Monday, September 30, 2013

1. Picture Prompt:    Respond to this picture prompt with a poem, story, description, explanation, commentary, or whatever you wish.  Label it, and add today's date.  Write at least a half page. 

Picture Prompts -- Children's Books?

2. What makes for the best books for children? 
perspective 
how they think
pictures
title
seems less scary (helps them deal with fears)
strange format (humorous) jokes          twisted familiar stories
all pictures -- entertaining, fun 
inanimate objects turned into "people" = "personification"
hyperbole = exaggeration 
imagination. hyperbole  (not as it really is, but as how a child might imagine it)
becomes a game -- such as guessing
learning
alphabet
lyrical-- Ray Bradbury
rhyming, easy, short  
just right words!
design 
colorful
unique to the child 
points out the uniqueness of the child
easy words -- but hard ones to learn, too
suspense 
dealing with  bad things happening
far out -- weird
bears repeating  
wants to see what's coming next 
the familiar 
repeating  refrain  
teaches a lesson -- a moral
humor -- puns 
rhyming
familiar situations -- changed 
unexpected 
temporarily misleading  -- plot twists?
part of a series (This can help.)


3. Interviewing

4.  Fieldtrip next time -- Let your 2nd period teacher know you may be about 15 minutes late to class. 

5.   Love That Dog.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

1. Picture Prompt:    Respond to this picture prompt with a poem, story, description, explanation, commentary, or whatever you wish.  Label it, and add today's date.  Write at least a half page. 

Picture Prompts -- Children's Books?

Don't forget to bring a children's book.
2. Book share 

3. What makes for the best books for children? 
perspective 
how they think
pictures
title
seems less scary (helps them deal with fears)
strange format (humorous) jokes          twisted familiar stories
all pictures -- entertaining, fun 
inanimate objects turned into "people" = "personification"
hyperbole = exaggeration 
imagination. hyperbole  (not as it really is, but as how a child might imagine it)
becomes a game -- such as guessing
learning
alphabet
lyrical-- Ray Bradbury
rhyming, easy, short  
just right words!
design 
colorful
unique to the child 
points out the uniqueness of the child
easy words -- but hard ones to learn, too
suspense 
dealing with  bad things happening
far out -- weird
bears repeating  
wants to see what's coming next 
the familiar 
repeating  refrain  
teaches a lesson -- a moral
humor -- puns 
rhyming
familiar situations -- changed 
unexpected 
temporarily misleading
part of a series






If extra time, read more Love That Dog.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Announcements and Reminders: 

• Scholastic book orders are due by September 25.  
• Consider entering the PTSA Reflections contest.   Extra Credit Opportunity!
• Notice that the hall passes are now at the back of the room.
• Sign out before you go. Sign back in when you return. 

Moving desks today?

*****************************

1.  Select one of the prompts from the list in your composition book.  Write at least a half-page.

2.  One more Me-Bag presentation? 

3. 

Today we will go to the  Computer Lab 201

to finish your Me-Bag stories. 

http://kidblog.org/MsDorseysWriters/

Five Writers on Writing

For the students:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/sites/default/files/asset/file/6-8.pdf

For the teacher:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/grades-6-8-writing-lessons-favorite-authors

Friday, September 20, 2013

1.  Select one of the prompts from the list in your composition book.  Write at least a half-page.


2.  Prepare to create your concrete poetry.
Remember that the words you choose are important.  Chose the most powerful words.

Shades of Meaning

Word Choice

Word Choice!

 

Concrete Poetry!  --- outside

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Opening Prompt:  Outdoor TV Picture Prompt

Concrete Poetry

Love That Dog

Love That Boy

Write one poem "inspired by" Walter Dean Myers "Love That Boy." It could be a "Love that ___ like a ____ loves to ____." or "Hate that ______ like a ____ hates _______." or "Eat that _______ like a _______ eats _______." Follow the format of the poem -- one stanza, seven lines. Notice the rhyme scheme, too. 

  Love Those Grandchildren

 

On Friday, weather permitting, we will create concrete poetry outside on the sidewalks.  Come prepared.

Prepare for Concrete Poetry
http://nonstoppencil.blogspot.com/2012/09/blog-post.html

Concrete Poetry

Monday, September 16, 2013

Reminders and Announcements:

• Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held September 19.
• Scholastic book orders are due by September 25.  
• Consider entering the PTSA Reflections contest.   Extra Credit Opportunity!
• Notice that the hall passes are now at the back of the room.
• Sign out before you go. Sign back in when you return. 

Today we will go to the  Computer Lab 201

to finish your Me-Bag stories. 

