Creative Writing: Peer-Editing Approximate Time Needed:   45 minutes Lesson Summary:   Each student will work in a pair, editing a peer’s short story, which will have been completed as homework. Lesson Objective:   Students will learn to edit peer writing more effectively by looking for errors and by suggesting improvements; improve their own writing by incorporating the editing suggestions of a peer, as well as understanding the essentials of strong creative writing. Materials and Resources: Short Story (completed outside class) ECOS (optional) Helpful Hints:   Provide students with a worksheet (perhaps in question-format) that indicates what things (e.g., grammar, punctuation, articulation of setting, etc.) that students should look for in editing their peers’ short stories. Another possibility is to ask the class (as a group) to compose a list of essentials for good editing. This should be done before the class on peer-editing. Activities Pair students and ask them to read short story through once without making any corrections. After students have read story once, ask them to reread the story, with an eye for the items on an editing sheet (provided by the teacher or compiled by the class). Comments and corrections should be made directly on draft of story. Ask students to reread story a third time, to ensure that errors have not been overlooked. Have students give their partner a grade, based on how well he/she has written the story according to the guidelines set out on editing sheet. Ask the student to explain why he/she gives this particular grade. If time permits, ask students to meet for five minutes at the end of class to discuss editing comments. Ask students to rewrite their short story for homework. Evaluation:   Students may be evaluated on the quality and extent of their editing comments on their peers’ drafts. Possible Adaptations:   The teacher might ask student to research his/her peer’s career in order to provide further suggestions on improving characterization/setting.