No Key Assignment is banked today. Today you store the raw first draft only; Lesson 24 is proof, edit and Module 1 Key Assignment 4. You will choose a form, write a first draft of 150 to 250 words, and leave it imperfect on purpose. A first draft is meant to get the ideas down. Proofing and polishing come next time. By the end of this lesson you will have a real first draft in your Communication Portfolio, ready for the proof step.
The draft cycle has three stages: draft (get it down), proof (mark what needs fixing), edit (make the changes). Today is stage one only.
| Term | What it means for you | Real example |
|---|---|---|
| First draft | The first version, written to capture ideas rather than to impress. You are allowed to leave rough sentences on the page. | A recount that finds its real moment halfway through |
| Draft cycle | Draft, then proof, then edit. You do not polish everything in one sitting. | Today's draft, then next lesson's proof and edit |
| Form choice | Decide the shape before you write. A letter, recount, blog piece or talk script each needs a different opening. | A letter to a coach versus a blog post about a module text |
Read this deliberately imperfect first draft of a personal recount:
Last saturday I went to the match with my brother. It was cold. We got there late and missed the first goal. My brother was raging. I didnt really mind because I had chips. Then something happened in the second half that I still think about. The ref made a call and the whole stand went quiet for a second. I looked at my brother and he looked at me. We both knew it was wrong. After that the game felt different. Walking home he said almost nothing. I keep thinking about that quiet second.
It has spelling slips and a slow start, but it has a real moment. That is enough for a first draft. Choose your form, then write yours the same way: honest first, tidy later.
Choose one form and write a single 150 to 250 word first draft. Leave it imperfect on purpose. Name the form on the first line.
The save on this page is a working copy only. Copy the finished draft into your Communication Portfolio folder as m1_l23_first_draft_<your-initials>. Do not mark up or rewrite today; proofing is Lesson 24.
Read your own first draft once, then work down the short list. This is a quick check on form, length and moment before next lesson's proofing, not a grade. Name the one thing you would fix first when you come back to it.
Talk this through with the person beside you, or sit with it on your own.
Where in today's draft did you feel yourself slowing down to make it neat, and what happened to the writing when you did?
The longer thinking can go in your Reflective Journal after class: one short note on what you will protect in the proofing lesson next time.
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