After reading Nothing But the Truth, students explore a current event topic and write their own short work of fiction in a similar multigenre format.

After students read the novel The Color Purple, dialect is discussed and students write a short piece of fiction or poetry using the dialect of their peer group.

Students examine the ways different authors treat the subject of war in their writing and compare and contrast using the Venn Diagram interactive.

After hearing Maya Angelou's poem, "On the Pulse of Morning," students infer information about the speaker and her feelings about America and reflect on how one's life and experiences can influence one's writing.

Students brainstorm the kinds of stories they know and where these stories come from. Students return to these questions as they begin reading Hurston's novel.