Process
Dear Class,
You have one week to complete part one. Part of being in middle school is being able to manage your time effectively. Pace yourself, so that you will complete all of your tasks on time. Good Luck!
1. As previously stated, you are an author who wants to get his or her manuscript published. First things first you have to have a manuscript. Write a short story. Follow the steps of the writing process to complete your work. You may write about any topic you prefer. These are some sites that can help you with your story.
http://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/strengtheningsentences/
http://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/similesandmetaphors/
2. Now that you have written your manuscript, what next. Research and make a list of the steps it takes to get a book published.
3. If you did your research, you would realize that you must submit your manuscript to a publishing company. Write a business letter that convinces the publishing company to read and publish your manuscript. This should be a persuasive essay in a business letter format.
http://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/businessletter/
http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/letters/l/bl_block_p.htm
Week Two
This week you are an editor for a publishing company.
1. You will be broken up into groups of three.
2. Together you will grade a manuscript submitted to the company. Use the rubric that is provided. Remember to be fair. The author won't know who grades their work and you won't know whose work you are grading. The author will get a grade from me on the short story, but I would like to see your evaluation skills and how well you understand my writing expectations.
2. Every story can be made better with a revision. Revise the manuscript. Be sure to add figurative language to the story. You may work as a group to complete this activity.
http://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/similesandmetaphors/
3. Step 3 will be done individually. Write a letter back to the author. Make some suggestions on how the story could be made better. Tell the author a part that you enjoyed in their story. Be specific and be kind. Someone worked hard on the manuscript and the person will see your letter. You may want to mention what you had to correct when you edited the piece. This is a way for me to tell you have contributed to the team this week.
The letter must be in business letter format.
http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/letters/l/bl_block_p.htm
examples of constructive criticism:
Spelling errors detracted from the story's flow
Your story lacked excitement. Add more action or conflict
examples of specific praise
You used a lot of figurative language. It made the story interesting.
Your idea for the story was very interesting. It pulled me in.