Introduction
Have you ever thought of what goes into a good story? What makes the difference between a bestseller, and waste paper? There are many different types of story, as well as various elements that go into making a good narrative.
In this WebQuest you will explore all of the different parts of what makes a story great. You will learn about different genres of fiction, from science fiction to westerns, and you will discover what essential features every great story has in common. Finally, when you have looked into everything that goes in to making a great story, you will have the chance to put into practice the skills you have learned and write your own work of fiction. This will be available as a bound copy for your parents to purchase, if you would like to keep a copy.
Although the main quest will be done in groups of four or five, some of the tasks that you will need to do are individual, these tasks will be handed in separately. The final task is marked individually, although there is an option to work as a group.
While any questions you have will be answered, I have provided a number of web-based resources, and I hope that you will try to find the answers online first.
Task
Part 1 – Session 1
In the first session of this WebQuest, you will research different genres of fiction and decide, as a group, on three of the most interesting. Below are some options for genres of fiction, you are not limited to these, but if you are going to use another genre please ask me before you choose.
Fairy tale
Fan fiction
Fantasy
Historical fiction
Mystery
Science fiction
Suspense/thriller
Western
You will collaborate as a group and come up with a short story for each of the three genres that you have chosen. Each story should be about 200-250 words. Remember that this is a combined task, and every member of the group should have some input into the stories.
Part 2 – Sessions 2 & 3
In the second session of this WebQuest, you will unpack what the parts of a story are. You will begin with understanding the structural elements like climax, complication, introduction, and resolution. When you know how a story is set out, you will investigate style elements such as character, setting, plot, point of view, and theme, and start to gather these ideas together into a final piece. In the last session of this part, your group will finalise this story and upload it to the class Dropbox. This story should be about 500 words.
Part 3 – Assessment
For the remainder of the unit, you will continue to collaborate with your group members while writing an individual task using the knowledge that you have gained from this Web-Quest. Your final individual submission will be a 750-1000 word short story in a fiction genre of your choice. If you choose to, you and one or more of your group may write a chapter each of the same story.
Process
Part 1 – Session 1
Group Task
Firstly, you will need to get into groups of four or five. Your task is to research and agree on three genres of fiction that appeal to the group as a whole. You are to write a simple story in each of these genres, the stories should be 200-250 words each.
This is a joint task and there should be input from all group members into each story.
Think of a name for your group and create a folder on the class Dropbox using your team name, save your team’s stories in this folder in a document called Task 1.
Individual Task
Below are some of the genres that are suitable for you to write in. There are many, many more, and if you find a genre in your research that you would like to use, please ask me. In your personal folder on the class Dropbox, please make a folder called Creative Writing and in that folder create a document named Task 1. In that document please define each of the genres below, and give two examples of each, linking them to an online page (wiki/Goodreads/Bookish etc.).
Fairy tale
Fan fiction
Fantasy
Historical fiction
Mystery
Science fiction
Suspense/thriller
Western
Resources
Fantasy Name Generator - Is an online tool that will really help out if you are having a hard time naming your characters.
Monster Motel – Will give kids a whole range of strange and interesting monsters that they can use in many different Fiction genres.
Story Starters – This is a tool supplied by Scholastic. It is a story generator that gives a premise in genres such as Adventure, Fantasy, and Sci-Fi.
Wikipedia – Although Wikipedia is not usually a viable source, it is always a good place to start an online quest. Try beginning at the Wikipedia page for List of writing genres and use the blue links to search for the information you want.
Part 2 – Sessions 2 & 3
Individual Task
Over the final two sessions of this WebQuest, you will learn what the different parts of a story are.
Firstly, create a new document in your personal folder/Creative Writing folder on Dropbox, and name it Task 2.
Do a web search on the different parts of a story; climax, complication, introduction, and resolution and define each one in a separate textbox in your Task 2 document.
Do a Google Image search for ‘Dramatic Structure’. Do not just copy and paste, instead draw your own copy and place your text boxes at the correct points.
There are other names and different elements according to different sources, such as conflict, orientation, rising action, exposition, falling action, denouement, and coda. Find out what these words mean and place them on your pyramid, definitions are not necessary.
Group Task
Once you understand what the dramatic structure of a story looks like, you will begin to see how most stories fit the model.
As a group, make a new document called Task 2a in your team folder, and place the three stories from the first session on their own dramatic structure pyramids. If you see that any major parts are missing, add notes to your pyramid to suggest what changes your team could make.
In a separate document called Task 2b create the headings character, setting, plot, point of view, and theme. Each member of the team is to choose two to three of the headings and find definitions online. Please make sure that each heading has at least two definitions from different sources.
Of the three stories, choose one that the group would like to expand on. Please note that you will not be allowed to use this story in your individual assessment.
Create a new document in your team folder called Final Task and, as a group, expand on your chosen story, making sure that your team’s story has all of the main aspects of a good narrative. It should come to at least 500 words. Remember to look for the dramatic structure elements of climax, complication, introduction, and resolution. Also make sure that your story has all of the devices that you have learned about, such as character, setting, plot, point of view, and theme.
This final task will be due at the end of the week, and you will have one study session in class to work on it. I will grade the story as usual, though your classmates will also be reading and giving your story a score out of 9.
Resources
Home of Bob – Is an online teacher’s resource that has some good information on the elements of fiction writing.
Part 3 – Assessment
For the next two weeks, part of your study sessions should be dedicated to this assessment, as well as time at home. Your task is to create a work of fiction in a genre of your choice that has the dramatic structure elements of climax, complication, introduction, and resolution. Your story should also include a 200 word summary sheet describing each aspect that you have learned about, such as character, setting, plot, point of view, and theme. You should also try to remember some of the writing techniques you learned in our last writing unit on Poetry (metaphor, simile, alliteration, etc). This task will be marked individually, though if you would like to work with other members of your group, each member may write a chapter of the same story.
