Tuesday, October 21st, 2014

Welcome to Creative Writing!

Day One

Tuesday, October 21st, 2014

When You Come In

1. Please initial next to your name on the clipboard.
2. Find your desk with your name sticky note on it (center pink).  Sit there.  Don’t move the nametags—please and thank you!
3. Grab a yellow packet, and remove the staple.  Put it in your three-ring binder.
4. Get out a blank piece of paper.

Procedures

1. Sign in every day when you arrive.
2. Check the big screen to see what you should have ready when class starts.  I expect you to have completed what’s on the big screen by the time the tardy bell rings.

Materials to Bring to Class Every Day

1. Small three-ring binder for class.
2. Writing implement
3. Computer, fully charged

Free Write #1

1. Write for the full ten minutes, without stopping.
2. Talk about any topic of your choosing.
1. Now, let’s say you have NO idea what to write about, and your mind is a complete blank—what can you do?
2. Let’s look Writing Resistance Topics (pink handout)!  Keep this in a pocket in your binder, so it’s easy to find, as needed.
3. We’re going to whip around the room, and you read one aloud when it’s your turn.
3. Who will read this Free Write #1?
4. How will I grade this?
5. Start Time =    2:30
6. End Time =      2:40
7. To Turn It In
1. “Free Write #1
2. Date:  October 21st, 2014
3. Your Name—do you have all three?
8. Let’s practice turning them in now!

Trust

...the cornerstone of this class.

We’re going to create a writing community in this class, and here’s what you have to do to make that happen:

1. Be trustworthy.
2. Read people’s work with respect.
3. Listen to people’s ideas with respect.
4. Keep what you hear in this class, in this class—don’t betray someone’s trust.
5. Turn in only work you yourself have created.  
6. Read people’s work the way you want yours to be read—thoroughly, thoughtfully, and honestly.
7. Put yourself on a five-second delay.  Instead of blurting something out, wait, count to five, and ask yourself, “Is this respectful?”  If not, don’t say it.
8. Be respectful.
1. If you are rude to another person, you’ll be out of class for a day.
2. If it happens a second time, you will most likely be out of class for good.
3. Bottom line—if you’re disrespectful to each other, this class doesn’t work.  And this is a required class for graduation—so it has to work.

Reading Assignment:  Earthbook

1.      Read and relax .  (This means you read for enjoyment.)  :-)

2.     If you’re reading a piece, and you stop enjoying it, turn the page!

3.     Did you find a piece you thought was really strong?  Or really funny?  Then record it on your worksheet.

4.     NOTE:  Make sure your reason for selecting it is a well-constructed, detailed, two sentences for each piece you pick.

Activities We Did Today (And That We’ll Do All Term)

1. We wrote a piece. (Free Write #1)
2. We had a class discussion and listened to each other.  (Writing Resistance Topics)
3. We read other people’s work (Earthbook).

We began with the end in mind (examples in Earthbook).

College-Prep Reading

• Welcome, you superb seniors!  

When You Come In

1.      Please find your seat—with your pink sticky note on it.

2.     Please initial next to your name on the clipboard.  Thanks!

• Let’s play an exciting game called, “What Do YOU Think We’re Going to Learn?”  
• All of you have had me for a teacher one or more times in your high school career, so you should DEFINITELY be able to tell me what you think I’m going to teach you.  :-)

Big Picture

• Based on the title of this class, what skills do you think we’re going to be working on this term?

1.      Reading closely

2.     Annotating

3.     Annotating

4.     Annotating

5.     Vocabulary-Building

6.    Note-Taking

7.     Academic Discussion

8.    Thinking—I put this last, but really, let’s not forget to think—deal?

In Your Journal

I used a reading strategy called phrasing, or chunking, where you break a long, complex sentence or paragraph into smaller, more manageable bits, to try to understand it better.

“The process of reading is not a half-sleep,

but, in highest sense, an exercise, a gymnast’s struggle;

that the reader is to do something for himself,

must be on the alert,

must himself or herself construct indeed the poem,

argument,

history,

metaphysical essay—

the text furnishing the hints,

the clue,

the start or frame-work.”                    --Walt Whitman

Started:           12:06       

Ending About:    12:16-ish

How Can You Respond in this Journal?

• CONNECT Make a connection between something in this quote, and something you already know.
• COMMENT      Agree or disagree, to various degrees
• CLARIFY              Say something you didn’t understand.  Try to unpack it.     Say why you didn’t understand.
• QUESTION Ask something about a piece of the quote.  Ask a bigger question the quote makes you consider.  

        

1. When I stop you, review your journal.  What did you mostly do in your reaction?  
2. Write it at the top of your paper, and put a box around it.

Journal Response Explanation

1.     Here is how you can respond to your partner today.  Based on his/her journal, you can comment on...

a.         the most meaningful thing you learned

b.         a connection you made

c.          questions you have

d.         something that bothers you

e.         anything else you want to discuss

NOW:   Trade journals, read and discuss them, then write a note to the writer.

a.     Write at least two detailed sentences in response.  Use the orange suggestions above for help.

b.    Sign it with your first and last name.

2.     Make sure your name, date and “Walt Whitman Reading Quote” are at the top of your paper.

3. Read your comments from your partner.

4.     Turn this in in the class drawer.

Vocabulary

• http://quizlet.com/54613457/act-words-set-1-flash-cards/
• Listen to them in trios, and write a synonym or definition on your trio’s shared paper.
• Get on quizlet, and check your answers!

More Vocab Work

• Join my quizlet class, then play!

Homework = None