Agenda, June 7

1. FW #39: Tomorrow, when I wake up ... OR Can I ask you a favor?
2. Two new, new! NEW! kinds of revision
3. Revise something

Agenda, June 5

Due Thursday: Bring a piece to revise 

Unit 5: Re-vision

1. Freewrite #38: "We. Are. Seen. Yers!" OR "Back when we were still juniors ..."
2. Writer's workshop
3. Exquisite Corpse OR POV revision exercise

Agenda, June 4

Due Now: Bring Packets 1-4 

Unit 5: Re-vision

1. Freewrite #37: "When they ran out of barbecue ..." OR "They were gone ..."
2. Writer led revision
3. Exquisite Corpse: "In the middle of the field ..."

Agenda, June 1

Due Mon: Bring Packets 1-4 

Unit 5: Re-vision

1. Freewrite #36: "A year from now ..." OR "In the bottom of my suitcase ..."
2. Writers' Workshop
3. Exploding the Moment Sharing

Agenda, May 31

Due Now: Bring your old FW and PW
Due Mon: Bring Packets 1-4 

Unit 5: Re-vision

1. Writer's Workshop Debrief
2. Freewrite #35: "When he picked up the phone ..." OR "She burst through the door ..." 
3. Pre-write #51: Distillation #2
4. Pre-write #52: Exploding the moment
   

Agenda, May 30

Due Now: Bring your old FW and PW
Due Mon: Bring Packets 1-4

Unit 5: Re-vision

We are done with personal reading. Sorry. Please return your books to my library.

1. Any more pieces for workshop?
2. Freewrite #34: "How to be perfect" OR "Final failure notice"
3. Writer's Workshop

Agenda, May 29

Due Now: Bring your old FW and PW

Unit 5: Re-vision

We are done with personal reading. Sorry. Please return your books to my library.

1.  Kiva Advisory Board
2. Any more pieces for workshop?
3. Freewrite #33: When I think ... OR In the dark ...
4. PW #50 : Author led revision
5. Revision sharing

Agenda, May 25

Due Now: Bring your old FW and PW
Due Now: Packet 4

Unit 5: Re-vision

We are done with personal reading. Sorry. Please return your books to my library.

1.  Jar o' Justice update
2. Any more pieces for workshop?
3. Freewrite #32: She looked over her shoulder ... OR He shielded his eyes ...
4. PW #49: Distillation
5. Distillation sharing

Agenda, May 24

Due at the end of class yesterday: FW 24 - 31Due Friday: Bring your old FW and PW


We have 2nd lunch today.

1. Who donated to the Jar o' Justice?
2. Lab Time. When you are done typing, retire to the other side of the library to read.

Agenda, May 23

Due at the end of class yesterday: PW 36 - 48
Due at the end of class today: FW 24 - 31
Due at the end of class today: Teacher Conference
Tomorrow is Lab Day
Due Friday: Bring your old FW and PW
 
Unit 4: Dialogue

1. Who donated to the Jar o' Justice?
2. We have 2nd lunch on tomorrow.
3. FW #31: "Finally ..." or "Come on in ..."
4. Say it with dialogue: Revise the following sentences into short scenes that include at least two lines of dialogue. In this exercise, use four different types of tag lines. Remember to indent! 1) He was shy. 2) She was fed up. 3) They were in danger.
5. Work Time

Agenda, May 22

Due at the end of class Today: PW 36 - 48
Due at the end of class Wednesday: FW 24 - 31
Due at the end of class Wednesday: Teacher Conference
Next Thursday is Lab Day
Unit 4: Dialogue

1. Who donated to the Jar o' Justice?
2. We have 2nd lunch on Thursday
3. Reading time
4. FW #30: Find a line of dialogue in a previous freewrite and incorporate it into a new freewrite.
5. PW #48: Say it with dialogue: Revise the following sentences into short scenes that include at least two lines of dialogue. In this exercise, use four different types of tag lines. Remember to indent! 1) He offered to help her carry her books. 2) She was the best friend ever. 3) They were in danger.
6. Work Time

