Michelle Johnson » Welcome to SREB & Creative Writing

Welcome to SREB & Creative Writing

Teacher: Michelle Johnson                                      Date: 02/09 - 02/13/26                                 

BSD: 2025-2026 Lesson Plans                                Subjects: SREB & Creative Writing



SREB  (1st & 2nd Block)


Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • ELA Standards: Reading: Informational Text - 1, 2,5, 6
  • ELA Standards: Writing: 2, 4, 10
  • ELA Standards: Speaking and Listening - 1

Assignments for 02/06-02/13:

  •         pg.19 & 20 - Ch. 3 Plot and character development; Answer questions Part I-IV
  •         pg. 21 – vocabulary
  •         pg. 23 & 24 - Ch. 4 Plot and character development; Answer questions Part I-IV
  •         pg. 25 – vocabulary
  •         pg. 27 - Literary Argument Essay - Choosing a prompt and reviewing the rubric
  •         pg. 34-41 - Sample Essay
  •         pg. 42 - Responding to the Prompts
  •         pg. 43 Developing a Thesis 
  •         pg. 44 - Question about Identity pg. 45 - Textual Evidence about Joe Chip




Creative Writing (4th Block)


Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • W.11-12.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Assignments for 02/02-02/06:  (Gothic Fiction)

  • Students will read and analyse a short Gothic story. Students will learn genre-specific techniques and vocabulary. Students will plan and write a short Gothic piece. Then use a checklist to reflect on their writing.
  • Students will continue working on our Valentine nursing home project. Cards will be delivered to Haven Hall by Feb. 11.

Teacher: Michelle Johnson                                      Date: 02/02 - 02/06/26                                 

BSD: 2025-2026 Lesson Plans                                Subjects: SREB & Creative Writing

SREB  (1st & 2nd Block)


Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • ELA Standards: Reading: Informational Text - 1, 2,5, 6
  • ELA Standards: Writing: 2, 4, 10
  • ELA Standards: Speaking and Listening - 1

Assignments for 02/02-02/06:

Unit 1 pgs.88-97

  • pg.88-90 - Read and annotate the article, then write a rhetorical precise and include a MLA citation
  • pg.91-94 - After reading, describe what Carr is saying about human memory and computer memory provide an example for each.
  • pg. 96 - Write an original sentence using the word ‘alienation’
  • pg. 96 - Write an original sentence using the word ‘alienation’
  • pg. 97 - Explain what ELIZA is and why Carr has it in this section

Unit 2 pgs.5-16

  • pg. 5&6 - Defining technology
  • pg. 7 - ‘ubiquitous computing’ - find out what it means on 3 different websites and be able to explain to someone else in the room
  • pg. 8&9 - Making predictions
  • pg. 11 - Summarizing Chapter 1: Uzbik
  • pg. 14 - Level 1 and Level 2 questions 

Creative Writing (4th Block)


Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • W.11-12.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Assignments for 02/02-02/06:  (Fantasy Fiction)

  • Students will read and analyse a short Fantasy story. Students will learn genre-specific techniques and vocabulary. Students will plan and write a short Fantasy piece. Then use a checklist to reflect on their writing.
  • Students will continue working on our Valentine nursing home project. Cards will be delivered to Haven Hall by Feb. 11.

Teacher: Michelle Johnson                                      Date: 01/26 - 01/30/26                                 

BSD: 2025-2026 Lesson Plans                                Subjects: SREB & Creative Writing

SREB  (1st & 2nd Block)


Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • ELA Standards: Reading: Informational Text - 1, 2,5, 6
  • ELA Standards: Writing: 2, 4, 10
  • ELA Standards: Speaking and Listening - 1

Assignments for 01/26-01/30:


  • Vocabulary Lesson 4 and 5
  • Activity 1 - Read the short Time magazine article “You” (pg. 64) and annotate the article in the margins. 
  • Activity 2 - Read the blog post (pg. 66-70), written by Clay Shirky, and write a rhetorical précis for it in the space provided below. Include an MLA citation for this text. (You can review rhetorical précis worksheet and MLA citation from previous weeks to complete this assignment.)  pg. 71 for rhetorical precis and MLA citation.  
  • Activity 3 - (pg. 72-78) Taking Notes from Text - Use the chart below to take notes on the evidence Carr provides and the “so what” of each piece of evidence. An example is provided for you, to help you get started. Be sure to cite page numbers.
  • Activity 6 (pg. 80) Understanding Algorithms -  write an original sentence using the word algorithm, based on the information about the word that we have received.
  • Vocabulary from "The Church of Google" (pg. 82-85) - Choose ONE of the words from the list in the box below and ONE unfamiliar word from Chapter Eight. For each of your words, complete the chart below. Remember to use the context of the word (the sentence in which it is found) to help you understand the dictionary definition.)

Creative Writing (4th Block)


Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • W.11-12.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Assignments for 01/20-01/23:  (Fairy Tale and Folklore Fiction)

  • Students will read and analyse a short Fairy Tale and Folklore story. Students will learn genre-specific techniques and vocabulary. Students will plan and write a short Fairy Tale and Folklore piece. Then use a checklist to reflect on their writing.
  • Students will continue working on our Valentine nursing home project.

