultural experiences. This collaborative and culturally relevant approach to writing tasks encourages students to connect their personal backgrounds to their learning, fostering deeper engagement and meaningful language development. JUSTIFICATION:
Furthermore, this activity places a strong emphasis on language development, particularly within the context of descriptive writing. The structured format of the Instagram post worksheet guides students in organising their thoughts and incorporating descriptive details effectively. By encouraging students to describe key points and features of their chosen town or city in their posts, such as population, attractions, businesses, favourite places, and transport options, the activity promotes vocabulary expansion, sentence structure improvement, and overall writing skills enhancement. Additionally, the sharing aspect of displaying their posts on a bulletin board fosters peer interaction and provides opportunities for collaborative learning, reinforcing the social constructivist approach where learning occurs through social interactions and sharing of ideas among peers. According to Akpan et al. (2020), In the context of social constructivism, children's comprehension is moulded not solely by direct experiences with the physical environment, but also by interactions among individuals concerning a world that extends beyond the purely tangible and sensory, encompassing cultural, meaningful, and significant aspects that are predominantly constructed through language. JUSTIFICATION:
Year: Year 5 Acrostic Poem: Acrostic associations Activity Title: Animal Acrostic Adventure Learning Objective: At the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to write an acrostic poem of their chosen animal with at least 3 adjectives and at least 3 acrostics association. Materials Needed: Animal Acrostic Poem Worksheet (with animal words). Poetry Writing (Acrostic Poem)
Explain that an acrostic poem is when you write a word vertically and then use each letter to start a line of your poem. 1. 2. Tell students they can also add words or phrases related to the animal to make their poem more interesting. These are called Acrostic associations. 3. Show an example of an acrostic poem with the word ‘Dog’ . 4. Give each student a worksheet with animal words to choose from for their poems. 5. Go over the words on th e worksheet and talk about what each animal is like. Discuss their habits, appearance, and where they live. 6. Ask students to pick one animal from the worksheet for their poem. 7. Give them paper and writing materials. INSTRUCTIONS:
Devoted friend, always by my side, Obedient and loyal, never one to hide, Graceful and playful, full of joy and pride. ACROSTIC POEM D.O.G ACROSTIC POEM D.O.G
Have them write their chosen animal word vertically on the left side of the paper, with one letter on each line. Using each letter, students write a word or phrase related to the animal for each line of their poem. Encourage them to add at least three describing words (adjectives) and at least three associations. Let students share their poems with the class. Discuss how they used adjectives and associations to make their poems interesting. INSTRUCTIONS:
INSTRUCTIONS: Choose one animal from the worksheet for your poem. Add at least three describing words (adjectives) and at least three associations. WORKSHEET ACROSTIC POEM C: CUTE AND CUDDLY, WITH WHISKERS SO FINE, A: AGILE AND PLAYFUL, WITH A PURR THAT'S DIVINE, T: TINY YET MIGHTY, EXPLORING ALL DAY, FELINE FRIEND, IN YOUR COMPANY, I WANT TO STAY. Answer:
JUSTIFICATION: Acrostic poems encourage students to think creatively and use language effectively. According to Apriliany et al. (2021), the acrostic technique serves as a learning strategy that offers an alternative approach to writing, particularly in the context of poetry composition. By writing poems based on animal names and adding descriptive words (adjectives) and associations, students enhance their vocabulary, writing skills, and creativity in expressing ideas. Moreover, Using animals as the theme for the acrostic poems taps into students' natural curiosity and interest in animals. This thematic approach makes the activity engaging and meaningful for students, motivating them to participate actively in writing and sharing their poems. According to Wardani et al. (2020), the theme plays a pivotal role in shaping multiple interconnected lessons, driving material development, serving as a primary learning focus, and aiding in the comprehension of the material.
JUSTIFICATION: This poetry writing activity is highly suitable for Year 4 ESL learners as it integrates educational theories and emphasises key learning aspects. By introducing acrostic poetry, which involves using letters of a word to start each line of the poem, students engage with a structured yet creative writing format. This aligns with the cognitive theory of learning, which emphasises the importance of structured activities in promoting understanding and retention (Michela, 2020). Moreover, the activity encourages students to use descriptive language (adjectives) and make associations related to the chosen animal, fostering language development and vocabulary expansion. This emphasis on language skills is crucial for ESL learners as it helps them enhance their ability to express ideas and create engaging written content.
JUSTIFICATION: Furthermore, this activity promotes experiential learning and meaningful engagement with the subject matter. By providing students with a variety of animal words to choose from and discussing each animal's characteristics, habits, and habitat, the activity integrates aspects of experiential learning theory. Students not only learn about different animals but also apply this knowledge creatively in crafting their poems. According to Villarroel et al. (2020), experiential learning involves facing cognitive challenges and solving problems, leading to a deeper understanding of the studied phenomenon. Similarly, in the poetry writing activity, students face challenges such as selecting appropriate descriptive words, organizing their thoughts in a structured format, and creatively expressing their ideas.
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