Ms. Strong’s Blog

We read another personal essay in class and used it to answer the questions below. Come in before school to look at the essay.

No Rainbows, No Roses

Beverly Dipo

•Identify the powerful images Dipo uses throughout her essay.

•What emotions, feelings, or ideas do you think Dido was trying to show through this event?

•Identify the emotions, feeling, or idea you want to write about. Then think of a personal experience that evokes those feelings. In the style of Dipo, describe the event.

Warm-Up #9:  The passages beneath are written by award winning authors. Read what they say about writing, then answer these questions yourself: 

Why do you write? What is writing to you? What is poetry or fiction or literature? What does writing require from the writer? You will have ten minutes to think and write about this. Feel free to dialogue with these writers: disagree with them, expand what they are saying, qualify their ideas, etc.

We read the whole essay by Annie Dillard. You will need to come in before school to read this essay. Then complete the questions below:

 •Identify the powerful images Dillard uses throughout her essay.

•How is the moth an analogy for writing? Do you agree with Dillard? Is that what writing is for you?

•Think of a prolonged analogy for writing that fits what you think about the writing process. Mimicking Annie, describe the analogy in a story, then connect it back to writing at the end.

Final Assignment: Check out a daybook from me and complete one of the observation exercises on pp. 70-80

Warm-Up:  

Reflecting on your writing

A.After working for a couple of weeks on your play, how do you feel about it? Is it something you are proud of? Is it something you just finished for a grade? Did it grow into something that surprised you? Explain. B.Of all the pieces you have written, which characters have stuck with you. Are there any you would want to write about in the future? Why do you think they stuck with you? C.Think back through the year. Which writing strategies will you continue to use? Why did you like them? How did they make your writing better?

Final Drafts of Play are due!

We shared parts of our play with the class and chose the plays we most wanted to see performed.

Warm-Up #5:  Choose one of the topics below to write on. You can do all three or adapt them to fit your character. You can switch characters. Try to write for 10 minutes:

A.What have you had to do in your life that you HATED? How did you deal with it? B.Use this phrase to generate ideas for a future project: “In the Spring our palms peeled like snakes.” (Nye) C.Are there any books or novels you’ve recently read that you want to change in some way? How and why would you change them?

 Print off the conference sheet below. Find one other person who has a completed draft. Fill out the first three items before you give the sheet to a partner. Use their advice to finish your final draft.

Final drafts are due on Friday, March 12. Wednesday is the last day in the lab for this.

editing-conference1

Warm-Up #3:

We practiced characterization and plot development in class today. To make up the points for this:

Choose one character and put them in a group therapy situation. Have the character choose one word that describes him or her and explain to the group why that word describes him or her. Try to develop your character into a real person.

What is the difference between action and activity? Identify the action of your play and the activity. Come see me before or after school if you are unclear on the distinction.

Warm-Up #2:Think about the movies you’ve seen, TV shows you’ve watched, books you’ve read, etc. Think of three characters that seem to stand out to you for some reason. (These are characters that pop into your head uninvited, that you think about, that you have a hard time forgetting.)

A.Who are they? Describe them physically or describe their personalities. B.Why do you think they made such an impression on you? Why can’t you get them out of your head? C.What human complexities do they have? What makes them seem real?

We read an example of a one act play in class today. You will need to check out a book or email for access to the online textbook. Use the play to answer the questions below: 

• •While we read, write down the dialogue or the words that give characterization to each person.
• •Finally, how do the characters change in the play? Is it believable? Why or why not?
• Fill in the chart below for each of the characters.

Homework: Answer the questions below for all of your main characters

Building a Character

 1. Give your character a name, age, and physical description.

2. Where does your character live?

3. What does your character like to do?

4. Name one thing that would make your character angry.

5. Describe a typical day for your character.

6. Describe a dream your character has had.

7. Pretend your character has a secret. Why is it a secret?

8. What is your character’s goal?

Dialogue Exercise: Watch two or three tv or video clips (choose shows that you are unfamiliar with) with the sound off. Then write in the dialogue for what they say. Think about these questions while you write the dialogue: 

• Who are these people?
• What do they want from each other (if anything)?
• What are their relationships to one another?
• Do they have a conflict?
• What interesting things will happen to them?
• How will it all end?

Warm-Up #10: Write for 10 minutes on a topic of your choice.

We started writing our plays in the lab today. Look at the questions in the document below to get you started or to help you get some ideas for your play.

playwriting-questionnaire

Warm-Up #9:

Write three things that you notice in the picture?

Write two things you think about the picture.

Write one question you have about the picture.

