Short Story Assignment: A Christmas Blessing

Quarter 2: A Christmas Blessing 

• Background: You have now read many tales.  We ought to love what is beautiful, good, and true.  Yet the world is so often full dark challenges to what is noble and right.  The legends of old often explored this in song and story, perhaps as a kind of imaginative practice for the young.  In this assignment, we will seek to bless a young girl or boy with a nicely woven tale paired with a related gift. 

• Prompt: Write a mighty tale of nobility, courage, and grace.  Your story must 

• be full of adventure,
• teach something noble, 
• and include references to the physical gift (such as a ball or sword) that you will give this child. 
• In general, your work will be descriptive.  Please read this overview of the basics from Purdue University on descriptive writing. 

• Outcome

• Choose a child (or person) to bless.
• Think of a fitting gift (purchased or made by you).
• Write your adventure.  Make it look old and cool. 
• Make a map.  Make it look old and cool.
• Hide the gift during Christmas break.
• Present the legend and map to the child.
• When you return from break, tell us all about it! (Extra credit if you document the event)

• Examples
• Holly Minarik
• Sierra Myer 
• Stunning Picture Book 1
• 2
• 3
• Beautiful Pencil Work
• More

• Mr. Talley Played with the Idea

Format

• Typed MLA (12 point, Times New Roman, proper margins, etc.)
• One change to MLA: Single space poetry (double space prose as usual)
• Or handwritten in pen for certain cases only (maps, letters, etc.) 
• All poetry must be single spaced and punctuated according to modern MLA usage.  
• All prose must be double spaced and punctuated according to modern MLA usage. 
• Submit your work to Turnitin.com and hard copy please.

Requirements

• Two or more pages (double spaced, at least 850 words)
• Less than 2,100 words (fewer than five pages)
• Your story must include all the steps of Plot and feature at least one literary device (such as symbolism, allegory, flashback, flash forward, unreliable narrator, anagnorisis, etc...)
• Example Contest Winner from Bookshop Santa Cruz: "Among the Trees" by Breanna Eddy 

Due Dates

• Rough Draft Due Block Day (12/1 & 2) for peer editing.
• Extra Credit for any stories turned in before I leave on Friday (12/2).
• Typed rough draft due as hard copy in class and on Turnitin.com by Monday (12/5) by midnight.
• Perfected draft and picture of gift and/or map due Wednesday (12/7) in class.

Your Grade

• If you are short of the minimum, you will earn no more than a D. When completed, the story should be free of typos and grammatical and spelling errors. In general, 2 errors or fewer on any page =A-, 3-5 errors on any page=B-, and 6 or more errors on any page =C- or lower. Failing to adhere to the themes or neglecting to meet any of the other standards on this handout will result in a significantly lower grade. Fragments and run-On sentences are major deductions.
• You may not include pieces written for other classes (past, present, or future) or for other assignments in this class. You will fail this assignment if you do so.

Start it early, and write something you are proud of.  Work to make it wise in its theme, rich in its descriptive imagery, and clever in its execution. Consider all the tools of the writing craft that we have examined in other stories. 

How can I get started? 

• First, figure out who you are writing for. Does this person have a favorite story, show, book, etc...? Could you cast them into your story? Do you have jokes with this person or significant places, thoughts, ideas that would sweeten the story for your audience? 
• Is there a lesson or theme you want to aim for?
• Identify a protagonist; think of people you actually know.  Change them up a wee bit. 
• Identify an antagonist (character, internal conflict, natural force, or other combination). 
• Use the STEAL chart to brainstorm character traits.
• Consider how you will generate tension between the protagonist and the antagonist? 
• Share ideas.