1. Respond to this picture prompt with a poem, story, description, explanation, commentary, or whatever you wish.  Label it "Small" and add today's date. 

http://www.demilked.com/surreal-self-portraits-14-year-old-fiddle-oak/


2. Computer lab 201!
   Are you using what you know about writing good or bad fiction?     Make yours good!

http://kidblog.org/MsDorseysWriters/

Punctuation is Important!

Punctuation is Important!

My friend Robbie X Pierce posted this on Facebook. Thank goodness I wasn't the friend who sent him that message!
"True story: I was pretty insulted when I received a Facebook message that asked

"How are you my friend?" 

At least for the few seconds it took me to realize my friend was just bad at punctuation. Commas spare feelings people!"

Grammar: still saving lives.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Announcements, Reminders:

• In case of fire alarm, go out the door, down the stairs, straight down the hall toward the shop area, turn left and go out the doors by the dumpsters.  Look for Ms. Dorsey at the east side of the playing fields. Line up alphabetically once you are there. If the alarm goes off between classes or during lunch, go to your second period teacher for that day.
• Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held September 19.
• Scholastic book orders are due by September 25.  
• Consider entering the PTSA Reflections contest.   Extra Credit Opportunity!
• Notice that the hall passes are now at the back of the room.
• Sign out before you go. Sign back in when you return. 

Next time:  Computer Lab 201to finish Me-Bag stories. 

1.  Create a Dialogue:  Write a scene in which one character is trying to convince another character to do something he or she doesn't want to do, using only dialogue. 

Here is an example from Spilling Ink by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter:

     "I can't; I won't!" Justine said, her hands flying up to cover her neck.
     "But think of all the advantages," the vampire said.
     "Like what?"
     "You'll live forever."
     "And watch all the people I love grow old and die?"
     "You can meet new people."
     "And suck out their blood."
     "There's another advantage too."
     "Forget it.  My mind is made up."
     "Just listen."
     "No!"
     "Your skin will look great.  You'll never get another zit."
     "Really?" Justine's hands slowly moved away from her neck. "Not even if I eat chocolate?"



2. What are the rules for dialogue?
What makes strong, effective dialogue?

Dialogue: -- Class comments today:

You know who’s talking.

You can use tags to clarify who is speaking.

They could say each other’s names once in awhile.

Use quotation marks.

Start a new paragraph when someone begins speaking.

The comma comes after the explanatory material:     George said, “I love peanuts.”

Punctuating Conversation I

Punctuating Conversation II

 
3. Punctuation Counts!

Punctuation is Important!

Dear John

4. More Love That Dog and poetry

1. The Red Wheelbarrow
2. Stopping By Woods (1 Stanza)
3. The Tiger (2 or more lines) 
4. Read both The Tiger and The Lamb
5. Dog by Valerie Worth 
6. The Pasture by Robert Frost 
7. Street Music by Arnolf Adoff   

   “Street Music” by Arnold Adoff - GallagherLanguageArts

   
   

   8.  The Apple   Page back to see more visual poetry. 

   
   
   9.   Love That Boy

All of the poems may be here:  http://www.clccharter.org/andrea/reading/dog_poems.html

More Poetry:  http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/article/246328

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

1.  Write about blogs and blogging.  

2.  Me-Bag Presentation  

Computer Lab 201

http://kidblog.org/MsDorseysWriters/
You can change your avatar.
You can attach files, pictures, etc.  to a post.
Work on your Me-Bag story.  This will be posted to your blog. 

Friday, September 6, 2013

1.  Select one of the prompts on the folded page you taped into your composition book.  Respond to it by writing at least a half page.  These are prompts to help you "mine" your own experiences and your own mind. 


2. Present Me-Bags

3.  Using your notes on your classmates me-bags, you are going to create a story.  Here are your directions: Story Based on Me-Bag Notes

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

1. Respond to this picture prompt with a poem, story, description, explanation, commentary, or whatever you wish.  
For a header use today's date and "Dogs."

2. Present Me-Bags


Poetry and Dogs!
3. Begin reading Love That Dog 

Telling a Story -- Fiction or Nonfiction
4. a. If there is time, work on your  brief piece of "bad" fiction or nonfiction (memoir).  Select a subject that you could make better. 
and 4. b.  Make it better! 

Love Those Grandchildren

Love those grandchildren
like a flower loves the sun,
I said I love those grandchildren
like a flower loves the sun.
Love to take them to the places
where we all have fun.

We go to the museums
and to the Hogle Zoo
I said we go to the museums
and to the Hogle Zoo
We love each other more each time
before the day is through.

Writers on Writing

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/grades-6-8-writing-lessons-favorite-authors

Fieldtrip