Reading, Writing, Teaching, and Living Tools for Impassioned People
What the heck is an MGRP?
I know, I know.
You throw out some letters and you're going to lose half your students. You use words like "genre", "research", and "paper" and you'll lose another 25%.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU. DON'T GIVE UP.
They're going to love it.
Sample MGRP Artifacts/ Creative Packaging
In short, the MGRP is a project developed by Tom Romano in his book, Writing with Passion (1995).
The idea behind this assignment is simple: give the students choice. Allow them to explore a topic of their interest, then read about it. Explore it. Think about it. Then, finally, write about it.
In Romano's book, he discusses the ways students grow in their understanding of ideas and stories and histories and events when they are called upon to write about it narratively.
"Writing that renders experience is valid and useful in its own right. Modes of writing that render help us understand both past and imagined experience. They help us look closely and see life more specifically. Following a thread of narrative, for example, enables us to call up detail we may have forgotten" (6).
This unit has been my absolute favorite to facilitate in EVERY class I've taught (whether 7th grade or 12th grade) because it simply allows my students to express themselves, to choose their own paths, to exercise their creative brains, and to create something that causes them to be proud.
If you haven't done it yet, you need to.
Like, now.
Here, you will find some useful tools to help you on your journey!
Step 1: Present the Project to Your Students
OK. So. While this is a super fun project (for both teachers and students), it requires A LOT of planning, but once you do it the first time, you've got it in the bag.
Consider the following before preparing for this unit:
Once you've decided you're comfortable with your expectations, your students' background knowledge, and how you can assess the standards, get started.
When I officially present this unit to my students, I have already planned the following:
1. how much class time we're going to spend
2. how many artifacts they will have to create
3. how much this project will affect their grades
4. specific deadlines/ dates for every artifact
Be careful!
This is a large project that is sure to create some anxiety for your students. Be ready to reassure them that you will work with them. If you come into this unit ill-prepared, they will sense it, and you won't get the best results. Let them know immediately what your expectations are and how you will teach/ assess them.
Typically, I present them with a handout similar to the one below (you can find a downloadable handout at the bottom of this page)**
What am I teaching/ assessing?
Will I need to front-load writing skills as we go?
Do I care about mechanics, usage, grammar, or syntax?
Do I care more about their learning of the topic OR their learning of the writing process?
**Note: All samples, handouts, etc. were created for a 10th grade language arts class with Minnesota teaching standards in mind, but can be adapted to all content areas and ages.
Because your students will be working with ONE topic for multiple writing assignments, the choosing of the topic must be a process in which you are involved.
Here is where you decide: are you narrowing their topics for them (giving them parameters or a list), or is the choosing of the topic completely up to them?
In my classroom, because I was focused on the writing process, I gave my students free range. I urged them to select places, people, or specific events (not just the Civil War, but The Battle of Antietam, for example).
Before they officially select a topic, I spend a class period brainstorming as a class different ideas for different foci for this project. One of my favorite ways to get the creative juices flowing is to show them this video:
Step 2: Have Students Select Their Topics
Many students want to choose something they think might be "easy" or "familiar", but don't let that happen.
Before we start any research or writing, my students must apply for their topics. I give them a form like this that they must fill out to show me they have thoughtfully considered their topics.
In private conferences, I speak to each student individually about their topic ideas. I make sure they are appropriate, easy to research, and specific enough. The more specific the topic, the better the project.
Here is how an initial conference might go with a student. Let's call him Bill.
Bill: Hey, Mrs. Sadler. I think I want to research the Holocaust.
Mrs. S.: Hmmm. Didn't you do a big project on the Holocaust in 8th grade?
Bill: ...but I thought it was interesting. I thought we could choose anything we wanted!
Mrs. S.: Yep, you can, but the Holocaust is way too broad for this project. Instead, I want you to think of a more specific topic. What interested you about the Holocaust in your last project?
Bill: I kept thinking about the camps and how badly the Jews were treated by the doctors.
Mrs. S.: Okay! You can probably get some great research on the following topics: Josef Mengele, the Doctor of Death, conditions in Auschwitz, illnesses during the Holocaust, etc.
Once Bill has decided on an interesting, specific topic, I write it down on a Status-of-the-Class chart (for download below) so I have an inventory of students and their topics.
AND I DON'T LET MULTIPLE STUDENTS DOUBLE UP ON TOPICS. EVER.
Step 3: Teach, Write, Conference, Repeat
So this is the most important part, NBD.
Here is where your decisions regarding your focus for this assignment come into play. In my language arts classroom, I do mini lessons for each genre type. I provide samples of past students' work, the internet, and my own writing, but I always encourage my students to go with their guts.
Remember, the whole point of this assignment is to give students choice because their personal applications of knowledge into writing is what sparks understanding and retention. Choice doesn't stop with just their topics.
