Brave Writer

Middle School Writing: Passion Projects facilitates the research and writing process necessary to complete a nonfiction writing project in the format of the student’s choice. Formats include:

Students use Brave Writer® tools including topic funneling, freewriting, and Snip and Pin to move from idea generation and research, note-taking, and drafting to a revised and edited final project in four weeks. 

Syllabus

Week One

Project Selection and Research. Class begins with a discussion of project choices, where to look for ideas, and how to narrow down a topic choice. 

Week Two

Freewriting and Drafting. Students research to investigate a myriad of sources. Freewriting activities help to get the raw writing on the page. Once initial writing is in place, students expand their research to fill in gaps in their knowledge. 

Week Three

Narrowing and Expanding. Students devote this week to revision as they reorganize, streamline, and add more vivid detail. The goal: Create a piece of writing that's clear and interesting to readers.

Week Four

Publishing and Finding Readers. The week when all the hard work pays off. Students put a final polish on the writing and talk about different ways to publish and find an appropriate audience for their work!

Common Core and Academic Standards Support

What follows is a word bank and set of skills associated with this class. Use them to craft your own learning narrative for use in year-end evaluations, charter school reports, or any other accountability source.

Word Bank

  • Editing
  • Formats
  • Freewriting
  • Idea generation
  • Informational writing
  • Nonfiction
  • Note-taking
  • Opening hook
  • Research
  • Revision
  • Sequence of ideas
  • Vivid detail
  • Vocabulary development
  • Writing mechanics
  • Writing voice

Core Skills

  • Cite expert opinion or sources
  • Edit writing for standard English usage
  • Employ vivid detail to engage readers
  • Engage readers with effective opening
  • Generate topics for nonfiction writing
  • Instruct others on a topic using informational writing
  • Maintain distinct writer’s voice
  • Research and absorb material for writing
  • Revise writing for clarity, flow, order, interest, and economy of language
  • Sequence writing in logical steps
  • Utilize sentence variety to add impact
  • Write detailed, organized, structured original narratives
  • Write in emphatic order
  • Write for a particular audience