Wednesday, October 31, 2007

October 31, 2007

October 31, 2007
Happy Halloween!
Students wrote a description of the Haunted Mansion Ride, and a description of a candy corn.
We spent the rest of the period finishing typing scary stories and sharing them.

Next time: Sharing more student-written scary stories.

Monday, October 29, 2007

October 29, 2007

October 29, 2007
1. The teacher shared a short reading from Gary Soto’s A Summer Life, from the story “The Taps.” Soto’s writing provides examples of using description and imagery in a short story.
“A passenger train the color of spoons rushed by.”
“The asphalt was a soft, blackish river on which cars traveled, windows down, the passengers soaked in sweat.”
“A man the color of a sparrow walked near the tracks.”

2. Students went to the computer writing lab to type their scary stories. If you were absent, ask for the check list for your story.

Short Story Check
Is the lead the most effective it can be?
Is my main character well-enough developed?
Is there an interesting conflict?
Is the setting clear and well-described?
Did I include suspense?
Is the ending effective? (Does it feel like an ending, and does it leave the reading thinking or feeling or both?)

Have I checked for complete and effective sentences?
Have I divided my story into paragraphs?
Have I used the best words I could?
Have I used vivid action verbs?
Have I checked spelling?
Have I checked punctuation?

Coming: Wednesday we will share the stories. Students may finish up typing their stories if needed.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

October 25, 2007

October 25, 2007

The self-starter was writing a poem or brief story in response to a painting, using effective description.
Students could again hand in their short stories for Ms. DaRonche (last day).
We read more of T
he Old Manor by Roni DaRonche.

This is the last day to hand in the three poems.
Writer's workshop to work on mounting the three poems
and to work on our Halloween stories.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

October 23, 2007

October 23, 2007
Students described thoroughly the objects they received (jelly bellys) -- sight, smell, taste, touch/texture, sound

Story share
Students turned in their stories for Ms. DaRonche.
We read part of Ms. DaRonche's book.
Ms. Dorsey read a "scary" story about our class.
Writers' Workshop: 3 poems
Scary story to type October 29

For Short Stories consider:
Is the lead effective?
Is the main character well enough developed?
Is there an interesting conflict?
Is the setting clear and described well?
(Does it include suspense?)
Is the ending effective?

Thursday, October 18, 2007

October 19, 2007

October 19, 2007
Special Guest: Roni DaRonche, author

Your story for Ms. DaRonche is due Tuesday, October 23.

Reminders:
We will be in the computer lab October 29, and your scary story is due at the end of the period.
The three typed poems are due by October 23. Make sure they are ready to mount and display.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

October 17, 2007

October 17, 2007
Students wrote brief scary stories in response to black and white photos.

We discussed what makes it easy to write bad fiction --so we need to avoid those problems if we want to write good fiction!

We also discussed basic story structure.

We read a very short story called "Heading Home."

Students had a little time to work on their scary stories which are due by the end of the period on October 29. We will be in the computer lab that day.

Reminder -- the three typed poems are due by October 23. Make sure they are ready to mount and display.

Our special guest will be coming on Friday, October 19.

October 10, 2007

October 10, 2007
Today students went into the computer writing lab to type up their three poems.
Here are the rubrics:

1. An inspired-by poem, typed, or if a concrete poem, it may be neatly “drawn” in ink on plain (not lined) paper.
2. An “If I Were In Charge of the World” Poem, typed
3. An “I Am From” Poem, typed
These poems are due, typed, by October 23. What was not finished in the computer lab must be finished on your own.

Rubric for Typed Poem – “Inspired By” Poem
Score 5 Score 4 Score 3
Ideas/Details 5 = The poem is intriguing and/or entertaining. It has successfully expressed a new, different idea using the format of the poem that inspired it. 4= The poem is interesting and expresses a new idea. 3= The new poem expresses an idea which is the same as or too close to that of the original model, making a few changes.
Conventions 5 = The poem carefully follows the required format of this type of poem 4= There are one or two problems with following the format. 3= There are several problems with following the format.
Presentation 5= It’s ready to post for the public. 4= One problem must be fixed before posting. 3= More than one problem must be fixed before posting.

These are the poems that are inspired by and use the same format as the famous poems from Love That Dog.


