Friday / Monday, 16 December 2011 Tuesday, 3 January 2012

4th period had a lesson on what Wordsworth termed "Negative Capability". Writerss wrote letters to Santa as if they were a character. Then, writer wrote back to a letter written by another writer as if they were Santa, but Santa with a randomly assigned character flaw.

Writers will resume work on personal essays in 2012.

Happy Holiday Break!

Monday / Tuesday 12 /13 December

Writers wrote to the prompt: "I was exhausted"

Writers shared their restaurant reviews in class.

Thursday / Friday 8 / 9 December

(Sorry for the delayed posting)
Ms. Brandy guest taught.

In class students received a hand out on personal essays. The next major writing assignment will be a personal essay. The information on that handout is pasted below, but writer's should get a copy from Mr. Zartler.

Writer's also studied a personal essay by David James Duncan called "Rose Vegetables."

Creative Writing English

Personal Essay Criteria

Due ____January 2011_______

A personal essay is a kind of a self-portrait. By telling a story, and also sharing objective facts the author shows what kind of person he or she is, and attempts to engage the reader in thinking about an event, issue, or thing in a new way. By examining some aspect of the world that anyone might experience, but showing that examination from a personal point of view, the author tries to help the reader connect the idea being examined to the rest of the world. Also the author may reveal him or herself to the reader – particularly in an college application personal essay.

A Personal Essay Should:

ü  Essay reveals something about the author

ü  Essay prompts the reader to think through asking questions; challenging assumptions; and introducing and examining multiple perspectives

ü  Essay grabs the reader’s interest

ü  Essay contains interesting language including imagery, vivid descriptions, specific (rather than general) words; Essay employs the elements of story telling

ü  Essay is passionate with evidence of author’s knowledge of the subject

ü  Essay is presented in a careful, complete, and mechanically polished way.

ü  Essay avoids repetition

Think about SOAPS + Claim when considering your essay. Your essay should have a Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Speaker, and a Claim.

Now the most pressing occasion might be that your teacher or college is making you write, but if you can fabricate an occasion to make your piece more interesting, e.g. “I had an extra $100 so I decided to test the proposition that more expensive food is better.”

You, of course, are going to be “the speaker.” You should introduce yourself in the essay. You might say for example, that you have never eaten anywhere but McDonalds, for the above essay. Or if you are going to try to eat only organic, or vegetarian food for a week, you might say how much you love a good steak.

The purpose of your essay should be made clear. Essay comes from the French word essai, which means to “try.” An essay should be your “try” at understanding an issue, and your try at explaining what you have figured out to your audience.

Finally, your claim should be clear: “The world will be better when hamburgers never weigh more than ¼ pound;” “Organic food is expensive, over-hyped, and extremely tasty;” “A two-hundred dollar dinner is a ridiculous waste of money.”

 

Below is what Bailey White may have written about her essay “Family Values.”

            My essay “Family Values” is quite good.  Right off the bat I grab the readers attention with a startling event, “My Aunt Eleanor was taking a shower the other day when the whole bathroom fell right through the floor…”  I use interesting language throughout the essay.  For example I wrote “a story of a spectacular plumbing disaster” rather than something plain like “a big problem with our tub.”  I also use words like “degenerated” and “frittered” which are colorful and specific.  I use other specific words and phrases like “crown molding.”

            I encourage readers to think about other people’s perspectives through my choice of subject matter.  Most people would not think that how spectacular a disaster you have been evidence for how good your family is.

            I tell the story very concisely.  In fact, some people might say that I don’t give enough detail, because I don’t ever say my main point.  However, I think that my point does get across.

            In the published copy of “Family Values” my grammar and punctuation are perfect.

 Personal Essay

YES      NO

Essay grabs the reader’s interest

Essay contains interesting language including imagery, vivid descriptions, specific (rather than general) words

Essay is passionate with evidence of author’s knowledge of the subject

Essay prompts the reader to think through asking questions; challenging assumptions; and introducing and examining multiple perspectives

Essay is presented in a careful, complete, and mechanically polished way.

Essay avoids repetition

Comments / Grade

Personal Essay

YES      NO

Essay grabs the reader’s interest

Essay contains interesting language including imagery, vivid descriptions, specific (rather than general) words

Essay is passionate with evidence of author’s knowledge of the subject

Essay prompts the reader to think through asking questions; challenging assumptions; and introducing and examining multiple perspectives

Essay is presented in a careful, complete, and mechanically polished way.