Agenda, May 21

Due at the end of class Monday: Rough Draft of Packet 4
Due at the end of class Tuesday: PW 36 - 48
Due at the end of class Wednesday: FW 24 - 30
Due at the end of class Wednesday: Teacher Conference
Next Thursday is Lab Day

Unit 4: Dialogue

1. FW #29: "Often I wish ..." or "Why can't you just...?"
2. Pre-write #47: What are they talking about?
3. Are your characters fighting about more than they're fighting about?
4. Work time
5. Work Time

Agenda, May 18

Due at the end of class Monday: Rough Draft of Packet 4
Due at the end of class Tuesday: PW 36 - 4?
Due at the end of class Wednesday: FW 24 - 30
Due at the end of class Wednesday: Teacher Conference
Next Thursday is Lab Day

Unit 4: Dialogue

1. FW #28: "I've told you a  million times ..." or "Did you drop this?"
2. Pre-write #45: Fill in the Bubble Dialogue
3. Pre-write #46: Poem for Two Voices
4. Work Time

Agenda, May 17

Due at the end of class Monday: Rough Draft of Packet 4
Due at the end of class Tuesday: PW 36 - 4?
Due at the end of class Wednesday: FW 24 - 30
Due at the end of class Wednesday: Teacher Conference
Next Thursday is Lab Day


Unit 4: Dialogue

1. Reading Time: Pay Attention to Dialogue
2. Pre-write #43: Cite three examples of effective dialogue from your book. Why are the effective? Be sure to include the Author and the Title
3. Dialogue Read Aloud with partners
4. FW #27: "I can/can't explain ..." or "Are you going to eat that?"
5. Pre-write #44: How would this person say "Hi?"

Agenda, May 16

Due Tomorrow: Bring a book.

1. "Boy and Mom at the Nutcracker Ballet"
2. Pre-write #41: What would this poem look like? 
3. Freewrite #26: "It's about time ... " or "Would you like to dance?"
4. Pre-write #42: Dialogue in poetry / Scriptwriting

Agenda, May 15

Due Now: Bring your book.

Unit 4: Believable Dialogue

1. Reading time: Pay attention to how you author uses dialogue.
2. Pre-write #39: Constructing the rules of dialogue
3. Pre-write #40: Types of tags / Adding tags
4. Pre-write #37 OR #38: Read aloud

Agenda, May 14

Due Tomorrow: Bring your book.

Unit 4: Believable Dialogue

1. Is anyone interested in scriptwriting?
2. "Taking the Plunge," by Armistead Maupin
3. Freewrite #25: "Tell me why ... " or "Where did you get that?"
4. Pre-write #38: Three two person scenes
5. Read alouds

Agenda, May 11

Due by the end of class yesterday: Packet 3

Unit 4: Believable Dialogue

1. Freewrite #24: "Is this seat taken?" or "What are you talking about?"
2. Passing notes (this is a public document)
3. Pre-write #36: What makes believable dialogue?
4. Pre-write #37: Three two person scenes

Agenda, May 10

Due by the end of class yesterday: Freewrites 16-23

 

Thursday is lab day. Two pages of fiction or two poems are due by the end of the day Today.

Unit 3: Setting and Character

1. Typing Time. Poets need to be done by 11:30. Be sure to follow the formatting directions (on the pink half-sheet of paper you received on the first lab day).
2. Reading time
3. e.e. cummings poem puzzle

Agenda, May 9

Due by the end of class yesterday: Pre-writes 21-35
Due by the end of class yesterday: Rough Draft
Due by the end of class today: Freewrites 16-23
Due by the end of class today: Teacher Conference

 

Thursday is lab day. Two pages of fiction or two poems are due by the end of the day Thursday.

Unit 3: Setting and Character

1. Freewrite #23: There used to be ... or In the backseat ...
2. Varying Syntax Style
3. Work time / Peer review

Agenda, May 8

Due by the end of class today: Pre-writes 21-35
Due by the end of class today: Rough Draft
Due Wednesday: Freewrites 16-23
Due by the end of class Wednesday: Teacher Conference

Thursday is lab day. Two pages of fiction or two poems are due by the end of the day Thursday.

