Designing a Home School Project - Writing Short Stories

Learning to write well always begins with actionTeaching short story includes the history of the
verbs. I start my students out with a series ofshort story, and Edgar Allen Poe's explanation of
exercises in which they must write a shortwhat a short story is. (He invented them, after
sequence of story using only single action verbs.all.) It includes a study of several great short
Most children use unending linking verbs - "he wasstories and how they are constructed. It includes
walking," instead of "he walked." This is thethe development of character and suspense.
difference between "telling" and "showing." To beOnce my daughter has successfully completed
a good writer, my daughter must train herself tothe third draft of her short story and published it
write with strong and interesting action verbs.on the Internet, we will switch the focus to great
She will begin her short story project with a list ofchildren's stories.
action verbs printed off the Internet. She willShe will copy Beatrix Potter's "Peter Rabbit" word
obtain a copy of Katherine Langreish's Troll Fell,for word at least three times. She will underline all
open it anywhere, and start copying word forthe action verbs. I will pick two or three other
word. I will have her spend some time doing this,great children's stories for her to copy as well.
circling the action verbs and underlining theWe will look at the principles of writing children's
participle phrases. If you want to learn to writestories as well as the history of stories written
well, I suggest you do the same.for children.
To learn to write well, practice copying the bestScience and math in a short story writing project?
writers word for word. Let the flow of their wordLet's just say we have that part on hold. Maybe
choices and patterns sink into your subconscioussome small and relevant task or study will come
mind.to view before we finish the project.
When you write, you will write in your own style.I will also attempt to connect my daughter with a
But if you have copied great writers, you willreal children's book writer so that she can
possess something more to draw from than thecorrespond back and forth about her work.
linking verb drivel of modern speech.Again, she will write three drafts for her children's
I will then assign my daughter to write a shortstory (or more). I will create a rubric for each
story on any topic she chooses. I will brieflydraft so she will know what is expected.
explain what a short story is, but she alreadyWhen she has finished her final draft, she will fit it
knows that, having read many. I require threeinto an Adobe InDesign document, merging her
drafts. She must write the first one herself withstory with the sketches she has also developed.
little teaching from me. Once it is written, then IWe will publish her illustrated children's book and
will teach her how to write a short story.offer it for sale on the Internet.
It is always better to make an attempt at doingShe will log around 100 hours in her project
something before you learn the finer points ofaccount book as well as keep a journal of notes
doing it well. Just as you can't steer a parked car,on the things she learns about the writing of short
so you can't teach someone who is not alreadystories.
personally involved in the subject.My daughter will have both of her "published"
However, I do have rubrics that I will use tostories to keep for years. People she will never
show my daughter the exact requirements Imeet will read and enjoy them.
want to see for each of her three drafts.This is project-led learning.