Hero's Journey: Descriptive Writing Unit (Lesson 1)

Lesson 1 of 14 – Unit Introduction & Writing Task

Description:
This engaging first lesson sets the stage for a 14-lesson unit designed to teach students how to identify key narrative devices within the hero’s tale and craft their own creative Hero’s Journey. By the end of the unit, students will produce a polished piece of creative writing that reflects their understanding of narrative techniques and storytelling structure.

In this introductory lesson, students will:

• Gain an overview of the unit and the creative writing goals they will achieve.
• Be introduced to the concept of the Hero’s Journey through an engaging, student-friendly presentation.
• Reflect on and discuss what they believe makes a story heroic, creating a collaborative class mind map.
• Begin writing their own ideas about what makes a great hero and a compelling journey. This initial piece will serve as a formative assessment, providing a baseline to measure their growth and development by the end of the unit.
• Complete an “Exit Task” to summarize their key takeaway from the lesson using a post-it or whiteboard.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the purpose and scope of the Hero’s Journey unit.
• Reflect on personal and cultural ideas of heroism.
• Begin drafting creative ideas for a Hero’s Journey story.
• Develop collaborative and independent thinking skills.

Included Resources:

• A PowerPoint presentation introducing the Hero’s Journey, highlighting key stages and features including instructional notes.

Materials Needed:

• Mind mapping tools: A large sheet of paper, notebook, or digital tool (e.g., Jamboard or OneNote).
• Writing tools: Pen and paper, laptop, or tablet for story drafts.
• Post-its or a whiteboard for the exit task.

This lesson introduces students to the Hero’s Journey in a way that ignites curiosity and sets a solid foundation for deeper exploration of storytelling and creative writing in the coming weeks.

Visit my shop to find lesson number 2 plus the other lessons that make up this 14 lesson unit.