Then brainstorm for 7 minutes. Remember, let your thoughts go.

We read our Round Robin stories in class. We discussed the beginning, middle, and end of a story.

We discussed common problems with conflicts and characters. Look at the document below to remind yourself what not to do.

common-problems-in-student-plays

Finally, you had time in class to brainstorm ideas for your play. Remember, you should limit your characters to 2-5. One act plays should be simple. You should also try to limit your conflict to something that can be developed and resolved in one act.

You had time to conference about your ideas at the end of class. We will be in the lab next week writing the actual plays, so you need to have your ideas ready to transfer into writing. 

  Warm-Up #8: Read the prompts below. Choose one of them to write about or choose your own topic. You will need to write for 10 minutes. You can change topics if you need to.

 A.Start with “I thought I saw” B.Your writing prompt: The downfall of love C.Compare yourself now to yourself in kindergarten. What would you say to each other? How would you be different? Would you like each other if you met?

We practiced writing with a clear beginning, middle and end.

Round Robin Activity: To make this up find two other people and write a story by taking turns. Each person writes one sentence, then passes the story on. The next person writes another sentence. Keep going until you have at least 5 sentences. Then take the story and finish it off.

Finally, block out the story by identifying the beginning, middle, climax, and end of the story.

We will read these aloud next time in class.

Warm-up #6:

Read the 6-word memoirs below.

Flesh out the conflicts. (Add details, speculate, invent, etc.)

Try it out. Come up with 6 words that tell a story.

Once asked to write a full story in six words, legend has it that novelist Ernest Hemingway responded: “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.“

Six Word Memoirs:

“Not quite what I was planning.”

                                Larry Smith

“The psychic said I’d be richer”

                                Elizabeth Bernstein

“Mom died. Dad screwed us over”

                                Lesley Kysely

“Well, I thought it was funny”

                                Stephen Colbert

“Love me or leave me alone”

                                Scrawled on a hand dryer in a                     public bathroom

“I still make coffee for two”

                                Just dumped 27-year-old.

Final Drafts of the World Project are due today. You read a piece of your project to the class. You will need to see me to find out how to make this up.

We discussed character development of one act plays. You need to come to class with a character who has a secret and a conflict that may not be directly related to the secret.

 Warm-Up #6: Think of your favorite movie. Choose a movie you can remember well.

 A.What is your favorite scene in the movie? B.In that scene, what is the main conflict? C.Think of the movie as a whole. How does the movie keep the plot moving? (Extending the conflict, keeping you in suspense, foreshadowing what will happen, etc.) D.Finally, think on a general level. What about the movie makes it so good? Be as specific and detailed as you can. This is your opinion.

We talked about the importance of a moving plot in drama. Then we watched a Twilight Zone to help us see how a conflict or drama can be stretched out to build and add suspense. To make this assignment up, you need to watch an episode of the Twilight Zone and make a Plot Map to map out the events of the movie.

You can choose whatever episode you want. Most Twilight Zones focus on suspense and surprise.

http://www.cbs.com/classics/the_twilight_zone/

Warm-Up #5: Read the prompts below. Choose one of them to write about or choose your own topic. You will need to write for 10 minutes. You can change topics if you need to.

1.  
   1.  
      1. Write a profile of someone named Margaret Mallory May.
      2. Your writing prompt: An empty glass
      3. What is the most frustrating thing that has happened to you in the past year? How would you be different if it had never happened?

You had the day in the lab to work on the Final Draft of your world. Final Drafts are due on Friday, February 5.

Warm-Up #3: Write for 10 minutes on one of the topics below or a topic of your choice. A. If money was no issue, where would you travel for a month? Why? Describe what you would do, see, take with you etc. B. Describe a recent dream you’ve had. Include as many details as possible. What do you think it means?

2nd drafts are due today. You can e-mail me your 2nd draft.

Martian Chronicles assignment: You will need to arrange to check a book out from me. Or you can use the story below to complete the assignment.

http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/BleJun.shtml

Read through the story and fill in the chart below. Be specific and detailed in your answers.

What is the geography in the story? Is it significant? How?

What indications of culture do you see in the story? ritual? religion? beliefs? Are they important in the story? How?

What is the society of the story? Who is in charge? Is there anyone that seems to have more rights than others? more importance?

How is history described in the story? Is history important to the characters?

What in the story seems to present itself as universal? What can you relate to? How is the story a story of humanity, though it may not be about humans?

If you finish early, trade your 2nd drafts with someone and have them fill in the same chart for your story.

We spent the day in the lab. Second draft is due on January 26. This should be close to a final draft. As good as you can get it.