However, if you choose to do this, please make sure that each member makes valid contributions to aspects such as plot, character, and setting. Although doing a group effort may be easier in some aspects, there is a greater need for communication and cooperation to make the story flow. Please keep these points in mind when choosing to do a group or individual story.
Each submission should be between 750 – 1000 words.
Resources
Dropbox - Also, for those who are doing group work, you may want to have a look at Dropbox Paper, Quip, or Google Docs. They are similar to Dropbox, though easier to do collaborative work through.
Story Bird - Story Bird is an online tool that will help you illustrate your book if that is what you would like to do.
Evaluation
Peers
As part of your assessment, you will read and mark at least two other group’s stories. Please copy this table into a new document in your personal folder called Evaluations and complete as the example above. (This would be about 2.8+1.9+2.2 = 6.9 out of 9)
|
Team Name: |
Story Title: |
||
|
|
Very Good |
Good |
Needs Work |
|
The story followed the correct genre. |
The genre was definitely __________________ |
I’m pretty sure the genre was ___________________ |
I couldn’t tell what genre it was. |
|
The story had dramatic structure including Introduction, Complication, Climax, and Resolution. |
The story had all of the parts of the dramatic structure in the correct place, and was very interesting. |
The story had most or all of the parts of the dramatic structure, though it could have been done better. |
The story didn’t have all of the parts of the dramatic structure. |
|
The story had the aspects of a good narrative, including character, setting, plot, point of view, and theme. |
The story had all of the right elements, and they were used to good effect. |
The story had most or all of the elements, though they could have been done better. |
The story didn’t have all of the right elements. |
Teacher
|
|
Very Good |
Good |
Needs Work |
|
The story followed the correct genre. |
The story adhered to the genre very well. |
The story adhered to the genre well. |
The story adhered to no genre. |
|
The story had dramatic structure including Introduction, Complication, Climax, and Resolution. |
The structure was seamless and worked well towards an understanding of the plot. |
Most of the structure was there, though it could have been used to greater effect. |
The story didn’t have all of the parts of the dramatic structure. |
|
The story had the aspects of a good narrative, including character, setting, plot, point of view, and theme. |
The story was well written and had all of the aspects of a good novel. |
Most of the elements were there, though they could have been used better. |
The story didn’t have all of the right elements. |
|
Investigation and use of adequate resources. |
Adequate online resources were used to good effect. |
Online resources were used, though more could have been found. |
There was a lack of online resources. |
|
Communication and group work. |
Communication between the group members was excellent. They worked well as a team. |
Communication was good. The group functioned adequately. |
There was a lack of communication and group work. |
|
Writing Techniques |
Literary techniques learned in the Poetry unit were incorporated to good effect. |
Literary techniques learned in the Poetry unit were attempted. |
There were no literary techniques used. |
|
Literacy |
Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar was very good. |
Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar was good. |
Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar needs improvement. |
Conclusion
Your team's story will be marked out of 30. This will be made up of 9 points from your peers, and 21 from me.
Your own work will also be marked out of 30. This will be made up of 9 points from your individual tasks, and 21 from your final story.
If you or your parents would like a copy of either your final, or your team's story, they will be available for purchase after the semester break.
I hope you have enjoyed learning about Fiction story writing, and please continue to write any ideas you have in your spare time, I would love to read them!!
Credits
With thanks to Bookish, Dropbox, Fantasy Name Generator, Goodreads, Google, Kids on the Net, Scholastic, Wikipedia, Home of Bob, Quip, and Story Bird.
With an extra special thanks to the team at ACARA and the Australian Curriculum website, as well as the staff and students at The University of the Sunshine Coast.
Teacher Page
When prompted to create this WebQuest, I was first at a loss for what subject and year to base it on. Although I am being trained for senior secondary, I have recently found a passion for the middle years of schooling. In this same vein, I have recently been offered further study in a creative writing program. As these two indicators coincided, I chose to do a middle years’ creative writing WebQuest.
The notion of learning is in a state of flux in this digital generation. The way that students learn is changing due to the rapid rise in technology, and as such, educators have a need to change the way we teach (Livingstone, 2012). The distinct lack of teacher involvement makes a WebQuest a great tool for student-centred learning. Not only is all the information that they should need right there, the site is accessible from the students’ home computers, and so learning is not relegated to the classroom.
By having the students discover the fundamentals of fiction online by themselves (investigating), and then create several pieces of new fiction (creating), while operating in a group context (communicating), I have attempted to target the ACARA ICT General Capability learning continuum (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2017).
While I have heard many times that there is a major problem with the depth of knowledge and understanding that teachers have about technology (So & Kim, 2009), I have never thought that my knowledge of ICT would be lacking. After undergoing this assignment I realise that although I may have the technical knowledge to operate many of the apps and programs that are out there, I have let my knowledge become slightly dated. With the rate at which technology renews, even being a year or two behind, I have found I have missed much, and have a need to undergo more professional development so I can better facilitate my students' learning.
In conclusion, I feel that this WebQuest will be engaging and enlightening for the students, while hitting their learning needs. I have also found that I am in need of some more ICT development, and will endeavour undergo such training.
References
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2017). Foundation to Year 10 Curriculum: ICT General Capability. Retrieved from: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabil…, 29-07-2017.
Livingstone, S. (2012). Critical reflections on the benefits of ICT in education: Digital technologies in the lives of young people. Oxford Review of Education, 38(1), 9-24.
So, H & Kim, B. (2009). Learning about problem based learning: Student teachers integrating technology, pedagogy and content knowledge. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 25(1), 101-116.