Submitted by Monette Ross
9-10 English, Bennett County High School
I'm a castle collector. I have always been fascinated with castles, and I receive a castle calendar every
year as a birthday gift. Not wanting to throw away such great pictures, the calendars were retired to
a shelf in my home office. Now, they are the basis for my students' favorite
creative writing-research unit. The implementation changes each year, of course, but here's what is presently working for me.
At the introduction of the unit, students are randomly given a
laminated 'castle picture.' With the understanding that they will be "living" in a
castle for the next three weeks, students are then given the chance to trade pictures
until they find the castle in which they believe they will be most cornfortable.
(I find that five minutes is ample time to satisfy everyone.) The unit then proceeds to a number of
creative writing activities. Students have a list of 20 ideas from which to choose.
This
year I have included a research project in the Castle Project. Students are responsible for
seeking and finding information on a particular topic dealing with the Medieval times, castles, knighthood,
chivalry, King Arthur, or any other related topic. Students will orally present their findings to the
class at the close of the unit.