Wednesday, Sept. 28th - Short Story Writing Begins!

1) Silent Reading

2) What are the Elements of a Terrific Story? Group task. Put ideas on the board.

3) Stay in groups. Share the setting you brainstormed last night. Discuss. Each group will be asked to share the best one and explain why it's intriguing. Las minute changes? Grab a giant sheet of paper and staple this to it.

4) Sticky Note Characters - everyone must now develop a quick sketch of a character of their own invention. Include name, age, height, weight, hair style, eye colour, skin complexion, facial features, build, mannerisms, back story. (After activity sticky note goes on your sheet).

5) Three random words from a dictionary - drum roll please... write three words down in bold.

6) Draw a Point of View and a Conflict. Tape these on your sheet.

7) Now you have all the pieces to begin writing a story. Brainstorm on your working sheet. Begin writing... no suggested word length.

8) Have your rough draft ready for tomorrow.

"It takes a certain amount of nerve to be a writer." Margaret Atwood

Listen to Maggie or she'll come yell at you.

Tuesday, Sept. 27th

1) Silent Reading

2) Survey Says:

How many of you have a Facebook account?

How many visit the site at least 5 times per week?

Computer in house?

More than one computer in house?

Computer of your own?

Cell phone?

Bullied online?

Approached by a stranger online?

Looked at stuff your parents would rather you didn't?

How many of you want more tech toys in your life?

How many of you think technology defines your generation?

3) Vids and Q's

Lost Generation video - What's your generation all about???

What do you think the future looks like? Check out the possible future of tech.

4) Notes: Science Fiction, Genre, Dystopia, Utopia

5) Read: I Saw the Best Minds of my Generation Destroyed by Google

6) Homework: Brainstorm an idea for a futuristic setting.

See/Smell/Touch/Feel chart. Plus short descroption. Rough draft fine...

Friday, Sept. 24th

DUE: Gender Identity Response

We've talked about gender identity at great length... we've read the story "Boys and Girls," by Alice Munro, and now it is time to embark on your second literary response.


250-500 words
Respond to one of the following topics:

1) What is the conflict of our "just a girl" protagonist? Use supporting quotes from the story to prove your thinking.

2) How do the mother and father represent gender stereotypes? Use supporting quotes to prove your thinking.

3) What is the central theme of the story. Use supporting quotes.

Wednesday, Sept. 21 - Critical Q's Cont'd

1) Silent Reading - return "The Liar" paragraph...

2) Back to your groups.

Remember our discussions about gender identity and stereotypes from yesterday - look at your question - checking the critical thinking questions on the back, write down in clear sentences your "answers," your ideas. Use the large white sheets and big print so that we can see some of your ideas. You will recieve a mark according to the following criteria:

Answers had depth, breadth, accuracy, etc... 1 2 3 4 5 6

Consider this: the horrific story of the gang-rape images on FB.

3) Library - now tell me what you think as an individual. Pick ANY ONE of the questions and produce a 250 - 500 word response.

THINK.
WRITE.
EDIT.
THINK.
WRITE.
EDIT.

Make it good. I'm upping the marks ____/12

Tuesday, Sept. 21st - Critical Questions about Gender Identity

1) Silent Reading

2) This is a Critical Thinking Day! One of many days where we will grab a really BIG topic and ask some tough questions. We might not figure out all of the answers but we will definitely do some serious thinking. First, we will need to consider the basic elements of critical thinking - Clarity, Accuracy, Precision, etc... see handout. Make posters to put up on the wall to remind us how to think critically every day.

3) Today's Issue: Gender Identity

Introductory videos. What do I mean by gender identity? Gender socialization? Had things changed much in 40 years? Have they changed today?

I love Lucy 1950's Friends 1990's

4) Groups - sort by numbers... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Introductions.

5) Critical Thinking Elements - distribute and explain... your group will be in charge of policing this element throughout our discussions.

6) Remember that it is PEACE day... be respectful and peace-loving during our discussions.

7) Board Work: Sugar and Spice vs Puppy Dog Tails

What are we really made of?

8) Critical Thinking Questions - each group must come up with an answer and present their thinking

9) Homework: write a one page response to this topic - think and write critically. Edit!

Monday, September 20th - Review a Story!

Writing a story review in a group.
It's importnat to be able to articulate your ideas out loud.
Talk. Negotiate. Write a two pargraph review.
See handout.
/6

Tomorrow - gender roles

Friday, Sept. 17th - Identities Cont'd

I am away today... but I'm still watching you... be good to the "sub!"

1) Silent Reading for 10 minutes

2) Group Think for 15 minutes - Okay, so yesterday we did not get to finish our discussion about the short story, "Identities," (p.3) BUT today you have to put your ideas together and find a visual way to answer the following questions.

- What are the five most interesting qualities about the central character?
- What do the contrasts between the two settings represent to our protagonist?
- Why is the title important?
- What is the theme, the central idea, of the story? (There are many possible answers...)

Grab a little white board (at the front on the floor) and a dry erase marker (in my drawer), or a big sheet of paper and a marker, and find a way to draw/sketch/label your way to a visual version of your answer. Leave them for me to view on Monday. Also, be prepared, on Monday, to explain what they mean.

3) To the Library to Write a Narrative
Keeping in mind, the feedback I recently gave you on your writing, and considering the expectations of the six-point scale, write a 250 - 500 word response to ONE of the following topics:

If figuring out who you are is necessary, then who do you think you are so far? What are your values? What are your goals? What really matters to you?

OR

Describe what Fall makes you think of. What memories come back? What hopes, desires, feelings surface when the air becomes crisp and the leaves turn.

A personal response like this will be written in first person, "I." You may opt to write a narrative/story or a personal essay.

DUE MONDAY!

Have a happy and safe weekend, people! :)