Unit 3: Setting and Character

1. Reading time
2. Freewrite #22: Write from the point of view of an older/younger sibling
3. Pre-write #35: Pick an interesting sentence from your freewrite and revise it three times. Consider employing vivid verbs, figurative language, and show, don't tell.
4. Work time / Peer review

Agenda, May 7

Due Yesterday: SDT, 1-3
Due Tomorrow: Pre-writes 21-35
Due by the end of class tomorrow: Rough Draft
Due Wednesday: Freewrites 16-23
Due by the end of class Wednesday: Teacher Conference

Thursday is lab day

Unit 3: Setting and Character

1. Hello / Goodbye Sharing
2. Freewrite #21: After the storm ... or In the crowded room ...
3. Pre-write #34: "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros
4. Work time

Agenda, May 3

Due Now: Bring yer book.
Due Today: Show Don't Tell, 1-3

Unit 3: Setting and Character

1. Reading Time: Pay attention to your setting as a character. How does it shape / limit / challenge your characters?
2. Pre-write #32: Write a well developed paragraph in which you explain how your author uses the setting to affect the characters. Be sure to include the author and underline the title.
3. Show, Don't Tell #3: Revise each of the following sentences in 1-3 sentences, focusing on the physical action: 1) He was scared; 2) She was scared; 3) I was scared.
4. Pre-write #33: Hello / Goodbye Poem

Agenda, May 2

Due Tomorrow: Bring yer book.

Unit 3: Setting and Character

1. Freewrite #20: Write from the point of view of one of the people in the six-word memoirs.
2. Show, Don't Tell #3: Revise each of the following sentences in 1-3 sentences, focusing on the physical action: 1) He was scared; 2) She was scared; 3) I was scared.
3. Pre-write #30: Setting notes
4. Pre-write #31: Setting as Character: Write a scene in which the setting presents an obstacle to your character.

Agenda, May 1

Due Now: Bring yer book.

Unit 3: Setting and Character

1. Reading time: How does your author create setting?
2. Show, Don't Tell #2: Revise each of the following sentences in 1-3 sentences, focusing on the physical action: 1) He tried not to cry; 2) She was ready for the wedding; 3) I'm in trouble.
3. Pre-write #29 (continued): 20 Actions that might make a good poem. Pick one. Write the poem/story.
4. Pre-write #30: Setting notes
5. Pre-write #31: Hello / Goodbye Poems

Agenda, April 30

Due Tomorrow: Bring yer book.

Unit 3: Setting and Character

1. Freewrite #19: Write from the point of view of someone younger than 5 years old.
2. Show, Don't Tell #1: Revise each of the following sentences in 1-3 sentences, focusing on the physical action: 1) He is stubborn; 2) She was surprised; 3) I lost control.
3. Pre-write #28: Six Word Memoirs
4. Pre-write #29: 20 Actions that might make a good poem
5. Work Time

Agenda, April 27

Due Today: Bring yer book.

Unit 3: Setting and Character

1. Pre-write #25, Continued: Character First Story Starter. Write three first lines for this character: one with action, one with description, one with dialogue.
2. Freewrite #18: Begin your freewrite with one of your first lines from PW #25.
3. Pre-write #26: Show, Don't Tell
4. Pre-write #27: Vivid Verbs
5. "Eleven," by Sandra Cisneros. Look highlight character details and vivid verbs.
6. Pre-write #28 (if time allows): Six Word Memoirs

Agenda, April 26

Due Today: Bring yer book.

Unit 3: Setting and Character

1. Reading time. Look for example of concreteness, speech, behavior, motivation, change, and symbolic associations.
2. Pre-write #23: Identify 3 character details from your reading. Include author, title, and page numbers.
3. Pre-write #24: What if?
4. Freewrite #17: Write from the point of view of a character who lives in your "what if?" world.
5. Pre-write #25: Character First Story Starter
6. Pre-write #26 (if time allows): Show, Don't Tell

Agenda, April 25

Due Yesterday: Packet 2, stapled in this order: Pink sheet, final, rough
Due Tomorrow: Bring yer book.

