December 16th and 18th

We're working on/discussing multi-genre and modern/twisted fairytales today. These pieces need to include the following:

1. A creative cover
2. A table of contents (multi-genre only)
3. Reflection/Purpose: You need to write about each piece and why you decided to write this portion of the tale. What does the piece add to the tale as a whole.
4. Your pieces. If you are writing a multi-genre piece, then you'll need 6 different pieces. Two of them can be the same genre. Only two. Examples include the following:
• journal entries
• haiku (multiple)
• obituaries
• wanted signs
• maps 
• invitations
• newspaper articles
• narrative poems
• free verse
• sonnets
• pantoums
• acrostic poems
• soundtracks
• ballads
5. A works cited page. Owl Purdue MLA

Food?

Alan: tea

Corrina: cupcakes

Charlene: nog

sydney: cookies or brownies

michaela: cookies

December 8

1. Due:

• Mickey Mouse Monopoly Reflection
• Read two different versions of the same fairytale and be ready to discuss (we're postponing this to Wednesday)
• Finish sharing point of view pieces.

 2.  Homework:

• Go to surlalune (google it) and select the fairytale that you read for homework. If your fairytale is not on the list, then select a different one.
• Write a summary (6-8 sentences) of the surlalune piece.
• Analyze the surlalune piece (this can be a bulleted list OR a paragraph...what are things you notice about the piece. How is it similar/different from other versions of the tale you are familiar with.
• Connect the surlalune tale to others you are familiar with (they both have princesses, they both have the number 3, et cetera).

One of these is due on Monday the 8th.

Another is due on Friday the 12th.

December 4th

Wow! It has been a LONG time since I've posted here. I'll summarize some assignments and classwork.
We've done a lot of editing in the past few weeks!

1. Storystone images and stories need to be handed in.
2. Read and annotate "The Lottery" (There was a sub here for this assignment)
3.  Write a rough draft of a piece of fiction.
4. Write a point of view piece or a short story in 50 words or fewer.
5.  Read multiple versions of Little Red Riding Hood and create a table comparing/contrasting them. Write a reflection at the end of the table.

Again, Wow! I'm sorry I haven't posted here.

Homework:
Today we watched a few clips of a documentary titled Mickey Mouse Monopoly.
For homework you need to write a reflection of it.
Also watch/read two different versions of the same fairy tale. Be ready to discuss them in class next week (Wednesday).

October 27th and 29th

They will hand in your memory pieces on Google Classroom. This should take about 10 minutes. If it’s an issue (the internet is down or something), then you can hand them in on Friday.

You can EITHER gather their story stones and use them to write a piece, OR you can get into small groups (five people) and use one or two sets of story stones to create collaborative stories together in whatever way you want to. You should check the google doc I shared with you last class and write down ideas for activities to go with the storystones.

October 23

Storystones: October 27th
Prompt (story about the elderly woman): October 27th
Memory (2nd draft): October 29th

October 17

Memory pieces are due on October 21st.

Storystones due October 27th!

September 25, 2014

Today you handed in your final place pieces.
You worked on a piece where you are haunted by a piece of clothing.
Here is an example.

September 15, 2014

Today we workshopped the following place pieces:

• Quinn
• Charlene
• Will

For homework read and comment on the following pieces:

• Ali
• Corrina
• Chris
• Nikki

September 9, 2014

Today we shared our place excerpts.
We made a list of places we are all familiar with.
school
school bathroom
bus stop
school bus
house...one room
field (meadow)
field (sports)
locker room
forest
hospital
dentist
graveyard
park
playground
beach
grocery store
walmart?
restaurant
camp
amusement park
farmer's market
cafe

Select one place and write about it showing emotion through the use of descriptive detail.

Friday September 5, 2014

Today we're generating a list of horrid sentences and then making them stronger. We talked about sensory detail and the importance of it in creative writing.

The "bad" sentences we generated are as follows:

1. The boy smelled bad.
2. The cat wanted a treat.
3. I went to the store.
4. The night was cold.
5. They walked in.
6. The apple is gross.
7. The man looked sad.
8. She laughed very hard.
9. The garden was nice.
10. The man grabbed the flowers.
11. It was raining.
12. The house is white.
13. The kid was scared.
14. The band was loud.
15. Running is hard.

You selected eight of the fifteen and made them descriptive. We then shared them in class.

We made a list of places we had strong feelings toward. The list is as follows:

Homework: Strong writers tend to be strong readers. Find a piece (paragraph, poem, whatever) that describes place. Bring it to class to share with your peers.

Day One: September 3, 2014

Why I Write
There is an entire tumblr dedicated to this question. We're not able to easily access this from school, so here is a Pinterest page that has a few on them. Some of them are poignant, others are silly. All of them are reasons to write.
Here are a few.

There are a few reasons. Here are yours (in no particular order).

• I couldn't imagine a world without books.
• I like to make art with a pencil and paper rather than paint and a canvas.
• And so, I write; not because I can, but because it is the only way to grant my imaginary life.
• Here, in the savannah of white and blue, the letters strung together seem to stay until the pink eraser sends them away.
• I yank the chain on my laughter and let go when I write.
• I love hand writing. I don't get that same smooth, consistent, aching feeling when I type on a computer.
• I write to express myself, to let others know how I'm feeling, or sometimes just to let myself know.
• You can live out dreams or anything you would want to do without doing it.
• I want it to feel natural again, instead of struggling to find the words that used to appear so easily to me.
• Putting things down on paper--school related or not--helps me focus more and lifts a weight off my shoulders.
• Scratching of graphite was relaxing, the clicking of keys was comforting, and I indulged in how smooth words could be. Like silk for the mind.
• It feels good when people read it and enjoy it, or when they connect to one of my book characters.
• Writing my emotions down is my therapy.
• Having my emotions poured onto a piece of paper is pretty beautiful to me.
• I can say the reason that I write is because of my dreams.
• I have also written just to day things I never had the guts to say in person to someone.