CREATIVE WRITING DEPARTMENT

COURSE OFFERINGS

 

ALL LEVELS

MODULES

A focused look into a particular topic or form. These courses usually take place on Fridays and span one- four class meetings.  Some examples of past modules include Visionary Art, Technology/Nature, Spoken Word, and Songwriting.

 

 

FRESHMEN

ANCIENT TEXTS

A survey course in which students make connections between ancient civilizations and the contemporary world and apply those connections to their own work through ekphrastic writing, extensive reading, and multi-media projects.

 

INTRO TO POETRY

Students study the craft of poetry through discussions of language, tone, diction, rhyme, and meter as well as extensive readings of published poets and in-class writing assignments. The students share their work and participate in critiques to further develop their craft.

 

INTRO TO FICTION

An introductory course in the craft of fiction writing. Students study narrative structure, character, conflict, point-of-view, and tone. Students write, workshop, and revise their writing has they develop their voices.

 

 

SOPHOMORES

STORY AND LYRIC

This course is intended to enhance student understanding of classic texts and selected literary and artistic movements with an eye on how contemporary writers are shaped by the literary past. Students will analyze a variety of forms and genres with an emphasis on events that might have shaped an artist’s work, as well as looking at how authors make meaning through craft. Prompts, projects, and writing assignments connected to the text or topic of study help students further develop their own writing.

 

INTRO TO PLAYWRITING

An introductory course in the craft of playwriting through the study structure, characterization, and dialogue. Students begin with the reading of Aristotle’s Poetics and completing short writing exercises. They then work towards completing a ten-minute play and its revision, watching and reading plays as they work.

 

ACTING FOR WRITERS

A course in acting designed to help the beginning playwright understand how basic ideas such as objectives and obstacles, beats and tactics enable the actor to bring the writer's vision to life.

 

INTRO TO SCREENWRITING

A course in which students work on elements of screenwriting including plot, structure, and characterization. They learn the basics through reading scripts, watching clips, and writing and workshopping their own writing.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY FOR WRITERS

A photography course designed to teach students the basics of photography while practicing being observers of the world. Students will pair their photographs with writing as they hone their use of imagery in their work.

 

 

JUNIORS AND SENIORS

ADVANCED WORKSHOP

Each semester, upper-classmen choose an area of focus (fiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting) for their writing. Students take a workshop class in their chosen form in which they will write, read, and critique work.

 

SENIOR SHOP CLASS

A course in which seniors plan their senior shows; organize and exhibit their work on personal websites; and write their personal manifestos.

 

ART AND ACTIVISM

In this course, students explore how their craft can affect social change through literary, performance, visual and digital platforms

 

TECHNOLOGY ELECTIVES

A variety of courses in which students accumulate skills to produce and publish their work. This includes but is not limited to using the Adobe Suite for projects in digital storytelling and and chapbook-design.

 

CREATIVE NON-FICTION

This class is an examination of different strands such as the lyric essay, immersion journalism, and the personal narrative. Students will research, plan, write, and workshop their work. 

 

BOOK CLUB

A study of a novel, play, or collection of the teacher’s choosing that includes a variety of supplemental materials that may include film, guests, field trips, and supplemental reading.