group creative writing challenge with sample answer

Arrange your class into groups of four. Place a bowl at the front and put into it an orange and a banana. (This is to add dramatic effect to the task). Explain to your class that you are going to set them a creative writing challenge. Read them the challenge and give them a typed copy of it for them to refer to. Allow twenty minutes for them to discuss, plan, exchange ideas, and then write a first draft. At the end of the time allowed request two or three to be read out. Important learning behaviour management tip: at the end of twenty minutes many will ask for more time saying that they haven’t finished. It is important for you to then say: “I realise that some of you may not have finished but I do need to hear what you have done so far please.” Be clear about this. If you allow more time two disadvantages soon appear:

1. Students who have finished will get bored and start to fidget.
2. Students who haven’t finished will lose the sense of urgency and the whole shape of the lesson will soon sag.
   Next step is to hear a few read out then hand them a copy of the sample answer and read it to them. Then get each group to compare what they have done to the sample using the checklist provided. In this way they will take the pressure off of you because they are self assessing together and your role can become supervisory as an overseer of the process.
   At the end of the lesson ask them to redraft their own work in the light of what they have learnt by comparing it to the sample to enhance and improve their own work.
   WRITING CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION
   Write a story in 400 words which includes the following: A man named Arthur Smith. A railway café with a woman called Belinda who works there. A focus on the meeting of a banana and an orange. An argument which results in Arthur being asked to get out. A man reading a newspaper who has surprising news.