{"id":4265,"date":"2022-11-27T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-27T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/?p=4265"},"modified":"2022-11-22T15:35:40","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T21:35:40","slug":"essay-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/essay-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Here Are Some Creative Essay Alternatives for Your Next Unit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Essays are the bread and butter of the ELA world, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean it&rsquo;s the only assessment you can assign. If you or your students are sick of Essays, try one of these essay alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-pin-url=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/essay-alternatives\/?tp_image_id=4275\" data-pin-description=\"Are you and your students sick of essays? You can still challenge your students and provide a meaningful summative assessment WITHOUT the essay. Next time, try one of these assessments instead! #itslitteaching #highschoolenglish #secondaryela #summativeassessments\" src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/themes\/honey-glow\/images\/placeholder.gif\" alt=\"Are you and your students sick of essays? You can still challenge your students and provide a meaningful summative assessment WITHOUT the essay. Next time, try one of these assessments instead! #itslitteaching #highschoolenglish #secondaryela #summativeassessments\" class=\"wp-image-4275 lazyload\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Essay-Alternatives-Pins-2-683x1024.png\" data-srcset=\"\" srcset=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Essay Alternatives Idea #1: Discussions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I love discussions as summative assessments! Add a juicy novel with rich themes, and you&rsquo;ll have an assessment that is enjoyable for both you and your students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Discussions allow more flexibility for your students to share their thoughts and engage with their peers. <\/strong>You can still have them write and gather evidence from the text as prep work for the discussion, which you can grade or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The best part of discussions is that once they&rsquo;re done, so is the grading!<\/strong> Make sure you have an easy-to-read rubric with checkbooks, grade as students talk, and you&rsquo;ll be done as soon as they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&rsquo;re using a discussion as a summative assessment, either break the class into small groups that you can monitor one at a time or invite some guest facilitators to lead and grade other small groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/The-Hate-U-Give-Discussion-Assignment--3818318?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-pin-nopin=\"nopin\" data-pin-url=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/essay-alternatives\/?tp_image_id=2359\" data-id=\"2359\" src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/themes\/honey-glow\/images\/placeholder.gif\" alt=\"Cover for Teachers Pay Teachers product: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas class discussion\" class=\"wp-image-2359 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Slide1-7.png\" data-srcset=\"\" srcset=\"\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/The-Hate-U-Give-Discussion-Assignment--3818318?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Hate U Give Discussion<\/a> is my favorite summative assessment of all time!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-pin-nopin=\"nopin\" data-pin-url=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/essay-alternatives\/?tp_image_id=3957\" data-id=\"3957\" src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/themes\/honey-glow\/images\/placeholder.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3957 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Slide1-1.png\" data-srcset=\"\" srcset=\"\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/Dear-Martin-by-Nic-Stone-Discussion-Activity-Distance-Learning--6310275?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">done-for-you discussion<\/a> for Dear Martin makes for a great assessment at the end of the novel study!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Essay Alternatives Idea #2: Speeches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you still want writing to be the focus of your summative assessment, a speech is a great alternative.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Speeches include writing, like the essay, but they also provide opportunities for you to teach speaking and listening skills to your students.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/Social-Justice-Speech-Project-Distance-Learning--6288209?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-pin-url=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/essay-alternatives\/?tp_image_id=3387\" data-pin-nopin=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/themes\/honey-glow\/images\/placeholder.gif\" alt=\"Cover of Teachers Pay Teachers product by It's Lit Teaching: Social Justice Speech Project\" class=\"wp-image-3387 lazyload\" width=\"384\" height=\"384\" data-src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Slide1.png\" data-srcset=\"\" srcset=\"\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/Social-Justice-Speech-Project-Distance-Learning--6288209?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Social Justice Speech Project<\/a>, students will create a speech about an issue of their choice.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Choosing a speech topic is automatic differentiation for students.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students can turn in the written form of their speeches, so you can grade their writing. But you can also assess their delivery and engagement with other speakers. This might prove a more balanced rubric for students who struggle with writing but can effectively communicate orally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Plus, you can grade much of the assessment as students deliver their speeches.<\/strong> Most of the grading will be done by the time the students have all spoken!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Need a starting point? Try the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/Social-Justice-Speech-Project-Distance-Learning--6288209?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Social Justice Speech Project.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Essay Alternatives Ideas #3: Portfolios<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If one big piece of writing is too much, consider having students assemble a portfolio of their writing.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/Author-Study-Creative-Writing-Project-Analyze-Replicate-Any-Author-s-Style--5026934?