Essay avoids repetition

Comments / Grade

For food essay

Your subject must in some way be related to food. But food is all around us. Perhaps you would like to write about some aspect of working at Safeway or Wild Oats. Perhaps you worked for one week at a coffee shop and you learned you couldn’t stand the customers. Maybe your uncle served a goose he had just shot for Thanksgiving, and you found it hard to eat. Perhaps you would like to say that people who are into “slow food” are hippie freaks, or perhaps you’d like to write about why people who eat tomatos in Portland in February are helping to destroy the planet.

Tuesday / Wednesday 6 / 7 December

In class writers wrote from a sense of smell.

We completed analytical presentations on reviews groups analyzed last class.

The class examined a very modest or negative review of a restaurant for how to handle such a situation.

The class reviewed the food vocabulary that has been developed during the unit. There will be a quiz on these words on December 8th or 9th.

Students received their morbid fiction with comments from Mr. Zartler.

Writers were told that the next unit will focus on the personal essay which is the type of essay written for college and scholarship applications, as well as Mr. Zartler's favorite creative form.

Friday / Monday 2/5 December

In class we opened with various prompts depending on the day....

"I remember ...."
"Waiter, there's a _________ in my soup...."

And we also wrote about a favorite food. The emphasis on this writing assignment was to practice writing about taste, texture, temperature, flavors, etc.

In class we read a Frank Bruni restaurant review on Pache. The class was then divided into four teams. Two teams each read and analyzed reviews of Pok Pok and Andina. Each team analyzed what aspects of a good review were covered by the review. Then the teams compared their analysis and created a presentation to the class of where and how each element was accomplished.

Wednesday / Thursday 30 / 1 November / December

In class we wrote to various prompts.

Periods 4 and 5 finished reading the interview with Ruth Reichel.

All periods read a profile of french food critic Francois Simon, and a restaurant review by Frank Bruni.

There was extensive discussion about the role of the critic, and comparisons of the reviews to the rubric for writing a review provided earlier by Mr. Zartler.

Monday / Tuesday 28/29 November

We began with the prompt:
"Dear Santa" or with one person giving another a gift.

Writer's then received the following rubric and prewriting exercises for the restaurant review:

Next the class discussed "100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do"

Most of the classes then began reading an interview with famous food writer Ruth Reichel.

Writer's were asked to write about each of the questions on the "Thinking about Writing a Restaurant Review" that hadn't been addressed already in class.

Week of 14-18 November

First I apologize that for the difficulty I've had in updating the blog this week.

The most important aspect of this week was the the delivery of the Toast in class on Thursday / Friday.

During the week we discussed, revised, and practiced our toasts.

Their will be three major assignments due in early December. 

The first is journal writing. Please write a page a day in your journals.
The second is the Writing Down the Bones assignment. This will be given out after break, but requires that you have completed studying Natalie Goldberg's book.
The restaurant review will also be assigned after break.

The toasts you all delivered were amazing! Thanks for being so cool!

Wednesday / Monday 9 /14 November

Class was focused around the study of toasts on Wednesday. Any writer who was absent should get an handout from Mr. Zartler.

However writers also discussed chapters in Writing Down the Bones that had been useful (or not) to them.

After discussing the information provided in the handouts about toasts and Mr. Zartler's comments about the material, the class watched parts of the following videos in order to asses what was done well, and what needed to change in the following toasts.

You Tube Toasts to Analyze

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA_pePCRVnA&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRjlX9ZxG6E&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bLtjzauvKs&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_vR8GorVaw&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX9Y6OhkH1s&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvB2z12WdA8&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

Every writer is expected to give a toast of about one minute in class on Thursday or Friday before the conference and holiday break.

Monday / Tuesday 8/9 November

In class writers made a list of things that they are grateful or thankful for.

Then writers choose one of these things and wrote in detail about why.

Mr. Zartler reminded the writers that next week they will be completing a toast. He also indicated that there would be a visual project based on the lessons of Natalie Goldberg announced after the Thanksgiving Break. Writers should read at least three of her essays for the next class.

Writers received a packet of reading materials, and read and discussed some of the pieces.

Writers were asked to read the news story "Raising Chorizo" and the essay "Killing Dinner", and to write a half page response for the next class period.