When teaching creative writing, some kids might be reluctant to get started. They might lack the creative traits needed for this project. For these kids, I provide samples, but I never force my students to do exactly what my sample authors did. I challenge them to do something different, to impress me by turning in an artifact, genre, or topic I've never seen before.
This project requires you to provide 1:1 advice to each of your students, so it is important to have built-in conferences in your schedule.
This is what a sample week might look like when you're working on the MGRP.
Direct Instruction
Based on your expectations for the project, you determine how much front-loading you're doing. With a class of experienced writers, I might give them independence to do out-of-the box genres which require minimal direct instruction. For struggling writers, though, you might need to give them some prompts just to get them started.
If you're doing this unit in a non-language arts classroom, your direct instruction might simply be on the concepts you're teaching, background for the topics, or how to research. No matter how you facilitate this project, though, know you have control over the schedule, work time, and conferencing to get the results you want or need.
Writing Conferences
I always let the students know when we're conferencing, and I keep record of their progress. Even if they are behind on their work, or if they are unsure how to write, give them 1:1 time for them to ask you questions, for you to provide answers, and for you to guide them on this journey. These conferences will not only help them with the project, but they will strengthen your relationships with your students. For more information on writing conferences, see the link at the bottom of this page!
Peer Revisions
Using peer revisions in the classroom is a hot topic for debate among English teachers. For some, this practice can be cumbersome, difficult, and pointless. I tend to disagree with this; I see value in having students read one another's work. After all, what's the point of writing if there is no audience?
With that said, though, I believe peer revisions should be more about content than MUGS (mechanic, usage, grammar, and syntax). I like students to engage in communication about their learning and writing, so I sometimes provide them with conversation guides to use during peer conferences or checklists to look for specific things in their writing. Moreover, I think students can piggyback on their classmates' ideas, which is important in a creative project like this one.
Step 4: Reflect
This is where the MGRP can become metacognitive and your students can REALLY learn about the topics they're researching as well as how their writing is impacting them.
After drafting an artifact, give your students a writing prompt like this:
What is your favorite thing about this artifact?
If you could change anything about this artifact, what would you change?
How did writing this artifact teach you something new about this topic?
Now, I understand this kind of reflection can be hard for students, especially in elementary and middle school. Without more prodding, you might find yourself getting answers like, "I like that I am done writing it." or "I learned that it is really hard to find information about _________." To avoid getting answers like this, you might have to coach them. Remind them that you want to learn about their process of learning. How did writing this short story/ poem/ script/ whatever encourage you to think outside the box about _________?"
Romano was passionate about reflection being a major part of this project, and I find value in it too. It may seem tedious, but most times I have facilitated this project, I have made paragraph reflections a part of students' final grades for this assignment, and I graded them with their own rubrics. Obviously, if you're strapped for time, or you don't care about their metacognition regarding their topic, you can leave this out. It's up to you!
Side note: reading their reflections can help you understand how you can improve the assignment.
Step 5: Publish and Present
After you're comfortable with your students' drafting, conferencing, and revising, it's time to publish!
I have done this two different ways:
1. publish each artifact as it is completed
2. wait until all artifacts are done, then spend time editing and publishing the whole project
I prefer #1. I have learned that students sometimes forget the writing processes and their original plans for some artifacts, and that can make publishing seem overwhelming. I think the best route is to take publishing one artifact at a time. Then, they can save their final drafts and compile them all a the very end of the project.
Creative Packaging
One of my favorite parts of this project is giving students the freedom to package their projects how they want. My rules are that the packaging must reflect the topic, must be school appropriate, must be accessible for the teacher (I have to be able to get to the artifacts so I can grade them), and there should be a table of contents or a way for me to navigate where each artifact is.
When the projects finally come in at the end of the unit, set up a table to put them on display. The kids come up with the coolest stuff! One of my students focused his project on Aaron Ralston, the man who cut off his own arm to survive (the inspiration for the movie 127 Hours). He actually made a paper mache arm, rolled up his artifacts, and placed them inside. You'd better bet the other kids in school were talking about that one! #success
Presentations
I think when kids create something like this that takes so much time and creativity, it's important to allow them to show off their work a little bit. Some students will complain about public speaking, but I still think it is important to give them an opportunity to both share their accomplishments and see others' accomplishments.
Typically, I try to keep the presentations short and sweet. I advise students to (1) provide a summary of their topics and why they chose them, (2) explain their choice for creative packaging and how they did it, and (3) choose an excerpt of one of their artifacts and read it aloud.
This day is when I get goosebumps because I absolutely love to see my students' accomplishments, imagination, and their pride in themselves.
Hey! Check out my awesome 10th graders' amazing MGRP samples!