Writer’s Block: uncommon pair collections (pairs wouldn’t normally make)
Personal Universe Deck List (type on Wednesday in lab)
Tuesday, Sept 29
Writer’s Block: Experimenting with form: haiku: Haiku is a poetic form and a type of poetry from the Japanese culture. Haiku combines form, content, and language in a meaningful, yet compact form. Haiku poets, which you will soon be, write about everyday things. Many themes include nature, feelings, or experiences. Usually they use simple words and grammar. The most common form for Haiku is three short lines. The first line usually contains five (5) syllables, the second line seven (7) syllables, and the third line contains five (5) syllables. Haiku doesn't rhyme. A Haiku must "paint" a mental image in the reader's mind. This is the challenge of Haiku - to put the poem's meaning and imagery in the reader's mind in ONLY 17 syllables over just three (3) lines of poetry! Write a few haikus. :)
Discuss haikus, critique a few of our own (remember, pack the imagery in)
HW: read the rest of ch 1 from Self-editing for Fiction Writers handout and complete exercise of showing and not telling (see TII).
Wednesday, Sept 30
LAB: type TII assignments 12-16 if you haven't and submit to TII (see TII) 11 & 17 are bonus
Thursday, Oct 1
Writer's Block: fearful character
Look up list of absurd fears
Finish haiku discussion
Friday, Oct 2
DUE: PSAT money!
Type Personal Universe Deck in lab; type any work missing on TII
Monday, Oct 5
DUE: TII assignments
Writer's Block: Fireworks
Haiku discussion/discussion of poetry
Tuesday, Oct 6
DUE: TII assignment
Writer's Block: The first time you defied your parents (this does not have to be non-fiction). Make an impact...have a message. What's the point? Consider tone, imagery, detail, etc
HO/WS: personality test
Wednesday, Oct 7
Writer's Block: Trace the journey of a $5 bill.
HO: Character Diamond (2 sheets-HO and WS)
Thursday, Oct 8
DUE:
Writer's Block: More than ten million perscription medications are incorrectly filled each year. Write about one of them.
Reading our work/critiquing
Friday, Oct 9
DUE:
1st 5: Oops
HO: Richard Cory Revelation/Contrast poem, Andrew Marvell?
Saturday, Oct 10
8 am-12 pm EXCELLENT body human experience! :)
Capps Middle School on north side of 39th and MacArthur
Planting garden to raise money for free/reduced lunch program (Starbucks donates per volunteer/per hour)
Monday, Oct 12
DUE: Personal Universe Deck Hardcopy
1st 5:
Type in lab work completed this week: 1st 5's (10.5, 6, 7, 8), haikus (all drafts), contrast/revelation poem drafts, discussion board
Tuesday, Oct 13
DUE: Writer's Blocks, haikus
Tests 1-4 (9 weeks exam)
Where the Wild Things Are
Wednesday, Oct 14
DUE: contrast/revelation poem drafts
PSAT
Where the Wild Things Are
Write a children's story (text due Wednesday, Oct 21 to TII) Remember your audience, your message, and your purpose, and utilize ALL elements of the story (character, plot, setting, detail, diction, dialogue,
Monday, Oct 19
Writer's Block: First Thoughts: I tried to tell you.
Work on your children's story (see assignment on TII).
Type contrast/revelation poem, show don't tell, writer's blocks, likes/dislikes, and haikus if you haven't (many of you are missing these assignments; I am putting the grades on this nine weeks and I gave bonus to those of you that had completed them on time--thanks!)
Tuesday, Oct 20
DUE: Discussion board (poetic form)
HO: Read "Creating Character: The Protagonist" (the link is on the Creative Writing Links page, and Mrs. Ward has a copy of the text if it is inaccessible)
I would like for you to type your ideas after reading Sokoloff's blog and post them to the discussion board
Writer's Block: First Thoughts: The games people play.
Wednesday, Oct 21
DUE: Children's Story text (illustrate it or have a friend do it for bonus)
Writer's Block: According to the Florida Department of corrections, more than 100 people are on the waiting list to view an execution. Write about one of them.
Thursday, Oct 22
Writer's Block: I remember or leaving
HO: Poetry terms (meter, stanzas, forms, kinds, types)
Discuss poetry, sonnets
Friday, Oct 23
Discuss poetry, sonnet "Love Is Not All"
Improve Game: I'll Pick You Up
Monday, Oct 26
Writer's Block: Write any alias/nickname you can think of (make some up or write those you know)
Our Real Names activity (My real name is, yesterday my name was, tomorrow my name will be, in a dream my name was, my ___ thinks my name is, in secret I am) Listen for the opposite...if you're getting serious, be silly. Pile on name after name to see what emerges. Break rules. Surprise yourself. What is your new name? Change with your mood. Change with the seasons. Change with your life events/growth/talents/accomplishments. Become who you were meant to be, who you are.
HW: Write poem/prose piece from this activity
Tuesday, Oct 27
Writer's Block: Superstitious
Opening shots activity: think of moments you've thought, "This would make an awesome movie scene/opening shot." Now show it so clearly that you invite us into your world. Open the passageway to a deeper experience; capture us in your reality. Bring someone else along into the place you want to explore. Sometimes we think writing has to be about important, dramatic moments (the events of our lives seem mundane). Look for the "small" occasions that are the most magical. Create a way to experience and enjoy this ordinary magic. Celebrate the ordinary moments.
Think of elements, settings, characters, scenes, symbols, objects, dialogues, etc. that you've thought would be interesting to put into a prose piece or poem.
HO: Top 10 blunders
Wednesday, Oct 28
Short stories discussion
Hills Like White Elephants
Thursday, Oct 29
Short stories discussion
Mosquito
Friday, Oct 30
Sign up for NaNoWriMo!! :)
Monday, Nov 2
Update a classic fairy tale for readers in the 21st century. Cinderella in a sweatshop? Sleeping Beauty on a sectional? A rollerblading Rumpelstiltskin?
Discuss novel
Tuesday, Nov 3
Complete TII assignments