Creative Writing with "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
Together, students will read the mystery book "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin. Students will have to pay close attention to the many characters and events throughout the story in order to write their own effective ending to the mystery.
Ms. Shannon Johnsen
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5.0
Number of reviews:(100)
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What's included
16 live meetings
13 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. Students will have the opportunity to practice vocabulary words between classes. I will also share questions that students can write about or think about between class sessions. The biggest piece of homework is the novel ending writing assignment. Students will have a week and a half to write their own ending to the mystery "The Westing Game." This final writing assignment is required.Assessment
Students will be assessed through their discussion and writing. The teacher will give written feedback on the final assignment. If students send written work between sessions, the teacher will always respond with feedback. Letter grades can be assigned upon request.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 4 - 6
None of Samuel W. Westing's heirs expected to be invited to play a game. None of the heirs knew that Mr. Westing had been murdered. None of the heirs were prepared to hear that the killer was one of THEM. Now, all 16 heirs must determine who killed Sam Westing before they become victims as well. Ellen Raskin's "The Westing Game" is a novel geared towards students aged 9-12. One of the most challenging aspects of this novel is that there are many characters. In this course, students will receive a character tracking sheet in order to write down descriptions, details, and clues about the many characters they will encounter throughout this book. All reading will take place in class so that we can practice reading fluency, analysis, and summarizing out loud together. Students will be asked to read out loud, so please ensure that your learner knows this ahead of time. Students will also receive vocabulary lists and activities that consist of words found in "The Westing Game." Between each session, I will post at least one question for students to write about or think about relating to the story. The best part about this course is that students will have the opportunity to step into Ellen Raskin's shoes and become the author. Towards the end of the novel, we will stop reading. Students will receive directions and guidance about writing their own ending to the book. They will need to take into account the things that have happened in the novel and explain the mystery through events, dialogue, and character actions. Once students have finished their novel endings, we will continue reading to see how Ellen Raskin ends her story. The following is a course schedule. Meeting 1: The Westing Game Introduction. Students are given character tracking sheets. Read and discuss chapters 1 and 2. Meeting 2: Read and discuss chapters 3 and 4. Meeting 3: Read and discuss chapters 5, 6, and 7. Meeting 4: Read and discuss chapter 8. Meeting 5: Read and discuss chapters 9, 10, and 11. Meeting 6: Read and discuss chapters 12 and 13. Meeting 7: Read and discuss chapters 14 and 15. Meeting 8: Read and discuss chapters 16 and 17. Discuss theories and evidence. Meeting 9: Read and discuss chapters 18 and 19. Meeting 10: Read and discuss chapters 20 and 21. Meeting 11: Read and discuss chapters 22 and 23 Meeting 12: Begin chapter 24. We will pause reading. Students will be introduced to the writing assignment, and they will begin brainstorming ideas. Meeting 13: Writing check-in. Review dialogue formatting. Meeting 14: Students will have the opportunity to share their ending of the book with their classmates. We will resume reading chapter 24. Meeting 15: Read and discuss chapters 25 and 26. Meeting 16: Finish reading The Westing Game. Discuss foreshadowing- hints the author gave along the way about the ending.
Learning Goals
Students will practice reading fluency by reading out loud during class.
Students will practice tracking and analyzing characters through reading, writing, and discussion.
Students will practice analyzing events, dialogue, and character actions throughout the story.
Students will learn new vocabulary words from the story "The Westing Game."
Students will write dialogue effectively.
Students will write an engaging and logical ending to the novel based on what they learn throughout the story.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This story is a murder mystery for kids. It isn't particularly scary or gory. The person whose death is being looked into isn't even dead (but please don't tell your learner.) Please see Common Sense Media for more information. Feel free to reach out to me through Outschool messaging as well.
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-westing-game
I will post vocabulary games such as Quizlet and Blooket for students to review vocabulary from the book. Students do not need accounts to access these.
I ask that students use Google Docs to write and submit their final writing assignment. If they prefer to hand write, I will also take a picture of their work.
Supply List
Students will need to purchase a copy of "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin. The paperback version is currently $5.49 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Westing-Game-Puffin-Modern-Classics/dp/014240120X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1689181130&sr=1-1
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
"The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin. Every student will need a copy of this book.
Joined August, 2022
5.0
100reviews
Popular
Rising Star
Teacher expertise and credentials
Minnesota Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
Master's Degree in Education from University of Missouri
I am a licensed English teacher for students in grades 5-12 in the state of Minnesota. I have used "The Westing Game" as a teaching tool online and in-person. Students have always enjoyed this novel, and they love having the opportunity to write their own creative ending to the story. Reviews
Live Group Class
$24
weekly2x per week, 8 weeks
50 min
Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 9-12
3-6 learners per class
