Friday, February 10, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
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 15th, 16th, 17th, and 21st 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 14th and 15th, so please bring a full draft (serious or ironic; optimist or not) to class on the 14th or 15th. 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 8th 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 8th 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.
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.
Monday, January 30, 2012
End of the Semester
Writers have been sharing writing. SO FABULOUS!
Each writer is responsible for sharing positive feedback with three of their peers.
We've also used the writing that has been shared as prompts.
On Monday we wrote fortune cookie fortunes and some writers have begun to incorporate those fortunes into stories.
Final Exams will include the the final written piece(s); sharing the piece(s); a written self evaluation.
Each writer is responsible for sharing positive feedback with three of their peers.
We've also used the writing that has been shared as prompts.
On Monday we wrote fortune cookie fortunes and some writers have begun to incorporate those fortunes into stories.
Final Exams will include the the final written piece(s); sharing the piece(s); a written self evaluation.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Tuesday, 24 January
Writers were asked to think of someone who they have known well who has a distinct way of speaking, after making a list of people they were asked to choose one, and to try to write down how and why this persons speech was distinctive. Next students were asked to use these memories as a prompt.
The class discussed the post modern trend to have texts that write about texts.
Writers chose a character from their current piece and identified aspects of his or her relationship with their father. Then Mr. Zartler presented a song "Father & Farther" by Sherman Alexie performed by Jim Boyd that describes a father / son relationship. The class discussed what the poem showed about the speaker's relationship with his father. Next Mr. Zartler presented John Donne's Holy Sonnet XIV, a poem about the speaker's relationship with the "Holy Father." The class discussed the complex relationship (which is in some ways similar to the relationship in Father & Farther). The writers were then asked to write a poem in the voice of their character about their character's father.
Writers then formed random groups to conference about their pieces. Final drafts of the Choice Project is due at the next class.
The class discussed the post modern trend to have texts that write about texts.
Writers chose a character from their current piece and identified aspects of his or her relationship with their father. Then Mr. Zartler presented a song "Father & Farther" by Sherman Alexie performed by Jim Boyd that describes a father / son relationship. The class discussed what the poem showed about the speaker's relationship with his father. Next Mr. Zartler presented John Donne's Holy Sonnet XIV, a poem about the speaker's relationship with the "Holy Father." The class discussed the complex relationship (which is in some ways similar to the relationship in Father & Farther). The writers were then asked to write a poem in the voice of their character about their character's father.
Writers then formed random groups to conference about their pieces. Final drafts of the Choice Project is due at the next class.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Monday, 23 January
Writers were asked to think of someone who they have known well who has a distinct way of speaking, after making a list of people they were asked to choose one, and to try to write down how and why this persons speech was distinctive. Next students were asked to use these memories as a prompt.
Writers were presented with a series of poems written with distinct voice. The class tried writing poems in the voice of characters.
The writers discussed how to use voice, or poems written in the voice of a character in their current pieces.
Writers then conferenced with their peers on their drafts.
The final piece is next class.
Writers were presented with a series of poems written with distinct voice. The class tried writing poems in the voice of characters.
The writers discussed how to use voice, or poems written in the voice of a character in their current pieces.
Writers then conferenced with their peers on their drafts.
The final piece is next class.
Friday 20 January
The opening prompt was, "I don't remember ..."
Writers were presented with a series of poems written with distinct voice. The class tried writing poems in the voice of characters.
The writers discussed how to use voice, or poems written in the voice of a character in their current pieces.
Rough drafts of the Final Choice Piece is due on Tuesday, 24 January.
Writers were presented with a series of poems written with distinct voice. The class tried writing poems in the voice of characters.
The writers discussed how to use voice, or poems written in the voice of a character in their current pieces.
Rough drafts of the Final Choice Piece is due on Tuesday, 24 January.
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