Details will be added Tuesday morning.

Tuesday / Wednesday 11/1/11 and 11/2/11

Writers began with a free write focused on a time they are something.

After sharing, writers made a list of things that they had eaten. At the end of the time provided, writers marked unusual things with an *. We then shared the items without *s, and added to our lists.

Writers then wrote about what they had learned from sharing these lists. We discussed the observations and learnings. The activity was repeated for the unusual items marked with an *.

Mr. Zartler then talked about the unit. Writer's will be writing and giving a toast in class on the 17th or 18th of November. Writers will also write a restaurant review; this writing does not require going to an expensive restaurant, or even to a restaurant, but that is one fun way to approach the assignment. Mr. Zartler pointed out that people think about food often, but not necessarily with any depth or analysis. Food is an important part of our social and religious lives (as well as being necessary for survival). Many jobs are in some way related to food or to eating. Mr. Zartler encouraged writers to A) eat something that they have never eaten before during this unit B) cook something that they have never cooked before C) to think about food, eating, and the role of food in our culture analytically.

Writers created a chart of what they know about food; what they wonder about food; and what they would like to learn about food.

The class read an article from the March 4th, 2008 Asian Reporter newspaper, "Insect eating promoted for everyone, from famine victims to astronauts." A similar news story can be found here Students discussed the article and  Mr. Zartler gave a brief lecture on "Trophic Levels."

HOMEWORK: Writers were reminded to continue to write in their spirals at least five nights a week. They were encouraged to use food as a way to prompt their writing.

Friday / Monday 28/31 October

In class writers read their pieces aloud.

Then they wrote a self-evaluation. The self-evaluation addressed: strengths, weakness, the grade the writer believes he or she earned, and any comments about the unit.

Students then turned in a packet with their morbid fiction on top, their conferencing sheet and response to the conferencing sheet, and their self-evaluation.

Writers were asked to bring Writing Down the Bones to class for the next few weeks.

Important Reminder!

Important clarification:

The rule for paragraphing dialogue--

 is NOT: begin a new paragraph every time someone speaks.

 it IS: begin a new paragraph every time the speaker CHANGES.

Wednesday/ Thursday 26/27 October

Important clarification:
The rule for paragraphing dialogue--
 is NOT: begin a new paragraph every time someone speaks.
 it IS: begin a new paragraph every time the speaker CHANGES.

Writers first got the following handout on editing marks.

Then periods 4 and 5 got back their first short stories.
Mr. Zartler apologized to period 6 that he had not responded to all of their papers yet. Any writer who has problems on their Morbid Fiction that they also had on their first paper will be allowed to edit / revise the morbid fiction piece and resubmit for a higher grade once they get their first story back.

After writers had time to review their pieces and Mr. Zartler's comments about them, Mr. Zartler used examples of student writing to teach common problems, as wells as to show examples of excellent writing. In particular writers need to be aware of, and focus on, properly formatted and punctuated dialogue.

Students read an story rich in figurative language and motifs of death and dying called "In the South."

MORBID FICTION IS DUE 

FRIDAY 28 OCTOBER or MONDAY 31 OCTOBER

Monday / Tuesday 24/25 October

The writing prompt for the day began as a coordinate plane. Here are two examples. After filling in examples for each quadrant writers choose one or more examples to write about. The suggestion was that they choose an example that could be part of a new scene in the Morbid Fiction piece that is due Friday/ Monday.

Next students received the following conferencing protocol. Writers must include this sheet, and their response to the prompt at the bottom of the sheet with their finished morbid story.

Writers received credit for having a rough draft with them.

All writers were told to begin to bring Writing Down the Bones with them to class.

5th Period Friday, 20 October.

Today we studied the motivations behind people doing terrible things.

For a our opening free write, writers made a list of times when they were most mad, then times when they were most frightened. Then writers choose one of those time to write about; writers focused not on the events, but on the feelings involved with the event. We then discussed the similarities between the emotions (some thought there wasn't much).

We discussed "'Fight' or 'Flight'" as a biological / physiological phenomena.

Next we read and discussed three current stories about people losing control in the Oregonian:

Then we discussed this local tragedy.

and finally another local tragedy. In this piece the first two or three comments by readers of the Oregonian proved to be very useful as prompts for discussion and writing as well.