Unit 3: Setting and Character

1. Freewrite #16: Write from the point of view of a parent.
2. Pre-write #21: Notes on Character
3. Pre-write #22: What's in the bag?

Agenda, April 24

Due at the end of class yesterday:  Freewrites 8-15
It's Lab Day!
 
Unit 2: Structure: Beginnings, endings, middles, and laying the words on the page

1. Typing Time. Poets need to be done by 11:30. Be sure to follow the formatting directions (on the pink half-sheet of paper you received last lab day).
2. Reading time
3. Chinese Menu Stories

Agenda, April 23

Due at the end of class yesterday: Pre-writes 8-20:
Due Monday: Freewrites 8-15
Due by end of class Today: Teacher conference. Show me your rough. Talk to me about it.
Tomorrow is lab day / final draft day.
Unit 2: Structure: Beginnings, endings, middles, and laying the words on the page

1. Freewrite #15: I was ready ...
2. What Happened Next?
3. Foreshadowing
4. Work Time

Agenda, April 20

Due at the end of class today: Rough Draft for Packet 2 (two pages of fiction or two poems)
Due yesterday: Revision Exercise 1-3.
Due at the end of class today: Pre-writes 8-20:
Due Monday: Freewrites 8-16
Due by end of class Monday: Teacher conference. Show me your rough. Talk to me about it.
Tuesday is lab day / final draft day.
Unit 2: Structure: Beginnings, endings, middles, and laying the words on the page

1. Freewrite #: Silence is golden.
2. What Happened Next?
3. Pre-write #20: What happened next?
4. Foreshadowing
5. Work Time

Agenda, April 19

Due Friday: Rough Draft for Packet 2 (two pages of fiction or two poems)
Due Today: Bring a book
Due Today: Revision Exercise 1-3.
Due Friday: Pre-writes 8-19
Due Monday: Freewrites 8-16
Due by end of class Monday: Teacher conference. Show me your rough. Talk to me about it.
Tuesday is lab day / final draft day.
Unit 2: Structure: Beginnings, endings, middles, and laying the words on the page

1. Reading Time: Look for foreshadowing.
2. Pre-write #18: Write a well developed paragraph in which you discuss the structure of your novel. Be sure to include the author and the title. Underline the title.
3. Revision Exercise Three: Revise the following sentence three times without using any forms of the verb "to be" (is, am, are, was, were, be, been, being, and contractions that include those words): He's looking forward to tomorrow.
4. Pre-write #19: "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird"
5. What happened next?
6. Work Time

Agenda, April 18

Due Friday: Rough Draft for Packet 2 (two pages of fiction or two poems)
Due Thursday: Bring a book
Due Thursday: Revision Exercise 1-3.
Due Friday: Pre-writes 8-19
Due Monday: Freewrites 8-16
Due by end of class Monday: Teacher conference. Show me your rough. Talk to me about it.
Tuesday is lab day / final draft day.
Unit 2: Structure: Beginnings, endings, middles, and laying the words on the page

1. Revision Exercise Two: Revise the following sentence three times without using any forms of the verb "to be" (is, am, are, was, were, be, been, being, and contractions that include those words): It is raining.
2. Pre-write #16: Desire, Obstacle, Action & Three First Lines: begin with an action; begin with a description; begin with a line of dialogue.
3. What happened next?
4. Pre-write #17: Mirror Poems.
5. Work Time

Agenda, April 17

Due Friday: Rough Draft for Packet 2 (two pages of fiction or two poems)
Due Thursday: Bring a book
Due by end of class Monday: Teacher conference. Show me your rough. Talk to me about it.

