Karen Karbo & Poetry Workshop

Writer's read discussed and analyzed the poem "Venus's Flytrap".

Writer's got a list of Poetic devices, and worked independently on finding examples of the various devices from among poems in the poetry unit packet. Writer's also searched for A) a poem with sounds they like B) a poem or passage that reminded them of a friend C) a poem that they would like to emulate.

Writer's were encouraged to emulate the poem from C above.

To poetry writing prompts were offered.

1) List strange /wonderful/ odd things you have seen -- put them in one poem

2) List phrases that people close to you ALWAYS say. Choose one of these phrases to use as a repeated element.

Writers also worked on their memoirs.

Writers conferenced with Karen (who was here as a volunteer! Thank you Karen!!!!!!)

Karen Karbo--WITS, 5 January, 2010

Memoir are due on 1/26/2010!

Karen will be in class this Thursday the 7th and next Thursday the 14th for extra residency time!

Karen began with a review of some of the writing that you've already done:

profile: secret

meaningful childhood memory

what makes you angry

Holiday Emotion

She pointed out how each of these has a strong emotion element that energizes the topic.

Descriptive prompt

"Just the Facts" reporting vs. reflecting

Writers need to commit now to a topic.

The final memoir should

Use Sensory Description e.g. sight, taste, touch, smell, sound

Be well reported / AND be reflective

Be written from an emotional place

In class, writers were asked to list three possible topics for their memoir.

For one of these topics, each writer made a web/ cluster/ mind-map

These webs could be based on a specific story

or

These webs could be based on a theme/ or recurring event/ idea from the writers life; e.g. birthdays.

One way to make a "Gut Check" of a topic is this: "If you're not slightly embarassed, you should pick a different topic."

Monday, 4 January, 2010

Writers will be working on a poetry unit this month. The drama unit has been removed, and so has the due date for the play.

Instead

Each writer will have to turn in a poem and an evaluation of the poem on Thursday, 28 January.

WE discussed the fact that a poem is writing that is based in Rhythm, Rhyme, and Imagery.

We read a poem, and analyzed it as a class. 5th period read a Pablo Neruda poem called "Poetry".

6th and 7th period read a poem called "Power."

Writers listed abstract nouns like power, then did a freewrite based on that abstract concept.

Happy New Year!

Hopefully the Blog is back up and running smoothly; and hopefully you'll use it more!