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-pin-url=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/essay-alternatives\/?tp_image_id=2585\" data-pin-nopin=\"1\" data-pin-title=\"Creative Writing Author Study Project\" src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/themes\/honey-glow\/images\/placeholder.gif\" alt=\"Cover for Teachers Pay Teachers product by It's Lit Teaching: Creative Writing Author Study Project\" class=\"wp-image-2585 lazyload\" width=\"384\" height=\"384\" data-src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Slide1-5.png\" data-srcset=\"\" srcset=\"\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/Author-Study-Creative-Writing-Project-Analyze-Replicate-Any-Author-s-Style--5026934?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Author Study Project<\/a> guides students to create several original pieces. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Students can work on their portfolios all semester and choose their best pieces to include.<\/strong> They can even include pieces you&rsquo;ve already graded, which means all you&rsquo;ll need to do is give the portfolios a cursory overview before assigning a final grade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many different kinds of portfolios you can have students assemble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maybe you have them include one example of each type of writing you study (say an article, a poem, and a short essay). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You can also have them create new pieces for their portfolio.<a href=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/author-study-project\/\"> Check out the Author Study Project as an example.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-pin-url=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/essay-alternatives\/?tp_image_id=4274\" data-pin-description=\"Want to mix up your summative assessment in your next unit? Ditch the essay and try one of these creative summative assessments instead! #itslitteaching #highschoolenglish #secondaryela #summativeassessments\" src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/themes\/honey-glow\/images\/placeholder.gif\" alt=\"Want to mix up your summative assessment in your next unit? Ditch the essay and try one of these creative summative assessments instead! #itslitteaching #highschoolenglish #secondaryela #summativeassessments\" class=\"wp-image-4274 lazyload\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Essay-Alternatives-Pins-1-683x1024.png\" data-srcset=\"\" srcset=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Essay Alternative Ideas #4: Fiction Writing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Essays can become a little dry and boring if that&rsquo;s all you assign. Why not mix it up with some fiction?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Fiction still requires a mastery of language, but also more planning (plotting) and creativity than an essay.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It will challenge a lot of students more than an analytical essay ever will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus assigning fiction writing can provide opportunities for all kinds of <a href=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/teaching-writing-with-mini-lessons\/\">writing mini-lessons.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Try a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/Comic-Book-Memoir-Project-for-Use-with-Any-Graphic-Novel-Digital-Printable-8752842?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Comic Book Memoir Project<\/a> or a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/Creative-Writing-Project-Rewrite-a-Fairy-Tale-5250058?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fairy Tale Retelling Project <\/a>for heavily scaffolded fictional writing assessments.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery aligncenter has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/Creative-Writing-Project-Rewrite-a-Fairy-Tale-5250058?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-pin-title=\"Fairy Tale Retelling Project for Creative Writing by It's Lit Teaching\" data-pin-nopin=\"nopin\" data-pin-url=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/essay-alternatives\/?tp_image_id=3605\" data-id=\"3605\" src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/themes\/honey-glow\/images\/placeholder.gif\" alt=\"Cover for It's Lit Teaching Resource: Fairy Tale Retelling Creative Writing Project\" class=\"wp-image-3605 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Slide1-1.png\" data-srcset=\"\" srcset=\"\"><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherspayteachers.com\/Product\/Comic-Book-Memoir-Project-for-Use-with-Any-Graphic-Novel-Digital-Printable-8752842?utm_source=itslitteaching.com&amp;utm_campaign=Essay%20Alternatives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-pin-nopin=\"nopin\" data-pin-url=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/essay-alternatives\/?tp_image_id=4271\" data-id=\"4271\" src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/themes\/honey-glow\/images\/placeholder.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4271 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Slide1.png\" data-srcset=\"\" srcset=\"\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are all kinds of other ways to test and challenge students&rsquo; skills besides the essay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking a unit off from essay writing if it&rsquo;s feeling a little stale (or if you&rsquo;re short on grading time).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-pin-url=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/essay-alternatives\/?tp_image_id=4273\" data-pin-description=\"Over assigning and grading essays? Take a break in your next unit with one of these creative summative assessments instead! #itslitteaching #highschoolenglish #secondaryela #summativeassessments\" src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/themes\/honey-glow\/images\/placeholder.gif\" alt=\"Over assigning and grading essays? Take a break in your next unit with one of these creative summative assessments instead! #itslitteaching #highschoolenglish #secondaryela #summativeassessments\" class=\"wp-image-4273 lazyload\" width=\"512\" height=\"768\" data-src=\"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Essay-Alternatives-Pins-683x1024.png\" data-srcset=\"\" srcset=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Essays are the bread and butter of the ELA world, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean it&rsquo;s the only assessment you can assign. If you or your students are sick of Essays, try one of these essay&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4276,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[343],"tags":[388,386,389,360,387],"class_list":["post-4265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pedagogy-and-teaching-strategies","tag-assessments","tag-essay","tag-project-ideas","tag-summative-assessment","tag-summative-assessments"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Here Are Some Creative Essay Alternatives for Your Next Unit - It&#039;s Lit Teaching<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sick of reading and grading essays? 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