Community of Writers

This collection of Peace Corps stories is designed for use by grades 7-12 language arts teachers. The collection is divided into two sections, (1) Peace Corps Stories; and (2) Curriculum Units. The first section contains nine Peace Corps texts around which the lesson plans are organized. Representing a variety of literary genres (personal narratives, fiction, folktales, and poetry), the texts are grouped under three themes: (1) "Heroes and Friends;" (2) "Perspectives;" and (3) "No Easy Answers." The second section contains two separate, complementary language arts units: (1)"Reading and Responding to Literature;" and (2) "A Reading Writing Workshop." Both units are standards-based; use the "Understanding by Design" curriculum design framework (Appendix A); and can be adapted for use with secondary students of any grade or ability level. The "Reading and Responding to Literature" unit is comprised of lesson plans that are useful for increasing students' reading comprehension skills. Lesson plans are designed to engage students in story content; get them interested in the author's message; encourage them to identify and explore the questions about the stories; increase their reading comprehension skills; and invite them to find connections among the author's experience, the story's content, and their own lives. The "Reading and Writing Workshop" unit uses Peace Corps stories as a springboard to students' self discovery through the writing process. Lesson plans are designed to encourage students to create a community of writers and readers, and deepen their awareness of writing as a tool of self discovery. Appended are: "Educational Framework"; "Reading Comprehension Strategies"; "Literature Circles"; and "Use of Journals." (Contains 55 references.)