Unit 2: Structure: Beginnings, endings, middles, and laying the words on the page

1. Reading Time: Pay attention to beginnings and endings, and unusual formatting.
2. Freewrite #13: Write a story that ends in disaster.
3. Revision Exercise #1: The flood was coming. Rewrite this sentence once using simile, metaphor, or personification. Rewrite this sentence once using alliteration, assonance, or consonance. Rewrite this sentence once using a sensory detail.
4. Pre-write #15: Desire, Obstacle, Action.

Agenda, April 16

Due Friday: Rough Draft for Packet 2 (two pages of fiction or two poems)
Due by end of class Monday: Teacher conference. Show me your rough. Talk to me about it.

Unit 2: Structure: Beginnings, endings, middles, and laying the words on the page

1. Freewrite #12: Write a letter to a person who doesn't exist OR Write a letter to an idea.
2.  "The Third-Floor Bedroom," by Kate diCamillo. Once every two pages, write a sticky note where where you make an observation or inference (and explain it), ask a question that you don't know the answer to (and attempt an answer), or make a connection to another story, movie, or personal experience (and explain it).
3. "Distant Rain," by Shaun Tan

Agenda, Lucky Friday

Unit 2: Structure: Beginnings, endings, middles, and laying the words on the page

1. Pre-write #13: Opposite First Lines. List as many opposites as you can think of. Pick 3 pairs. Write a first line for each.
2. Freewrite #11: Begin with a first line from Pre-write #13
3. Pre-write #14: The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, by Chris Van Allsburg. Write the story that fits each picture.

Agenda, April 12

Due Now: Personal reading book

Unit 2: Structure: Beginnings, endings, middles, and laying the words on the page

1. Reading Time: Pay attention to section breaks, beginnings, and endings
2. Freewrite #10: Begin with a first line from your book.
3. Pre-write #12: Great First Lines

Agenda, April 11

Due Yesterday: Packet 1, stapled in this order: Yellow cover sheet, final draft, rough draft with peer review. Make sure you assess your peer review.
Due Tomorrow: Personal reading book


Unit 2: Structure: Beginnings, endings, middles, and laying the words on the page

1. Any stray packets?
2. Freewrite #9: I promise(d) / I never promise(d)
3. Pre-write #11: Lining poems
4. Exquisite Corpse

Agenda, April 10

Due at the end of class today: Packet 1, stapled in this order: Yellow cover sheet, final draft, rough draft with peer review. Make sure you assess your peer review.
Please conserve laptop batteries! I need laptops for three periods today.

1. Basic Typing Directions / Typing Time
2. Personal Reading
3. Pre-Write #10: Picture Prompts, pt. 2. Pick any of the three handouts to work with, or continue the writing you completed yesterday.
4. Chinese Menu Stories

Agenda, April 9

Unit 2: Structure


Due tomorrow: Final Drafts (two pages of fiction or two poems), include rough drafts with peer review. We'll have laptops tomorrow.
Due tomorrow: Bring yer personal reading book.

1. How ya doin'?
2. Does anyone have any freewrites or pre-writes?
3. Freewrite #8: "We were searching for ..."
4. Pre-write #9: Picture Prompts, pt. 1

Agenda, March 21

Due Yesterday: Pre-writes 1-7

Due at the end of class Today: Freewrites 1-7; Pre-write 8

1. Freewrite #7: "In Spring ..." or "March ..."
2. Pre-write #8: Sensory Details and Mood: Pick a mood; list as many details of each of the five sense as you can that fit the mood.
3. How do I make my writing better? Sound, Specificity, Surprise, Honesty
4. Peer Review / Work Time
5. 10 minutes of silence

Partial Model of Pre-Write #7

            In this section of The Girl Who Fell From the Sky, by Heidi Durrow, the mood is disturbed. [Two sentences of summary here]. When she sees her brother in her nightmare, he has “black hair like matted yarn and big black eyes (not green)” (30). The image of his hair like matted yarn shows me that something is simply not right about Robbie. The phrase “big black eyes” does a couple of different things. Those two “b” sounds are hard and unpleasant, kind of like spitting. She also changes the color of his eyes from their normal color to a more disturbing image. [Do it again with another quotation]. The disturbed mood makes me feel sorry for Rachel and hope things get better for her in the future.