Next we discussed various ways to use these stories as prompts through combining characters, events, motivations, etc.


Writers were reminded to keep up their daily at home writing practice, and to be working on their next short story, the Morbid Fiction that is due 28 / 31 October. SO WRITERS ARE TO BRING A ROUGH DRAFT OF THE STORY TO CLASS ON TUESDAY!


Also fifteen pages of free writing in spirals is due on Tuesday of next week.

5th Period Wednesday 19 October/ 4th Thursday and 6th Period Friday 20 October

This class began with a free write.

Mr. Zartler presented the following
A picture of the Jamestown Bridge

Then he presented this video of the Old Jamestown Bridge.

Then he presented this web page with a story about the Jamestown bridge from this week, and the class watched the video.

The final image was another view of the bridge where the video news story (above was shot).

Students were asked to use these series of images and news coverage as a prompt for their own writing.
After writing there was a chance to share what was written, and to discuss how different writers used the prompts.

Mr. Zartler concluded this portion of the class by discussing the term "absurd." We discussed what a story that seems absurd tells us about the world.

Then the class looked at this blog.

The class discussed whether this article represented something absurd or tragic or something else.

After the discussion students were reminded that they have a Four page piece of short fiction due in the next week. The story should address death in some way. STUDENTS SHOULD BRING A ROUGH DRAFT OF THIS STORY TO CLASS ON MODNAY/TUESDAY.


Also due during the first class next week is the spiral with fifteen (15) new pages of writing.

Tuesday / Wednesday 18/19 October 4th Period and 6th Period

This lesson plan applies to 4th and 6th Period on the 18th and 19th. 

See the previous entry for 5th period on the 19th.

Today we studied the motivations behind people doing terrible things.

For a our opening free write, writers made a list of times when they were most mad, then times when they were most frightened. Then writers choose one of those time to write about; writers focused not on the events, but on the feelings involved with the event. We then discussed the similarities between the emotions (some thought there wasn't much).

We discussed "'Fight' or 'Flight'" as a biological / physiological phenomena.

Next we read and discussed three current stories about people losing control in the Oregonian:
http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2011/10/trimet_disciplines_bus_driver.html#incart_mce
http://www.oregonlive.com/forest-grove/index.ssf/2011/10/grand_jury_indicts_forest_grov.html
and
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2011/10/remains_found_in_rural_skamani.html

Next we discussed various ways to use these stories as prompts through combining characters, events, motivations, etc.

Writers were reminded to keep up their daily at home writing practice, and to be working on their next short story, the Morbid Fiction that is due 28 / 31 October.

Thursday / Monday 13 / 16 October

5th Period began work for the Morbid fiction assignment by reading and Analyzing the short story "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe.


Students wrote a free write that focused on their first experience with death.


Discussion of "The Tell-Tale Heart".


Students were invited to write in a way that mimics the pacing of Poe in "The Tell Tale Heart" by slowing a moment way down, or by exploring one thing in very great detail.

Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday 11/12/13 October

Most classes turned in their short stories.

On the back of the short stories writers wrote a self evaluation of their story including not only strengths, but weaknesses or areas of improvement (being specific), and also questions about the piece or about the class for Mr. Zartler.

HOMEWORK:
Writers have been assigned the task of filling at least 15 pages of their spirals with writing each week. This will be a graded assignment. Writer's had their spirals marked with a starting point for this assignment by Mr. Zartler, and all students should see him for the mark.

5th Period began work for the Morbid fiction assignment by reading and Analyzing the short story "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe.

Friday / Monday 7 / 10 October

NOTE: TO ACCOMODATE THE PSAT SCHEDULE PERIOD 7 HAS A DUE DATE FOR THE SHORT STORY OF TUESDAY THE 11TH!

We began class with a free write.

Next writer's checked out a copy of Writing Down the Bones from the library.

Writers were assigned the following:
Every two weeks for the rest of the semester they are to have at least fifteen (15) pages of writing completed in their spirals / writing journals. In class writing is counted, but students will need to write on their own.

We reviewed how to punctuate and format dialogue using the following as an example.

Writers were given the following criteria for their short story final drafts:

Wednesday / Thursday 5 / 6 October

Writers began with a focused free write on the "aha moment" "light bulb moment" epiphany, moment of realization.

We then study this conferencing protocol

and used it to conference on the drafts that were due today.

