Monday / Tuesday 5/6 March

Writers wrote about the day after the day after graduation day.

Writers made lists of topics, genres, and characters they would like to write about in the future.

Mr. Zartler introduced "the pitch". Students developed a pitch for their feature article, then received feedback on structure and content from the editors they pitched to.

For the next class writers should bring as much of a draft of their section as they can, and research materials. Writers will turn in model sections on Thursday and Friday. These model sections should have the "Working Hypothesis" for the entire paper clearly stated on the first page.

Writers will be in the library to do research on Thursday and Friday of this week.

Wednesday / Thursday / Friday 22-24 Februrary

While Juniors finished their OAKS testing, Seniors finished their exploration of writing by other Teen Authors.

When all testing was complete, the Seniors led discussions about good writing they found.

Seniors then turned in their work.

Thursday/Friday 16/17 February

Our Rockstar Librarian Ms. Battle came, and showed writers some great places to do research. First she highlighted these websites accessible through the Multnomah County Library:

Go to http://www.multcolib.org/ and sign in.
Then choose the following menu items:
Research
Databases
Electric Library

Then type in various search terms; see what comes up.
When you have found one, then you have the ability to automatically make citations.

Also
Research
AP Images (A good place to find photos and illustrations, but this database does not automatically create your citations.)

And Noodle Tools:
www.noodletools.com

Then the class was assigned two different assignments. Juniors are are working foremost on completing their OAKS Writing Assessment. After they finish they will have some time to work on the task that the Seniors are focusing on.

Ms. Brandy will be / was guest teacher on Friday. She will also guest teach next Wednesday through Friday.

Tuesday/Wednesday 14/15 February

While occasionally serenaded by Val-o-grams, writers wrote to the prompts:

What is curiosity like? or What is it like to learn something new?

After sharing responses writers began examining feature magazine articles from a variety of magazines in order to identify their characteristics. After the writers made their analysis, Mr. Zartler shared the following lecture notes explaining the characteristics: http://www.slideshare.net/john1306/feature-writing

Next writers were asked to consider questions: some are relatively simple: Who? Where? When? What? Others are slightly more complex: How? And big questions are often associated with: Why?

Writers are to have twenty-five questions about heir thesis topic for next class.

Next week, writers will be taking their OAKS and researching their thesis topics.

Optimist Essay Information

Wednesday / Thursday 8/9 February through Friday / Monday 10/13

Creative Writing Wednesday / Thursday 8/9 February

Dear Writers,

I’m sorry to say that the plans I informed you off when I was last here have fallen through. OAKS testing will occur on the 15^th, 16^th, 17^th, and 21^st not this week.

The Optimist Essay is an excellent chance. So today, that will be the main activity. The essay has an excellent topic, “How my Positive Outlook Benefits my Community.” Essays to be submitted for the contest must be submitted to Mr. Mears in room 204 by 3:00 pm Wednesday, 15 February. These essays MUST be between 700 and 800 words. There are number of other rules and procedures to follow. The complete set of rules is on the blog, and a few copies are in the room.

If, you are NOT a person with a positive outlook, you could approach the essay as a work of fiction. You could approach the prompt from a satirical point of view (you KNOW who you are), but I wouldn’t submit these essays to Mr. Mears.

If you prefer you may work instead on a draft from the Culture lessons of earlier this week. Those questions are below.

I will be “checking” to see that you’ve completed a draft on the 14^th and 15^th, so please bring a full draft (serious or ironic; optimist or not) to class on the 14^th or 15^th. If you do submit the essay to Mr. Mears, be sure to get a copy of the rules from the substitute or by downloading them from the blog; pay very careful attention to the rules, they are detailed and there are penalties for mistakes.

NOTE: You will have two full periods to work in class on these. This will allow those juniors who must take the OAKS practice in order to do a timed write.

Also, because periods 5 & 6 didn’t get an opportunity to respond to these questions:

1.     How we begin to rebuild a culture of mutual respect across our school?

2.     What is bullying?

3.     Can someone be emotionally assaulted and if so, is it bullying?

4.     What is the responsibility of teachers in a school to prevent bullying / make sure no one is physically or emotionally assaulted?

5.     Is the school response to what happened consistent with what we’ve talked about?  What else should we do?

6.     What is the responsibility of the students in this school?  What does it look like when you stand up to bullying?

7.     What do you think 8^th graders who are coming to Grant next year are thinking?

8.     What’s the difference between “kids will be kids” and “bullying?”

9.     When does teasing cross the line to become bullying?

10.   What can each of us (students in this class, teachers, counselors, administrators, etc) do to make sure the school is safe (physically and emotionally) for everyone?

11.   What do we need to do now to heal and change the dynamics of the school to prevent this from happening again?

Writing activity – a promise to yourself…a letter to an 8^th grader who is now afraid to come here, letter to Ms. Orlen (she promises to read them), a letter which may be published in our News Magazine.

When you have completed your in-class writing, you should have some reading on the subject you have chosen as your research topic to begin reading.

Monday / Tuesday 7 / 8 February

We began the semester with conversations about culture at Grant.

OAKS testing and / or in-class essay writing will be February 15-21st (this is a change).

Writers should be focusing on a topic for their Junior/ Senior thesis, and should bring initial research materials (reading) to class for the time being.