Agenda, March 20

Due Now: Personal reading book

Due at the end of class Today: Pre-writes 1-7

Due at the end of class Wednesday: Freewrites 1-7

1. 50 good words
2. Sharing your mood paragraph.
3. Reading time: Pay attention to mood
4. Pre-write #7: The mood in my book is ...
5. Peer Review
6. 10 minutes of silence

Do you have 50 good words?

Trimet is sponsoring a pretty awesome public art project. They're looking for lines of "original, short, poetic text" for an art installation associated with the new orange line, which will run from Portland to Milwaukie.

Click here if you want more info.

Agenda, March 19

Due Tuesday: Personal reading book

Due by the end of class today: Rough Draft of two poems or two pages of prose.

Due at the end of class Tuesday: Pre-writes 1-7

Due at the end of class Wednesday: Freewrites 1-8

1. Freewrite #6: "At the Goodwill ..."
2. Pre-write #6: Mood
3. How to Peer Review
4. 10 minutes of silence
5. Work Time

Agenda, March 16

Due Tuesday: Personal reading book

Due by the end of class on Monday: Rough Draft of two poems or two pages of prose.

1. Freewrite #5: "Beware..."
2. A Poem Kline Doesn't Understand But Likes Anyway
3. Pre-write #5: Repetition
4. 10 minutes of silence
5. Work Time

Pre-write #4: Extended Metaphor

Extended Metaphor

1. Pick a noun from List 1.

2. Pick a noun from List 2 as a metaphor for the first noun.

3. Brainstorm ways that they are alike (sound, sight, smells, movement, action, effect, etc.)

4. Compose a poem or paragraph in which you compare your two unalike objects without using like or as.

5. You may use literary devices other than metaphor.

LIST 1:

war

gangs

drugs

love

driving

school

any sport

advertising

any vehicle

ocean

birth

death

joy

fear

hate

loneliness

YOUR OWN IDEA

LIST 2:

hurricane

earthquake

thunderstorm

flood

tornado

fireworks

sunset

blizzard

windstorm

a specific animal

fire

YOUR OWN IDEA

Agenda, March 15

Due Now: Personal reading book

1. Can you finish a draft by next Thursday?
2. Reading time! Look for literary devices.
3. Freewrite #4: "I have never ..." OR "No one noticed ..."
4. Four poems
5. Pre-write #4: Extended Metaphor
6. 10 minutes of silence
7. Work Time

Agenda, March 14

Due Now: Bull Durham Credo

Due Tomorrow: Bring a personal reading book.

1. Bull Durham Credo Sharing
2. Freewrite #3: Write about something or someone that got away.
3. The Writer's Toolbox
4. Pre-write #3: Synaesthesia practice; a fib with synaesthesia (if time allows)

Bull Durham Credo

Use the following "fill in the blanks" format as a model for a poem:


BULL DURHAM CREDO

I believe in the _________________________
the____________________________________
the____________________________________
the____________________________________
the____________________________________
_______________,_______________,_________________

But (something you don't believe in, i.e. ("but the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, over-rated")

I believe in____________________________
I believe in____________________________
I believe in____________________________
______________,________________,_________________

And I believe in_________________________________(longest)

Agenda, March 13

Due Thursday: Bring a personal reading book.

1. What to do when yer absent.
2. Freewrite #2: "I've lost ..."
3. The Writer's Toolbox
4. "River" with a Partner
5. "River" on the Smartboard
6. Pre-write#2: Bull Durham Credo

Agenda, March 12

Due Thursday: Bring a personal reading book.

1. Freewrite #1: "They say ..."
2. Class Rules
3. The Writer's Quizbox in Groups of 3
4. The Writer's Toolbox
5. Pre-write #1: The Fib- introduce yourself with a 6-line poem. Put 1 syllable in the first line, 1 in the 2nd, 2 in the 3rd, 3 in the 4th, 5 in the 5th, and 8 syllables in the last line. Your poem should include your name and a fib.