Students will have time to peer edit (spelling, grammar, format, etc. on Friday and Monday.

Short stories are due on Tuesday / Wednesday of next week 3-4 pages, double spaced.

Monday/ Tuesday 3/4 October

Writer's began with a prompt of their choice from the 14 Very Strong Motivators list.

We discussed the exercise that was due today; how it worked, and who it worked for andy why.

We read the piece "Sh***y First Drafts" by Anne Lamott; writers took time to review the piece. We discussed as a class her advice on drafting and revising.

Writers then choose  passage of their work to share in a random group. Responders asked "What if?" questions of the writers in order to offer them other/ new/ different possibilities for their work.

Thursday / Friday 29/30 September

We began with a brief discussion of place.
Writers made a list of places from their past. Choosing one place that they had strong emotions about writers then brainstormed brief descriptors of the place.

The first writing prompt was that list of descriptors of a place.

Mr. Zartler did a lesson on setting.

Writers then worked on revising one of their pieces with a focus using setting to establish mood.

Mr. Zartler then handed out the following list of character motivations:

Writers were asked to create a character who is motivated by one of the concepts listed above and to have them enter the story writers are working on. (Of course if the writer doesn't like how this affects their story then don't have to use this.)

ROUGH DRAFTS OF SHORT STORY DUE NEXT WEDNESDAY/ THURSDAY.

Tuesday / Wednesday 27/28 September

The opening writing prompt was: "A Date" Dates can be good  or bad. First or last. Blind or not blind.

Writers received a handout on Point of View. We discussed the differences between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person points of view. We discussed objective; omniscient, and limited omniscient points of view.

Writers chose a passage and revised it to a different point of view.

Writers were assigned to color code a piece of their writing in order to analyze their use of the elements of narrative.

Writers were reminded about two up coming deadlines.
October 11th / 12th First Short story due.
October 28th/ 31st Short Story: "Morbid Fiction" due.

Writers had time to work on creating characters, back writing, and revising in order to work towards completion of their first story of the year.

Friday / Monday 23 / 26 September.

Writers wrote.

After the free write students read a story called "That Girl." After discussing initial reactions to the story, students used the Elements of Narrative handout as a guide to color code and analyze the elements that the author used to create the short story. Class discussed the use of the elements.

Next writers used the same color coding system to analyze the scene that they had written. Writers were asked to analyze what they might need to do more of or less of as they continue to work on.

Beginning on Tuesday and Wednesday writers will have a graded homework assignment for their daily writing practice.

Wednesday / Thursday 21-22 September

Students received an essential handout called "The Elements of Fiction" which will be referred to as the Elements of Storytelling and Elements of Narrative.

The class read, discussed, and analyzed the short story "Bullet in the Brain".

Students in period 5 and 6 turned in their scenes.
Students in period 4 worked together to create characters and were assigned a complete scene for Friday.

All students were asked to create a writing plan for the next week.

Monday/Tuesday 19-20 September

Today in class we discussed "Back Writing"
Homework is to create a "Character Passport" handed out in class.

We read "Broccoli" by Anne Lamott, an essay about writing.

We discussed how people do both good and bad things, and as such characters in our stories might do or say bad things. These things are appropriately part of a story if they are appropriate to a character. However, as in the warnings I gave prior to reading "Bananafish" it is always fair and appropriate to give folks some warning when sharing strong material.

4th period finished with a character generating activity based on randomly drawn objects. 5th and 6th periods recieved a homework assignment. Create a new character. Then write a scene (e.g. 1-3 pages) with the two characters. This assignment is due on Thursday.

September 2011 -- Welcome

Hello students and parents of the 2011-2012 Creative Writing year!

You can email Mr. Zartler @ jzartler@pps.net

Assignments will generally be posted here the day they are assigned; occasionally this won't work out, but I'll do my best.

So far this year we've discussed Natalie Goldberg's (and my) advice for writing practice. She offered up some  rules; the following are the most vital:
 1) Keep your hand moving
 2) Lose Control
 3) Don't Think
and
 4) Be specific
 5) Don't worry about spelling, grammar, punctuation (during free writes only!)
 6) You are free to write the worst junk in the world
 7) Go for the jugular!

We experimented with various writing tools; everyone by now should have a dedicated writing journal.

We read and analyzed: "A Perfect Day for Bananafish"