Rubric for Typed Poem – “If I Were In Charge of the World” Poem
Score 5 Score 4 Score 3
Ideas/Details 5= The poem is entertaining and/or thought-provoking. The poet has used many specific details/images. 4= The poem is interesting.
There some specific details/images. 3= The poem may be somewhat interesting, but it lacks specific details/images.
Conventions 5= The poem carefully follows the required format of this type of poem 4= There are one or two problems with following the format. 3= There are several problems with following the format.
Presentation 5= It’s ready to post for the public. 4= One problem must be fixed before posting. 3= More than one problem must be fixed before posting.

Example of an "If I Were in Charge Poem":
IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD

If I were in charge of the world
I’d cancel oatmeal,
Monday mornings,
Allergy shots, and also
Sara Steinberg.

If I were in charge of the world
There’d be brighter night lights,
Healthier hamsters, and
Basketball baskets forty-eight inches lower.

If I were in charge of the world
You wouldn’t have lonely.
You wouldn’t have clean.
You wouldn’t have bedtimes.
Or “Don’t punch your sister.”
You wouldn’t even have sisters.

If I were in charge of the world
A chocolate sundae with whipped cream and nuts
would be a vegetable.
All 007 movies would be G.
And a person who sometimes forget to brush,
And sometimes forget to flush,
Would still be allowed to be
In charge of the world.

Format for an "If I Were In Charge of the World" poem:

IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD

If I were in charge of the world
I’d cancel ____________________________________,
_____________________________________________,
_____________________________________________, and also
_____________________________________________.

If I were in charge of the world
There’d be _______________________________________,
_____________________________________________, and
________________________________________________.

If I were in charge of the world
You wouldn’t have ___________________________________.
You wouldn’t have ___________________________________.
You wouldn’t have ___________________________________.
Or ________________________________________________.
You wouldn’t even have ________________________________.

If I were in charge of the world
__________________________________________________________
would be _____________________________________________.
All ___________________________ would be __________________________.
And a person who _________________________________________________,
And _____________________________________________________________,
Would still be allowed to be
In charge of the world.




Rubric for Typed Poem – “I Am From” Poem
Score 6 Score 5 Score 4
Ideas/Details 6= The poem is intriguing. It is full of memorable sensory images. 5= The poem is interesting. There are some memorable images. 4= Poem is somewhat interesting, but it lacks sensory images.
Word choice 6= The poet carefully selected the most vivid and exact words. No dead words here! 5= There are a few vivid and exact words. 4= The poet needs to spend more time looking at word choice, finding exact, vivid words.
Conventions 6= The poet has carefully followed the required format of this type of poem 5= There are one or two problems with following the format. 4= There are several problems with following the format.
Presentation 6= It’s ready to post for the public. 5= One problem must be fixed before posting. 4= More than one problem must be fixed before posting.

Example of an I Am From Poem:

I am from
Hamburger pie and whole wheat bread
Grandma's ladybug tree
Pumpkin carving contests and
The high school turkey toss.

I am from
Spiders and "The Hook" in the cellar
Dark Valley and Pleasant Creek
Gophers we trap for two bits each and
My cousin Gary who burps in my ear.

I am
Apple juice from the gas station at Schofield
Elk jerky from Springfield Meats
Buttery popcorn on rainy Saturdays and
Long dirt roads that take me home.
by Bubba Boyd

Pattern:

I am from
[four lines]

I am from
[four lines]

I am
[four lines]




Monday, October 8, 2007

October 8, 2007

October 8, 2007
Self-Starter: Students wrote a poem in response to a painting shown on the overhead. (Dream -- moon, beach, bird, mirror?)
1. Students received their graded memoirs. Please save these.
2. About Free Verse Poems.
3. Students received rubrics for the poems they will type up in the computer lab on Wednesday -- "Inspired by" poem, "If I Could Rule the World' poem, "I Am From" poem.
4. Brief introduction to the scary story assignment. Due by Halloween.
5. Writer's Workshop
(Students also each received a small free poetry book. If you didn't get want, and would like one, see me.)

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

October 4, 2007

October 4, 2007
Students received a tape-in of "My Rambling Autobiography," and wrote a rambling biography for the self-starter.

We finished reading Love That Dog. Each student should have at least one "Inspired by" poem to type and post on the 9th.
They also received assignments for "If I Ruled the World," and "I Am From" poems. These will also be typed up next time.

October 2, 2007

October 2, 2007

Students described three different types of crackers as thoroughly as they could.

We read from
Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, and imitated some of the poetry quoted there.
We'll finish reading it next time.
If you were absent, make sure you get one of the sheets of poems to imitate.