Tuesday, 26 February

We began class using fortune cookies as prompts.

Then each writer shared one of the poems that they completed for today.

After sharing and receiving feedback on that poem writers completed a self-evaluation that responds to the following:

1) Describe what you wanted to "say" or express in this poem.

2) What poetic elements or devices and styles did you focus on using and why did you choose these?

3) In what ways is your poem successful? Quote or provide specific examples and references.

4) In what ways could your poem be improved?

5) What changes did you make through the various drafts of your poem, whey did you make these?

6) Write a summary evaluation of your poem.

Writers turned in their poems and drafts.

On Thursday writers will read their second poem, and write a self-evaluation on that piece.

Thursday, 21 February

Class began listing memorable scenes or sights. After discussing cliches writerss had time to free write.

Writers were reminded of up coming due dates:
Monday: at least 2 of the six rough drafts revised and improved.
Tuesday: the six rough drafts; the two additional revised drafts; two final drafts.

Much of class was spent conferencing and revising writing. Mr. Zartler checked that writers had brought six rough drafts.

Tuesday, 19 Febraury

Six rough draft poems are due on Thursday, 21 February.

Two final draft (and four rough draft) poems are due on Tuesday, 26 February.

Class began with making lists of memorable sounds. Writers then chose one of these sounds as a prompt.

We later read "Poetry" by Pablo Neruda, and then used the poem as a prompt for our own writing.

Last semesters final projects were passed out for review by the authors, then collected for portfolios.

Writers had time to conference.

Writers made a list of people and things they loved. Choosing something from this list they then wrote about it for the opening prompt.

Mr. Zartler shared a variety of love poems with the class, and writers then tried emulating one of these poems for a subject of their own love (or hate).

Mr. Zartler reviewed the requirement of having six rough drafts of poems by the 21st. Two final drafts will be due on the 26th (this is an extension to the original due dates).

Monday/ Tuesday 11-12 February

On Monday writers studied and emulated the poem "9th and Hennepin" by Tom Waits.

On Tuesday the prompt was "I am not...."

Then writers read and discussed the poem "Hands." The class considered sound, metaphor, and the structure of the poem.

Writer's then tried to write a poem in the format of a negative statement.

Mr. Zartler retaught a lesson on the structure of feature magazine articles; any writer who did not yet receive credit for annotating the structure of a feature magazine article should bring that to class on Thursday.

1st semester final projects will be returned on Thursday.

February, 4,5, 7

Class this week had two goals.

1) To continue analysis of feature magazines for content and style, and to analyze these articles to better understand the kinds of question that lead to the writing of the article.

2) To begin a poetry unit. The poetry unit will require writers to submit during the week of February 19^th drafts on approximately six assigned poems, plus two revised Final Versions of poems.

On Monday

Class began  with the prompt: “My passion is…”

Writers read and discussed Anne Lamott’s “Brocolli”

Writers read and studied Komunyakaa’s “Slam, dunk, & Hook” 

then writers looked at the writing they did for the prompt today searching for lines that were poetic or inspiring in order to attempt to write a poem in a similar form to "Slam, dunk, & Hook"

On Tuesday

Prompt: “I remember….”

Students received a handout on poetry, please see Mr. Zartler for a copy.

Then

Poetry model for Tuesday “Venus-flytraps” by Komunyakaa

Writers then  read, discussed, and compared the formating  to his “Slam, Dunk, & Hook”

The writers tried to write a poem in the format “I am… formatted poem like Venus-flytraps”

On Thursday the class worked together to annotate an article called "How Chicken Conquered the World". Then using their own feature magazine article were to annotate that article as homework due Monday. Writers who missed this class should come to Tutorial Period on Tuesday the 12th.

The poetry models for the day are available on youtube

Blink Your Eyes Sekou Sundiata

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b6ydMA3tAM

A modern “love” poem (prep for one F-bomb)

"Shallow Thoughts" - Spoken Word Poetry - Pierre Marc Paras

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAoV0YZrBSI

“Verselandia PPS Poetry Slam Winning Poet”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ-sdQzaxLQ

here is another one of Lauren Steele’s work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMdHBeF6DAA

UPSET Rally Lauren Steele Spoken Word

Writers then tried to write Spoken Word poems.

Thursday, 17 January, 2013

There was a musical prompt about sunshine to begin class.

Next writers worked with peers to identify a "key scene" in their story draft. 

Each writer then had to change one aspect of this scene and revise the scene to see how this change would change the story.

These changes are due on Tuesday.