Haunted Graveyard
You know what’s scary? Cliches.
Cliches are lazy writing -- that’s what I tell my students. They think cliches will give their writing a punch of emotion, or convey a large idea into a condensed version. What they don’t realize is that they’re borrowing from cultural collective consciousness and trying to make impactful statements with them.
It’s time to put them down. And not in the undead, hand-pops-up-out-of-the-freshly-made-grave sort of way. Though with the year we’ve had, I haven’t ruled out a zombie apocalypse.
Frankly, this year more than ever it’s been a task to keep my students engaged. I teach simultaneously to in-person and virtual students, and it feels a little like trying to be two places at once. Even as we try to normalize the school year, there is an emotional barricade that I just can’t seem to break through. They’re overwhelmed, they’re emotionally exhausted, and it feels like every third day there’s a new policy -- something else to add to everyone’s plate.
The burnout is real.
We needed some fun in our lives, and thus the Haunted Language Project was born.
In my iteration of the haunted language graveyard, my students have three essential components: a tombstone, an obituary, and a eulogy. The obituary models the very best in writing, while the eulogy is a bit punny and usually a little silly, but entertaining and in service of meeting the demands of the assignment.
I wanted my students to be able to use their creativity, while also engaging them in writing for different purposes and occasions. This project ticked off all of the boxes for me: research required, formal writing required, translating their message to multiple genres, and consideration of their own rhetorical situation.
The response thus far has been ebullient, and I’m excited to see what they come up with! I will update this with pictures at the end of the month. I’d love to see how it turns out in your classroom as well.
I’ve put my assignment sheet together for you, and posted it on my Teachers Pay Teachers site. This is a FREE resource! We’re all in this one together, and if this assignment can help take one thing off your plate then I will consider it a success. Feel free to take a look and take whichever pieces speak to you! Find the link below, and happy haunting :)
There are so many unique and lively versions of this assignment already floating around online. Even if my assignment doesn't quite fit your classroom, there is bound to be one that is.
Keep calm and pretend it’s in the lesson plan,
Dr. O
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Haunted-Language-Graveyard-6127460
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