Teacher: Michelle Johnson                                      Date: 01/20 - 01/23/26                                 

BSD: 2025-2026 Lesson Plans                                Subjects: SREB & Creative Writing

SREB  (1st & 2nd Block)


Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • ELA Standards: Reading: Informational Text - 1, 2,5, 6
  • ELA Standards: Writing: 2, 4, 10
  • ELA Standards: Speaking and Listening - 1

Assignments for 01/20-01/23:


  •  Activity 2: Examining Prompts pg. 33 (in Canvas) - The students will analyze 3 quotes from Carr and then compare them to text written by other authors.
  • Activity 4: Homework (in Class) pg. 38 (in Canvas) - Read 'The Shallows,' Chapter Three: Tools of the Mind and take notes using the T-chart being sure to include pages and cite the text.
  • Activity 3: Homework (in class) pgs. 43-44 (in Canvas) - Read 'The Shallows', Chapter Four: The Deepening Page. Answer the following questions, being sure to use page numbers and cite the text as you answer. You will also trace the history of the book and trace the history of the printing press.
  • Activity 5: Power of Literacy  pg. 47 (in Canvas) - The students will pick one of 3 articles to read (pgs. 49-50, 51-53, or 54-57). After reading the article, they will then create a Rhetorical Precis and MLA citation for the article they chose.
  • Activity 6 Homework (in class)  pg. 60 (in Canvas) - Read The Shallows, Chapter Five: A Medium of the Most General Nature. As you read, take notes in the place provided. Be sure to include page numbers and cite the text as you take notes.

Creative Writing (4th Block)


Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • W.11-12.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Assignments for 01/20-01/23:  (Dystopian Fiction)

  • Students will read and analyse a short dystopian story. Students will learn genre-specific techniques and vocabulary. Students will plan and write a short dystopian piece. Then use a checklist to reflect on their writing.
  • Students will begin working on our Valentine nursing home project

Teacher: Michelle Johnson                          Date: 01/06 - 01/09/26                                

BSD: 2025-2026 Lesson Plans                          Subjects: SREB & Creative Writing


SREB  (1st & 2nd Block)


Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • ELA Standards: Reading: Informational Text - 1, 2,5, 6
  • ELA Standards: Writing: 2, 4, 10
  • ELA Standards: Speaking and Listening - 1

Assignments for 01/06-01/09:

Activity 1 - pg. 5 - Student Survey

  • Answer the survey questions the best you can.

Activity 2 - pg. 6 - Net Enthusiasts/Net Skeptics

  • You will answer each of the 4 sections under 'Net Enthusiasts' and ‘Net Skeptics'.

Activity 4 - pgs. 11-17 - Consulting an Expert

  • Read the interview of Clifford Nass. ANNOTATE as you read. For this annotation exercise, use the following symbols for your annotations:
    M = anything that adds to or changes our understanding of the definition of “multitasking.”
    B = big ideas that are important for our understanding of the experiment that Nass and his colleagues are doing.
    In addition, underline or highlight the specific text that you are targeting with your annotation. 

Activity 6 - pg. 18 - Homework Prep (in class work)

  • Answer the 3 areas pertaining to "The Shallows: Chapter 1."


Creative Writing (4th Block)

Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • W.11-12.3b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

Assignments for 01/06-01/09:

  • Students will choose a writing prompt to begin a conversation that tells a story through dialogue. Students will be reminded to use punctuation correctly and  to indent every time a new character speaks. Students are encouraged to use descriptive dialogue and are required to have 12 exchanges of dialogue. Students will work independently, but they can ask peers to proof their work before submitting it to be graded.

Teacher: Michelle Johnson                                  Date: 01/12 - 01/16/26                                 

BSD: 2025-2026 Lesson Plans                                Subjects: SREB & Creative Writing

SREB  (1st & 2nd Block)


Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • ELA Standards: Reading: Informational Text - 1, 2,5, 6
  • ELA Standards: Writing: 2, 4, 10
  • ELA Standards: Speaking and Listening - 1

Assignments for 01/12-01/16:

Activity 1 - pg. 20 - Developing Claim and Evidence

  • Students will develop a claim statement and a list of evidence for Chapter 1- The Shallows.

Activity 2 -  pg. 21-27 - Writing the Rhetorical Precis

  • Students will read and annotate a letter and come up with a list of essential ideas. Students will learn how to write a rhetorical precis and a MLA citation

Activity 3 - pgs. 28-30 - 

  • Students will read and take notes from Chapter 2 “The Shallows.”  They will need to answer questions and write a summary for these pages.

Creative Writing (4th Block)

Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts:

  • W.11-12.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Assignments for 01/06-01/09:  (Adventure Fiction)

  • Students will read and analyse a short adventure story. Students will learn genre-specific techniques and vocabulary. Students will plan and write a short adventure piece. Then use a checklist to reflect on their writing.